S
SomeSunnyDay
Guest
Certainly true; this is how our western society by and large views marriage today; as a partnership with the woman as an equal.
However, in many countries of the world, even some Christian cultures today, wives are still viewed as a man’s property, and this belief, however misunderstood or frowned upon by us modern womenfolk today, is actually a strict interpretation of ancient law.
I discussed this perplexing question tonight over dinner with a friend of mine who is a Jewish Biblical scholar, and this is how she explained it to me. Quite fascinating, actually!
In Biblical times, the Jews understood “Thou shalt not commit adultery” very differently than we do today. Adultery was the sin of “trespassing” on a man’s *property *(thus, the distinction in the Commandments between “thou shalt not commit adultery” and “coveting thy neighbor’s wife”.) Until marriage women were the property of their fathers. After marriage they became the property of their husband.
Therefore, if a man had sex with an unmarried female (most likely still living under her father’s roof, as most unmarried women did), it was adultery and he had violated the 7th Commandment. If he had sex with another man’s wife, it was certainly adulterous. Additionally, he would be violating the 10th Commandment if he tried to steal her away from her husband/owner. (In cases of prostitutes, however, this was not considered adultery, since these women were regarded as no one’s property; they were often orphans who did not have fathers or owners. Interesting stuff, eh?)
Most marriages were arranged between the fathers of the boy and girl. In other cases if a man wanted a woman, he knocked on her father’s tent, offered the marriage price, and took a wife. The girl had little say in the matter. If he liked the girl he might return with more money to marry some of her sisters! Women *were *considered property. Adultery was a violation of the husbands’ property rights, not morality, and polygyny was the standard.
However, Jesus taught that women should be equal, but didn’t address the reason other than to be equal rather than a possession. It is generally believed that Jesus’ teaching (considered revolutionary at the time!) emphasized a more loving relationship between man and wife. The Sermon on the Mount is a wonderful example of Jesus reversing legalistic laws in favor of love.
Luckily, society has evolved much over the past 2000 years, especially our attitudes on the equality of women and our interpretation that marriage should be an equal partnership.
Obviously, today there is no longer polygamy, and men as well as women who have relations outside of marriage are nowadays considered adulterers.
Adultery, more fully understood Biblically, is the willful and harmful violation (adulteration) of the primary, the permanence, and the honesty of the marriage.
Christ’s teachings of love and the golden rule support today’s loving, respecting, monogamous marriages, and were way ahead of their time in many ways! The only real difference is that women now have the same rights within a marriage that men had in the time of Christ.
Cheating adultery is clearly wrong since it involves lying and deception, practices Christ said were forbidden then and which still holds true in our society today.
However, in many countries of the world, even some Christian cultures today, wives are still viewed as a man’s property, and this belief, however misunderstood or frowned upon by us modern womenfolk today, is actually a strict interpretation of ancient law.
I discussed this perplexing question tonight over dinner with a friend of mine who is a Jewish Biblical scholar, and this is how she explained it to me. Quite fascinating, actually!
In Biblical times, the Jews understood “Thou shalt not commit adultery” very differently than we do today. Adultery was the sin of “trespassing” on a man’s *property *(thus, the distinction in the Commandments between “thou shalt not commit adultery” and “coveting thy neighbor’s wife”.) Until marriage women were the property of their fathers. After marriage they became the property of their husband.
Therefore, if a man had sex with an unmarried female (most likely still living under her father’s roof, as most unmarried women did), it was adultery and he had violated the 7th Commandment. If he had sex with another man’s wife, it was certainly adulterous. Additionally, he would be violating the 10th Commandment if he tried to steal her away from her husband/owner. (In cases of prostitutes, however, this was not considered adultery, since these women were regarded as no one’s property; they were often orphans who did not have fathers or owners. Interesting stuff, eh?)
Most marriages were arranged between the fathers of the boy and girl. In other cases if a man wanted a woman, he knocked on her father’s tent, offered the marriage price, and took a wife. The girl had little say in the matter. If he liked the girl he might return with more money to marry some of her sisters! Women *were *considered property. Adultery was a violation of the husbands’ property rights, not morality, and polygyny was the standard.
However, Jesus taught that women should be equal, but didn’t address the reason other than to be equal rather than a possession. It is generally believed that Jesus’ teaching (considered revolutionary at the time!) emphasized a more loving relationship between man and wife. The Sermon on the Mount is a wonderful example of Jesus reversing legalistic laws in favor of love.
Luckily, society has evolved much over the past 2000 years, especially our attitudes on the equality of women and our interpretation that marriage should be an equal partnership.
Obviously, today there is no longer polygamy, and men as well as women who have relations outside of marriage are nowadays considered adulterers.
Adultery, more fully understood Biblically, is the willful and harmful violation (adulteration) of the primary, the permanence, and the honesty of the marriage.
Christ’s teachings of love and the golden rule support today’s loving, respecting, monogamous marriages, and were way ahead of their time in many ways! The only real difference is that women now have the same rights within a marriage that men had in the time of Christ.
Cheating adultery is clearly wrong since it involves lying and deception, practices Christ said were forbidden then and which still holds true in our society today.
You said you texted him and when he rung you you wouldnt answer the phone yet it was you that instigated the connection Dont be playing silly female games ok!!