Last week, our LIFE Group was discussing matters related to
marriage and divorce when the question was Biblical Teaching on Divorce
Before one can entertain the possibility of a person serving
as a pastor after a divorce, the biblical teaching on divorce should be
understood. At the outset, it should be noted that Scripture makes it completely
clear that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16); it has never been part of his
original plan for marriage. Yet, because of the hardness of fallen mans’ hearts,
God allowed it (Matt. 19:8) and regulated it, both for Israel (Deut. 22:19, 29;
24:1-4) and the Church (Matt. 5:31-32; 19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; 1 Cor. 7:10-16).
Since the Church is in mind here, a summary of the biblical
teaching is helpful. Let’s begin with a couple of general principles. First,
divorce that occurred prior to a person’s conversion is a mute point. When we
come to Christ, all sin is forgiven and we become new creations, new people, in
Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Secondly, divorce is never God’s original, or best, plan
for marriage (Matt. 19:4-6). With those two principles in place, Scripture is
clear about how divorce applies to a Christian. There are only two permissible
reasons for divorce: the divorce of a believer by an unbeliever (1 Cor.
7:12-16) and the divorce of an unrepentant adulterous spouse (Matt. 5:32;
19:9). In these two cases, the believer and victimized spouse are completely
free from their marital obligations. If, however, Christians divorce for
reasons other than these two, they are either to reconcile and heal their
marriage or remain single and celibate for the rest of their lives (1 Cor. 7:10-11).
There are many issues surrounding divorce, but this is the general summary from
which our discussion of how divorce applies to pastors will proceed.
Divorce and the Qualifications
The way in which divorce applies to a person who occupies
the office of pastor (a.k.a. overseer, elder) in the New Testament Church goes
back to 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6; namely the phrase “the husband of one
wife”.
Inferior Interpretations of the Phrase
There have been several positions in the Church regarding
how this phrase should be interpreted and applied.
Marriage to the Church
This view is most widely held by Roman Catholics and has
virtually no support in Protestant circles. Simply put, the pastor (elder,
overseer) is married, metaphorically, to the Church. Thus, the men who serve
her as pastors should remain faithful (read “celibate”) and not marry a woman.
Problematic for those who take this view is that they interpret all of the
other qualifications of 1 Timothy and Titus literally, including the one which
says that a pastor must be able to manage his family and children well. It’s
difficult to do that if he is married to the Church and celibate. Furthermore,
it contradicts Paul’s admonitions of 1 Corinthians 7 that men should marry to
avoid sexual temptations, and is nowhere otherwise mentioned in the New
Testament.
Prohibits Polygamy
Those who hold this view rush to the assumption that
polygamy was so rampant in the first and second centuries that in order to
protect the Church, and the pastorate, against the issues related to frequent
and rampant divorce. Therefore, if a man was a polygamist he was forbidden from
pastoral ministry; pastoral ministry was only for monogamists. There are
several problems with this view, not the least of which is that there is no
record of the church ever having a problem with polygamy. Furthermore, history
records that polygamy was abhorrent to both Romans and Greeks. So, if Paul was
addressing an issue he was addressing an issue that was not readily observable
in the either the Church or the pagan culture of the day.
Prohibition of Remarried Widowers
This view holds that because the passage reads “one” wife,
that those who have lost their wife to death and remarried are forbidden from
holding the office of pastor. The problem is that Scripture is clear that death
dissolves the marriage bond and frees the survivor to remarry without
constriction (Matt. 22:30; Rom. 7:3).
Prohibition of Divorce
This is the most popular view held among conservative
evangelicals. The view states that no man who has ever been divorced is
eligible to hold the office of pastor. Those who hold this view claim that
divorce was too popular in the first century; particularly among Jews and
Romans, and that the Church was to hold to a higher standard and be an example
of what God originally intended for mankind. As the leader of the Church, the
pastor was to exemplify this by not ever having been divorced.
Though this position is widely held, it has some issues
which make it difficult to sustain. It is doubtful, from the language Paul used
in both 1 Timothy and Titus that he intended to communicate a prohibition of
divorce. If that was the Apostle’s intent, the Greek language easily could have
communicated this without having to be cryptic or unclear. Rather than give a
negative command regarding marriage, Paul states the qualification in a
positive way; calling the pastor to an even higher level of leadership.
The Better Interpretation
The major English
translations render the Greek phrase μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα (mias gunaikos andra) in a
couple of different ways. The KJV, NKJV, NASB, and ESV all translate the phrase
as “husband of one wife,” while the NIV and NLT translate it as “faithful to
his wife.” Herein lies the rub. What is the best translation? Once identified,
what is the best application?
The Proper Translation
The Greek phrase itself most literally reads, “a
man of one woman.” Since there is no Greek word for husband, the word used is
the general word for an adult man. When used in the context of the marital
union, it is commonly translated as “husband”. The same is true of the female
term used. Paul uses the general term for “woman” in the context of a marital
relationship; giving it the meaning of “wife”. In both 1 Timothy and Titus the
words man/husband and woman/wife are used without the definite articles. In
these contexts, the absence of the definite articles emphasizes the character
of the man in question. The noun, “man”, is the predicate following the being
verb; or subject in question in the phrase. “Of one woman” is in the genitive;
indicating what kind (i.e. character) of man the man must be.
Too often this phrase is singled out as the
watershed qualification which either disqualifies or qualifies a man for
pastoral ministry. This is an interpretive travesty and exegetical misstep.
Paul uses the word δεῖ, meaning “must” to begin his discourse on what qualifies a man to hold the
office of pastor. The initial statement of 1 Timothy 3:1, “Now the overseer is
to be above reproach” begins a long list of qualifications. This first phrase
includes a being verb followed by series of indefinite accusatives which
describe the character or what kind of man the pastor needs to be
if he is qualified to hold the office. Each of these accusatives is governed by
the use of “must” at the very beginning of Paul’s discussion in verse 1 and
must, therefore, be interpreted in the same manner. All of the qualifications
speak to the pastor’s character and not specifically to his marital status.
Therefore, “man of one woman”, “one woman man”, or “husband of one wife” can
legitimately be rendered “faithful to his wife” per the NIV and NLT. Regardless
of translational preference, if one understands that this qualification speaks
to the pastor’s character and not his specific marital status, then it will be
interpreted correctly.
Overall Context
When examining this issue, it’s important to understand Paul’s
overall idea as well as the grammar and construction of the passage. Paul is
providing instructions to Timothy and Titus whom he chose to lead the churches
in his place while he was imprisoned and after his death. Paul had trained
these men and wanted to make sure that they chose qualified men to lead and
serve the churches of Asia Minor and Crete as pastors and deacons.
The character qualities Paul put forth were meant to show
that Church leaders were intended to be godly men. They were to live as
examples of Christ-like living before the church and the community; exemplified
in the very first qualification, “above reproach”. In fact, this first
qualification sets the tone for those which follow, including his marital
status. Nowhere in the immediate or expanded context does Paul state
or imply anything about divorce – pre or post conversion. The character Paul is
advocating is one of loyalty to his wife.
Conclusion
When we look at the grammar and context of what Paul wrote,
it becomes clear that Paul was in no way forbidding divorced men from holding
the pastoral office; such a position cannot be substantiated from either
grammar or context. It is most consistent with the text to state that Paul was
not forbidding divorced men from holding the pastoral office.
The ability of divorced men to hold the pastoral office must
be in line with the rest of the New Testament’s teaching on divorce. It is
clear that pre-conversion divorce is a non
sequitur and that men who are faithful and loyal to their wives
post-conversion are qualified to hold the pastoral office. Furthermore, since
it is clear that God allows for divorce in the case of an unbeliever divorcing
a believer, it would stand to reason that if a man has been divorced by an
unbelieving wife that he is not only free to remarry, but to hold the pastoral
office. God also allows for divorce in the case of unrepentant adultery which
would free the victimized spouse to remarry. Why would he not be permitted to
hold the pastoral office if he was faithful and loyal to his adulterous wife
and, should he remarry, is faithful and loyal to his new wife? Would that not
meet Paul’s qualification of marital faithfulness? It seems obvious to me that
it does. It stands to reason that if a pastor is divorced for biblically permissible
reasons that he would be able to continue to hold his pastoral office. Men who
have a divorce in their past need not be overlooked for pastoral ministry just
because of their divorce.
All that said, it should be remembered that divorce always
carries baggage, pain, and regret for both parties; regardless of the reasons
or timing of the divorce. While a man may be able to divorce and either become
or retain his position as pastor, both he and the church he serves must be
honest about the truth that he will have to deal with a host of issues as a
result. But that should not preclude churches from ministering to those pastors
whose marriages end badly and graciously, lovingly helping move forward for
Christ. Conversely, those pastors who are touched by divorce can have a great
impact for Christ to the Church and the community. We need not shun good, godly
men; blighting them as unqualified just because of divorce. Where’s the grace
in that?
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