The Watchtower, March 15, 1977

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The Watchtower — March 15, 1977

Source: jw.org

Contents

How Important Is It to Obey?

Why Meditate?

Insight on the News

We Were Given a Goal in Life

Marriage—An Arrangement Honored in God’s Word

Maintaining Marriage in Honor Before God and Men

“The Breezy Part of the Day”

What Did the Wise Man Mean?

Blessings from Not Retaliating

Transmitting the Hebrew Scriptures to You

The “Synagogue of the Freedmen”

Questions From Readers

To Hell and Back—Has Anyone Ever Made It?

How Important Is It to Obey?

How Important Is It to Obey?

THE baseball player knew only too well what was expected of him. He could use his bat as he pleased unless signaled to do otherwise by his manager. But this seemed to him to be a most important game and he was certain that he could improve upon the judgment of the manager. So, although he was instructed to “bunt,” he did the very opposite; he gave the ball a wallop that resulted in a home run, thereby winning the game. The baseball fans no doubt acclaimed him a hero, but he was fined $100 for disobeying his manager. He learned that obedience was more important than winning a game.

That was years ago and other players since then have had to pay fines for various reasons. But it might be asked, Was it just, fair and reasonable to penalize a player for winning a game? No, he was not penalized for winning the game but for going contrary to orders. What would happen to the sport of baseball if each player could do as he pleased? Where would be the teamwork? Besides, while in this isolated case the batter’s judgment may have been better, how often is this the case? Moreover, who can say whether the game might not also have been won had the batter obeyed? Yes, some people are hired and paid to call the signals, for that is what they are supposed to know best; others get paid for cooperating with them. Cooperation often means to obey, which this ballplayer failed to do.

The very sound of the word “obey” is irksome to many people. Some modern brides object to the word “obey” in their marriage vows. Ever so many people want to be free to do as they please, to do their “own thing.” But life begins and continues only as long as we obey. How so? In that we all need to obey the laws of creation​—such as gravity, cause and effect, metabolism, and so forth—​to keep on living.

Not only is it in our interest to obey the laws of creation, but it is also in our interest to obey the laws that men have made for the orderly functioning of society. Anarchists would do away with all laws; but what confusion and jeopardy would result! Take just the simple matter of traffic lights at a busy intersection. Without those lights and the obedience of car drivers, the traffic at that point could be hopelessly snarled, not to mention how many persons might be killed because of accidents. No question about obedience to traffic laws being important!

Or consider the men in a symphony orchestra. The conductor might be a genius, but what good would that be if his men did not obey him? Musicians know only too well the importance of obedience, for their jobs depend upon their implicitly obeying the conductor, the notes and the first musician of their section! Is obedience important for them? It certainly is!

Examples could be multiplied, but the foregoing should suffice to underscore the importance of obedience in everyday matters of life. So, it is but to be expected that God in his Word, the Holy Bible, which he gave as a ‘lamp to our feet and a light to our roadway,’ should stress the importance of obedience in spiritual matters. (Ps. 119:105) In fact, the word “obey,” in its various forms, occurs more than 160 times in the Bible, and hundreds of times we find references to God’s commandments, laws, orders, judicial decisions and regulations, all of which call for obedience on the part of those loving Jehovah God. The very opening chapters of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, tell that all the trouble we have in the world stems from our first parents because they failed to obey God.​—Gen. 2:17; 3:11-19.

By the very nature of things in every human society, if there is to be order, harmony and accomplishment there must be cooperation, and cooperation involves some measure of obedience. But who should decide who is to give the commands and who is to obey? Since God created the earth and man upon it, and these all belong to him, has he not the right to require that man obey him? And that being so, he also has the right to delegate to some the right to command and to others the requirement to obey them. And all of this God does wisely and lovingly, not arbitrarily.

God’s Word commands: “Children, be obedient to your parents in everything, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.” (Col. 3:20) Is this a loving and wise command? Indeed it is, for not only did parents bring the children into the world, which of itself makes them responsible, but they have the greater experience and the obligation of providing their children with food, clothing, shelter, education, training, religious instruction and recreation. How can they properly discharge these duties if their children do not cooperate by obeying? No more so than a conductor can do justice to a piece of music unless his men fully cooperate by obeying him!

And there are other spheres of human activity where God requires individuals to obey. For example, obedience is called for in the marital relationship if there is to be peace, harmony and happiness in the family (Eph. 5:21-23), among citizens in relation to their governments for justice to prevail (Rom. 13:1-7), among servants or employees in relation to masters or employers so as to get work done (Eph. 6:5-8), and among individual members of a congregation in relation to their overseers or elders for mutual advantage. (Heb. 13:17) Of course, all such obedience is relative, meaning that it is rendered so long as it does not go against what God commands.​—Acts 5:29.

There is an incident in the Bible that shows how vitally important it is for God’s dedicated people to obey him in all things. Israel’s first monarch, King Saul, had been commanded by Jehovah God to execute retributive justice upon the Amalekite nation for their dastardly attack while Israel was in the wilderness. Contrary to God’s instructions, Saul failed to destroy the king and the flocks of the Amalekites, using the excuse that he saved the flocks for the purpose of sacrifice. But the prophet Samuel told him: “To obey is better than a sacrifice, to pay attention than the fat of rams. . . . Since you have rejected the word of Jehovah, he accordingly rejects you from being king.”​—1 Sam. 15:22, 23.

How important is obedience? Truly very, very important!

[Picture on page 164]

“To obey is better than a sacrifice,” the prophet Samuel told disobedient King Saul

Why Meditate?

Why Meditate?

IT TAKES time to meditate, that is, to ponder, muse or think seriously about a matter. But it is time well spent. Thoughtful meditation on wholesome things brings a fine reward.

The Bible provides excellent guidelines as to matters that should rightly occupy our thoughts. We read: “Whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things.”​—Phil. 4:8.

When a person makes such upbuilding things the object of his continual meditation, this has a good effect upon his heart. His appreciation for the rightness of such noble matters grows, and he becomes more aware that his acting in harmony with his meditation has a good effect upon himself and his fellowmen. As a result, what he says and does comes ever closer to God’s standard of purity and cleanness. This is shown by Jesus’ words: “A good man brings forth good out of the good treasure of his heart, but a wicked man brings forth what is wicked out of his wicked treasure; for out of the heart’s abundance his mouth speaks.”​—Luke 6:45.

Accordingly, the more an individual concentrates on upbuilding, positive matters, the more will this be reflected in his speech and actions. It is just as the Bible proverb says: “The heart of the righteous one meditates so as to answer, but the mouth of the wicked ones bubbles forth with bad things.” (Prov. 15:28) Profitable meditation serves to deter a person’s giving unbalanced, senseless answers. He will not be speaking just from the top of his head. Instead, he will weigh all the factors involved, taking the circumstances and feelings of other individuals into consideration, before answering on weighty matters. His heartfelt answer will then be one that he will not later regret.

Besides thus contributing toward the preservation of good relationships with fellow humans, meditation plays a vital role in maintaining a fine standing before the Creator. Like the inspired psalmists, we, therefore, do well to use times of quiet and solitude for meditating on the qualities and activities of Jehovah God. The psalmist David stated: “When I have remembered you upon my lounge, during the night watches I meditate on you. For you have proved to be of assistance to me, and in the shadow of your wings I cry out joyfully.” (Ps. 63:6, 7) Another psalmist declared: “I shall certainly meditate on all your activity, and with your dealings I will concern myself.”​—Ps. 77:12.

All who desire to be God’s approved servants might ask themselves: Do I, like the psalmists, take time for meditating on the Creator and his activity? Do I reflect appreciatively on what he has done in my behalf​—providing his Son as a ransom, opening my heart to respond to his truth, helping me to cope with daily problems of life, giving me a solid hope for the future, and much more? Do I think about his past dealings with mankind and the way he demonstrated love, mercy, justice, wisdom and so many other admirable qualities?

Such wholesome meditation can deepen our love for Jehovah God. As a consequence, our relationship will be like that of a child that trusts and loves its father and wants to please him. Our relationship with our heavenly Father will be a personal one, that is, we will really know him and his Son whom he gave in our behalf. When that is the case, it will be an impossibility for us to become willful practicers of sin. The apostle John pointed this out when he wrote regarding the effect of knowing and of not knowing Jesus Christ: “Everyone remaining in union with him does not practice sin; no one that practices sin has either seen him or come to know him.”​—1 John 3:6.

Children who deeply love and appreciate their parents do not viciously turn against them. So also those who know God and his Son Jesus Christ do not turn their backs on them, deliberately pursuing a course that is contrary to the divine will.

On the other hand, a weak relationship with the Creator may lead to grave danger. Yes, failure to meditate on spiritual matters can lead to one’s losing out on God’s approval and blessing. Jesus Christ pointed this out in his illustration about the sower. Explaining that illustration, he said to his disciples: “Those alongside the road are the ones that have heard, then the Devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts in order that they may not believe and be saved. Those upon the rock-mass are the ones who, when they hear it, receive the word with joy, but these have no root; they believe for a season, but in a season of testing they fall away. As for that which fell among the thorns, these are the ones that have heard, but, by being carried away by anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life, they are completely choked and bring nothing to perfection.”​—Luke 8:12-14.

In each of the three situations described by Jesus Christ there was insufficient heart appreciation for the “word of God” or the “word of the kingdom.” (Matt. 13:19; Luke 8:11) Hard-packed soil alongside the road was produced by the flow of traffic. Similarly, when a person allows others to tramp through his life to such an extent that undue demands are made on his time and energies, he will be too preoccupied to give any heartfelt consideration to the “word of God.” Though he may hear it, his failure to meditate on it will keep the heart in an unresponsive state. As far as the other two circumstances are concerned, they, too, result from a failure to meditate enough on the right things. Hence, the measure of appreciation developed for the “word of the kingdom” is not strong enough to endure severe testing or to eclipse concerns over daily cares or desires for riches or pleasures.

Surely we do have good reason to take time to meditate on wholesome things. Such meditation can strengthen our relationship with the Creator, enabling us to remain clean in his eyes. It can also contribute much to our being a source of encouragement and blessing to others in word and deed.

Insight on the News

Insight on the News

Tibet’s Religion “Killed”

● “Official atheism has killed religion in remote Tibet,” the “Smithsonian” magazine reports. The once-dominant Buddhist religion has been practically wiped out since the Communist takeover of that province more than two decades ago.

A correspondent of the magazine relates: “Of Tibet’s 5,000 [Buddhist] monasteries, only about a dozen active ones remain; the rest are used as warehouses or are falling into ruin.” The huge Drepung monastery outside Tibet’s capital city of Lhasa was once the main center of Tibetan Buddhism, with 10,000 resident monks. Today only 300 monks live there, and no new monks are being recruited.

Bible prophecy foretold that in our day this world’s religions, including Christendom, would suffer a similar fate. They are represented in the Bible pictorially as “Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.” The Bible then describes how the political elements of this world “will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.”​—Rev. 17:5, 16.

In view of this, lifesaving is God’s warning: “Get out of her [Babylonish false religion], my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.”​—Rev. 18:4.

Improved Without Television

● A Japanese housewife wrote the following to Tokyo’s “Daily Yomiuri” some time after her television set broke down: “The life pattern of my two children, seven and five-year-old boys, has since shown a remarkable change. Before the TV broke, my boys only watched TV after dinner. They never listened to my suggestion to read books. But now that the TV is broken, they are quite eager to read books.”

This mother also said: “What most surprised me is that my five-year-old boy has mastered 48 Japanese kana [Japanese syllabary alphabet] in 10 days by himself. Now he can write postcards to his grandmother and friends in the countryside.” She added: “Since they were brought up with TV, they at first complained about being without it. But they no longer complain about it now.” Also, many other parents have noted improvements in both behavior and schoolwork after more carefully regulating their children’s television habits.

Children often imitate what they see. And much of what they see on television has to do with violence and immorality. In this regard, an official of the National Parent-Teacher Association in the United States declared: “There is a causal relationship between violence seen on TV, and aggressive, violent behavior among children.”

Therefore, wise parents carefully regulate the mental food that young minds take in, since, to a large extent, what a young mind feeds on determines the kind of adult the child becomes. Counsels God’s Word: “My son, to my wisdom O do pay attention. To my discernment incline your ears, so as to guard thinking abilities.”​—Prov. 5:1, 2.

Marijuana Affects Fliers

● Seven professional and three private airplane pilots took part in an experiment designed to see what effects the smoking of marijuana had on flying ability. “Results of that experiment were frightening,” reported the Denver “Post.”

After smoking marijuana, the fliers were tested in a flight simulator and their reactions were recorded by a video camera. The marijuana caused “increased prevalence of major errors, minor errors, altitude deviations, heading deviations, and radio navigation errors,” the study showed. Similar results have been obtained in tests involving automobile driving skills.

Hence, marijuana use can result in mental distortion. Indeed, people use it to produce a condition called a “high,” or to become “stoned.” Without question, then, it can contaminate both mind and body. That is why Christians totally avoid its use, particularly since God’s Word says: “Let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.”​—2 Cor. 7:1.

We Were Given a Goal in Life

We Were Given a Goal in Life

As told by Russell Cantwell

I HAVE observed that few young people today really seem to know what they want to do with their lives. They have no particular career in mind, or any other goal toward which they are working. I am thankful to my parents that this was never the case with me.

My parents are still living, even though Dad is ninety-nine and Mother is in her eighties. Between the two of them they have spent over ninety years “pioneering,” as Jehovah’s Witnesses call the full-time Bible preaching activity.

It was back around 1908 that Dad and Mother began to study the Bible in earnest. One of my earliest memories is of seeing the Photo-Drama of Creation, which is a slides and film presentation of the story of the Bible. This was at the little country school where Dad taught in Arkansas. I must have been about three years old at the time.

In 1924, when I was four, Dad moved the family to east Tennessee. There he immediately began talking to the neighbors about his faith in God. The Kamer family was interested, and weekly Bible meetings were organized.

Another early recollection of mine is of visits of the “pilgrims,” as the traveling representatives of Jehovah’s Witnesses were then called. We three boys gave up our beds to our sisters and slept on the floor so that the visitor could have our sisters’ bedroom. The kind attention and encouragement these men gave us children left a wholesome, lasting impression.

IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITUAL MATTERS

By the way they taught us, as well as by the example they set, Dad and Mother left indelibly imprinted on our young minds the importance of Bible study and Christian association. An experience that I remember clearly well illustrates this; I was only about six or seven at the time.

It was a Sunday morning and, as we were walking to Kamer’s house for our regular Bible study, we were met by three carloads of relatives. Although Dad had not seen them for several years, instead of returning to the house he invited them, either to go with us for the study, or to go on down to the house and wait until we returned. I do believe that the entire group could have left in anger and Dad would not have been unduly disturbed, as he felt a strong spiritual obligation to his family and the Kamer family to conduct that Bible study.

Dad also trained us to speak to others about the things we were learning about God’s kingdom. From as far back as I can remember he would take us children with him as he would call on people at their homes. In 1927 Dad decided that I was old enough to go alone to the doors.

OUR FAMILY LIFE

True, there was much hard work on the farm, and we were also busy with Christian activities. But, at the same time, our parents saw to it that we had recreation. Dad taught us to swim. And there were family picnics, and family gatherings with others, which provided wholesome recreation and association.

Something else that contributed to our closeness as a family was the fact that Dad and Mother pulled together, and always had time for us children. I’m sure they had differences at times, but they never argued in front of us or contradicted each other. In this way we learned to respect parental authority.

At school we were often ridiculed by children who belonged to other religions. For example, they would call us “no hellers,” because we didn’t believe that God would torment people in a fiery hell. But Dad and Mother would take time to help us to prepare answers from the Bible to take back to school. This strengthened us, convincing us that we knew the truth of God’s Word, and we came to take pleasure in being different, even as did God’s servants in the past.

Years before, an uncle, who did not appreciate Dad’s religion, told him: “Children have a hard enough time growing up without poking that religion into them.” Years later, when we visited this uncle, he tearfully said to Dad: “Newt, I wish my children were like yours.” However, when Dad reminded him of his earlier remark, and that it was our Bible training that made the difference in us, my uncle didn’t like that at all. He even forbade Dad to mention God or the Bible in his home again!

A GOAL SET BEFORE US

Dad desired to devote more time to the witnessing work, and so in 1929 we moved to West Plains, Missouri. There we were able to provide rooms for two full-time Kingdom proclaimers. The example of these Witnesses started our family thinking about pioneering.

Due to the Great Depression we moved back to the farm in Tennessee, but we didn’t give up the idea of pioneering. In 1931 a pilgrim named Louis Larson helped Dad to figure out how he could financially care for the family in the pioneer work.

There were six of us children still at home, three of us in school. A family conference was held, and after prayerful consideration we agreed to sell the farm and place full trust in Jehovah to provide. It was decided that we three youngest would continue our schooling, while the older ones would pioneer.

The faith and trust of my parents in Jehovah was a strong influence in my life. That night I made a prayerful commitment to Jehovah that I would do his will as my folks were doing and walk in the footsteps of Christ. What a thrill some time later to be baptized by Dad in symbol of my dedication to Jehovah!

The farm was put up for sale but, with the Depression, it was sold at 50 percent less than the original asking price. Then an accident and serious illness in the family took every cent Dad had, leaving us “broke.” But he said there was only one thing to do, and that was to stay in the full-time witnessing work. This determination and firm resolve, along with Dad and Mother’s constant devotion, strengthened my desire to serve Jehovah.

BEGINNING OF A CAREER

In 1934 we moved to an assignment in west Tennessee. There I decided to leave school and enter the full-time witnessing work. Dad approved, that is, if my object wasn’t simply to get out of school but was to make the pioneer service a career. So at fourteen years of age I began my life’s career witnessing among the farms in the vicinity of Waverly, Tennessee.

True, there were trials during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Sometimes we might eat the same menu for several days and desire something more. But Dad pointed out that we had given up the pursuit of money and we never missed a meal, yet almost daily families would stop at our door and beg for food to feed children crying with hunger, and these families were trying to work for money.

In the areas that we pioneered in throughout the southern United States, there seldom were any other Witnesses nearby. So our close family association was a protection from seeking fellowship with unbelievers. (1 Cor. 15:33; 2 Cor. 6:14) And we would save our pennies for months in order to drive a hundred or more miles (about 160 kilometers) to meet with other Witness youths to have a square dance or other enjoyable fellowship, such as a hike in the Smoky Mountains.

NEW ASSIGNMENTS

At the convention in Columbus, Ohio, in 1937 we heard Dad’s name called over the public-address system, along with some 200 others who were selected to begin the new special pioneer work. Dad immediately accepted this new service privilege, and our entire family was then invited to share. We were assigned to New Haven, Connecticut.

A Connecticut state law gave the chief of police censorship power over door-to-door religious work in his community, and as a result Jehovah’s Witnesses were being arrested throughout the state. In May 1938 I was arrested along with Dad and my younger brother, Jesse, while calling at homes talking to people about the Bible. Although hundreds of our Christian brothers and sisters had been arrested on various occasions, the Watch Tower Society decided to use our case to test the validity of the state law. The case went finally to the United States Supreme Court, where Jehovah gave us the victory.

We were next transferred as special pioneers to Staten Island, New York city, where we were privileged to work with those serving at the Watch Tower Society’s radio station WBBR. Then in January 1939 we were asked to assist a newly organized congregation in Mount Vernon, New York, where Milton Henschel, Lyman Swingle and other members of the Bethel family were also assigned. Imagine our surprise the following month when my two brothers and I were invited to assist at the Society’s printing plant for a few weeks. This extended into over six years of service there. A development on the evening of September 8, 1943, led to yet another assignment.

It was then that Evie Sullivan introduced me to Gladys in the Bethel lobby and asked if I would take her and her pioneer partner to their rooms a few blocks away. Their car was in urgent need of some repairs, so I spent several hours working on it that night while the girls sat on the curb and related their experiences in the witnessing work. This gave ample opportunity for me to observe their fine spirit of devotion to Jehovah.

In the spring of 1944 Gladys attended the third class of Gilead School while I was still at Bethel, and the following year we were married and I joined Gladys in the pioneer service. In 1950 I was invited to serve in the circuit work as a traveling representative of the Watch Tower Society. Our daughter Darla Lynn was born January 30, 1956, but it was lovingly arranged for us to continue on in the circuit work.

GIVING OTHERS A GOAL IN LIFE

We prayerfully asked Jehovah to help us to rear our daughter as our parents had reared us, always putting Kingdom interests first, and yet keeping balance and not neglecting our family responsibilities. I conducted our family study weekly, and Gladys would daily spend a few minutes instructing our daughter in God’s Word and, as she grew older, longer periods of time were used.

Overnight, it seemed, Darla was of school age. We always kept an open and frank approach to even intimate matters, so as she grew older we always found it easy to converse and thus avoided the so-called “generation gap.” Careful counsel in regard to association prevented her from developing bad associations that could lead to wrongdoing. Also, we were happy that she wanted to tell her classmates about God’s kingdom. Her first Bible study was started with a third-grade classmate at Chino, California. This resulted in the student’s making her dedication to Jehovah when she was sixteen.

In June 1972, in San Francisco, California, we received a letter through the mail. Surprisingly, it was from our daughter who was living with us. She wanted to express her appreciation, but was afraid she couldn’t say all she wanted to face to face.

“I want to thank you,” her letter said, “for bringing me up as you have. Always putting Jehovah first in our lives. Always letting your ‘Yes mean Yes and your No No.’ . . . I want to thank you for all the love and kindness you show to me. Listening when I have something to say. Understanding how I feel. Being patient with my moods and emotions. . . . Thanks so much for the wonderful example you set so that I truly can ‘follow you as you follow Christ.’”

That letter warmed our hearts, and we thank Jehovah that we were able to impart to our daughter the same goal that my parents imparted to me​—to put Jehovah’s service first in her life. Our daughter and her partner are now serving as pioneers with the Henderson, North Carolina, Congregation. They were thrilled, and so were we, when seventeen persons with whom they conducted Bible studies attended the Lord’s Evening Meal last spring.

For forty-three years now I’ve been in the full-time service. Presently I am an instructor of a Kingdom Ministry School, a training center for Christian elders. One of my brothers is in the circuit work in the United States and the other is serving as a branch coordinator in the Caribbean country of Dominican Republic. And both of my parents are still in the pioneer work!

Our personal experience moves us strongly to encourage young folks to make the full-time witnessing work their goal, yes, to make serving Jehovah God their life’s career. And to parents we would say: Your children will not automatically serve Jehovah. You need to give them that goal in life. If you do, I can assure you that they will be forever grateful.

[Picture on page 170]

My wife and I studying together

Marriage—An Arrangement Honored in God’s Word

Marriage​—An Arrangement Honored in God’s Word

“Let marriage be honorable among all.”​—Heb. 13:4.

1. How did Adam react when seeing his marriage partner for the first time, and why could their marriage have been one of unending joy?

THE marriage of a man and a woman should be a most happy occasion. It was for the first human pair. Evidently after waiting for a time, Adam, on finally seeing the woman who was to be his marriage partner, exclaimed poetically: “This is at last bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” (Gen. 2:23) Their entire married life could have been one of unending joy, for their Creator had made every provision for just such a life.

2. (a) Can marriage be a source of happiness under imperfect conditions? (Prov. 5:18) (b) With what feelings do Jeremiah 7:34 and Isaiah 62:1, 5 associate marriage?

2 Even now under the imperfect conditions resulting from that original pair’s rejection of God’s sovereign rule, marriage can still be a source of genuine happiness where sincere effort is made to put Bible principles into effect. Weddings are often cited in both the Hebrew and the Christian Greek Scriptures as representative of happy times among God’s servants. (Gen. 24:67; Song of Sol. 3:11; John 3:29) When foretelling the desolation due to come on unfaithful Jerusalem, Jehovah said: “I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of exultation and the voice of rejoicing, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become nothing but a devastated place.” (Jer. 7:34) Yes, the absence of weddings would be typical of the loss of joy and exultation that devastation would bring. By contrast, when speaking of the restoration of Israel from exile, Jehovah’s prophet said of Jerusalem that, “with the exultation of a bridegroom over a bride, your God will exult even over you.”​—Isa. 62:1, 5.

AN ARRANGEMENT TO BE HIGHLY HONORED

3. (a) Why should the marriage bed be kept without defilement? (b) What is the only Scriptural ground for divorce?

3 In view of its divine origin and God’s obvious blessing on the arrangement, it is easy to see why the inspired apostle gave this exhortation to the Hebrews: “Let marriage be honorable among all, and the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers.” (Heb. 13:4) There is a very powerful reason for keeping the marriage bed without defilement. After describing the creation of man and woman by God, Jesus then quoted God as saying: “For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will stick to his wife, and the two will be one flesh.” He thus showed that the words recorded in Genesis 2:24 were spoken, not by Adam, but by Jehovah God. Jesus went on to say that, in view of this union, “what God has yoked together let no man put apart.” He stated that the only ground for divorce allowable by God was that of “fornication” (Greek, por·neiʹa, meaning sexual misconduct of a gross kind with another person or even with an animal).​—Matt. 19:3-9.

4. How does Jehovah God view disregard for the permanence of the marital arrangement?

4 Jehovah God, therefore, takes very seriously the attitude shown by his creatures toward this divine marital arrangement. It should properly be a permanent, lifelong union, dissolved only by the death of one of the mates. (Rom. 7:2, 3) In warning his servants in Israel against viewing the union lightly, God said: “‘Jehovah himself has borne witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you yourself have dealt treacherously, although she is your partner and the wife of your covenant. . . . You people must guard yourselves respecting your spirit, and with the wife of your youth may no one deal treacherously. For he has hated a divorcing,’ Jehovah the God of Israel has said.” (Mal. 2:14-16) Yes, “God will judge fornicators and adulterers,” and those resorting to unrighteous divorces to accomplish selfish ends. Those entering the marriage union should therefore realize what a serious and weighty responsibility they accept. The Creator of marriage expects his servants to honor it and contribute toward others’ holding it in honor also.

5. (a) How should a Christian husband treat his wife? (b) In what way does a husband’s failure to treat his wife properly affect his relationship with Jehovah God?

5 Jehovah God describes a man’s wife as his “partner” in the marriage covenant. Christian husbands cannot honor the marriage arrangement without honoring their marriage partner. As the apostle Peter counsels, they should be “assigning them honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one, since you are also heirs with them of the undeserved favor of life, in order for your prayers not to be hindered.” (1 Pet. 3:7) Not only by tender dealings will the Christian husband honor such feminine partner, but he will do so especially in loyalty to the marital union they share. He should seek always to preserve it as a sacred responsibility. If failing to show his wife due gentleness and empathy would hinder his prayers, how much more so would his indulging in some degree of disloyalty to his mate, showing undue interest in someone outside the union. (Prov. 5:15-21) Not showing proper honor to his wife means dishonoring the marriage arrangement and its Maker. But the husband honoring the arrangement will love his wife as his own body, being willing even to give his life on her behalf.​—Eph. 5:25, 28-33.

6. (a) What does God’s Word require of a Christian wife? (b) What blessings come to a wife who follows the Bible’s counsel?

6 So, also, with the Christian wife. She expresses subjection to her husbandly head in the same way that the Christian congregation is “in subjection to the Christ.” She shows him, not merely respect, but “deep respect.” (Eph. 5:22-24, 33) If such deep respect keeps her from speaking disparagingly to him or about him, how much more so should it keep her from disloyally showing undue interest in someone outside their union, engaging in a flirtation to any degree. She can never honor God by dishonoring her husband or their marriage relationship. (Prov. 2:16, 17) But if she ‘loves her husband and children, is chaste and a worker at home,’ showing a “quiet and mild spirit,” she will indeed be like a precious jewel and will bring praise to Jehovah God. She will gain her husband’s unfading love and contribute toward his being held in high esteem by his peers.​—Prov. 31:10-12, 23, 26-31; Titus 2:4, 5; 1 Pet. 3:1-4.

VALIDATING MARRIAGE IN BIBLE TIMES

7. What do the Scriptures reveal about the way in which the marriage union was established in ancient times?

7 In Bible times, how was the marriage union established? Marriage was primarily a family or a tribal affair. There was no intervention by a secular government, nor concern for its authorization or validation of the marriage. There were, however, certain formalities. Marriage agreements were generally worked out by family heads. (Gen. 34:4, 6, 8-10) At least the suitor had to seek the approval of the father of the girl whom he sought to marry, as Jacob did upon falling in love with Rachel. (Gen. 29:18-20) The willingness of the girl might be asked, as was the case when Rebekah was sought as a wife for Isaac. (Gen. 24:8, 58) Customarily a bride price was paid over to the father, who would now lose the services of his daughter.​—Gen. 34:11, 12; Ex. 22:16, 17.

8. Anciently, how did it become publicly known that a man and a woman were entering a marriage covenant?

8 As was true in Eden, at the time of the wedding there was no particular ceremony or sermon to solemnize the marriage, but the bridegroom would go to his bride’s home and escort her through the streets to his home. Thereby he publicly declared that he was taking her as his marriage partner. (Matt. 1:20, 24) She likely had specially prepared herself, bathing and using perfumed oil, perhaps putting on breastbands and a white robe and certain ornaments or jewels. (Ps. 45:13-15; Isa. 49:18; 61:10; Jer. 2:32) The streets were often lined with people seeking to get a view of the newlyweds, particularly by young virgin girls showing keen interest in and excitement about the wedding. (Jer. 7:34; Matt. 25:1-6) The bridegroom’s arrival at his home might be followed by a wedding feast with many invited guests sharing in the rejoicing, they even being dressed specially for the occasion.​—Gen. 29:22; Matt. 22:2, 3, 11; 25:10.

9. What should be the strongest reason for proving faithful to the marriage covenant, and why?

9 By all these means both the bridegroom and the bride openly made known their entry into a marriage covenant and their acceptance of the responsibility this brought. In later times it seems that written records of marriages were kept. But more important than the witness of other humans to their union, the couple would be aware of Jehovah God’s knowledge of the agreement and union into which they had entered. This fact should be by far the primary and most powerful force moving them to stay loyal to each other. It should make them strive to keep their marriage free from defilement, as well as motivating deep respect on their part for the marriages of all others.​—Compare Genesis 20:1-7; 39:7-9; Job 31:9-12; Proverbs 6:23-35.

MARRIAGE HONORABLY USED TO ILLUSTRATE DIVINE ARRANGEMENTS

10, 11. How do features relating to betrothal and marriage in ancient times illustrate the relationship of Jesus Christ to his Kingdom associates?

10 All these marriage features are used beautifully in God’s Word to illustrate and symbolize the union established between God’s Son and those who become his Kingdom associates. (Rev. 21:2, 9, 10) As regards this “bride” class, formed of Jesus’ anointed footstep followers, the Bible shows that it is the Father, Jehovah God, who selects such class for his Son and that these are bought with a price of very great value, the life of the very Son who becomes their spiritual husband and whose love was great enough to move him to die on their behalf. (John 13:1; Eph. 5:25-27) As Rebekah’s expression of willingness was asked, so too these express their goodwill to ‘follow the Lamb wherever he goes.’ (Rev. 14:1, 4) While on earth they view themselves as engaged and seek to maintain themselves like a “chaste virgin,” unsullied by the world and undivided in their devoted loyalty. (2 Cor. 11:2) They maintain that loyalty to Christ Jesus under the fiercest of tests and the most subtle temptations. They clothe themselves with a new personality that reflects the beautiful qualities of their heavenly Bridegroom, and by their righteous acts they maintain a clean identification, like a pure white garment.​—Col. 3:9, 10, 12-14; Rev. 19:7, 8.

11 In due time the bridegroom, now a heavenly King, will come to take them home to heavenly residences, resulting in a joyous feast. (John 14:2, 3; Rev. 19:9) By his establishing the Memorial of his death he has told his bride class, in effect: ‘Do not ever forget me or ever stop loving me. Remember, I gave my life for you.’ (1 Cor. 11:25, 26) When finally united with God’s Son, these will enjoy a partnership with him, sharing submissively in the privilege of extending his Kingdom rule and benefits to mankind, who become children of the King.​—Rev. 5:9, 10; 20:4, 5; compare Isaiah 9:6, 7.

12. Why should the relationship between Jesus Christ and his anointed followers be a strong incentive for humans to maintain an honorable marriage?

12 God has thus seen fit to represent things of highest importance to us through these marriage features. This supplies another strong reason for us to give due honor to marriage. To fail to do so would, in effect, dishonor the relationship between Christ Jesus and his anointed followers, as well as the blessings that their fruitful union will bring to mankind as a whole.

NO ENCOURAGEMENT FOR DIVORCE

13. (a) Do Jehovah’s laws ever encourage divorce? (b) As pertains to marriage, what can be learned from Jehovah’s dealings with ancient Israel?

13 It is true that Jehovah’s laws provide for divorcing. God, however, shows that he nowhere encourages such action but, rather, urges a genuine and persevering effort to keep the marriage intact. Again using marriage in a figurative way, Jehovah represented himself as married to the nation of Israel through his covenant with them. (Jer. 31:31, 32) He had purchased them out of slavery in Egypt. (Deut. 9:26) In his relationship with Israel, Jehovah was ever loyal, never turning his affections to other nations nor entering into relations with them. Even when Israel proved rebellious, Jehovah was not quick to cast her aside. Out of love he showed amazing forbearance and long-suffering. Only after centuries of effort at preserving the union did Jehovah finally ‘divorce’ himself from the nation that had become like an adulterous wife.​—Isa. 50:1; Jer. 3:8.

14. In view of Jehovah’s example in dealing with Israel, what should married couples be moved to do?

14 So, no one can say that God asks us to do what he himself is not willing to do when he exhorts us to make every effort to keep marriage in honor and to work to preserve the marital union. Surely anyone who seeks a pretext for divorce for selfish reasons could never be pleasing to Him. Our respect, admiration and love for Jehovah, combined with our desire for his favor and approval, should move us to shun whatever might bring our marriage or that of anyone else into disrepute. Thereby we will never cast a bad reflection on God’s use of marriage to illustrate his own dealings and the outworking of his purposes.

THE MARRIAGE BED UNDEFILED

15. What is the Scriptural view of marital dues?

15 Marriage has as its fundamental purpose the producing of families. (Gen. 1:27, 28) Nevertheless, God’s Word shows that his servants are not obliged to limit sexual relations solely to efforts to produce children. Such relations properly can fill emotional and physical needs and be a periodic source of pleasure to the married couple. (1 Cor. 7:1-5) In various texts ‘love play’ prior to intercourse is indicated as honorable. (Prov. 5:18, 19; Gen. 26:8, 9) Even marriage partners, however, need to be on guard so that their marital relations do not degenerate into something defiling. Letting unbridled passion take over could lead to that. How so?

16. What conduct in intimate marriage relationships must be avoided if the union is to continue to be honorable?

16 Perverted practices engaged in by homosexuals, who, in such practice, do not have natural, normal copulation between themselves, have been adopted also by some married couples in search of greater “thrills,” specifically oral and anal copulation. When writing of conditions in his day, the inspired apostle Paul said that homosexuals ‘dishonored their bodies among themselves by disgraceful sexual appetites, changing the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature, working what is obscene and receiving the full recompense for their wrongdoing.’ (Rom. 1:24-27) When married couples adopt homosexual methods they surely bring no honor to the marriage union but, rather, degrade it, exalting selfish passion instead, and the marriage bed loses its cleanness.a

17. What should guide a married couple in their intimacies?

17 Aside from actions that are clearly and obviously gross and obscene, such as the aforementioned practices, the Christian must be guided by his or her conscience as to what ‘love play’ leading up to intercourse involves. Still, it is certainly the course of wisdom to avoid coming so close to the obscene practices earlier mentioned that one might easily slip into them due to loss of control.​—Jas. 1:14, 15.

18. What benefits come from conducting marital affairs in harmony with God’s Word?

18 Acting in accord with the lofty principles of God’s Word does not detract in the slightest from the joys and happiness that marriage can bring. To the contrary, the wholesome effect of this enhances those joys, makes them more satisfying and enriching as the marriage partners grow in genuine affection, tenderness and unselfish devotion. Yes, “the orders from Jehovah are upright, causing the heart to rejoice; the commandment of Jehovah is clean, making the eyes shine. . . . They are more to be desired than gold, . . . sweeter than honey and the flowing honey of the combs.”​—Ps. 19:8, 10.

[Footnotes]

See also the Watchtower issues of December 1, 1972, pages 734-736; July 15, 1974, page 424; January 15, 1975, page 48.

Maintaining Marriage in Honor Before God and Men

Maintaining Marriage in Honor Before God and Men

“Recommending ourselves to every human conscience in the sight of God.”​—2 Cor. 4:2.

1. (a) As respects his marriage, what should be a Christian’s concern? (b) What questions might arise as to the regulations of the civil authorities regarding marriage? (Mark 12:17)

FOR God’s congregated people to stay within his favor, it is vital that marriage be held in honor among them. (Heb. 13:4) Each individual married Christian should show serious concern that his or her marriage is honorable in the sight of both God and men. In this connection the question arises, To what extent do human authorities, including political governments and civil authorities, enter the picture? Does the validity of a marriage depend entirely upon its recognition by civil authorities and does their validation determine how Jehovah God, the Author of marriage, views the union?

2. What legal formalities regarding marriage did God’s law to Israel not require?

2 In the preceding article we have seen that marriage among people of Hebrew Scripture times was at first a family or tribal affair. When the nation of Israel was formed, God gave them his law, which contained numerous provisions concerning marriage, including prohibitions of incestuous relationships, regulations governing marital duties and similar provisions. (Leviticus, chaps. 18 and 20) There was, however, no requirement that a document or license be obtained from the priesthood in order for a couple to marry, nor that a priestly representative be present at the marriage to validate it. Nor was such the case as regards representatives of the Israelite government. Rather, as long as God’s law was adhered to, the marriage was accepted as valid and honorable within the particular community where the wedded ones lived.

3. Did Israel’s coming under the domination of foreign powers affect the way in which marriage and divorce were handled?

3 In course of time, the nation of Israel came under the domination of foreign powers​—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. To what extent did this affect the marriage arrangements among the Israelites? From what information history provides, it appears that they continued much as before, this being permitted by the nations dominating them. Though a subject people, it appears that questions or even disputes, such as those involving divorce actions, were handled chiefly by the Jewish elders and their judicial courts. Obviously, however, if an Israelite took a marriage case to the courts of the dominant nation he could expect them to judge the case on the basis of their own laws relative to marriage.

4. When registration of marriages was first introduced, what purpose did it serve?

4 It is thought that in later Bible times marriages came to be registered, though there seems to be no clear evidence of this. At any rate, it appears that any registering of the marriage came into the picture only after the marriage had been effected. The civil government thus acted as a record-keeper of the fact of the marriage rather than as a judge of the morality of the marriage.

5. (a) What was the situation about licensing marriages in the early centuries of the Christian congregation? (b) When did the civil authorities begin to concern themselves with marriage and marital relationships?

5 What was the situation in the early centuries of the Christian congregation? As in Israel, it seems to have continued largely as a family affair. And, as back in Eden and as among the Israelites (and, in fact, most peoples of that time), there was no requirement that some religious or civil authority license the marriage or be present to make it a valid and honorable one.a Civil authorities do not seem to have concerned themselves with marriage or marital relationships until such time as one or both of the parties might come to them for legal solution of problems or disputes. They would at such time either acknowledge or deny the validity of the marriage, depending upon its conformity to their laws. (Roman law, for example, did not recognize marriages between brothers and sisters.)

6. (a) What primarily governed marriage relationships in the Christian congregation? (b) Should the views of the community in which Christians live ever have a bearing on what they do about their marriages?

6 Conformity to God’s law, nevertheless, was necessary if the marriage was to be viewed as honorable within the Christian congregation. Thus, when the apostle Paul heard from the Corinthian congregation that “a wife a certain man has of his father,” he did not hesitate to condemn this as “fornication.” He also showed that the congregation was to be concerned about the standards of the community where they lived, for he pointed out that “even among the nations” such a thing was not being done.​—1 Cor. 5:1, 2.

7, 8. (a) Why does the Christian congregation rightly take an interest in the marriages contracted by its members? (b) What does history reveal in this regard about early Christians?

7 The Christian congregation viewed itself as an ‘association of brothers’ made up of fellow members of “God’s household,” the term “household” here having the sense of a family household, as a comparison of such texts as Matthew 10:12, 35, 36; Acts 16:30-34; 1 Timothy 3:4, 5; 5:4, 8 indicates. So, like a family the congregation would rightly take an interest in marriages contracted by its members.

8 Commenting on the viewpoint of early Christians, Hastings’ Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics (Vol. VIII, page 435) states: “Marriage is, in the first place, an affair of the family. In the earliest period the Christian congregation regarded itself as a spiritual family, and the life and concerns of every member of the congregation were of intimate interest to the whole body. . . . The testimony of the [church] Fathers, from the middle of the 3rd century onwards, shows that what we should now describe as civil marriages were not unknown, perhaps were not uncommon, but at the same time were strongly discountenanced by the Church.”

9. (a) What conclusion can we draw from the Scriptures and history about civil validation of marriage? (b) Upon what did the honorableness of marriage depend?

9 Thus, what evidence is available in the Scriptures and in history indicates that in early times civil marriage or civil validation of marriage did not play a very prominent part. It does not seem to have been a great issue as regards the honorableness of a marriage from the Christian point of view. Apparently the honorableness of a marriage depended most directly upon its acceptance by the Christian congregation as conforming to divine standards, with consideration also being given to attitudes and standards of people in the community where the Christians lived. Like the apostle Paul, Christians would seek to be “recommending [themselves] to every human conscience in the sight of God,” and try to “keep from becoming causes for stumbling to Jews as well as Greeks and to the congregation of God” by ‘doing all things for God’s glory.’​—2 Cor. 4:2; 1 Cor. 10:31, 32.

10, 11. (a) How is it that the civil authorities eventually became involved with marriage and its validation? (b) What view regarding the validity of marriage prevails in strongly Protestant lands?

10 However, it is a fact that, in more recent times and in many parts of the earth, the relationship of the civil authorities to marriage and its validation has taken on greater prominence. Rightly, Christians must take this fact into account in seeking to keep their marriages “honorable among all.” (Heb. 13:4) In weighing the matter, it is of value to consider how this changed attitude has come about. The Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics says (page 437; italics ours): “From the civil side marriage is regarded as a legal contract which must be regulated for practical purposes by the State. From the Christian point of view, marriage is a holy estate which the Church may claim to regulate in the highest interests of religion and morality. Experience shows that there must ever be a possibility of conflict between the two jurisdictions, and that, consequently, difficulties in practice may often result. . . . It is in the modern period, since the [Protestant] Reformation, that the question of the two jurisdictions and the proper relations of the one to the other has come into prominence. . . .”b

11 It therefore appears that the validation of marriage by civil authorities has become more of an issue in modern times than was true at any past time in history. At least in strongly Protestant lands the trend has been more and more to view the validity of marriage (and consequently of divorce) as resting almost entirely with the decision of civil authorities. The role of the congregation with regard to the validity of marriage (and divorce) has consequently waned in the eyes of many.

DETERMINING THE VALIDITY OF MARRIAGE

12. Since the civil authority has become involved with marriage and its validation, what questions does this raise for the servant of God?

12 Faced with such circumstances, what should the Christian do? He certainly cannot ignore the existing state of affairs if he desires his marriage to be honorable “among all.” He cannot ‘turn back the clock’ to the days when civil authorities were not viewed as an important factor in the validation of marriage. However, these questions arise: Is the decision of civil authorities to be viewed as absolute in determining whether a marriage is valid​—either at its beginning or when it perhaps ends through divorce? To what extent is God affected by their decision?

13. Why cannot the view of the civil authority regarding marriage be regarded as absolute? (Acts 5:29)

13 In effect, do the civil authorities have the final word as to whether God accepts or rejects the validity of a marriage (or of a divorce)? We can see that if this were so there could be considerable inconsistency as to what is required to gain God’s blessing in marriage. Why? Because the views of civil authorities differ widely from place to place, often being at complete odds with one another and, more importantly, at times being in contradiction of the standards contained in the Bible.

14. What is the Biblical view of polygamy despite any legal recognition that it may be given in some lands?

14 In some lands, for example, polygamy is legally approved and each wife of a polygamist is viewed as legal and as having the same standing as any other of his wives. Christ Jesus and the inspired apostle Paul, however, showed that God’s standard is for a man to have only one wife.​—Matt. 19:4, 5; 1 Cor. 7:2; 1 Tim. 3:2.

15. How do man’s laws about divorce in some lands differ from God’s law?

15 Also, some countries allow a person to divorce his mate on any number of grounds, at times for the slightest of reasons. Others, by contrast, do not recognize a person’s right to divorce his or her mate even on grounds of sexual infidelity and thus be free to remarry. The Bible, on the other hand, says that there is only one valid ground for divorce, namely, fornication, and it shows that those divorcing for such reason do become free to remarry. (Matt. 5:32; 19:3-9) Thus in some cases what the State approves, God disapproves, and in others what the State disallows, God allows.

16. How should the State’s authority in determining the validity of marriage be viewed? (Rom. 13:1; 1 Pet. 2:13, 14)

16 The evidence, then, points to the fact that the civil state’s position in determining the validity of marriage (or divorce) is only relative, while that of God is absolute. To obtain a balanced view of the relative authority of the State (designated as “Caesar” in the Bible) in this matter, it is of benefit to consider just what interest civil governments have in the field of marriage, what they are particularly concerned with, and in what way the Christian can come under obligation toward them in this field.

CAESAR’S INTEREST IN MARRIAGE

17, 18. When it comes to marriage, what has been the chief concern of the civil authorities, and why?

17 Are civil governments chiefly concerned with moral and religious issues regarding marriage or is their concern related principally to another aspect? We may recall that the earlier-quoted encyclopedia stated that, from the civil side, “marriage is regarded as a legal contract which must be regulated for practical purposes by the State.” This is borne out by the history of governmental legislation relative to marriage and divorce. That history shows that the concern of civil governments has been motivated by their involvement in such matters as inheritance and property rights, particularly when a dissolution of the marriage “contract” (by divorce or death) brings these rights into question. Confirming this as true today, the Encyclopædia Britannica (Macropædia, 1976, Vol. 7, pages 166, 167) says:

“The law . . . is concerned mainly with the rights and duties of husband and wife and parent and child, particularly in questions of financial support.” “In most countries today . . . the legal documentation of a marriage is mainly a registration of the event. So basically, in the legal sense, a marriage is the implied creation of certain rights or obligations such as maintenance, marital property and succession rights, and the custody of legitimate minor children.”

18 “Caesar” (the political state) has therefore concerned himself with marriage primarily because such legal issues have been brought to his courts for judicial settlement, not because of concern over the religious or moral aspects of marriage. He has also shown concern over the prevention of the spread of disease, particularly venereal disease, and of weakening genetic effects (as among children born to close blood relatives), this again being for “practical purposes.” That is why we find that even antireligious, atheistic governments have legal requirements for granting recognition of a marriage as valid.

19. In view of Jesus’ counsel to ‘pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar,’ what question might be raised about marriage and divorce?

19 What, then, of Jesus’ instructions to ‘pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar’? In seeking to be obedient to this command, is the Christian congregation called upon to take Caesar’s view of a marriage union or a divorce as the final, decisive, binding factor as to its validity and morality?​—Matt. 22:21.

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