Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Cross-Domain Mapping and Genesis 2:24
1.1 Cross-Domain Mapping
1.1.1 Metaphor Theory
1.1.2 Large-Scale Conceptual Metaphors
1.1.3 Cross-Domain Mapping and Theology Today
1.2 The One-Flesh Unions of Genesis 2:23 and 2:24
1.3 The Cross-Domain Mapping of Genesis 2:24 in the Old Testament
1.3.1 Yahweh: The Husband of Israel
1.4 Cross-Domain Mapping of Genesis 2:24 in the New Testament
1.4.1 Jesus: The Bridegroom of the Church
1.4.2 Sin: The Husband of Unredeemed Humanity
1.4.3 The Body of Christ
1.4.4 The Body of a Prostitute
1.5 Reverse Cross-Domain Mapping
1.6 Genesis 2:24 and the People of God
1.7 Summary: Cross-Domain Mapping and Genesis 2:24
Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.1 Marital Imagery in the Old Testament
2.2 Marital Imagery in the New Testament
2.3 Divorce and Remarriage Teaching in the New Testament
2.4 Summary: Literature Review
Chapter 3: Methodology
3.1 Introduction
3.2 An Approach to the Biblical Text
3.3 Metaphor versus Other Literary Forms
3.4 The Social and Literary Context
3.5 Cross-Domain Mapping as a Hermeneutical Tool
3.6 Summary: Methodology
Chapter 4: Marriage and Divorce in the Ancient Near East
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Ancient Near East Principal Relevant Source Materials
4.3 Specific Marital Practices in the Ancient Near East
4.4 Provision and Protection for the Woman
4.5 Summary: Marriage and Divorce in the Ancient Near East
Chapter 5: Marriage and Divorce in the Old Testament
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Marriage in the Early Narrative Accounts
5.3 Mundane Marriage-Contract or Covenant?
5.4 The Importance of Virginity
5.5 Betrothal Arrangements
5.6 Forbidden Marriages
5.7 Polygyny and Concubinage
5.8 Marital Obligations
5.9 Adultery
5.10 Divorce
5.11 A Husband's Right to Divorce
5.12 A Wife's Right to Divorce
5.13 Other Divorces
5.14 Summary: Marriage and Divorce in the Old Testament
Chapter 6: Marital Imagery in the Old Testament
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Some Definitions
6.3 The Ancient Near East Background to Old Testament Marital Imagery
6.4 The Marriage at Sinai
6.5 The Sinaitic Covenant and Genesis 2:24
6.6 Betrothal Arrangements
6.7 Marital Obligations
6.8 Adultery
6.9 Divorce
6.10 Remarriage
6.11 Inferred Cross-Mapping
6.12 Marital Imagery in Eden
6.13 Summary: Marital Imagery in the Old Testament
Chapter 7: The Literature of the Second Temple Period
7.1 Introduction
7.2 The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
7.3 The Old Testament Apocrypha
7.4 Qumran
7.5 Rabbinic Writings
7.6 Philo and Josephus
7.7 Summary: The Literature of the Second Temple Period
Chapter 8: The Documents of the Second Temple Period
8.1 Introduction
8.2 The Elephantine Documents
8.3 The Judaean Desert Documents
8.4 The Graeco-Roman Documents
8.5 Summary: The Documents of the Second Temple Period
Chapter 9: Marital Imagery in the New Testament
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Marital Imagery in the Gospels
9.3 Marital Imagery in the Apocalypse
9.4 Marital Imagery in the Pauline Corpus
9.5 A Second Divorce
9.6 Adam and Eve as Types in the New Testament
9.7 Summary: Marital Imagery in the New Testament
9.8 New Testament Marital Imagery and Traditional Teaching
9.9 Some Implications for New Testament Exegesis
Chapter 10: Divorce and Remarriage in the New Testament
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Marriage in the New Testament
10.3 Divorce and Remarriage in the Gospels
10.4 Separation, Divorce, and Remarriage in First Corinthians 7
10.5 Adam and Eve
10.6 Summary: Divorce and Remarriage in the New Testament
Conclusion
Appendix A: Cross-Domain Mapping Diagrams
Appendix B: Judaean Desert Documents Chart
Appendix C: Judaean Desert Documents Translations
Judaean Desert Documents Select Bibliography
Abbreviations
Bibliography

About the Author

Colin Hamer (PhD, Chester University) served for many years as an elder of Grace Baptist Church in the UK. He has degrees from the University of Liverpool and the University of Wales, and studied for his PhD at Union School of Theology. He has been married for more than 40 years and has two children and seven grandchildren.

Reviews

‘Hamer convincingly defends the view that from the earliest days of the Old Testament, through the intertestamental period, and throughout the New Testament, marriage was never seen as indissoluble. Provisions for divorce and remarriage were always present; even when someone divorced wrongly they did not enter into a legal fiction by which they were still married to their previous partner in God’s eyes. Particularly helpful is Hamer’s use of metaphor theory to show the extent to which the Bible sues marriage-divorce-remarriage analogies with God’s (and Jesus’s) relationship with his sometimes wayward people. The best and most thorough treatment of this topic now available from the perspective of the relationship between the metaphors and reality.’ – Craig L. Blomberg, Distinguished Professor or New testament, Denver Seminary.
'Hamer's appeal to marital imagery throughout Scripture and how it informs our understanding of the NT teaching on divorce and remarriage is brilliant.' - William A. Heth, Professor of Greek and New Testament, Taylor University, Upland, IN
This novel approach incorporates a holistic view of Scripture that produces surprisingly
enlightening insights. Regular summaries guide the reader through a detailed analysis using
modern metaphor theory to arrive at a valuable conclusion. - David Instone-Brewer, Senior Research Fellow, Tyndale House, Cambridge
'In this book Hamer presents a fresh and persuasive new perspective on the Old Testament roots of New Testament teaching on marriage, with great significance for contemporary debates on the nature of Christian marriage. It deserves to be widely read.' - Professor David Clough, Professor of Theological Ethics, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Chester
In this work Dr. Hamer challenges many centuries of academic scholarship and ecclesiastical assumptions about divorce. Readers will find substantive arguments based on the Judeo-Christian scriptures, extra-biblical writings, and metaphor theory. The writer's unique contribution ventures beyond Dr. Instone-Brewer's ground-breaking work on the topic and conceptualizes not only the Judeo milieu of divorce statements in the Old and New Testaments but how key passages such as Genesis 2:23-24 may impact the possibility of divorce in gospel and epistolary literature. Many contemporary scholars look at marriage, divorce, and remarriage from a constricted standpoint; Dr. Hamer takes readers to an unprecedented level in order to provide a broader understanding. Readers will not go away unchallenged. - Richard M. Cozart, Professor at College of Biblical Studies, Houston, Texas
'Hamer... challenges the consensus view that the marriage of Adam and Eve in Gen 2:24 represents an ontological unity in marriage, suggesting several important implications for marriage and divorce. Hamer is to be commended for assembling this material and his conclusions should be considered in further discussions of the marriage metaphor.' - Phillip J. Long, Professor of Bible and Biblical Languages, Grace Bible College, SW
In this important and thoroughly researched thesis, Dr Hamer has resolved the conundrum of God's concern for marriage and the texts of scripture that appear to give conflicting instruction about people who are divorced. It provides a vitally important insight into God's healing solution for those who, like Himself, have experienced the rejection of their love. - Rev Dr Tom Holland, Senior Research Fellow, The Wales Evangelical School of Theology