Five husbands = no husband?

[trofimus]

"I have no husband," she replied.
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.
The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
J 4:18

How are you understanding this verse in the light of other verses like "a women is bound to her husband till he lives" and others?

Some can say that all 5 already died, but it seems quite improbable, she was not that old. Also, the context seems to be about her sinful life, not about some chain of dying husbands.

 

[Dino246]

As she was a "Samaritan" and not a Jew, there is no need to apply Jewish (or Christian) moral restrictions to her situation. I think it suffices that Jesus called her on her junk (by simply speaking the truth), and offered abundant grace instead.

I suspect that she had actually been married five times, and had been divorced by unhappy husbands. As Jesus says, "the man you now have is not your husband" it indicates a distinction between marital relationships and unmarried conjugal relationship(s).

 

[trofimus]

As she was a "Samaritan" and not a Jew, there is no need to apply Jewish (or Christian) moral restrictions to her situation. I think it suffices that Jesus called her on her junk (by simply speaking the truth), and offered abundant grace instead.

I suspect that she had actually been married five times, and had been divorced by unhappy husbands. As Jesus says, "the man you now have is not your husband" it indicates a distinction between marital relationships and unmarried conjugal relationship(s).

But how is it true that she has no husband? Jewish morals were full of divorces, but Christ said "no, its wrong, because it was not so in the beginning (before Moses)".

 

[breno785au]

But how is it true that she has no husband?

Because the current man she was with was not her husband but she had 5 before him.

 

[trofimus]

Because the current man she was with was not her husband but she had 5 before him.

According to Christ's teaching, she would have a husband - the first one she married (if he was still alive)....

 

[John146]

"I have no husband," she replied.
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.
The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
J 4:18

How are you understanding this verse in the light of other verses like "a women is bound to her husband till he lives" and others?

Some can say that all 5 already died, but it seems quite improbable, she was not that old. Also, the context seems to be about her sinful life, not about some chain of dying husbands.

She's had sex with five different men, but not yet with the man she is with currently. Marriage is the sexual act, not a ceremony.

 

[trofimus]

She's had sex with five different men, but not yet with the man she is with currently. Marriage is the sexual act, not a ceremony.

Well, even though an original idea, it would not answer the question.

If marriage begins with sexual act and she had it, then she was married to the first one and other sexual acts were only adultery. But Christ testified she had no husband at all, after that.

 

[Dino246]

She's had sex with five different men, but not yet with the man she is with currently. Marriage is the sexual act, not a ceremony.

I disagree strongly, for this would make fornication (intercourse prior to marriage) equivalent to marriage. I don't think the Scriptures teach this.

 

[Depleted]

I picture Samaritans like modern day Americans. A religious background but no commitment to God. She got married, divorced, married, divorced, then gave up with marrying all together and just start shacking up with the next guy.

Does your country work like that? I've known quite a few people who tried marriage, didn't work, so just move in and skip the marriage, knowing it's not going to last anyway.

 

[trofimus]

I picture Samaritans like modern day Americans. A religious background but no commitment to God. She got married, divorced, married, divorced, then gave up with marrying all together and just start shacking up with the next guy.

Does your country work like that? I've known quite a few people who tried marriage, didn't work, so just move in and skip the marriage, knowing it's not going to last anyway.

Christ taught that woman is bound to her (first) husband. So when she had 5 husbands, how can it be true that she had no husband at all in the moment of talking with Christ? All 5 already died? Was she a serial killer?

 

[trofimus]

Does your country work like that?

There are about 5% of Christians in my country. The rest are non-religious or atheists. So Bible or Christianity is not what they care about. They live according to trends or according to others in their surroundings.

 

[preacher4truth]

"I have no husband," she replied.
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.
The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
J 4:18

How are you understanding this verse in the light of other verses like "a women is bound to her husband till he lives" and others?

Some can say that all 5 already died, but it seems quite improbable, she was not that old. Also, the context seems to be about her sinful life, not about some chain of dying husbands.

Does a divorced woman claim her past husband(s) as still being her husband? No, they would say they have no husband which would be correct, contextually, unless of course she were remarried. Those divorced do not refer to their exe's as their spouse in the present tense.

What would make anyone think this woman would be submissive to the law of a husband when she's had 5? To me it shows forth her utter sinfulness, and yet Jesus spoke to her and showed her she needed him.

Of course, it is possible she could have had 5 husbands who died, but it is not likely. Consider Matthew 22:22-33.

When she stated she has no husband, it of course references the man with whom she was then with. Christ was not rejecting the past husbands as not valid or not binding; he'd already referenced this fact that she'd had 5, and of course he knows the Law.

He was instead, imo, pointing out her current adulterous relationship so this wasn't an exhaustive doctrinal treatment of marriage, being bound to a husband &c. She would be the only one rejecting being bound to a husband as long as he lived, not Christ, thus he is not rejecting this law by saying "You are right in saying you have no husband."

But the elephant in the room here with the OP seems to be that Jesus should have said she were bound to 5 husbands, and should have not said she was correct in saying she had no husband. It appears that it is saying Christ should have rebuked her and said "You have 5 husbands you are bound to, you're lying!!!(or however many were still alive)."

That seems to be the sticking point in the OP as if an erroneous statement were being made.

 

[KelbyofGod]

Christ taught that woman is bound to her (first) husband. So when she had 5 husbands, how can it be true that she had no husband at all in the moment of talking with Christ? All 5 already died? Was she a serial killer?

If you're really looking for a law-based solution, we could say that all 5 of her previous husbands died sequentially (let's just say of random natural causes) and now she is with someone she is not married to. (perhaps they're only dating) That would provide a lawful reason for Jesus to say what he did. And some could say that her plight of righteously loosing her 5 husbands is what brought Jesus to her. I won't even argue against that possibility. I just think it unlikely.

My real opinion is similar to what Dino said, that she had simply been married and divorced 5 times and at the time Jesus spoke with her she was simply living with some man to whom she was not married. Jesus was acknowledging the reality of her social activities, showing her that God is neither ignorant nor shocked...and that God is still willing to do good for her and others.

 

[John146]

I disagree strongly, for this would make fornication (intercourse prior to marriage) equivalent to marriage. I don't think the Scriptures teach this.

5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

If someone is married and goes and marries another(having sex with another), commits adultery. This woman was caught in five different cases of adultery.

 

[Depleted]

There are about 5% of Christians in my country. The rest are non-religious or atheists. So Bible or Christianity is not what they care about. They live according to trends or according to others in their surroundings.

Yes, like that woman did.

 

[Ugly]

Christ was speaking to her in a way she gets. The issue is you are clinging to a particular idea and assuming that when Christ spoke to her he was speaking to her with that in mind.
All he was doing was pointing out her many divorces and remarriages, not dwelling on a spiritual detail that she did not adhere to. Be all things to all men. Speak to people where they're at and how they will understand rather than try to get them to change their view to understand.

 

[BillG]

Was she subject to the laws of Moses?.
If memory serves me there were Jews that settled in Samaria, but they only accepted the five books of Moses.
That's why mainstream Jews hated them.

If you read the whole chapter it seems there is a bigger picture.
As a result of the conversation he reveals the following.

There is one true God.
There is a water beyond that which quenches a natural thirst.
This is living water.
She asks for this living water.

Then Jesus talks about her husband's and the man she is now living with.
She then realised he is a prophet.

John 4:19-26


19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

Soon there will be a time when true worshippers will worship the the true God.
Not in a place but in thier hearts and in spirit.
She says the Messiah is coming (that's why I think possibly she had Jewish roots, the Jews were waiting for the Messiah)
Then Jesus declares he is the one she is seeking.

Then we find

John 4:28-30


28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.

Just my simple thoughts

 

[Demi777]

For me it seems like she comitted herself to 5 men and began another relationship with the 6th... thats just my take

 

[BillG]

5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

If someone is married and goes and marries another(having sex with another), commits adultery. This woman was caught in five different cases of adultery.

Was she caught?
If so would she not have been bought before the religious teachers and condemned to stoning?
Just like the adulteress woman bought before Jesus.
Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.

 

[7777pinacled]

Was she subject to the laws of Moses?.
If memory serves me there were Jews that settled in Samaria, but they only accepted the five books of Moses.
That's why mainstream Jews hated them.

If you read the whole chapter it seems there is a bigger picture.
As a result of the conversation he reveals the following.

There is one true God.
There is a water beyond that which quenches a natural thirst.
This is living water.
She asks for this living water.

Then Jesus talks about her husband's and the man she is now living with.
She then realised he is a prophet.

John 4:19-26


19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

Soon there will be a time when true worshippers will worship the the true God.
Not in a place but in thier hearts and in spirit.
She says the Messiah is coming (that's why I think possibly she had Jewish roots, the Jews were waiting for the Messiah)
Then Jesus declares he is the one she is seeking.

Then we find

John 4:28-30


28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.

Just my simple thoughts

Amen, Amen
You certainly have looked beyond the surface.


A lesson I learned from Samson about his father in law is that he( the father in law)
Had no honor.
And the Samaritan(fox) of Assyria was the reward for his house.