“What Lack I Yet?”

All Posts Archived Lessons New Testament Old Testament Book of Mormon Doctrine & Covenants Search “What Lack I Yet?” CFMCorner May 5, 2023 16 min read Updated: Jun 24, 2025 CFM: May 8–14 Matthew 19–20 ; Mark 10 ; Luke 18 Videos and Podcasts Video/ Podcast Lesson Extension Additional Materials Scripture Central Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 Follow Him Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 Part 1 , Part 2 Transcripts Line Upon Line Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 FHE Lesson Teaching with Power Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 Don't Miss This Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 CFM New Testament Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 Book Unshaken Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 Part 1 , Part 2 The Interpreter Foundation Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 Study helps by John Claybaugh Teaching Helps with John Hilton Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 ( not yet posted ) Talk of Him Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 Ponderfun Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 Talking Scripture Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 show notes Resources and Insights about this Week's Lesson The materials covered in this week's lesson address some sensitive social topics that are frequently misunderstood, primarily due to translational issues. I'd like to clarify a few of these interpretations and offer a few additional insights. Marriage, Divorce, and Putting Away In Greek, the word for div orce is ἀποστάσιον, apostasion or apostisia (depending on the conjugation). This word comes f rom ἀπό ( from ) and ἵστημι ( I stand, established, set in place ) . This word may have a distant relationship to the English word apostasy, which was adopted via Latin. However, the Greek word for apostasy ( ἄπιστος ) uses the πίστις pistis root with the negating prefix a-, a- + pistis, which means “without faith.” These words are phonetically similar and share many related concepts but are structured differently and represent different things. The word ἀποστάσιον indicates a legally binding exit or withdrawal from one's marriage. In Jewish tradition, this was done through a formal divorce document called a כְּרִיתוּת (keritot) or " Get ." This had to be done in writing, and proper witnesses had to be present to certify the divorce. This frequently involved some type of compensation, and if a dowry was paid, that would usually have to be returned to the wife's family unless there was evidence of infidelity. Once a get was issued, women were free to move on and remarry. In contrast, “put away,” ἀπολύω , is very different. This was not regarded as a legally binding divorce in Jewish Law, not to the same standard that ἀποστάσιον is. This word is more accurately interpreted as a “release,” “separation,” or “dismissal.” In the modern day, this is compared to a “civil divorce.” Even today, while many Reform Jews disregard the tradition of the get , technically, a civil divorce is not recognized by the Jewish religious court as a legal divorce in the eyes of God until that document has been ratified. And technically, a woman is still not supposed to get remarried unless she has a “get.” Anciently, the word ἀπολύω was frequently used to indicate a separation between an enslaved person or servant from their masters, and sometimes it was used to indicate a divorce among gentiles or the dismissal of a concubine. To the Jews, gentile marriages and gentile slave marriages were not subjected to the same laws and privileges as traditional Jewish marriages. At that time, women were frequently regarded as property; they were seen as a commodity that, in many cases, was disposable. Among the Roman community, some sources say that it was very common for the average Roman citizen to go through 6-8 wives during their lifetime. The Greek base for the phrase “putting away” is ἀπολύω , f rom ἀπό (from) and λύω (loose) , which means “I release, send away, set free, dismiss.” There are various forms of this word used throughout the passages we are studying, which alter in spelling as suffixes are attached to the ending of the root word to indicate the form of its conjugation ( ἀπολύσῃ , ἀπολελυμένην ) . 'Απολύω has many connotations relating to both relationships and pragmatic usage, including sending or dispatching someone to another location, a release from service or duty, a temporary or permanent separation, abandonment, relocation, liberation (for enslaved people), a breakup, kicking or casting someone out, rejection, etc. Some circumstances were considered shameful, and others were welcomed. Like today, life was messy in the ancient world, and a wide range of circumstances would lead couples to these situations. For example, when Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, he did not want to humiliate her, and initially, he planned to “put her away” privately. Because they were only betrothed, Joseph did not need to go through the process of a legal divorce, an ἀποστάσιον. Still, because they were betrothed, Joseph did have legal responsibilities for Mary's welfare, and so an ἀπολελυμένην was in order . Even if done privately, the social stigma of putting Mary away would have had significant ramifications for both Mary and Jesus. Joseph was a good man, and one can assume that he intended to ensure that Mary and the child were cared for. However, circumstances like that were not always the case. During this time, women had very few rights. They could not have a job, receive an inheritance, and were not regarded as reliable witnesses in a court of law. Additionally, men could divorce a woman or “put her away” for many reasons, some of which were ridiculous. Documented excuses recorded in the Mishna include “hearing one's wife's voice in the next room” and “boredom.” Some of the podcasts address these issues in more detail; Lynne Wilson does a good job explaining some of these circumstances in her CFM New Testament podcast. This was cruel and tragic for many reasons; a woman's survival and the survival of her children depended upon men, whether a husband, brother, son, uncle, or someone else. A woman would have few options if she did not have a man to provide for her. Typically, she would have to resort to desperate means; she would have to become someone's mistress, beg, become a prostitute, and in many cases, she would die. The Samaritan woman's story at the well indicates this very serious problem. This woman had a previous husband who refused to give her a divorce, so she had to live with a man who was not her husband. Sometimes men would refuse to give their wives a divorce because they wanted to maintain control. Other times there were other reasons, taxes, not wanting to repay dowries or other expenses, and some men didn't want to bother with the hassle of going through the legal process. Others would accuse the woman of infidelity so they wouldn't have to pay back dowries and restitution, and because women could not legally defend themselves, those allegations would frequently stick. These circumstances didn't hurt the men; in many cases, it was easier and more financially advantageous for them to send their wives away. Sadly, some events were even more tragic; if a man went missing for any reason, during wartime or on an extended trip, and his death could not be proven, their wives were considered abandoned and could not legally remarry. These women were called Agunot , or “chained wives.” Every woman at this time lived in a constant state of anxiety and fear that they could find themselves in these circumstances, and this was the issue that Christ was addressing in his discussion with the Pharisees. In Matt 5:31-32 ( INT ), Christ initially addressed the topic of divorce in his Sermon on the Mount. In the verses we are studying this week, the Pharisees are following up on some of the issues they had with Christ's initial sermon to try to discredit him. Unfortunately, many English translations of these passages, including the KJV, have significant problems. Let us first look at Matthew 5. 31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away ( ἀπολύσῃ ) his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement ( ἀποστάσιον ): 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away ( ἀπολύσῃ ) his wife , saving for the cause of fornication , causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced ( ἀπολελυμένην - perfect passive article, the feminine form of the verb ἀπολύσῃ “put away”) committeth adultery. The end of verse 32 should read, “whosoever shall marry her that is “put away/separated” (i.e., not legally divorced) committeth adultery. The word ἀπολελυμένην is a conjugation of ἀπολύσῃ “put away, separated,” not ἀποστάσιον , “divorced.” Again, these are two very different words, with very different connotations. The mistranslation of this single word from “separated” to “divorced” makes a huge difference in the meaning. The way this statement was written in Greek is very similar to the definition of adultery that is generally understood today. If one is married, and they have sexual relations with someone else, that is adultery, even if they are “separated.” In Greek, this was Christ's clear, straightforward, and simple definition. However, the English translation significantly muddied the waters, resulting in much confusion, especially when most people are unfamiliar with the cultural context. This is a primary example of scribes unintentionally or possibly intentionally altering and perverting the plain and precious truths of the text ( 1 Nephi 13:25-29 ). In these verses, Christ is not condemning women as being somehow tainted if they are divorced. In fact, he is doing the opposite and fiercely advocating for these women by clarifying the divine sanctity of marriage and setting women as equal partners to their husbands in the eyes of the Lord. (Matt 19:4-6). This was a radically feminist position for that time and vastly different from the property/slave connotation that th