Why was the preservation of the family line so important to people in the ancient Near East and in the Greco-Roman world?
Compare and contrast the laws about marriage in Deuteronomy vs. 1 Corinthians. What might account for their differences?
Can there be said to be gender roles common to the married women within the Hebrew Bible? If so, are they different from the roles assigned to married women within the New Testament?
Application Questions:
When scriptural passages disagree with one another or even contradict each other, how can we discern where God is speaking to us in these passages?
Do you find “biblical marriage” to be a helpful concept for your own life and faith? Why or why not?