COMMENT

Please notice once again that Al glossed over the imperative in the passage. It is hard to believe that a man as educated as Al Maxey would commit such a blunder. Al did not even attempt to get into the doctrine. How sad it is that a man will try to influence so many with a doctrine, but when it comes time to test the doctrine, he runs from it!!! Prayerfully, Al will try a little harder as the next leg of this discussion begins. I guess that as we continue this discussion we will also have to school Al on what the Bible teaches about the doctrine of demons.

• Darrell Broking

RESPONSE

Darrell wrote: "Please notice once again that Al glossed over the imperative in the passage. It is hard to believe that a man as educated as Al Maxey would commit such a blunder."

I'm surprised that you consider this a "blunder." How is it a "blunder?" I did not comment upon this word appearing in the Imperative Mood for the simple reason that I was seeking to focus on the teaching of Jesus in the writings of Matthew, rather than the teaching of Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. When we arrive at PAUL'S teaching, then we'll pick apart his writings. We weren't there yet. It was the same reason I refused to comment on the Greek words and phrases employed by Jesus when we were still trying to focus on the Law of Moses. I was merely trying to stay focused, while you were anxious to run ahead.

Yes, the passage employs an imperative!! Duh!! If you notice Chapter Seven in my book I make it clear that there is a command being employed here. I begin the section with this quote from the text of Paul's letter: "To the married I give this COMMAND (not I, but the Lord): A wife MUST NOT SEPARATE from her husband." This is God's will in the matter. Marriage is designed to be for life. It is the same with murder. We are commanded not to commit murder. Do people commit murder? Of course they do. And the people they murder are dead. The fact of a COMMAND does not prevent the act the command seeks to prohibit, it merely declares it unacceptable and sinful when it does occur.

People are commanded not to sever their marital unions. However, Paul then goes on to talk about what happens when people DO sever those unions. The focus of that particular chapter in my book was not on the IDEAL that marriages were for life, and that no separation should occur. THAT I had already established abundantly throughout my book. Every time I used the term "IDEAL," for example, I established once again that God commands marriages to be permanent. Thus, there was no real need to spend a lot of time on the fact of a command here (or the imperative). It was simply a "given" in the passage. It was obvious it was there; it was understood. In light of the full force of my teaching in my book, it did not require comment at that point in the study. It had already been established.

However, I do mention it again in the chapter: "What is being COMMANDED, however, is when married believers find themselves, for whatever reason, in a state of disunion, their first order of business, as children of God, is to do all in their power to effect a reconciliation. The covenant of marriage is too sacred and precious to be given up on so quickly. The idea of remarriage should not even enter their minds as long as there is even a glimmer of hope that the relationship may at some point be re-established."

Darrell, I do indeed emphasize the importance of this COMMAND. No, I don't go into detail about the use of the Imperative Mood because that would be redundant in the context. It is clearly declared to be a "command" of the Lord. There is no need for an appeal to Greek grammar to establish what is already established by clear declaration of the author. There is no "blunder" here at all, Darrell. And accusing me of "glossing over" some point with regard to the teaching of Paul, when we haven't yet reached the chapter dealing with the teaching of Paul, is hardly "kosher." When we get there, if you still want to show the readers that you can identify a verb form, then we'll kindly bear with you.

• Al Maxey

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