16 Jesus saith to her: Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17 The woman answered, and said: I have no husband. Jesus said to her: Thou hast said well, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands: and he whom thou now hast, is not thy husband. This thou hast said truly.

What does Jesus mean when He said: "For thou hast had five husbands"?

The reason i ask is that there is this protestant friend of mine who actually tries to use this verse in defending his claim that sex before marriage becomes marriage in God's eyes. I was taken back at his statement cause i never in my life heard of such a thing.

-- DJ (newfiedufie@msn.com), February 11, 2005

Answers

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-- DJ (newfiedufie@msn.com), February 11, 2005.

Your friend is a sophist. Jesus spoke quite honestly to the woman; she had five affairs with men. In fact, six.

He called them her husbands, but not in the legal sense. There's a significant reason for His use of that word. It was NOT to affirm the marital bonds of the woman to five different men. She was an adultress. That was the reason she came to that well in the noontime when the town wouldn't confront her. She was ashamed for others to see her in public.

But in all the recorded scriptures there is never seen even ONE instance in which Jesus spoke unkindly or confrontationally to any woman. Always it was tactfully; even tenderly. We should contemplate this loving behaviour of our Lord to all of the weaker sex. He never hurt the feelings of any woman.

His use of the term ''husband'' was a gentle manner of pointing to this woman's sinful life without striking at her heart. It was quite enough for Him to say: ''Five husbands, and the present one isn't a husband, (either.)'' She understood perfectly, and realised He was a great prophet right away. How truly sweet and adorable Jesus has always been! To know Him is to love Him.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), February 12, 2005.

That's a vert good answer eugene, thanks.

-- DJ (newfiedufie@msn.com), February 12, 2005.

I never cease to be amazed at the creative inventiveness of protestants in their personal interpretation of Scripture.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), February 12, 2005.