It is decreed that virgins who have been betrothed, and who have afterwards been carried off by others, shall be restored to those to whom they had formerly been betrothed, even though they may have suffered violence from the ravisher.
It was not outside the bounds of pagan behavior to abscond with a Christian girl who was betrothed and make sport of her. Had the girl been a willing participant in such an action, discipline for sin would have been enacted. Here though, being unwilling, the girl was free to return to her fiancé without further incident. A corollary understanding to this was that the man was willing to take her back. If not, they were free to go separate ways.
This seems to be one of those situations that should be obvious, but the early church was highly sensitive to every appearance of evil. O, that today's believers would be of the same mind without going to extreme strictures of Christian liberty.
It was not outside the bounds of pagan behavior to abscond with a Christian girl who was betrothed and make sport of her. Had the girl been a willing participant in such an action, discipline for sin would have been enacted. Here though, being unwilling, the girl was free to return to her fiancé without further incident. A corollary understanding to this was that the man was willing to take her back. If not, they were free to go separate ways.
This seems to be one of those situations that should be obvious, but the early church was highly sensitive to every appearance of evil. O, that today's believers would be of the same mind without going to extreme strictures of Christian liberty.
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