On the Bill of Divorce (on 1 Cor 7:39)

De libello repudii · Εἰς τὸ· Γυνὴ δέδεται νόμῳ

1Chrysostom expounds Rom 7:2 and 1 Cor 7:39: a wife is bound by law to her husband while he lives, so that even with a certificate of divorce her new union is adultery; only his death frees her to marry again.
2Chrysostom explains that Moses permitted the certificate of divorce only to prevent the murder of unwanted wives, that Deut 24:1–4 calls the second union a defilement, and that Christ and Malachi restore the law of creation.
3Chrysostom urges hearers neither to put away their spouses nor to marry those put away, since such unions are adultery punished at the judgment, calls a married man's resort to prostitutes adultery too, and explains 1 Cor 7:39 for wives and widows.
4Chrysostom explains that Paul permits a widow's second marriage “in the Lord” while ranking widowhood higher, and calls those who resort to prostitutes to true repentance with tears, prayer and almsgiving.

About this work

Author: John Chrysostom
Attribution: authentic · Accepted as Chrysostom's.
Standing: Honoured by the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. Honoured as a saint or in a church calendar by: Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant.
Date: ca. 390 (approximate) · One of three homilies on marriage (1 Cor 7) from Chrysostom's Antioch years; not dated precisely.
Written at: Antioch, Syria (probable)
Language: Greek
Genre: homily
Reference system: section (1-4, fitted in order; the numerals are partly misread in the OCR)
SBL abbreviation: Rep.Not yet checked
Clavis: CPG (number not yet checked)
Text from: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 51 (Paris) (Printed edition in the public domain; OCR transcription (archive.org) of public-domain page images)
Critical editions: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 51 (Paris, 1862) (cited, not reproduced)