Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The imagery being used in the cited passage is that of a team of two draft animals (such as oxen) who are held together side-by-side by a wooden yoke placed over their necks for use in accomplishing a given task, such as the pulling of a plow or of a cart. If the yoke is improperly positioned so that the burden or amount of work placed on one of the team members is significantly greater than that of the other, or if two different types of animals with respect to their physical load-bearing ability are teamed together, the animal bearing the heavier load will tire more quickly, and the furrow that they are plowing, or the cart that they are pulling, will also not be in the desired straight path.

Paul is saying that a marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian will create similar adverse results, since the two spouses will be guided by different worldviews and principles, creating conflict between them rather than leading them to act in concert in service to God. This will also have negative effects with regard to their agreement or acting as a unit in the raising of any children that they might have, and in passing on moral values and standards of conduct to them.

August 03 2020 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

I agree with Tim's imagery above. Ryrie says of Dt. 22:10, "The step and pull of the 2 beasts is unequal."

The ass being much smaller and his step shorter, there would be an unequal and irregular draft. Besides, the ass, from feeding on coarse and poisonous weeds, has a fetid breath, which its yoke fellow seeks to avoid, not only as poisonous and offensive, but producing leanness, or, if long continued, death; and hence, it has been observed always to hold away its head from the ass and to pull only with one shoulder.

So the natures of believers and unbelievers are vastly different. They have 2 separate and distinct goals in life. When I was a pastor for 7 years, I would not marry a believer to an unbeliever. It's not fair to either one. Both would suffer pain and discomfort just as 2 different animals/beasts would. I believe this applies to dating as well. I don't think a believer should date an unbeliever because it's too dangerous. Dating leads to marriage.

August 04 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report