NEUOFFENBARUNG← Gifts of Heaven · Volume 3 · Contents
About the sanctity of marriage
10th June 1847
Says He to them: 'Moses allowed you to dismiss your wives because of your hardness of heart, but it was not so from the beginning. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marry another, committeth adultery.' Say the disciples to him: 'If the law between man and wife is so, then it is not good to marry.' But he said to them: 'Not all understand this word, but those to whom it is given.' For there are eunuchs who were so born from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were eunuchs because of people, and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. Whoever is able to take it, take it. (Matth 19:8-12)
[1] In this passage of the Gospel, adultery is the main subject and all that can be regarded as adultery if the laws of marriage have been decided beforehand and announced sufficiently; for without such a decision and announcement of the laws of marriage, of course, adultery also ceases to be regarded as a bare sin.
[2] Whoever is completely unfit for marriage for one reason or another, as stated in Matthew chapter 19, verse 12, cannot commit adultery by being completely unable to procreate. But whoever is capable of procreation, whether single or married, can become an adulterer, if he puts to bed a woman who is married, whether she lives with the man or is separated from him by a letter of divorce.
[3] The same is also the case with an unmarried or married woman, if she has a relationship with a married man who already has a woman – unless the woman is decidedly barren. In this case, the man may also bed one or more maids with the consent of the lawful wife, in order to procreate children from them. But without the consent of the lawful wife, he likewise commits adultery, as does every harlot who gives herself to the husband against the will of the lawful wife.
[4] But the woman always breaks the marriage if she has a relationship with another – unless the man would demonstrably have infirmities as indicated in the Gospel, and the woman knew nothing about them before their marriage, or the man, after being married, would castrate himself or let himself be castrated without the knowledge of the woman. But if someone had violently perpetrated in this against the man for whatever evil reason, the woman will be an adulteress if she would lay with someone without the knowledge, will, and desire of the unfortunate man. But if the man wants and demands such things, the woman does not commit adultery if she accepts laying with a single man or a pure widower; but if she would lay with a married man, then she would also break marriage with him by whom she lay.
[5] But if a woman allowed herself to be seduced merely for lust, no matter by whom, then she commits not only adultery but also the sin of fornication and total fornication, whereby she then draws a threefold punishment on her neck, and according to Moses she should be punished with fire.
[6] But if a single man commits fornication with a single woman, and both avoid procreation, then both commit the crime of infanticide and shall be punished accordingly. If, however, both wish to produce an offspring, the unmarried man is responsible for three-fourths of the child's provisions, together with the obligation to marry the girl as soon as possible, or at least to take all care that the girl gets a husband in his place – and he is not to marry until the girl is married; But if he leaves the girl in this situation and marries another, he will once be chastised as an adulterer in hell!
[7] But if a single man or a widower promises love to a girl under oath, and the girl has accepted it, but he nevertheless marries another, he commits adultery – unless the girl has left him, in which case she is guilty of adultery, if she had assured him of her love.
[8] But those who live in so-called free celibacy and are not castrated, but still sleep women and girls, these are always the worst adulterers, by breaking their free vows at all times. For every breaking of a vow is an adultery, unless the vow was a forced one or one made in intoxication, which no-one is guilty of keeping, unless he has subsequently professed it, or worldly laws require it for the common good.
[9] But if any of the castrated ones want to be horny, they are to be chastised with rods, that they should see that there is no longer any power of procreation in them.
[10] "But", someone will say, "there is nowhere a durable reason for the healthy mind to see why mankind is to be limited exactly in this point so much against all requirements of nature! There is no law for urinating and defecating, and yet these are also ugly tasks that nature demands! For this very act alone, which nature demands of him, there are rules and laws that make one want to become a fool!
[11] But I say to it: It is precisely in this point that it depends on what the gospel points to with the words: "Let him who can take it, take it!
[12] Is not man the culmination of all creation? But, if he is nevertheless undeniable in this, can his procreation be an indifferent act?
[13] The procreation of animals is a directed one and can therefore not be done otherwise than in the strictest order. But the procreation of man is a free one; through it already the first free seed is to be placed in the embryo, from which again a free man is to come forth. But how then should this sacred purpose be achieved, this very first and most important act, for it is the very highest – would it be permitted to engage in the barest shamefulness?! Nothing is produced by urinating and defecating; but the act of procreation is the becoming of the culmination-point of all creation!
[14] It is the miracle of all miracles; it is about a free man who is called to live as a god with God and to perform God's deeds!
[15] Should such an act, such a great act not be performed under any rule, in any order? Oh you short-sighted common sense, you who call yourself healthy and yet are full of welts and ulcers!
[16] Marriage is just the first order in which mankind must be begotten, if it is ever to become capable of entering a higher order! Marriage is a free union of two hearts, two souls, two spirits, from which once the great union in Me and with Me is to come forth as an end-goal of all existence.
[17] But how and when should this be achieved, if for this purpose the first seed is not planted by a well-ordered, proper marriage and by the orderly procreation that conditions it?
[18] So let those who can take it, take it! – Through fornication, lechery, and fornication of the flesh – that is, through adultery of all kinds – no fruit can be begotten for God! Therefore this is sin upon sin! For I, the Lord God, am the very highest and most perfect order, and therefore cannot allow that man, as the pinnacle of all My creation, is conceived like frogs in stinking puddles!
[19] Let him who can take it, take it! Amen.