Deuteronomy chapter 22

vs 11

Again, this is a representation of holiness. I would like to see the dietary brigade come up with a health reason or other worldly benefit for this law.

vs 12

Ok, this is just weird. I don't know what tassels represent, so I'm at a loss on this one. It might be a fashion that only Israel wore, or that priests were known to wear, or something. The word is only used twice in the Bible - and the other is talking about a building, I think.

vs 13

So note straight away that the reasoning for this scenario is set - he doesn't like her. It sets the tone for the whole thing.

vs 14

It really is slander. I mean, a woman could be killed for adultery. And it's not because he really believes it, it's just because he doesn't like her.

vs 15

The separation from our culture to this culture is so wide that I have had several questions on this area. Proof comes in the form of a blood-soaked sheet from the marriage bed. This whole section revolves around having this proof, and is really a warning for parents to ensure that they have this in their possession, because not having it can lead to their daughter's death.

vs 16

So the father makes the countercharge that the man is simply a bastard.

vs 17

There's no forensic science back then - what's to say you couldn't just make a cloth with some goat's blood or something?

vs 18

Ahh, now the shoe is on the other foot. The rule is you can't make such statements simply because you're a nasty man.

vs 19

In modern times we would not allow this, because by our standards it is horrible that a woman would have to stay married all her life to someone who was prepared to make an accusation that could have meant her death.

But their culture was different. Death is better than shame. Better to be married to an awful husband, but at least be married. I know, it's psychotic. Thankfully Paul lays down the law of sense in 1 Corinthians.

Of course, your next question will be, "OK, if God wants women to have equal rights, why didn't he instill that in the OT Law? Sure, you can say he gave women more rights than the other countries around them, but that's not the same as giving them equal rights." The answer is that women don't have equal rights in some areas according to God's law, or at the very least that women's rights are not absolute, and are allowed to be changed depending on the whim of the culture that one finds oneself in. Or, that God wanted to set in place a progression, a moral precursor, but really wanted women to have equal rights and for there to be no slavery. That is, that God wanted the whole process of slavery to freedom, and few rights for women to lots of rights, in order to prove some point. But it's not really biblical to say that - it's just a fine logical argument.

vs 20

What happens if no proof can be found? I've already said, but we'll see it played out tomorrow!