# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1878_S16
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 16 —

Holy Spirit nevertheless indicates that what matters here is not things such as, for example, respect (respectus parentelae), but the degree of kinship. Second, by the additions, "for she is thy mother's near kinswoman," "for it is thy father's nakedness," etc., such grounds are given as hold also for cases that are not named; and where the same grounds apply, there the same relationship holds also. Finally, third, if we looked only at the persons and not at the degrees, then several marriages that everyone at once recognizes as unlawful, for example the marriage with a brother's daughter, could count as permitted, because the persons concerned are not named. — In this we agree also with the Fathers of our Church.

Thus Chemnitz writes: "The first rule: Since in that general sentence (Lev. 18:6) the universal particle is expressly put, אֶל־כָּל־שְׁאֵר [to any that is near of kin], 'to all nearness of the flesh': so in that nearness of the flesh which is flesh of flesh, not only certain persons who are expressly named in Leviticus 18, but, as we have said, all who are flesh of flesh, are forbidden." (Loc. th. III. fol. 207.)

Further: "Here the modern Jews dispute that the marriages of all those persons who are not expressed are not forbidden. And indeed Luther concedes this too in his first writing on marriage, since he counts not the degrees but the persons. After some years, however, he retracts this and traces these prohibitions back to certain degrees. For if only the persons were to be considered, it would follow that a grandson could marry his grandmother, because she is not forbidden by name; whereas this is plainly outrageous. Hence it is well to note that in Leviticus 18 not only those persons are forbidden who are expressed there by name, but also all who are in the very same, equal or corresponding degree." (Loci th. III. fol. 207.)

Melanchthon remarks: "The text is to be understood of the degrees, not only of the persons, as the Jews trifle (nugantur)." (Examen etc. R. 7. b.)

Conrad Dieterich says: "He who forbids in general that one marry any blood relation has in view not only the persons but also in general the degrees and steps. Now God forbids in general intercourse with blood relations, whether such arises through fleshly generation, that is, by virtue of blood kinship, or through fleshly connection, that is, by virtue of affinity, or whether they descend from the same blood from above downward, as mother and grandmother, or upward from below, as daughter and granddaughter, or collaterally, as brother, sister, granddaughter of a brother or sister, father's sister, likewise also mother's sister. The words in the third book of Moses 18:6 are clear: 'None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him.' God therefore deals in these words not only with the persons, but