A Molinist View of Samson's Marriage

Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife."

His father and mother replied, "Isn't there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?"

But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me. She's the right one for me." (His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)

- Judges 14:1-4 (NIV)

Was Samson's marriage from the LORD? Was Samson's marriage part of God's will? In one sense, Samson's marriage was not part of God's will. In another sense, Samson's marriage was part of God's will.

Samson's marriage was not part of God's will of command. (God commanded the Israelites not to marry non-Israelites.) At the same time, Samson's marriage was part of God's will of decree. (God used Samson's marriage as an occasion to confront the Philistines.) Indeed, everything is part of God's will of decree.

God did not predestine Samson to marry a Philistine woman, as though Samson could not have done otherwise. (It makes no sense to say that God commanded the Israelites not to marry non-Israelites, and yet predestined Samson to marry a Philistine woman.) Rather, God predestined that Samson would freely marry a Philistine woman, even though Samson could have done otherwise.

God did not predestine (cause) Samson to marry a Philistine woman. Rather, God predestined (decreed) that Samson would freely marry a Philistine woman.

"It is up to God whether we find ourselves in a world in which we are predestined, but it is up to us whether we are predestined in the world in which we find ourselves." - William Lane Craig, Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom: The Coherence of Theism: Omniscience

It was up to Samson to choose whether he would marry a Philistine woman, but it was up to God whether Samson was able to choose whether he would marry a Philistine woman.

Knowing that Samson would freely marry a Philistine woman under certain circumstances, God decreed/ordained/predestined that these circumstances (under which Samson would freely marry a Philistine woman) would come to pass - in His sovereignty and for His glory.

Again,

1. God gives us the opportunity to enter into relationships - and enter into relationships freely!

2. God knows whether (and under what circumstances) we would enter into relationships - and who we would enter into relationships with!

3. Knowing all of the above, God works all things according to His will.

"This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church." - Ephesians 5:32 (NIV)

God knows what we will do and how things will work out, but it is still up to us to arrange our own life. Only after all of the arrangements have been made can we say confidently that this is what God had originally ordained.

- Maurice Lamm, The Jewish Way in Love and Marriage

Links: A Molinist View of (the UK General) Election (7 May 10), A Molinist View of Relationships (19 May 10), The First and Ultimate Matchmaker (4 Jun 10)