Two times God says to go forth and multiply.
Genesis 1:28 and 9:7 (have children)
God officiated Adam and Eve’s marriage. Genesis 2:24
Then take a look at Deuteronomy, chapter 24:1-5.
Marry childless brother’s widow (even if you are already married. This is known as ‘yibum.’). Deuteronomy 25:5
If a man (or woman) refuses to marry his brother’s widow then he must perform the commandment called ‘chalitzah’ in order to free her from the required marriage and allow her to marry someone else. Deuteronomy 25:7-10
The rapist must marry the maiden (if she chooses to do so). Deuteronomy 22:29
The slanderer must remain married to the wife he slandered and not allowed to divorce her. Deuteronomy 22:19
Not to marry a woman and her daughter, or her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter. Leviticus 18:17
Not to marry non-Jews. Deuteronomy 7:3
Not to let Moabite and Ammonite males marry into the Jewish people. Deuteronomy 23:4 (Doesn’t really apply any more since Moabites and Ammonites don’t exist now.)
Don’t keep a third generation Egyptian convert from marrying into the Jewish people. Deuteronomy 23:8-9
Not to refrain from marrying a third generation Edomite convert. Deuteronomy 23:8-9 (Doesn’t really apply since there are no more third generation Edomites around.)
Not to let a bastard marry into the Jewish people. Deuteronomy 23:3
Not to let a eunuch marry into the Jewish people. Deuteronomy 23:2
The high priest (cohen) must not marry a widow. Leviticus 21:14
The high priest (cohen) must marry a virgin maiden. Leviticus 21:13
A high priest (cohen) must not marry a divorcee. Leviticus 21:7
A cohen must not marry a zonah (a woman who had forbidden relations) or a chalalah Leviticus 21:7
So either Paul/Saul was either a card-carrying Jew who followed Torah or what is written in the Christian’s New Testament is a lie. It is possible he might have at some point divorced. He was a Pharisee which is a rabbi by today’s parlance. In order to be a rabbi of a congregation you have be married. It’s possible that his wife might not have liked the path he was walking and wanted a divorce and he gave it to her.
Take a look at this article and see what you think.
Was the Apostle Paul Married?
http://www.dennyburk.com/was-the-apostle-paul-married/
You make two errors in logic here:
1) You take two very specific commandments - to Adam and to Noah - and make it a general commandment. By that logic all the faithful should be building arks, filling them with animals and waiting for the flood.
2) You use evidence of God’s approval of marriage as proof of a commandment to marry - approval does not mean requires. Obviously God’s approval of David was not a commandment to commit adultery and murder.
A Pharisee was a sect, not an office - not at all like a rabbi today. There is no evidence that Saul led a synagog, and to assume he did is a gross error.
Paul said he desired that all would REMAIN as he was - single. Paul also said that he was a most devoted follower of the law. I believe Paul himself was a much greater authority on his life than either your or anybody’s speculation.
Your link was more speculation based on very thin gruel.
this man’s claims and conclusions rely on some pretty meager lines of logic - reaches, and over-reaches in reality.
It is of no doctrinal significance to me if he was married or not. However, all we read from Paul is that he was clearly single - I believe him. Was he previously married? Paul is ENTIRELY silent on this. To assume that he was seems to me to be stretching to support a personal agenda. Paul was most assuredly not malleable for personal agendas.