The Story of the Vile Man Marrying the Beauty: Part I

There’s a story about a man who was pursued by the most beautiful, powerful and rich woman in the city. This man, not having much going for him in both money and in physical appearance was overtaken by her pursuit. After a short courting time he asked her father for her hand in marriage. The father, loving his daughter, and loving his future son in law, quickly obliged and very excited for their union.

The man was completely in love, and every conviction that he had, the woman had. Although she was very rich and very beautiful she was also the most spiritual upright person that he had ever met. She was humble, submissive and looked for ways to always show grace and patience to her husband. As the marriage started off, the man did everything in his power to show how much he loved his wife, by ministering to her, buying her gifts, and showing much of his devotion to her both through his words and actions. The marriage, although odd to the outside world, was truly one of great beauty and devotion on both parts, as they both submitted themselves to God in love.

One day, as the man was on his way home, a local woman approached him. She grabbed him by the wrist and asked him to follow her. As he did, he noticed that this woman was taking him to the part of the city that was known for prostitution. He humbly declined, and went home to his wife.

This went on for the next month, but instead of changing routes home, he found himself purposely going the same way so as to come in contact with this woman. Then, temptation overtook his conscience. He gave into her advances and he slept with this prostitute. The man, feeling a deep rooted sorrow, went home to his wife and admitted his transgression to his wife. The wife, still in all her beauty and devotion, took off his coat, showed him the way to the table, fed him, rubbed his shoulders and drew him a warm bath for him to relax in. As she did this, she simply said, “I forgive you, and I love you the same as I did yesterday.”

The next day, the man repeated his offense.

This time, he decided to withhold the information from his beautiful wife, believing she would not find out. As he walked through the door, she again, took his coat, led him to the table, rubbed his shoulders and drew him a bath. As he laid in the bath, she approached him and said, “I know of your repeated offense and I want you to know that I have already forgiven you and I love you.”

Shocked by her love and devotion, the man promised that this would never happen again.

The next day, the man repeated his offense.

As the man entered the house, his wife, lavished him with a huge party in his favor, brought his favorite foods and entertainment, invited his friends and took him aside and said, “I still know that you have not stopped your transgressions, but I love you and I forgive you, please enjoy this party that I have thrown for it is to show you that I will never leave you for the sake of your transgressions. I truly love you deeply”
The man, overcome with guilt, wept bitterly at her feet. But, she would not allow him to be at her feet, so she knelt down, wiped away his tears with her shirt and proceeded to wash his feet so that he could go and enjoy the party with no one knowing of his transgressions.

The next day, the man repeated his offense.

As he approached the house, the woman met him and simply asked him, “What must I do my husband? I am the most powerful, most beautiful and most submissive woman in the city and yet you run around with the whores and have brought home many diseases into our household. I have forgiven you and continue to forgive you and I truly love you. Have I not shown you this through both devotion and tongue?”

Then as she was finishing up, the woman’s father walked in.

As the father stepped forward, the husband asked, “What do you deem should happen to me father? If you desire, take my life for I desire whores instead of your daughter. I desire the freedom of debauchery instead of devotion to your daughter who is most forgiving and loving to me. Your daughter is the most beautiful woman in the city, the most powerful, the most loving, and the most submissive. Yet, I leave our bed for another’s each night. I was known to be the ugliest, poorest and vilest man before marrying your daughter, but now that I have been betrothed to her, people have considered me the richest, most handsome and powerful man in the city. Although given everything from your daughter, I have squandered it all. Make your ruling, and I will concede.”

The father stepped forward, and uttered his ruling.

The question comes…what should the ruling of the father be to his son in law?