Marriage And Divorce

Matthew 19:1-10

There were conflicting views concerning marriage and divorce in New Testament times.

*******

There were two opposing schools of thought among the scribes and Pharisees in understanding Deuteronomy 24:1.

Some believed it taught that divorce was only permissible when there was adultery.

Others gave a man the most flimsy excuse to divorce his wife.

*******

The Pharisees wanted to trap the Lord Jesus into taking sides.

*******

Why did Moses permit divorce?

It was because of the hardness of men’s hearts!

*******

The provision of Moses was to protect a wife who could be left destitute by divorce, with no means of support.

The certificate meant that she was free to remarry (Deuteronomy 24:1-4).

*******

The certificate was also meant to make people think very seriously before embarking upon divorce.

Once a couple had remarried, there was no way that they could later marry their former partners again.

*******

The Lord Jesus took His hearers back to the institution of marriage in Genesis 2:24.

God means marriage to be permanent!

“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate (Matthew 19:6).”

If marriage was seen to be a Divine institution, people would not rush in and out of it!

*******

A marriage involves two sinners, not two angels!

Christian couples must recognize that their spouse is not perfect and that it takes much hard work, patience and self-giving love to make a happy marriage.

*******

But divorce is not the unforgivable sin.

There is forgiveness and a place in the church for those who have suffered the trauma of marriage break-up.

They need understanding and help, not self-righteous condemnation.

Divorce

Matthew 5:31-32

Story & Lessons

God hates divorce but he saves those who have been divorced and remarried. We must not treat them as if they had committed the unpardonable sin; rather we must welcome them into our church.

Moses allowed a man who found some uncleanness in his wife to divorce her. This was a solemn measure to protect the rejected wife and to prevent unlawful divorce. The man was not allowed to remarry the rejected wife if she was later widowed or divorced from the second marriage. Moses permitted divorce in such cases because of the hardness of their hearts, "but from the beginning it was not so" (19:8).

This concession was misused in New Testament times to allow for unlawful divorce and the Lord Jesus teaches here that divorce is only permitted when the spouse was unfaithful.

When adulterers were put to death under Jewish law the marriage was obviously terminated and the surviving partner was free to marry again. But the death penalty for adultery was not permitted under the Roman occupation of Palestine.

Jesus indicated that the wronged partner would be allowed to remarry just as if the guilty one was dead.

Marriage is a covenant in which solemn promises are made before God, including the promise to remain faithful until parted by death.

Whoever divorces his wife. . . (31).

Reflection...

The wicked influences of the world have crept into the church and divorce among professing Christians is becoming common.

What kind of spiritual state are we in if we can so lightly break these sacred promises and disregard God’s word?

Let us seek God’s grace each day to be faithful to his word and to the one to whom we have committed ourselves in marriage.