Divorce Part III

19. June 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today, we are looking at the disciple’s response to Jesus’ answer concerning divorce.  I’ll give you the whole passage so you can review the entire story.

Matthew 19:3 “ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 ”Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 7 ”Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”  

As you can see in our study; Jesus forbids divorce except for the grounds of marital unfaithfulness.  He also instructs that anyone that divorces without this reason and remarries commits adultery.  In God’s eyes, marriage was created for a lifetime.  It is a covenant relationship that God instituted and according to Malachi 2:16  it states that “God hates divorce.”  Remember, the Pharisees came tempting Jesus.  Some of the religious leaders were teaching that you could divorce your wife for any reason while others held that it could be only for adultery.  The word used in the text is actually a word that is broader than adultery.  When we studied this subject in Matthew, the 5^th chapter, you will notice that the word fornication is used.  In its simplest form, it means illegal sex but the word also applies to all kinds of sexual immorality.    Also in the 5^th Chapter, Jesus states that anyone that divorces his wife for any other reason than fornication causes her to commit adultery and who ever marries the divorced woman  also commits adultery.  WOW!!!!   These are some difficult teachings.   

God’s hatred of divorce is so clear in scripture that when the disciples heard the teaching, their response to Jesus was that it is better that a man not marry.

Jesus went on to tell the disciples that everyone does not have the gift of celibacy.  Some people are eunuchs for the gospel’s sake and others have been made eunuchs by men.   Jesus clearly states that celibacy is a calling and not everyone will be able to maintain a celibate lifestyle which means the only other option is marriage. 

Jesus allows divorce only in the case of adultery  (the hard hardnesses of adultery).    There is no scriptural evidence that supports divorce in any other situation.   YEP!!!!!!!!   I know this raises a lot of issues!!!!!!!!!!   

Paul in Corinthians gives us an interpretation of this same passage.   Tomorrow, we will look at that text and we will close out our discussion about divorce.  Tomorrow, we will answer such questions as to what about all the Christians that get divorces for reasons other than fornication.   

God Bless. 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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