Posted on 04/22/2022 6:08:52 AM PDT by metmom
“‘It was said, “Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce”; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery’” (Matthew 5:31–32).
Jesus no more approves of divorce than did Moses (cf. Matt. 19:6). Adultery, another reality God never condoned, is the only reason under the law that allows for dissolving of a marriage, with the guilty party to be put to death (Lev. 20:10). Because Jesus mentions this here and again in Matthew 19:9, God must have allowed divorce to replace execution as the penalty for adultery at some time during Israel’s history.
Divorce is never commanded; it is always a last resort, allowed when unrepentant immorality has exhausted the patience of the innocent spouse. This merciful concession to human sinfulness logically implies that God also permits remarriage. Divorce’s purpose is to show mercy to the guilty party, not to sentence the innocent party to a life of loneliness. If you are innocent and have strived to maintain your marriage, you are free to remarry if your spouse insists on continued adultery or divorce.
Jesus does not demand divorce in all cases of unchastity (immorality, primarily adultery in this context), but simply points out that divorce and remarriage on other grounds results in adultery.
Our Lord wants to set the record straight that God still hates divorce (Mal. 2:16) and that His ideal remains a monogamous, lifelong marriage. But as a gracious concession to those innocent spouses whose partners have defiled the marriage, He allows divorce for believers for the reason of immorality. (Paul later added the second reason of desertion, 1 Cor. 7:15.)
Ask Yourself
How could you be an encouragement to a couple whose marriage is on the verge of collapse? How could you show Christ’s mercy to those who have been wounded the greatest?
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.
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Studying God’s Word ping
I see what you did here.
I suppose it would depend on the reason for the question.
If it’s for learning, then probably, but if it’s to be argumentative, then I doubt it.
I don’t make the rules.
I don’t think God changed His mind about divorce. He still opposes it.
And yes, the Law does allow it. So I suppose if you wanted, you could accuse God of changing His mind about divorce.
As far as meaning about whether it was Moses’ addition or God’s idea, I am not going to pass judgment because Scripture does not give us enough information to make a definitive statement either way over whose idea it was.
I think it gets back to what MacArthur said about having mercy on a person stuck in a marriage with an unrepentant serial adulterer.
Nobody can control anyone else’s behavior and they are not responsible for the other person’s bad choices.
It’s the only reason I can think of.
FWIW, God also gave a lot of direction about slave ownership, and again, I think it was for the same reason. He knew it was going to happen and best to regulate it and what was allowed and protect those who ended up in slavery though no fault of their own.
If I understood why God does what He does, I’d be looking for another God. I just have to trust that He has His reasons and we cannot understand them, any more than a two year old understands all the decisions his parents make for him. Some things are just beyond our ability to comprehend.
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