DIVORCE

Matt 19:7-9 They say unto Him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. (Also See Mark 10:2-5; 10-11)

In the three verses previous to the lesson text, Matthew records God's commandment, given by His Son, Christ Jesus, regarding marriage. This union, sanctioned by God, is not to be entered into lightly without due knowledge of God's design for all marriage relationships. Mankind was created by God in His own image, both male and female. The nature of two human beings were created to be progenitive, that is, reproductive - capable of begetting children. In the wisdom of God, this design for mankind would populate the world for as long as He saw fit for it to stand. The union sanctioned by God to fulfill this mission was the rite of marriage between the members of His creation, the male and the female. There is a relationship between parents and the children produced by their union. However, the union of marriage produces a relationship that is stronger and more to be desired than that which exists with one's parents. Both men and women are to leave their fathers and mothers when they are united in marriage. They, like their parents, form a union that was never designed to be broken. In marriage the husband and wife become one unified body sanctified and authorized by God and cannot be dissolved or disunited by any civil authority. However there is one exception to which God gave His approval. He scripturally allows a marriage to be dissolved and made void, only for fornication being committed by either party to the union.

When Jesus recited God's commandment regarding marriage to the Pharisees, They say unto Him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? By their question these Pharisees were accusing Jesus of contradicting the Law of Moses. In the lesson text Jesus gives God's command, with one exception, that marriage cannot be made void by divorcement. More than likely referring to a passage found in Deuteronomy, the Pharisees contend that Moses had God's authority to allow a marriage to be dissolved. The husband, by giving a writing of divorcement, was authorized to put his wife away simply because he found no favor in his eyes for her. The same Mosaic Law even allowed the departed wife to go and be another man's wife, with the stipulation that the former husband could not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled (See Deut. 24:1-4).

Jesus immediately corrected these Pharisees for their misunderstanding of this passage found in the Moses' writings. He said that God suffered such divorcements to take place. That is, it was not a commandment but rather an allowance to dissolve a marriage that was unfruitful in sustaining the Jewish heritage. Just as God sometimes winked at (See Acts 17:30) certain ignorance to His will, so He seemed to do in this instance. We also know this to be true since polygamy, at this time in biblical history, was also winked at by God. These departures from God's commandments were allowed by God only because of the hardness of your hearts. Throughout the Jewish dispensation the people of the nation of Israel stubbornly resisted God's laws. Therefore, Jesus told these Pharisees that, although God allowed certain departures from His will, but from the beginning it was not so.

When any interpretation of scripture is in doubt we must return to the original that was handed down directly by God, His Son, Jesus Christ, or other biblical authors that received their guidance directly from the Holy Spirit of God. Adam and Eve were not "married" in the sense we know it today, but were given to one another by God (Gen. 2:18-25). Marriage was the union between the male and female of God's creation - one man and one woman, and the purpose of this marriage was to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, in order to continue the human race that had been created by God (See Gen. 1:27-31). There was a purpose for God "winking" at the violation of His laws regarding marriage during the Jewish dispensation. However, there is no valid reason today. With the exception of fornication, divorce is not recognized by God, and generally results in the sin of adultery. Marriage is both beautiful and permanent.