Welcome to the Open Study Series of the South Livingston church of

ChristSubject for tonight:

Divorce & Remarriage

Lesson 2Teaching of Jesus

Examined

Principles From Last Week

God’s Will Summarized

One Man One Woman Become One Flesh Marriage Made For Permanence Divorce & Remarriage Is Not

God’s Desire - Rule Opposes It

Man Perverted God’s Will, But Law Given

Soon after will of God was stated, man corrupted it in various ways

God sought to bring man back towards His will

God used provisions of the law as a “tutor” to bring man back

God did not abandon His will, nor leave man without law in matter

All Divorce & Remarriage Is Governed by Law

• Man could not remarry wife after putting away (Deut. 24:1-4)

• Woman could not remarry husband after put away (Deut. 24:1-4)

• Man could not put away wife if he falsely accused (Deut. 22:13-19)

• Man must marry & could not put away one raped (Deut. 22:28-29)

• Priest could not marry one put away (Lev. 21:7, 13-14)

• No unlawful marriage to continue (Ezra 10:1-4)

Principle Inconsistent With View...

One not in marriage is marriageable No difference between put away &

never married One always has right to divorce All existing marriages must be

maintained WHY? Divorced people remain

under constraint of law!

This Week’s Topic:The Teaching of Jesus Examined More Closely

What Did Jesus Teach About Divorce & Remarriage?

Passages for Consideration

Matthew 5:31-3231 It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 32 but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery.

Matthew 19:3-83 And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4 And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? 6 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7 They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away? 8 He saith unto them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so.

Matthew 19:9-129 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery. 10 The disciples say unto him, If the case of the man is so with his wife, it is not expedient to marry. 11 But he said unto them, Not all men can receive this saying, but they to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs, that were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are eunuchs, that were made eunuchs by men: and there are eunuchs, that made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Mark 10:2-122 And there came unto him Pharisees, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? trying him. 3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of the creation, Male and female made he them. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; 8 and the two shall become one flesh: so that they are no more two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 10 And in the house the disciples asked him again of this matter. 11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her: 12 and if she herself shall put away her husband, and marry another, she committeth adultery.

Luke 16:18

18 Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth one that is put away from a husband committeth adultery.

Analyzing the Texts

Question: “Cause” Not Procedure “Put Away” “Except for the CAUSE…” Whosoever Fornication Adultery Reaction of Disciples

Question Asked by Pharisees

Context Set by Question Asked

Jesus’ response is to a question asked by the Pharisees trying Him

“Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?”

Mark omits “for every cause” Mark stresses permanence Matthew emphasizes lawful cause Both aspects needed for full view

No Procedure Is Directed by Christ

Only procedure in the context is that of Deuteronomy 24

No civil court was involved there If we bind a civil procedure as law, we

are adding to law of Christ May differ in judgments on generic However, cause is specified & leaves

no room for different cause

Defining “Put Away”

Comparing Terms Used

Pharisees use “put away” () Jesus responds with “put asunder”

(, in active voice) Action is against cleaving to wife Action opposes joining or binding place

by God upon the marriage 1 Cor. 7:10-11 parallel in passive Not civil action against person, but

action against the relationship

What Is Involved In Biblical “Putting Away”?

Same thing involved in putting asunder the relationship

Same thing as departing Procedure of Deut. 24 is not being

bound by Christ, nor is any other Putting away involves the intent,

expression & action of spouses At that point, cause must exist

Except for the CAUSE of Fornication

Force of Exception Clause Examined

• Law: could not do “any work” & could “kindle no fire” on Sabbath– Exodus 35:1-3

• Exception: priest did both on Sabbath (see Ex. 29-30; Lev. 24:1f )– Jesus said “guiltless” (Matt. 12:5)

• Rule remained, but exception valid• Parallel of Acts 27:22-25 cf. 27:31

Cause Must Exist & Be Reason for Action

Exception permits lawful divorce & remarriage only when cause exist

Cause cannot come at later point Cause cannot be applied to a

“second, mental putting away” Neither can break in relationship

actually be caused by other problem & fornication be used as excuse

Cause of FORNICATION

Greek word is A&G: “prostitution, unchastity,

fornication, of every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse”

Thayer: “of illicit sexual intercourse in general”

May involve married or unmarried Heterosexual, homosexual, etc.

Meaning of ADULTERY

Greek verbs: & Greek noun: Thayer: “have unlawful intercourse

with another’s wife” [or husband] Jesus uses word to denote ongoing

sin of second sexual union due to continuing constraint of law

Sin is sexual act, not civil act

Who Is Amenable To This Law?

“Whosoever Shall…”

In context, Jesus is maintaining the original will of God at beginning

All were bound by that will of God “I say unto you” is statement based on

inherent authority of Jesus Same expression as in Matthew 5 Binding authority of Christ’s law

Christ’s authority complete Matthew 28:18; Psalm 110 & NT uses

Reaction of Disciples Shows Strictness of Law

Shock of Jesus’ Teaching Is Apparent

Disciples say, “If the case of the man is so with his wife, it is not expedient ( ‘good’ KJV) to marry”

Word “case” is same as “cause” Reaction is of shock that marriage is

permanent except for fornication Jesus does not correct the reaction Reaction to strictness was correct

Principle Behind Teaching

Romans 7:2-32 For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband. 3 So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man.

Constraint of Law Clarifies Law & Duration

• Marriage is to be permanent (until death), not severed at man’s desire

• Why? Law gives no discharge at man’s desire & rebellious action

• Called () an adulteress is a calling of God (cf. Acts 11:26)

• God set conditions & exception• Constraint of law abides until death