Matthew 5:31-32: Divorce

Tod Kennedy, April 6, 2005

Key Verse of Matthew 5. Matthew 5:20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

1.     Outline of Matthew 5

a.      Characteristics of Kingdom people, the repentant people, or the righteous remnant (Matthew 5:1-16).

b.     Christ’s relationship to the Old Testament (Matthew 5:17-19). Christ fulfills the Law.

c.      Kingdom righteousness contrasted with the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20).

d.     Illustrations of Kingdom righteousness contrasted with the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:21-48).

i.        Personal conflicts (Matthew 5:21-26).

ii.      Man and woman relationships (Matthew 5:27-32).

iii.    Vows (Matthew 5:33-37).

iv.    Retaliation (Matthew 5:38-42).

v.      Love your enemies (Matthew 5:43-48).

 Matthew 5:31-32, Divorce

1.     Under the Mosaic Law God allowed divorce, but this was not what he wanted for his people. Rabbi Hillel took the liberal view that God permitted divorce for any reason. Matthew 19:3 refers to this. Rabbi Shammai took the view that only allowed divorce for immorality. Jesus, in Matthew 19:9 reaffirmed the original intent of marriage to be life long, and he restricted divorce for kingdom of heaven people to the cause of immorality.

2.     The English word divorce is found 28 times in the Bible (NASB): 15 times in the OT and 13 times in the NT; eleven of the NT uses are in Matthew, Mark, and Luke; and Paul uses it twice in 1 Corinthians 7:11-12.

3.     Divorce was common in the ancient world. The Egyptians practiced divorce and even gave certificates that legalized the divorce. Deuteronomy 24:1 regulated divorce for Israel.

a.      Deuteronomy 24:1, “indecency” (‘ervah Strong’s 6172) refers to some kind of shameful behavior, but not to immorality. That passage restricts the first husband from remarrying his former wife if she had married another man after their first divorce. The intent seems to be to protect the woman by preventing divorce based on superficial reasons. The divorce specifically allowed remarriage with no mark of dishonor. Immorality does not seem to be in view because Deuteronomy 22 specifies the death penalty for that. The certificate of divorce allowed her to remarry.

b.     Deuteronomy 22:20-22 teaches that the penalty for immorality is death: for the woman before her planned marriage (20-21); for both a man with a woman married to another man (22); for both a man with a woman engaged to another man and she did not resist him by crying out (23-25).

c.      Levitical priests were not allowed to marry a divorced woman (Leviticus 21:7, 14).

d.     Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, teaches within a context of the Corinthian problems. In verses 10-11 he addresses believers; in 12-16 he addresses those in mixed marriages.

i.        Paul advises them to work out marriage problems and stay together.

ii.      He advises the believer to remain with an unbelieving spouse if that unbeliever wants to remain.

iii.    He also teaches that if the unbeliever leaves, the believing member may let them go, and may remarry.

4.     Summary of 1 Corinthians 7, Sex, marriage, and the status quo.

a.      Paul now answers question put to him about sex and marriage. He understands God's design for right man and right woman in marriage and the Corinthian religious scene. Paul says that sex has its proper place in marriage, while lasciviousness in or outside of marriage is wrong. On the other hand, celibacy is also good if God has given one the ability for it.  Asceticism in marriage is a wrong reaction to the Corinthian religious scene or to the added time and responsibilities that marriage brings.  If two people know they are right for each other, then they ought to marry. Within the marriage setting the man and the woman have physical responsibility to and authority over each other (7.1-7).

b.     Widows and those who have never married may marry, but Paul believes that it would be more profitable for spiritual service for one to remain unmarried as he has (7.8-9).

c.      The dissatisfied wife should not leave (separate from or divorce) her husband. If she does, she is to remain unmarried or reconcile with him. The dissatisfied husband is not to send away (divorce) his wife (7.10-11).

d.     The believer who is married to an unbeliever that agrees to stay in the marriage should not divorce the unbeliever. This status quo sets the unbeliever and the children aside so they may be influenced by the gospel. However, if the unbeliever wants to leave (divorce) the believer, the believer may let him/her go and begin anew (7.12-16).

e.      Believers are not to make sudden changes in their status (for example: circumcision or uncircumcision, slave or free, married or unmarried) simply because another choice appears better at the moment. Believers are to follow the will of God based upon Bible doctrine. This is the status quo principle (7.17-24).

f.       Marriage or non-marriage is an illustration of the status quo principle. Because of the responsibilities that go with marriage, marriage will divide a believer's interests and time (7.25- 35).

g.     Because of the time and responsibility that goes with marriage, it is better for a daughter to remain single, but her father has not sinned by giving his daughter in marriage (7.36-38).

h.     If a woman chooses marriage, she must realize that she is bound to her husband until he dies, and that marriage will restrict her service to the Lord (7.39-40).

5.     Summary of Matthew 5:31-32

a.      Jesus, in Matthew 5, teaches that divorce is not the solution to marriage problems. A couple should stay together if at all possible. He voided the conception that some had that if the wife displeased the husband, he could divorce her.

b.     Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7, also teaches against divorce between believers. He advises the believer to remain with an unbelieving spouse if that unbeliever wants to remain. Paul advises them to work out marriage problems and stay together. He does say that if the unbeliever in a marriage wants to leave, then the believer is free to remarry. He also teaches that if the unbeliever leaves, the believing member may let them go, and may remarry.

6.     Application or So What? from Matthew 5:31-32.

a.      We live in a society that views marriage as a convenience or an inconvenience, depending on what one wants? Not the right attitude.

b.     Make marriage work. Divorce is not the first solution.

c.      Serving the Lord in the church, missions, and family can strengthen a marriage.