Matthew 5:31-32

DAY 35

Date: 1-19-25

DIVORCE

* Everything with an asterisk and is italicized and purple is my own added words and thoughts and are not part of the actual verse or quote. 

Scripture 

Matthew 5:31-32

Pray

Read scripture: Matthew 5:31-32

“It has been said, (*not written) ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

 (NIV 1984)

NOTE #1: Divorce is a very thick and thorny topic. It can be very emotional and problematic. 

We will not resolve all the issues and sensitivities surrounding divorce in today’s short class. 

But, we will try, as always, to get past the surface, legalistic views, to an understand God’s heart in it all. 

NOTE #2: In the first century, and before, divorce was widespread and very easy to obtain. No lawyers. No court. No  jurors. It was very easy. Easy for men, but potentially horrible for women. The Rabbis and Pharisees interpretation of the law was very liberal and highly favored men. A man simply had to write a certificate of divorce.

NOTE #3: But a careful reading of Deuteronomy 24:1-4 will reveal that the Pharisees interpretation of the law was incorrect. God is NOT condoning or approving of divorce in any way, and certainly NOT approving of divorce for frivolous reasons, like, a wife becoming “displeasing” to her husband. 

And Jesus, like He constantly and consistently does during His three years of public ministry, comes to the rescue and , again, corrects the Pharisees. 

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 says; (*the first half of these verses are “concessions, NOT commands)

(NIV) 1 If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 3 and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, (*up to this point, these are “concessions, NOT commands) 4 (*this is where the command- law- starts) then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.

OUR BOOK, pg 68

(Holman Commentary) 

Point #1: Jesus’ quote of the rabbinic thinking (* “concessions,” NOT commands) on divorce in 5:31 was drawn from Deuteronomy 24:1. (*The rabbis and Pharisee “twisted” OT scripture, to suit their own cultural desires (SINS) – and we do the same thing today – not only with divorce, but also other cultural issues, like homosexuality [which God also hates] and transgender issues). 

Point #2: The Old Testament instruction requiring a certificate of divorce was not commanding divorce. (*At ANY point!)

Point #3: Rather, it provided protection to the woman when a divorce was chosen. It was actually Moses’ effort to curtail the rampant practice of “easy divorce”

Q: What are the three institutions that God created and established?

A: 

1. Family
2. Marriage
3. Church

The BIGGER PICTURE:

Satan has been waging war on these three institutions for a long time. Attacking them outright, while at the same time, stealthily and deceptively trying to “re-define then.”

SO – 

So far, in the the Sermon on the Mount, what do you think God’s heart is in all of this?

Relationships. People. 

What is God’s goal for the law?

It is not “do this” and “don’t do that” like the Pharisees teach. 

The true goal behind all these laws is: RECONCILIATION. RELATIONAL REDEMPTION. 

THAT is God’s heart in all of this!
Don’t get angry, don’t get even (murder). RECONCILE!
Don’t commit adultery. RECONCILE!
Don’t get divorced. RECONCILE!

Before we go to our verses for today, let’s look at Exodus 20:3 & 4 first, and do a little mini Inductive Bible Study of this verse.
Does anybody know what the first two, of the Ten Commandments are? 
Remember Matthew 5:17? (A KEY verse to understanding, not only the whole of the New Testament, but the entire Bible as well!)

Exodus 20:3 & 4
3 – No other gods. (1st Commandment)
4 – No idols. (2nd Commandment)

So – Question: 

1. What does this verse say?
2. What does it mean?
   1. (Preacher’s Commentary Series) So the commandment is: “Know Me! Acknowledge Me! Remember Me! I am the Lord your God.” (*Worship ONLY me!)
   2. What, potentially, are “others gods?” or idols? (Maybe some that we don’t realize we worship?) Name examples.
      1. What can become an idol in our lives?
      2. Can people become idolatrous?
      3. Can “expectations” that we place on other people become idolatrous?
   3. How do we, inadvertently, put other things in place of God? 
   4. How does that happen?
3. How does it apply to me?

Now, let’s go on to our verses for today. 

INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY METHOD

Observation. Interpretation. Application.

Simply stated, it works by asking yourself three questions as you study read and God’s Word:

1. What does it say? (Observation) Or – what does it NOT say?
2. What does it mean? (Interpretation) Or – what does it NOT mean?
3. How does this apply to me? (Application)

Let’s go thru today’s passage using the Inductive Method:

Observation – What does it say?

1. (NIV 1984) Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.(v 31)
2. Divorce causes adultery. (V 32)
3. (NIV 1984) except for marital unfaithfulness (v 32)

Interpretation – What does it mean?

1. Divorce is not an option –  except for marital unfaithfulness (v 32)
2. Deut 24:1-4 says. “If” a man wants a divorce – meaning there is no “command” to divorce.
3. Our book says, “(Holman Commentary) The Old Testament instruction requiring a certificate of divorce was not commanding divorce. Rather, it provided protection to the woman when a divorce was chosen.”
4. The Pharisees very “loosely” interpreted Deut. 24:1-4, leading to divorces for almost any reason. 
5. This is NOT the heart of God for marriage. 
6. “I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel … (Malachi 2:16)
7. Jesus addresses this issue in Matthew 19:1-12 (and again in Mark 10)
8. Jesus clarifies the wrong application of this law in Matthew 19:9, saying, “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
9. GOD DESIRES RECONCILIATION!

Application – How do I apply it to my life?

1. Seek God’s heart! 
2. God would have people try to work things out, rather than getting divorced for any old frivolous reason (known today as “no-fault” divorce), as it was during the first century. 

Comments, Questions:

If I get divorced, do I lose my salvation? No!

Relevant Verses

Original intentions of God:

Gen 2:24
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. (NIV)

Eph 5:31
(NIV) For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

Heb 13:4
(NIV) 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Malachi 2:10-16, especially 14-16
(NIV) hands. 14 You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. 15 Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. 16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife, ” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the LORD Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.

Deut 24:1-4
(NIV) 1 If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 3 and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, 4 then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Matthew 19:1-12
(NIV) 1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 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 flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one 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 sexual immorality, 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 there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

Next Week

OATHS

Matthew 5:33-37

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Notes:

* Everything with an asterisk is my own added words and thoughts and are not part of the actual verse or quote.