“‘For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 2:16

Marriage Remarriage?

Some highlights of the modern view of divorce: Definitions Generic modern definitions: Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc. Specific modern legal definitions: [application] South Carolina and other state Legislature Some highlights of the modern view of divorce: A disunion (bond-breaking) of legally-married people Is the breaking of a legal marriage contract Involves formal, legal action Results in permanent separation of legal association Divorce

Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and legal codes Definitions Remember: Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and legal codes do not create word definitions; rather, they reflect what is common usage of the day. Therefore, if we desire to analyze a word in its context, it helps if we understand that word’s origins and meaning at the time it was used. Divorce

Some highlights of the biblical view of divorce: Definitions Generic modern definitions: Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc. Specific modern legal definitions: [application] South Carolina and other state Legislature Some highlights of the biblical view of divorce: Generic Bible definitions: Generic Bible definitions: Dis-union (“putting away”) of husband [N.T.] or wife O. T. Hebrew and N. T. Greek word meanings Involves legal, formal action – “a certificate of divorce” Usually seen as negative: desert, abandon, adultery Divorce

Divorce Definitions Generic modern definitions: Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc. Specific modern legal definitions: [application] South Carolina and other state Legislature Generic Bible definitions: O. T. Hebrew and N. T. Greek word meanings Specific Bible definitions: [application] Deut. 24 is basis for O.T. regulation of divorce no permission or approval; only “if”/“then” Divorce

Divorce Definitions Generic modern definitions: Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc. Specific modern legal definitions: [application] South Carolina and other state Legislature Generic Bible definitions: O. T. Hebrew and N. T. Greek word meanings Specific Bible definitions: [application] Deut. 24 is basis for O.T. regulation of divorce Jesus clarifies: Mt 5:31-32; teaching on adultery Divorce

Divorce Definitions Generic modern definitions: Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc. Specific modern legal definitions: [application] South Carolina and other state Legislature Generic Bible definitions: O. T. Hebrew and N. T. Greek word meanings Specific Bible definitions: [application] Deut. 24 is basis for O.T. regulation of divorce Jesus clarifies: Mt 19:1-12; Mk 10:1-12; lawful? Divorce

Matthew 19:1-12 (1) Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. (2) And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there. (3) The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” (4) And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female.’

Matthew 19:1-12 (5) “and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’ ? (6) “So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (7) They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” (8) He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Matthew 19:1-12 (9) “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” (10) His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” (11) But He said to them, “All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: (12) “For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”

Mark 10:1-12 (1) Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan. And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again. (2) The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce His wife?” testing Him. (3) And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” (4) They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”

Mark 10:1-12 (5) And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.” (6) “But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ (7) ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, (8) ‘and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Mark 10:1-12 (9) “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (10) In the house, His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. (11) So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. (12) “And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Divorce Matthew 19:1-12 & Mark 10:1-12 Mt 19, Mk 10 are Jesus’ commentary on Gen. 2 Response to a false question from the Pharisees “testing Him” [19:3; 10:2]; not an honest question answered question on divorce by teaching marriage God’s truth about marriage should abolish divorce! Definitions Divorce

Divorce Matthew 19:1-12 & Mark 10:1-12 Mt 19, Mk 10 are Jesus’ commentary on Gen. 2 Response to a false question from the Pharisees Condemnation of their abuse of Deut. 24 “Is it lawful?” [19:3; 10:2]; hasn’t God said so? “to divorce…(for just any reason)?” [(19:3); 10:2] Pharisees’ position; would Jesus challenge them? “What did Moses command you?” [Mk 10:3] cp. their: “Why then did Moses command…” [19:7] “Moses permitted…a certificate of divorce” [10:4] only because of sin, not a command! [19:8; 10:5] command is one flesh: do not separate! [19:6; 10:9] Definitions Divorce

Matthew 19:1-12 & Mark 10:1-12 “Is it lawful to divorce for just any reason?” “From the beginning…” [God’s universal law] MALE FEMALE “joined” “one flesh” “let not man separate” 1st affirmation: It is NOT LAWFUL!! It is from SIN!! “Why then did Moses command…certificate of divorce?” “…permitted because of the hardness of your hearts”

Divorce Matthew 19:1-12 & Mark 10:1-12 Mt 19, Mk 10 are Jesus’ commentary on Gen. 2 Response to a false question from the Pharisees Condemnation of their abuse of Deut. 24 Clarification of real issue behind divorce Basis is Gen 2 – “let not man separate” [19:6; 10:9] General Rule: divorce brings about adultery “whoever divorces and marries…” [19:9; 10:11-12] “whoever marries her who is divorced” [19:9] is adultery “lawful”? [19:3; 10:3; Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18] NO! Adultery is contrary to the LAW! cp. also Luke 16:14-18 [self-justified, not lawful!] Definitions Divorce

Matthew 19:1-12 & Mark 10:1-12 “Is it lawful to divorce for just any reason?” “…what God has joined…, let not man separate” MALE MALE FEMALE ANOTHER “joined” MALE “Whoever divorces his wife… and marries another” “Whoever marries her who is divorced” “If a woman divorces her husband and marries another” 2nd affirmation: It is NOT LAWFUL!! It is adultery!! GENERAL RULE: “commits adultery”

Divorce Matthew 19:1-12 & Mark 10:1-12 Mt 19, Mk 10 are Jesus’ commentary on Gen. 2 Response to a false question from the Pharisees Condemnation of their abuse of Deut. 24 Clarification of real issue behind divorce Explanation of exception not causing adultery “Is it lawful…to divorce…for just any reason?” [19:3] This “has been said” (taught) to them [Mt 5:31] Jesus, fulfilling Law [Mt 5:17-20; Rm 8:3-4], says: “for any reason except sexual immorality” [5:32] “except for sexual immorality” [19:9] Sexual immorality is lawful reason; ANY other isn’t Definitions Divorce

Matthew 5:31-32 & 19:1-12 “Is it lawful to divorce for just any reason?” GENERAL RULE: “commits adultery” MALE FEMALE ANOTHER “joined” “Whoever divorces his wife… and marries another”

except for sexual immorality Matthew 5:31-32 & 19:1-12 “Is it lawful to divorce for just any reason?” GENERAL RULE: “commits adultery” MALE FEMALE Sexual Immorality ANOTHER “joined” “Whoever divorces his wife… except for sexual immorality …and marries another” Conclusion: Divorce for sexual immorality does not commit adultery – the adultery already happened. Christ: It is lawful to divorce [only] for sexual immorality

Divorce Matthew 19:1-12 & Mark 10:1-12 Mt 19, Mk 10 are Jesus’ commentary on Gen. 2 Response to a false question from the Pharisees Condemnation of their abuse of Deut. 24 Clarification of real issue behind divorce Explanation of exception not causing adultery Reaction of disciples shows seriousness of issue “…it is better not to marry”(!) [19:10-12] Is an over-reaction, but Jesus says may need be so: some to be physical eunuchs [19:12] (birth, men) some to be spiritual eunuchs [19:12] (for kingdom) some unable (unwilling) to accept! [19:12] Definitions Divorce

Divorce Matthew 19:1-12 & Mark 10:1-12 Mt 19, Mk 10 are Jesus’ commentary on Gen. 2 Response to a false question from the Pharisees Condemnation of their abuse of Deut. 24 Clarification of real issue behind divorce Explanation of exception not causing adultery Reaction of disciples shows seriousness of issue “…it is better not to marry”(!) [19:10-12] “…asked Him again about the same…” [10:10-12] They, too, had been taught divorce “for any reason” Jesus clarifies that whether the man or the woman initiates divorce, the general result is adultery Definitions Divorce

Divorce Definitions Generic modern definitions: Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc. Specific modern legal definitions: [application] South Carolina and other state Legislature Generic Bible definitions: O. T. Hebrew and N. T. Greek word meanings Specific Bible definitions: [application] Deut. 24 is basis for O.T. regulation of divorce Jesus clarifies: Mt 5:31-32; 19:1-12; Mk 10:1-12 Divorce

Forthcoming (as the Lord wills): Wed. August 26 Rom. 7; Mk. 6: “Marriage vs. Bond” and the “other exception” Wed. September 9 1 Cor. 7: “not to depart” “let him depart” and “not under bondage” Wed. September 16 1 Cor. 7: “remain unmarried or be reconciled” “are you loosed…?”