Divorce and Remarriage

Genesis 2:18–25

"And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' 19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife…" (Gen. 2:18–25)

Deuteronomy 24:1–4

"When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, 2 when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man's wife, 3 if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, 4 then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance." (Dt. 24:1–4)

Jeremiah 3:8–14

"Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. 9 So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. 10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the Lord. 11 Then the Lord said to me, "Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: 'Return, backsliding Israel,' says the Lord; 'I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,' says the Lord; 'I will not remain angry forever. 13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God, and have scattered your charms to alien deities under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice,' says the Lord. 14 'Return, O backsliding children,' says the Lord; 'for I am married to you.'" (Jer. 3:8–14)

Malachi 2:13–17

"And this is the second thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and crying; so He does not regard the offering anymore, nor receive it with goodwill from your hands. 14 Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. 'Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. 16 For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence,' says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.' 17 You have wearied the Lord with your words; 'Yet you say, 'In what way have we wearied Him?' In that you say, 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them,' or, 'Where is the God of justice?'" (Mal. 2:13–17)

Matthew 5:31–32

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery." (Matt. 5:31–32)

Matthew 19:3–12

"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, 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. 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.'" (Matt. 19:3–12)

Mark 10:2–12

"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.' 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. 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.'" (Mk. 10:2–12)

Luke 16:15–18

"And He said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail. Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.'" (Luke 16:15–18)

Romans 7:1–4

"Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another — to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God." (Rom. 7:1–4)

I Corinthians 7:1–40

"Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband… 10 Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. 12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him… 15 But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace… 39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment — and I think I also have the Spirit of God." (I Cor. 7:1–40)

Divorce

Gen. 2:24 · Matt. 19:6

Biblical provisions regulating divorce are closely bound up with the various definitions given to marriage within the successive phases of God's progressive revelation in history. In the Genesis creation account, marriage is defined as the "one flesh" union established by God in the context of a sinless environment (Gen. 2:24). Given such conditions, the dissolution of the marriage relationship was inconceivable. During his ministry Jesus affirmed this aspect of God's original design for marriage. He described the implications of the "one flesh" relationship as the abrogation of the separatedness of the spouses and the creation of an inviolable union (Matt. 19:6).

Old Testament Regulations

Gen. 2:7; 3:19 · Gen. 2:22; 3:16 · Gen. 1:27–28 · Gen. 4:19; 16:3; 29:30 · Dt. 24:1–4 · Matt. 19:8

The disruptions brought about by the fall had grievous consequences for the male/female relationship. Having allowed sin to sever their primary dependency on God, man and woman became respectively subject to the elements from which they had been originally made. Man became subject to the dust of the ground whence he had come (Gen. 2:7; 3:19), and woman became subject to the man from whom she had been formed (Gen. 2:22; 3:16). Prior to the fall man and woman had enjoyed a relationship of equality as cosharers in the divine image (Gen. 1:27) and as partners in the divine mandate to exercise dominion over creation (Gen. 1:28). After the fall man became ruler over woman, and woman became subject to man (Gen. 3:16). As a result of these new conditions man assumed rights of disposition over woman that he did not possess prior to the fall. The "one flesh" relation was violated when the right of rulership opened the way for the male ruler to multiply the number of his female subjects. This disparity between male and female resulted in the practice of polygamy (Gen. 4:19; 16:3; 29:30) and of serial monogamy, which required the termination of each successive marriage by an act of divorce (Dt. 24:1–4). Thus, the emergence of the practice of divorce appeared as the inevitable consequence of the principle of male rulership. Neither rulership nor divorce was part of God's original design for the marriage relationship. The Mosaic regulation on divorce was a concession made by God to the fallen condition of mankind (Matt. 19:8). Characteristically, the option of divorce was a right available only to the male rulers. As subjects of their male rulers, wives became the victims of divorce. As unfair as it may seem, the Deuteronomic provisions for divorce were actually intended to offer a modicum of protection for its female victims. A husband had to justify a divorce action against his wife by citing something indecent about her. He was to give his divorced wife a bill of divorce that accounted for her marriage to him (Dt. 24:1). Moreover, a divorced husband was forbidden to remarry his ex-wife after her subsequent marriage, since his original divorce was viewed as a defilement of her (Dt. 24:4). Although the Mosaic dispositions on divorce were granted as a divine concession to the "hardness of heart," the Old Testament emphatically states that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16). The right of divorce was grudgingly granted as an accommodation to the principle of male rulership that had resulted from the fall. But God's original design, reflected in the "one flesh" marital relation, remained the standard for the union of man and woman in marriage.

Jesus' Teaching on Divorce

Matt. 19:8 · Matt. 5:31–32 · Matt. 19:10 · Eph. 5:25

Inasmuch as Christ's ministry of redemption signaled a return to God's original purposes in creation, the old covenant regulations on divorce were abrogated in the Christian community. In order to justify the inviolability of the marriage bond among his followers, Jesus directed them to the creational model. Referring negatively to the intervening Mosaic allowance for divorce, Jesus upheld God's original creation order by stating that "from the beginning it was not so" (Matt. 19:8). Christ repudiated the fall and affirmed the creation design. In Matthew 5:31–32 Jesus explicitly abrogated the Mosaic legislation that allowed men to divorce their wives. He viewed the practice as a violation of the integrity of women. Adulterous men who divorce their wives reduce them to the status of whores, using them as commodities to be passed around through the expedient of easy divorce. By divorcing their wives, men treat them as adulteresses. By marrying a woman discarded from a previous marriage, a man perpetuates the demeaning process and becomes guilty of adultery. Jesus deliberately withdrew from men the ruler's right of discarding a wife at will and reinstated the creational pattern of the lifelong "one flesh" union. His disciples understood his intent accurately. But the principle of male privilege was so deeply ingrained in their mentality that they declared the freedom available in celibacy preferable to a commitment to life-long monogamous marriage (Matt. 19:10). Not only did Jesus reaffirm the validity of the "one flesh" union for the community of redemption, but the New Testament reinforced the inviolability of the marriage bond by defining it as an earthly copy of the relationship between Christ and the church (Eph. 5:25). — (1988). Divorce. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, pp. 635–636). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.