matthew 19:3-9

Marriage, Divorce and Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage SeriesRemarriage Series

The Biblical Attitude

Towards DivorceFamily Worship Center

Rev. Mark Schwarzbauer, Ph.D.

Marriage, Divorce and Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage SeriesRemarriage Series

The Biblical Attitude

Towards DivorceFamily Worship Center

Rev. Mark Schwarzbauer, Ph.D.

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9

3The 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?”

3The 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?”

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9

4And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’

4And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9

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’?

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’?

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9

6“So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

6“So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9

7They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

7They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9

8He 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.

8He 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 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-99“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.”

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.”

Part One:

A Biblical Attitude Towards Divorce

Part One:

A Biblical Attitude Towards Divorce

Malachi 2:16Malachi 2:16

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.”

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.”

Divorce itself is not a sin. Divorce itself is not a sin.

• God also sent Israel a divorce bill- Jeremiah 3:8.

• All divorces are the result of sin, but not all divorces are sinful.

• God loves divorced people- He understands- He has been there!

• This is not an endorsement for divorce.

• God also sent Israel a divorce bill- Jeremiah 3:8.

• All divorces are the result of sin, but not all divorces are sinful.

• God loves divorced people- He understands- He has been there!

• This is not an endorsement for divorce.

We need to have a godly attitude towards divorce

and divorced people.

We need to have a godly attitude towards divorce

and divorced people.

Part Two:

Jesus’ Teaching

About Divorce

Part Two:

Jesus’ Teaching

About Divorce

Matthew 19:3Matthew 19:3

3The 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?”

3The 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?”

The two schools of thought, among the Rabbis:

The two schools of thought, among the Rabbis:

• Hillel taught that a man could divorce his wife for any reason.

• The less popular school of Shammai taught that divorce was only allowable in cases of adultery.

• Hillel taught that a man could divorce his wife for any reason.

• The less popular school of Shammai taught that divorce was only allowable in cases of adultery.

Matthew 19:4-6Matthew 19:4-6

4And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’

4And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’

Matthew 19:4-6Matthew 19:4-6

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’?

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’?

Matthew 19:4-6Matthew 19:4-6

6“So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

6“So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Genesis 1:27Genesis 1:27

27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 2:24Genesis 2:24

24Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

24Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Joined…Joined…

• Greek word for “joined” is (proskollethesetai).

• Literally means to be “glued to” so as to be inseparable.

• Greek word for “joined” is (proskollethesetai).

• Literally means to be “glued to” so as to be inseparable.

The Hebrew concept of “flesh” represents the

“entire being.” So then, they are no longer two

individuals but one “entire being.”

The Hebrew concept of “flesh” represents the

“entire being.” So then, they are no longer two

individuals but one “entire being.”

Jesus refers to “what” God has joined together and not who.

Jesus refers to “what” God has joined together and not who.

“joined” in vs.6 is a different Greek word than in vs. 5.

“joined” in vs.6 is a different Greek word than in vs. 5.

• Here it is sunedzeuxenthat means “yoked together.”

• The picture in Greek is of two oxen being yoked together for service.

• They must be equal in order to plow effectively.

• Here it is sunedzeuxenthat means “yoked together.”

• The picture in Greek is of two oxen being yoked together for service.

• They must be equal in order to plow effectively.

The Greek word for separate is choridzeto)

The Greek word for separate is choridzeto)

• The word means to “separate” as in disconnects the oxen from working together.

• Disconnecting them destroys the purpose God designed for their relationship.

• The word means to “separate” as in disconnects the oxen from working together.

• Disconnecting them destroys the purpose God designed for their relationship.

Matthew 19:7Matthew 19:7

7They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

7They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

Moses did NOT command them

to put away their wives.

Moses did NOT command them

to put away their wives.

Matthew 19:8Matthew 19:8

8He 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.

8He 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.

Vs. 8 Jesus clarifies that Moses “permitted.”

Vs. 8 Jesus clarifies that Moses “permitted.”

• The Greek word for “permitted” is epetrepsen).

• He had not “commanded”the Greek word- (eneteilatoas they asserted in vs. 7.

• The Greek word for “permitted” is epetrepsen).

• He had not “commanded”the Greek word- (eneteilatoas they asserted in vs. 7.

Matthew 19:9Matthew 19:99“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.”

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.”

While divorce was then an

option it was still not a

requirement.

While divorce was then an

option it was still not a

requirement.

The Apostle Paul has much more to add in our

next session that you must have in order to rightly understand the

subject.

The Apostle Paul has much more to add in our

next session that you must have in order to rightly understand the

subject.

Our perspective needs to be Biblical

and our attitude godly.

Our perspective needs to be Biblical

and our attitude godly.

Jesus calls us to honor

women and marriage.

Jesus calls us to honor

women and marriage.

Next: The rest of

whatthe Bible

teaches aboutDivorce.

Next: The rest of

whatthe Bible

teaches aboutDivorce.