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MATTHEW - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand!
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Matthew
PART 3 - Jesus' Ministry in the Jordan Vally During His Journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 19:1 - 20:34)

2. The Sin of Divorce (Matthew 19:7-9)


MATTHEW 19:7-9
7 They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a bill of divorce, and divorce her?” 8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. 9 I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.”
(Matthew 5:31-32, Luke 16:18)

Marriage is neither a hobby nor an amusement for man. It is a divine order, and a great responsibility for conservation of life. Wherever the idea of virtuous marriage crumbles among people, the door becomes open to unlawful relationships through contraception pills, and as a result shame and sin enters. It must be remembered that whoever breaks the rules and laws of the Creator shall definitely fall under His punishment.

Today, we see the shame exposed and evident in movies, books, and signboards, as if moral sense has died in all men. A few years ago, most people were ashamed of seeing scandalous pictures and pornographic movies. Today, he that does not watch such pictures and movies is described by some as backward and underdeveloped, as if development and prosperity were connected with such disgusting and immoral acts. Therefore, many people began to practice this sin as if they were drinking a cup of cold water. Do you think Christ doesn’t see the level to which the characters and practices of His people have fallen?

Who would be astonished if honorable marriage vanished, family honor and values declined, and infidelity prevailed among married people. Husbands and wives do not train themselves in self-control, humility, and contentment, because modern life leads them to immorality, pride, and ease. In reality, wherever Christ is not the center and focus of married life, disorder prevails, and quarrels, unclean accusations, rebellions, and pains dominate. Infidelity and dislike are soon evident and life becomes as hell, flaming with hatred and enmity. Divorce becomes a solution to both parties, though it is not a solution to Christ.

How bitter is divorce! For it breaks the union of the hearts. It makes the children lose their nest. They often become pessimists and criminals, for the defeat of love creates in them spiteful dislike. The divorced do not sin to themselves only, but to their children and society as well. They have not learned to deny themselves and do not know that life means service not wellness.

In the Old Testament, if a man and a woman were found committing adultery, they should have been stoned to death (Deuteronomy 22:20). The innocent party whose spouse had committed adultery had the right, after the stoning of the spouse, to marry again; for with the death of the adulterer, remarriage was considered lawful.

But Moses, not God himself (Deuteronomy 24:1), made a compromise because of the stubbornness of his people. If a husband found some uncleanness in his wife, he had the right to divorce her. From this principle, some scribes developed exaggerated judgments at the time of Jesus, and gave the man the right to put away his wife for the most trivial reasons.

Jesus opposed this deviation from the natural order and sought to conserve and preserve marriage from any misuse, and prohibited divorce. Christ came back to the fundamental principle. Marriage is ordained of God from the beginning of creation and is good and wholesome. God’s love is holy, and it protects marriage. Therefore every young man and young girl should study the essence of marital life before they get married, for marriage is not a passing whim but a covenant of constant grace.

A Christian should never divorce his wife, because he married her under guidance of God and should live with her in the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s forgiveness creates in him the preparedness to forgive in marriage and offers him patience and endurance with joy and thankfulness. We praise God for giving the law of marriage that sanctifies our families in His Spirit so that He may create in these families the atmosphere of heaven in the midst of a corrupt world.

Scientists of our days warn us that the increase in population is leading to a great disaster that threatens the whole of mankind. Our answer to such a fear or warning is that if every man married one woman only, and they agreed on controlling themselves concerning reproduction, bringing up their children in the love of Christ, all people would live in peace and harmony. But if the Christian dominated countries practice self-control and limitation of children, the countries dominated by other religions will overrule the world by birth surplus.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we glorify You for the commitment of marriage and Your love offered to the married. We ask Your forgiveness for our transgressions of God’s rule, in any way, and ask You to strengthen the mutual love and respect between husbands and wives all over the world. We are sorry for the unclean advertisements and wicked temptations of our modern life. We seek repentance of our peoples that they will learn cleanliness and faithfulness in the fear of God and holiness in the Holy Spirit.

QUESTION:

  1. What does Jesus say about divorce?

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