“But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
5:32
But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife,
Jesus introduced the shocking idea that, even if people are properly divorced, they can still commit adultery by marrying someone else without legitimate biblical grounds for doing so.
God designed marriage to be permanent because it was an indissoluble unit; therefore, God never intended divorce. Marriage is a divine institution established at creation. God hates divorce (Mal 2:16). Jesus made it patently clear that divorce is the breaking of a covenant.
except on the ground of sexual immorality,
“Sexual immorality” in the Greek refers to any sexual sin, not just adultery. Fornication breaks the marriage bond.
Although divorce does not fit into God’s divine institution, Jesus allowed for divorce but He did not command divorce. Jesus permitted remarriage to protect stability in families.
makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
A man who marries a “divorced woman commits adultery” and the divorced woman also commits adultery by remarrying, unless their original mates had committed some form of sexual sin.
PRINCIPLE:
Divorce is the last option, not the first option.
APPLICATION:
There are biblical grounds for divorce and remarriage:
(1) some sort of sexual aberration (Mt 5; 19) or
(2) desertion (1 Co 7:12-16).
Those who divorced before becoming Christians should not use their conversion as a reason to dissolve current marriages. Divorcing current partners in order to go back to pre-conversion partners would violate the principle that two wrongs do not make a right. These remarried Christians also should have full rights of ministry in the local church.
Unscriptural Christian divorce is an issue of repentance and moving on. There is no biblical argument for going back to previous mates. God speaks against this in Deuteronomy 24:1-4. The latter principle does not apply to those who never remarried; that is, remarriage to the original partner (if still unmarried) is acceptable, in this case.
What happens if the husband is committing adultery?
Le, the principle holds true for both husband and wife.
Grant, can you help me understand something? I see in this passage the provision for divorce if the other spouse is sexually immoral. However, I do not see as you state in your “Application” where the non-sexually immoral spouse has the right to re-marry. Can you show me in scripture where the non-sexually immoral spouse is given the right to re-marriage?
Mark, the primary argument in this passage is that the non-sexually immoral person has the right to remarry.
Grant, are there reasons for a man to marry a divorced woman who divorced for non-sexual immoral reasons?
Todd, it is right to marry a divorced person for non-sexual reasons because desertion is another reason: https://versebyversecommentary.com/2002/09/23/1-corinthians-715/
Good morning! Why do you think Matthew has the “exception clause” but Mark and Luke don’t?
Donnie, the differences lay in the purposes found in the context. Mark, for example, wrote briefly not expanding his ideas. Luke wrote with the purpose of presenting an orderly account of the life of Christ. Matthew wrote with the Jews in mind, and added a qualification that was needed for them.
Let’s say for example;
1. John marries his wife, Eve and Eve commits adultery, is John free to divorce and remarry? And is Eve also free to remarry despite being an adulterer?
2. What if it is John that commits the adultery, is Eve free to divorce and remarry? And is John also free to remarry since he is the adulterer?
3. What did the scripture mean by “except on the grounds of fornication, causes her to commit adultery” this is Matt 5:32 by the way. It is obvious that the woman who is the case study(let’s still call her Eve) is the defaulter her, but then the Bible says if John divorces her except on the grounds of fornication causes her to commit adultery.
I don’t really get that part because different versions of the Bible are interpreting it differently. This is NLT version.
Thank you and I await your reply
Jennifer, first go to this study https://versebyversecommentary.com/2009/01/25/matthew-191f/ then continue the following studies. Next, go here to this study https://versebyversecommentary.com/2002/09/20/1-corinthians-710-11/ and then continue to the next studies.
Hi. Dr.Grant. Question:
In (v.32), JESUS refers to (Deut.24:1-4), right?
The “sexual immorality” in Matthew parallels with the “indecency” of Deuteronomy, right?
The Law states that adultery results in death (Lev.20:10), but here in (Deut.24:1-4) this woman is allowed to remarry (v.2)….?
Would you please correct my understanding?
Donnie, Deut 24 does not deal with the adultery issue, but with a husband who is not pleased with his wife.