Biblical Answer

Jesus taught that God's original intent was for marriage to be a lifelong union between a man and a woman. In response to a question from the Pharisees about divorce, Jesus cited the Old Testament statement that a man will leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and he added that this was a lifelong commitment (Matthew 19:4-6). Jesus also pointed out that Moses had not commanded divorce, but had allowed it as a concession to human frailty (Matthew 19:7-8).

Jesus taught that divorce is not permitted except in the case of sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9). This teaching is consistent with the Old Testament law, which allowed for divorce only in the case of a man's wife's unfaithfulness (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). Jesus' teaching on divorce is not about allowing Christians to initiate divorce, but about the permanence of marriage. He saw divorce as a concession to human frailty, not an expression of the will of God.

In a fallen world, applying Jesus' words on divorce can be difficult. Christians today must take Jesus' words about the permanence of marriage seriously, but they must not interpret them in a way that makes divorce the unpardonable sin. Jesus' teaching on divorce is not about making divorce impossible, but about the importance of marriage as a lifelong commitment. By understanding Jesus' teaching on divorce, Christians can better understand the nature of marriage and the importance of commitment in a relationship.