Biblical Answer

Understanding Jesus' Teaching on Divorce

Jesus' teaching on divorce is clear and uncompromising. He taught that God's original intent was for marriage to be permanent, and that divorce was only allowed in cases of unfaithfulness (Matthew 19:9). This teaching was shocking to his hearers, who were used to a more lenient understanding of divorce. Jesus' emphasis on the permanence of marriage was not just a matter of personal opinion, but rather a reflection of God's design for marriage. As Paul writes in Romans 2, to reject this teaching is to risk God's wrath and anger.

The Pharisees' Question and Jesus' Response

The Pharisees asked Jesus if it was permissible for a husband to divorce his wife for any reason, and Jesus responded by citing the creation account in Genesis, where God created male and female and said, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Matthew 19:4-5). Jesus then goes on to say that God's original intent was for marriage to be permanent, and that divorce was only allowed in cases of unfaithfulness (Matthew 19:9). Jesus' response was not a qualified or nuanced answer, but rather a clear and uncompromising statement of God's design for marriage.

Interpreting Jesus' Teaching on Divorce

Some interpreters have argued that Jesus' teaching on divorce is more lenient than it seems, and that he allowed Christians to initiate divorce for other reasons besides unfaithfulness. However, this interpretation is not supported by the text. Jesus' use of the word "divorce" (apostasion) in Matthew 19:9 is the same word used in Deuteronomy 24:1, which refers to the act of sending away a wife. Jesus is not allowing Christians to initiate divorce, but rather is emphasizing the importance of not divorcing a spouse except in cases of unfaithfulness. Furthermore, Jesus' teaching on divorce is consistent with his emphasis on the permanence of marriage, and with God's original design for marriage as expressed in Genesis.