Biblical Answer

The Bible prohibits divorce in certain cases, but it does not prohibit it entirely. In the Old Testament, divorce was explicitly forbidden in some cases (Deut 22:13-21, 28-30), and Moses, Jesus, and Paul recognized that the ideal was not always met. Jesus taught that divorce is permissible in the case of adultery (Matthew 5:32, 19:3-9). However, this does not mean that Christians can initiate divorce without becoming guilty of sin. Rather, it means that if a Christian's spouse is unfaithful, divorce is permissible. Paul conveys the main point of Jesus' teaching on divorce and remarriage: divorce is forbidden, and remarriage after divorce is not allowed.

The Bible does make some exceptions to its general prohibition of divorce. For example, Paul teaches that a Christian may accept divorce initiated by an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7:15). This exception is made because the unbelieving spouse is not bound by the same covenant as the Christian. However, this exception does not mean that Christians can initiate divorce themselves. In fact, Jesus taught that anyone who divorces their wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery (Matthew 5:32). This teaching emphasizes the importance of preserving the covenant of marriage.

The Bible's prohibition on divorce is rooted in its emphasis on the importance of covenant and vow. Marriage is a covenant between two people, and divorce is a violation of that covenant. Jesus taught that divorce takes place because of either partner's hardness of heart (sin), and that allowing divorce for most any reason is to hollow out the very concept of covenant and vow. Therefore, while the Bible does not prohibit divorce entirely, it does emphasize the importance of preserving the covenant of marriage and only allowing divorce in cases where it is absolutely necessary.