Welcome to the Open Study Series of the South Livingston church of

ChristSubject for tonight:

Divorce & Remarriage

Lesson 1Introduction:From Creation to Jesus

God’s Will Stated From Beginning

Genesis 2:18-24

18And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him... 21And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof: 22and the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

God’s Will Summarized

One Man One Woman Become One Flesh Marriage Made For Permanence Divorce & Remarriage Is Not

God’s Desire - Rule Opposes It

Man Corrupted God’s Will

•Bigamy (Gen. 4:19)•Wife offered (Gen. 12:10-20)•Maid (Gen. 16:1-3)•Daughters offered (Gen. 19:8)•Concubines (Gen. 22:24)• By end of Genesis, God’s will very

different from man’s practice

But God’s Will Was Not Abandoned

Matthew 19:3-6 - Jesus Reaffirms It

3And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 5and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? 6So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Matthew 19:7-9 - Argued & Reaffirmed

7They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away? 8He saith unto them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so. 9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery.

Observations on Matthew 19

• Question asked dealt with “cause”• Jesus answered with God’s will as

stated in Genesis 2• Pharisees sought looser law of

Deuteronomy 24• Jesus said that law was given due to

hardness of hearts• Original will restated & reinstated

What Did Deuteronomy 24 Teach?

Deuteronomy 24:1-4

1When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, then it shall be, if she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. 3And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, who took her to be his wife; 4her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before Jehovah: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

What Did This Law Accomplish?

• Not initiate practice, but limited it– without it, men dismissed wives at will– women were pawns without recourse

• Cause limited to “unseemly thing”– KJV: “Some uncleanness”

• Made man consider action seriously since he could never have her back

• Intended as “tutor” (Gal 3:24)

“Unseemly Thing” of Deut.24 What Was It?

• Such practices that lead to adultery as noted in Proverbs 7:6-27– immodest dress– chronic absence from home– kiss, flatter or seduction of another

• Ancient Jews saw this ground if:– woman spoke secretly with man after

warning was given– woman exposed her uncovered head,

wore torn clothes or other exposure

“Unseemly Thing” WasNOT Adultery

• One committing adultery was put to death (Lev. 20:10)

• If no witness and only suspected, law of jealousy (Num. 5:11-31)– not optional, but commanded– if innocent, nothing happened– if guilty, body swelled & thigh fell off

(suggests her dying)– even if lived, provable case existed

No Remarried Fornicator In

Deuteronomy 24

Important to Remember

Deuteronomy 24 Was Abused

Expanded to any and every cause (See Cyclopedia, McClintock & Strong,

“Divorce” & “Marriage”) Mishnah notes differences between

schools of Hillel & Shammai Malachi 2:13-16 confirms abuse Matthew 5 & 19 deal with situation

where abuse was present

But Abuse Did Not Negate Law

All Divorce & Remarriage Still Governed by Law

• Man could not remarry wife after putting away (Deut. 24:1-4)

• Woman could not remarry husband after put away (Deut. 24:1-4)

• Man could not put away wife if he falsely accused (Deut. 22:13-19)

• Man must marry & could not put away one raped (Deut. 22:28-29)

• Priest could not marry one put away (Lev. 21:7, 13-14)

• No unlawful marriage to continue (Ezra 10:1-4)

Principle Inconsistent With View...

One not in marriage is marriageable No difference between put away &

never married One always has right to divorce All existing marriages must be

maintained WHY? Divorced people remain

under constraint of law!

Introduction of Christ’s Law

Sermon on the Mount:New Law Announced

Setting the Context In Matthew

• 4:17 Kingdom of heaven at hand• 4:23 Preached gospel of kingdom• 4:23f Miracles confirm message• 4:17 To fulfill law & prophets• 5:21f “But I say unto you…”• 7:21f “Not all who say to Me...”• 7:24f “These words of Mine”• 7:28f Multitudes saw difference

Inherent Authority of Jesus Asserted

Contrast of Laws in Matthew 5

21-26 Rash Anger Ex 20:13; 21:12-14

27-30 Adultery Judged Ex 20:14; Lev 20:10f

31-32 Putting Away Deut. 24:1-4

33-37 Remitting Vows Num. 30:1-5

38-42 Vengeance Ex. 21:22-25

43-48 Love neighbor,Hate enemy

Deut. 23:3-6; 7:1-3;Ps 139:21-22;

Contrast Is Between...

Old Law & New Law Nature of Law = Nature of Kingdom

Carnal Kingdom & Spiritual KingdomPoint where violation is judged differsNot protected or advanced same way

Distinction in Kingdoms Is Key Difference in attitude noted briefly But nature of kingdoms is emphasis

Law of Gospel Announced by Christ in

Advance of Taking Effect

Next Week:Teaching of Jesus

Examined More Closely