6. DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE.

Divorce in the Law was not just the idea of Moses, it was the command of God. If a partner was guilty of immorality, the innocent partner could divorce them instead of having them stoned for immorality. Divorce was also allowed for reasons other than immorality. Deut.24v1-4. Exod.21v10,11. Jesus said the basic cause of divorce was hardness of heart. The appalling level of divorce today declares that the hardness of heart that caused God to tell Moses to institute divorce in the Law, is even more prevalent today, and one shudders to hear that large numbers of ministers of the Gospel have been divorced. The pain and distress caused in the lives of married couples, and their children, by this large scale deviation from the perfect marriage pattern laid down by our heavenly Father, greatly grieves Him. God looks upon divorce, and the problems that cause it, as a tragedy, and as a breakdown of His divine purposes. The home and family has always been a prime target of Satan, for widespread divorce brings instability to a nation, and destroys its spiritual foundations.

1. God's perfect pattern and desire is one partner for life.
There can be no doubt that God desires one man and woman to be married together for life, and His attitude to divorce is clearly stated by our Lord in Mt.19v6-8., "What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." This is confirmed by our Lord's words, "Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so." In Mal.2v14-17., God warned Israel in the strongest language possible against men dealing treacherously with the wives of their youth, and says that He hates the divorce of a partner for treacherous reasons. Woe betide those who do this, they will have to answer for it on the day of judgement.

2. The life of Jesus proves that mercy is available for all who have failed to live up to God's perfect plan.
Jesus was censured for welcoming and forgiving people with moral problems, His enemies said, "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." Lk.15v2. His merciful dealings with the Samaritan woman at the well, and the woman taken in adultery, prove that Jesus desires to forgive and restore people, not condemn them. Jn.4v1-30. 8v1-11. Many preachers today lack the restoring love and mercy that Jesus showed to people with broken lives and failed marital relationships. Their hard preaching has caused people with marital problems to come under extreme condemnation, and made them feel they were hopeless cases, and forsaken by God. God's understanding love, forgiving mercy, restoring grace, and wisdom, can restore these broken lives.

3 The subject of divorce and remarriage has been an area of considerable discussion and controversy.
There has been a wide divergence of opinion among Christian theologians about divorce. The complex questions it has raised has taxed the minds of theologians throughout history. The prejudices and traditions of theologians have often obscured the clarity of the Biblical teaching about divorce and remarriage. All Scripture is God-breathed and inspired and profitable; it is breathed out by God, and breathed into by God. It is for correction, and instruction in righteousness, which means that it is to restore happiness to people, not destroy their happiness for ever. 2Tim.3v16. Discussion of the truths about divorce can be really profitable, and as spiritually releasing and delivering as any other truth, and can reveal the heart and great grace of God. Many people feel condemned over their divorce, they need the release from condemnation, that comes through a correct understanding of Biblical truth, and the realisation of the full and free forgiveness in Jesus. We will now consider some of the problems of legislating for divorce and the answers that God gives to these problems.

1. LOVE, NOT LEGISLATION, IS THE KEY TO MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIPS.
From the time of Moses to the present day, legislating for the complex problems of marriage relationships and divorce has proved very difficult, you cannot compel people to love each other. People fall short of God's perfect and highest ideals, because of the hardness, stubbornness, and perversity of their hearts. Mt.19v3-8. It is usually quite impossible to legislate happiness in a divorce situation. It is genuine love, not legislation, that will keep marriages together. The history of the world has clearly shown that it is impossible to correct human behaviour by legislation, or make people love one another by passing laws. Though the Law could not make people live to God's perfect and highest ideals; God, in His Law, regulated marriage and divorce, and prevented the evil excesses of the Heathen by strong legislation. The experiences of God's people proved that even this Divine legislation fails if people do not love one another; for it is only when people possess "agape" love that they will keep the Law of God and really care for each other.

2. GOD'S MERCY IN HIS LEGISLATION.
a. Is a divorced person, who has proved their emotional weakness, to be denied the spiritual safety of a good relationship, and be under a life-long ban against marriage? In 1Cor.7v2,9., Paul says that it is better to marry than to be aflame with an ungratified desire, for it can lead to immorality. This is as true for those who are divorced, as for those who are not married.

b. We can exclude mercy with a too legal approach, so in the law of God there was both severity and mercy. A partner could be stoned for infidelity, but in Deut.24v1-4., God said that the guilty party could be put away privately without being stoned, and said that even those who had been guilty of immorality, and had been divorced, could experience divine mercy and marry again. This was to give them the spiritual and moral security that was probably only possible for them in a stable marriage relationship. They were preserved from further immorality by divine mercy, the age of grace cannot to be less merciful than the age of Law. We read in Deut.24v3,4., that if there was a second divorce, marriage to the previous husband was forbidden.

c. In Mt.19v9., Jesus states that the innocent divorced party can remarry without any thought of failure or sin, if the other partner has committed adultery. In 1Cor.7v15,39., Paul states that a Christian whose unbelieving partner had departed was no longer bound in marriage to them. In 1Cor.7v10-16., Paul makes a ruling on a Christian believer being married to an unbeliever, and in so doing makes it clear that our Lord's words on divorce in Mt.5v32. and 19v9., did not cover this situation. In 1Cor.7v27,28., Paul also informs us that those who have been loosed from a wife, that is, they have been divorced, have not sinned if they marry. "Sinned," is "hemartes," the aorist active indicative of "hamartano," literally, to miss the mark, and morally, to err, to sin.

3. DEDICATED LOVE, NOT PERMISSIVE MERCY, IS GOD'S IDEAL FOR MARRIAGE.
a. We should make it a rule to reject every sexual impulse and thought, which is outside pure Christian "agape" love.

b. Dedicated "agape" love, not permissive mercy, is God's ideal standard for marriage. It is very difficult to keep people from taking the lower standard of God's permissive will and act of mercy as the norm, instead of the original divine standard of one man and wife joined together by God for life. Many Christians have been corrupted by the low moral standards of the world, and by the worldlings attitude to easy divorce.

c. In the village where I was born, the first divorce there shocked and appalled the whole village. However, nowadays the sense of shock has gone, people have become hardened, and acceptance of immorality and divorce has become the norm. The consequences of this immorality has been an outbreak of diseases which threaten the very existence of mankind.

4. MERCY FOR THE MERCIFUL, STRICT JUSTICE FOR THE MERCILESS. James.2v13.
We have to avoid the two extremes of a hard legalistic approach and a lax careless approach, Jesus shows us the perfect example. We read in Ps.18v25,26., "With the kind and merciful you will show yourself kind and merciful; With an upright man you will show yourself upright; With the pure you will show yourself pure, and with the "ik-kale," the crooked, devious, froward and perverse you will show yourself "paw-thal," contrary and froward." In Mt.5v32. and 19v9., Jesus answered the hardhearted, froward and merciless Scribes and Pharisees, and their evil interpretation of Deut.24v1-4.. Many of them divorced their wives for almost anything, even trivial reasons, like cooking a bad meal, combing their hair in the street, or for talking too much. However, the real reason was often that the husband had seen and desired a prettier and younger woman. To these unmerciful, hard-hearted, and perverse Pharisees and their Scribes, Jesus gave a severe answer and the full severity of the Law. To those who were broken in spirit by their sin, and looking for mercy and grace, like the woman at the well, and the woman taken in the act of adultery, Jesus gave a merciful answer. Jesus promised the Samaritan woman a fountain and well of living water springing up into everlasting life within her; He will do the same today. John.4v4-29. 8v1-11. There is mercy for people who have had marital failures. A return to the teaching of Jesus, and the love and holiness manifested in His early Church at Jerusalem, is the only thing that can produce lasting marital happiness, not a liberalisation of divorce laws that gives easy divorce.

5. GOD'S MERCY TO THOSE OUTSIDE OF THE COVENANTS OF LAW AND GRACE.
a. God is merciful to those who do not have the light of His truth, He winks at ignorance. Acts.17v30. It is not Scripturally correct to apply a Law given to the people of God, to someone who had a breakdown in marriage before they knew Jesus as their Saviour. Our Lord's word and attitude to the Samaritan woman at the well, give important light on His attitude to people whose marriages have failed before they come to know Him as their Saviour. Christ's dealings with this Samaritan woman, who had been "married" to six husbands, is critically important to any consideration of the subject of divorce.

b. When our Lord spoke to the woman at the well, He did not, and could not, unscramble her past relationships with six men; He offered His free forgiveness, and dealt with her present relationship. Jesus did not say that His living water was conditional upon her return to her first husband, this was almost certainly quite impossible. The Lord Jesus offered His New Covenant blessings to the Samaritan woman in spite of her past.

When, in John.4v16-19., the Lord Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, "Go call thy husband," the woman answered, "I have no husband." Our Lord saw through the double meaning of her words, and her deception, by revelation from His Father, as in Jn.1v48. 2v23-25. 5v20,30.. However, Jesus wanted to save her, not condemn her, so He kindly said, "You have well said, I have no husband. For you have had five husbands, and now he whom you have is not your husband. This is a true thing ("alethes") you have spoken," The noun "aner" ("andra"), can mean either "man," or "husband," the Samaritan woman had her "man," but he was not her "husband" in the full and legal sense of "aner." Our Lord's words, "Go call thy husband," seem to imply His acceptance of the present situation, and the recognition that this man was her husband, even if there had been no legal public marriage contract. Jesus did not attack her for her bad living, He came to save her from the misery of her sinful life, for He is the Saviour, who comes to save us from our sins. Mt.1v21-23. Jesus did not speak to her in a spirit of condemnation, The "must needs go," the Divine "dei" of John.4v4., shows that Jesus was directed and driven by His own and the Father's compassionate love for this needy woman, and the other Samaritans, who were burdened down with their sins.

The Jewish rabbinical teaching stated that a woman could be married only twice, or at the very most three times, and the Jews would have totally rejected this Samaritan woman, on all counts, but our Lord Jesus did not, He welcomed her into the New Covenant blessings and kingdom. This shows us that those who come to Jesus are freely forgiven all their previous marriage problems and are given a new start by God. Their marital sins are buried with Christ, with all their other sins, "Never to be remembered anymore." Rom.6v4. 2Cor.5v17-19. If we do not recognise this, we are in trouble with God, for if we do not accept God's forgiveness of others, and forgive them, God will not forgive us. Mk.11v26. Lk.17v1-4.

Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all our sin, making true worshippers of God in spirit and truth, out of the despised and rejected failures of the world. Jn.4v23-30,39-42. The despised harlot was the key to a great revival, and the whitened harvest fields being reaped. If we have a hard pharisaic attitude we will miss such great moves of the love, mercy and power of God.

6. SATAN IS VIOLENTLY HOSTILE TO WOMEN.
A great deal of the hostility toward women comes from Satan and the powers of darkness, as God said in Gen.3v15., "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed." The demon-dominated attitude of men towards women in the Gentile world, contributed a great deal to their attitude to divorce. Plato said, "A bad man's fate would be reincarnation as a woman." In Rome women had no legal rights, a man could tell his wife to go, and divorce her, just when he felt like it. Juvenal records that one woman had eight husbands in five years. Jerome tells of a woman who was the twenty first wife of her husband, and he was her twenty third husband.

The law of God did not allow this contemptuous and evil attitude to women, or the easy multiple divorce that was practised by the heathen, women had rights under the Law, and even the right of divorce for ill-treatment and partiality in a polygamous marriage. Deut.24v1-4. Exod.21v10,11. The children of the hated wife had full rights in the inheritance, and if the firstborn was the son of the hated wife, her son still had the firstborn's double portion of the inheritance. Deut.21v15-17. A man who falsely accused his wife of not being a virgin when he married her, was publicly whipped and fined 100 shekels, payable to her father. and was unable to divorce her at any time in the future. Deut.22v13-19. It is quite clear that God laid down real protection for women and their marriage rights in His Law.

7. THE DISGRACEFUL PERVERSION OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN OUR LORD'S TIME.
a. In our Lord's time the marriage rights of women that were laid down in the Law were being largely ignored, and the Scriptures perverted and twisted to justify lustful and corrupt men's evil attitudes to women. When the Lord Jesus started His ministry, He came to a down-trodden, ill-used, and male-dominated, female population. In Israel women were being divorced for spoiling a meal by wrong seasoning, for eating food that had not been tithed, for combing their hair in public, for loud or constant talking in the home, or talking to another man; the real reason was often because the husband had seen and desired another younger or more beautiful woman. This perversion of the divorce laws stated in Deut.24v1-4., was taught by a Jewish Rabbi called Hillel, and many in Israel followed his teaching, rejecting the more Scriptural teaching of the Rabbi Shammai, who taught divorce should only be on the grounds of immorality, fornication and adultery.

b. God warns in Mal.2v14-17., that He hates the putting away of "the wife of the youth," and that He will bear witness against those who deal treacherously with the wife of their youth, the wife of their covenant. God states that it is an appalling sin to divorce a wife for failing looks, and God's anger and judgement rest upon those who divorce their wives for trumped up trivial reasons, so that they can go and obtain a younger and prettier wife.

c. In Mt.5v31,32. and 19v3-9., Jesus enters into the controversy over the correct exposition of "uncleanness" in Deut.24v1-4., "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" Jesus lifted the subject of divorce from a petty dispute between two schools of thought, to a real concern for people. Jesus states in Mt.5v32., that divorce should only be for unchastity, "parektos logou porneias," "except for a matter of unchastity," which is equivalent to the "me epi porneiai," "except for unchastity," of Mt.19v9.. Jesus clearly states that the innocent party can remarry without any sense of failure or sin.

d. In Mt.5v32., the words "causes her to commit adultery," are in the Majority Text, "poiei auten moichasthai;" "moichasthai" is the present infinitive of "moichaomai", "to commit or be guilty of adultery." However, Aleph, B, D, 13, 33, 124, 209, Theophilus of Antioch, A.D. 170-182.; Origen A.D. 185-254; Chrysostom of Constantinople, A.D. 397-407.; Theodoret of Cyprus, A.D.420-458. and the Critical Texts, read "moicheuthenai," the aorist infinitive passive of "moicheuo," and so could read "causeth her to suffer as an adulteress." In other words a guiltless woman, is punished and suffers in the same way as a guilty adulteress, for something as trivial as cooking an unsatisfactory meal, and had the grievous difficulty of making her way in life on her own. The men who caused this evil situation had committed a monstrous sin, and Jesus let them know it..

8. THE EVIL OUTCOME OF DIVORCE, "FOR EVERY REASON."
Marriage is a divine institution, and a divine command enforces and commends the preservation of marriage. A man and wife are made "one flesh," and God joins them together, and man is not to put them asunder. This permanence of marriage is seen in the example of the first parents. Mt.19v4-9. The evil effects of divorce "for every reason" are clearly perceived in Jewish, World and Church history. Mt.19v3.

a. As we have seen in Mt.5v32., some manuscripts have the aorist passive, "she suffers like an adulteress;" a completely innocent wife suffers just like a real adulteress, when God's Law is twisted and corrupted, and justice is perverted.

b. The children are hurt, and those who hurt children should remember that it is "better for them that a millstone be hung round their neck and they were drowned in the depth of the sea. Mt.18v1-14. N.B. v6.

c. Groundless divorce causes a spiritual pollution, it is a sin that comes out of the evil heart of men. Mk.7v21-23. Mt.19v9.

d. There is a certain judgement on adultery. Marriage is a precious thing and should be held in honour in all things, and the marriage bed is undefiled; but those guilty of sexual impurity and adultery God will judge. Heb13v4. Those who wilfully commit immorality will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1Cor.6v9-11. Gal.5v19-21. Rev.21v8. A fearful warning. However, see Ps.136v1., "O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever." In 1Cor.6v9-11., Paul states that the unrighteous and immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God, and then states, "And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." Believers in Jesus, "are washed, sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God," from their past moral failures. The past IS buried when we come to Jesus and walk with Him. We read in Acts.13v39., "And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses." This includes divorce. In Mt.12v31,32., Jesus said, "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men." Divorce is not an unforgiveable sin. James said that we are "judged by the law that gives freedom;" with the "mercy that rejoices over judgement." James.2v12,13.

TWO PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT DIVORCE UNDER THE LAW.
1. A man and woman who had intercourse before marriage, and neither was betrothed. Deut.22v28,29. The man had to marry the girl, and pay a 50 shekels fine to the father of the girl, and he could not divorce her. Neither death nor divorce was God's answer in this situation, the couple were directed to marry.

2. A man who falsely accuses his wife of not being a virgin when he married her, when her father produced the tokens of her virginity, the husband was publicly whipped and had to pay a 100 shekel fine to the woman's father, and he was not able to divorce her all his life. If the woman was found to be guilty, she was stoned to death for immorality. Deut.22v13-21.

N. B. "An offering of jealousy."
In Numb.5v11-31., we read that if a husband had doubts about his wife's faithfulness, but lacked any evidence to prove his suspicions, he could bring his wife to the priest with a meal offering, "an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance" made up of about 3 pints of barley. The woman was made to say, "Amen, amen," to "an oath of cursing," and she had to drink holy water mixed with some of the dust off the floor of the tabernacle. The issue was then left in the hands of God, and if no ill effects followed, then the woman was declared innocent, if she was taken terminally ill she was guilty. A man could not have his wife stoned to death on the grounds of suspicion. This ceremony not only exposed and removed an immoral wife, it also gave protection to a good wife from an unbalanced, jealous, and suspicious husband, and, unfortunately, husbands like this are still with us today.

PEOPLE WHO WERE STONED TO DEATH FOR IMMORALITY UNDER THE LAW.
1. A woman was stoned to death who was found not to be a virgin when married. Deut.22v20,21.
2. Adulterers were put to death if they were found in the act of adultery. Deut.22v20-22. In Jn.8v1-11., the woman taken in the act of adultery in was shown the divine mercy of the Law implied Deut.24v1-4., not the hard justice of the Law.
3. A betrothed virgin, who was raped, if she was in the city and did not cry out for help, was stoned to death with the man who committed the rape. Deut.22v23,24. If a betrothed virgin was raped in the countryside, when no one was near to help, only the man was stoned to death. Deut.22v25-27.
4. Homosexuals were stoned to death under the Law. Lev.20v13. Deut.23v17,18. It is looked upon as bad as sexual intercourse with an animal, where both animal and man or woman were put to death. Lev.20v15,16. Homosexuality is worse than adultery, for Paul says it is "against nature." Rom.1v26,27.

WHAT IS MEANT IN DEUT.24V1., BY "ERVAH," "UNCLEANNESS." Strong 6172.
As we have seen, death was prescribed for adultery. However, we read in Deut.24v1., that if a man found "some uncleanness" in his wife, he could write her a bill of divorcement, instead of having her stoned to death. God directed Moses to institute the practice of divorce, and said that mercy could be shown to a guilty wife at the prerogative of her husband. Jesus said that this was an accommodation by God, because of the hardness of people's hearts, "Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so." Mt.19v8. God gave His Law on divorce to Moses, Moses certainly did not institute divorce on his own authority, without God's permission, or authorise something that gave God displeasure, and was against His will. When Mary, the mother of our Lord, was found to be pregnant; Joseph decided to make use of this alternative to execution, and give Mary a bill of divorcement, and divorce her privately. Mt.1v19.

The Hebrew "ervah," "nudity," is translated as shame, nakedness. and uncleanness. It is derived from "arah," to make bare, or naked, to uncover. It is used of nakedness and shameful exposure of the body and genitals in Gen.9v22,23. Exod.20v26. 1Sam.20v30. Is.20v4. Lam.1v8. Ezek.16v36,37.; and about 30 times in Lev.18 and 20, of illicit sexual intercourse. It is used in Deut.23v13,14., of human excrement which a person failed to cover with soil, and so was "ervah," an "unclean thing," (it seems that God believes that hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness is part of godliness, not next to it). The use of "ervah" in Deut.24v1., indicates a serious moral sin, Rotheram takes this view and translates it as, "some matter of shame;" and the Peshitta translates it, "some evidence of prostitution in her." God said that the woman who was divorced could go and marry someone else, but if her second husband died or divorced her, she was not allowed to return and remarry her original husband, for "she is defiled," however, she was not forbidden from marrying a third husband.

OUR LORD'S TEACHING ON DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE.

Our Lord's teaching in Mt.5v31,32..
When our Lord said six times, "But I say unto you," in Mt.5v21,22,27-34,38,39,43,44., He was not abrogating the Law, for He said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Jesus said that not one jot or tittle shall pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. Mt.5v17,18. Jesus was not contradicting or relaxing the commandments, He was correcting the misinterpretation of these laws by the Scribes and Pharisees. Jesus did not exactly quote Deut.24v1., He was quoting and dealing with the distorted current versions in Judaism. The Law was not abrogated by our Lord, He showed the correct interpretation of it.

Jesus limits the grounds for divorce to adultery, and the husband or wife are completely blame free if they divorce their partner for proven immorality. The husband is not obliged to put away his wife for adultery, but may do so, however, as in the case of the prophet Hosea, he may aim for reconciliation and not use his right for divorce. Many Jews divorced their wives for trivialities, Jesus said of such a husband, "he makes her to suffer as an adulteress," and an innocent woman suffers the stigma and the pain of adultery, and is a victim of something which is unlawful in the eyes of God. The husband may appear clean and virtuous to men, but he, and all those who practice this infamy, are guilty in God's eyes of grievous sin, and of making void His Word.

Jesus said that He who marries a wife divorced for trivialities commits adultery, so our Lord inferred that illegitimate divorce does not do away with the marriage bond in the eyes of God. There is good reason to believe that the woman who is here spoken of as "her who is put away," is the woman who has been divorced for trivial reasons, without being unfaithful. What was a woman who was put into such a situation to do? Our Lord was very angry with the Scribes and Pharisees who treated women with contempt and practised this kind of divorce, which condemned innocent women to stigma, shame and insecurity.

OUR LORD'S TEACHING IN MT.19V3-8..
Our Lord responds to the question, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?"

a. It was really a theological trap, not a genuine inquiry.
The Pharisees wanted an argument to put our Lord on the spot, and to ensnare Him into taking sides between the opposing viewpoints, our Lord did not fall into the trap.

b. The Lord said the cause of divorce was "the hardness of your hearts," "pros ton sklerokardian umon."
The Lord said that moral failure, friction in the home, and matrimonial perversity were due to a lack of true love and hardness of heart. Jesus said that people destroy their own happiness by failing to manifest true love. "Hardness," is "sklerokardian," it describes a heart that is hard, tough, and dried up, "skleros," from "skello," to dry. This is a heart dried up of love.

"Peporomene(n)," the perfect passive participle of "peroo," to harden, to petrify, to form a callus, is used to describe the apostles unbelieving hardened hearts in Mk.6v52. and Mk.8v17., the perfect indicates a settled state and condition of hardness. Mark wrote down Peter's memories of the life of Jesus, so we can see that Peter was really honest about his and the other apostles hardness of heart, and deficient spiritual perception. It is bad enough to have a heart that is hardened and is lacking in faith, it is even worse to have a heart that is hardened and lacking in love, and that destroys marital relationships, happiness and security.

c. Divorce was permitted under the Law, but not wholeheartedly approved.
The Pharisees said in Mt.19v7., that Moses commanded, "eneteilato," the aorist middle of "entello," to command; however, in Mt.19v8., Jesus said that Moses permitted "enetrephen," the aorist of "epitrepo," to allow, to permit, inferring that it was a concession to human weakness, not an whole-hearted endorsement of the practice of divorce. However, in Mk.10v3., Jesus did use "command," "eneteilato," and in Mk.10v5., he uses "commandment," "entolen," the word that is used most frequently for moral and religious precepts; this shows that it was part of the Law, even though it was an accommodation to human sin, failure and weakness.

d. "From the beginning it was not so."
The ordinance of marriage at creation contained no instructions on divorce, men and women were expected to stay together for life. Jesus brought them back to the first principles ordained by God in the creation of Adam and Eve. He said, "But from the beginning it hath not been so," "genonen," the perfect active of "ginomai," the perfect emphasises that God's original ideal had continued in force and had not been abrogated, or superseded.

e. Jesus decreed, "What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." Mt.19v6. Mk.10v9.
Jesus used these very strong words to condemn the breaking of the divinely joined union of a man and woman. Jesus appealed to the Scriptures, the two partners become one flesh; they are joined by God, not for temporary convenience, but in a bond that is intended to be indissoluble, for in Mt.19v6., "joined together," or "yoked together," is the timeless aorist "sunezeuxen," from "sunxeugnumi," to join together, to yoke together; God Himself yokes people together, to work together for life. "Let not man put asunder," "anthropos me chorizeto," the present imperative third person singular of "chorizo," to separate, to divide, in the middle voice "to depart from," and it is used in this sense by Paul in 1Cor.7v10,11,15., of the departure from and separation from a partner. Paul uses it in Rom.8v35,39., to say that nothing can separate us from the love of God; God desires that nothing and nobody should be allowed to separate those whom He has joined together in marriage.

f. The remarriage clause and the exception clause.
The remarriage clause, "and shall marry another," "kai gamnon allen," and the exception, "except it be for fornication," "ei me epi porneia," only occur together in Mt.19v9.. This exception gives the innocent party the right of divorce, but not the duty of divorce, adultery can be forgiven, and the marriage healed and saved. Some people whose partners have been unfaithful, do not accept their right to divorce their partner, they feel that they may have lost a battle with evil in their marriage, but they fight on to win the war, to restore their marriage relationships. Each individual must decide for themselves what they must do, for the personalities involved in marriage problems vary as much as the problems themselves.

Many of the Scribes and Pharisees followed the school of Hillel and practised an illegal divorce in the eyes of God, Jesus like the school of Shammai, said that divorce should be for "fornication," "porneia," prostitution and unlawful sexual intercourse of every kind, and as in Mt.5v32., Jesus states that the innocent party can marry again.

In Mk.10v11. and Lk.16v18., there is no exception clause, these texts were doubtless speaking about divorce for anything less than adultery, as in Mk.10v12., where the Lord speaks against a woman taking the initiative to divorce her husband for anything less than adultery. The woman is granted the same rights as the man in divorce matters. Jesus makes it clear that a person can divorce their partner if they commit adultery, and that they can marry another when divorce has taken place. The textual evidence is on the side of the exception clause, and not with the Codex B Vaticanus reading that eliminates it.
God warns us in Heb.13v4. and Rev.21v8., that His judgement will fall on those who commit adultery, this should cause everyone to treat the subject of divorce very seriously. Judgement day is coming.

PAUL'S TEACHING ON MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.
Those who object to remarriage do so on the grounds of Mk.10v11., Lk.16v18., and also 1Cor.7v10,11., "And to the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: v11. But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife." This is obviously referring to a believer leaving a husband or wife for anything less than adultery. Paul states that if a wife ignores our Lord's prohibition and departs, "choristhei," the aorist subjunctive passive of "chorizo," to place room between, that is, to go away: depart, put asunder, separate, he directs, "let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband." The departure here appears to be speaking of separation, not divorce, though it is used by our Lord in Mt.19v6. and Mk.10v9., to speak of the permanent separation of divorce, and is translated as "put asunder." According to Mk.10v12., a woman has the right to divorce an unfaithful husband.

In 1Cor.7v11., Paul uses "aphienai," the present infinitive of "aphiemi," to send away, to divorce, when he commands that the husband is not to "put away" his wife. The Authorised Version renders "aphiemi," " put away," in verses 11 and 12, and "leave," in v13, whereas, the Revised Standard Version translates all three places as divorce. "Aphiemi," is used of Jesus sending away the multitudes, Mt.13v36. Mk.4v36.; and of Jesus sending away his spirit, Mt.27v50. 15v37.; and of the disciples leaving all to follow our Lord. Mt.19v29. Mk.10v29,30. Lk.18v28,29. The verb "aphiemi," does not always imply formal and legal dismissal, as Moulton and Milligan point out, "It may just as well mean simply, "let go," as in ordinary colloquial speech," however, many expositors feel that "divorce" is correct here. In Mt.5v32. and 19v9,, Jesus was dealing with cases where both partners were believers, He said the only exception that makes divorce absolutely legal in God's eyes between believers was immorality. In 1Cor.7.v10,11., Paul is considering a situation where it is not correct to separate or put away the wife. Paul reiterates our Lord's command, because he recognises that the new converts at Corinth, and , indeed, all Christians, can have hardened hearts and have the capacity to act in a perverse way and violate the rights of their marital partners.

In 1Cor.7,v10,11., Paul is not supporting the Roman Catholic interpretation that Mt.5v32. and 19v9, are giving the right of separation, but not the right to dissolve the marriage bond. In 1Cor.7v11., Paul is dealing with Christian partners, who are in danger of breaking up their marriage, he does not approve of separation between two Christians, he is merely trying to regulate matters when things go badly wrong. It is also clear that Paul gives the right of divorce on the grounds of immorality, as a last resort, if a marriage cannot be healed.

PAUL'S ADVICE TO CHRISTIANS WHO ARE MARRIED TO UNBELIEVERS.
In 1Cor7v9. and 2Cor.6v14., Paul states that a Christian should not marry an unbeliever, however, in 1Cor.7v12., Paul deals with the problem of people who were married before their conversion. Paul makes it clear that this was another marital problem that was not covered by the teaching of our Lord, he goes on to consider how partners who are married to unbelievers should act, "But to the rest speak I, not the Lord," "tois de loipois lego ego, ouch ho Kurios." Paul states that Jesus gave no direct commandment about this, so he gives a ruling as one who has received mercy and been faithful, and has received guidance and direction from the Spirit of God. 1Cor.7v25,40. Paul deals with the questions that arise from people who were married before they became Christians. Is it legitimate for a believer to be one flesh with an unbeliever? Should a Christian remain with their unbelieving partner? What about the children? Paul definitely states that a believer must remain with their partner, and that, far from being contaminated by an unbeliever, a Christian partner's presence will sanctify the marriage relationship and the children, and he says that the unbelieving partner may possibly be saved by the winsome and thoughtful behaviour of their Christian partner. Paul reveals the heart and mind of God on marriage relationships with unbelievers, and the transforming power and spiritual potency of the faith and love of a believing Christian partner.

The believer is not to leave, if the unbeliever, he or she, "be pleased to dwell with them." Peter, in 1Pet.3v1-3. , goes even further, and suggests that wives should be prepared to stand some measure of ill-treatment from their unbelieving husbands, like the slaves mentioned in 2Pet.2v18-23., who are exhorted to follow the example of our Lord, who did not revile His persecutors, but committed Himself to God when He suffered wrongfully. The phrase in 1Pet.3v1., "likewise ye wives," links the advice to the wives with the advice to the slaves. Wives should not leave even if their faith brings intense pressure upon them. Peter says that wives are not to preach at their husbands, but are to win their husbands "without a word," by the godly and thoughtful way that they live. However, no matter how gracious and kind a Christian partner may be, their partner may leave them, so Paul goes on to deal with this issue.

PAUL'S INSTRUCTION ON WHAT TO DO IF AN UNBELIEVING PARTNER LEAVES.
In 1Cor.7v15., Paul states, "But if the unbeliever depart, let him depart. A brother or sister is not bound in such cases,. For God has called us to peace." Paul's instructions are both decisive and definite, if an unbeliever departs, then the marriage bond is broken. Luther argued that under such circumstances the Christian partner was released from their previous marriage bond and could marry again. This would certainly be true if the unbeliever married again, and it is also true if the unbeliever has deserted their partner on a permanent basis. The phrase, "But God has called us to peace," reveals that God releases a Christian from the marriage bond to an unbeliever in the case of wilful desertion, and He gives Christians peace in such decisions, not condemnation. In 1Cor.7v12,13, the imperative "me apheeto," is used regarding leaving, here in 1Cor.7v15., "chorizestho," the present imperative passive of "chorizo," to sunder, sever, disunite, to withdraw, to depart, is used.

LET HIM OR HER DEPART, BUT DON'T DRIVE THEM AWAY.
An unbelieving husband may depart, even when a Christian wife has followed out Peter's instructions in 1Pet.3v1., and has tried to "win them without a word," by their godly living. If the kind and thoughtful efforts that have been made by the Christian to retain the unbelievers affections have been rejected, and they depart, Paul directs, "Let him depart." A Christian must not drive their unbelieving partner away, however, they should not pursue the deserting spouse, they have to let them go, and be in peace over the desertion. "Let him be gone," a severe and almost harsh statement.

WHAT IS THE EXACT MEANING OF "IS NOT BOUND?" "Ou dedoulotai."
1. It obviously means the cessation of further conjugal duties, bed and board, it certainly cannot mean less. Some say that this is as far as the matter goes, or Paul would be contradicting the Lord if it meant divorce. However, Jesus was dealing with the situation where both partners were believers in the God of Israel, whereas, Paul is dealing with the case where a believer is married to an unbeliever. This is why Paul states, "Thus say I, not the Lord;" and by saying this he confirms that Jesus had not dealt with the case where a believer is married to an unbeliever, but only where both partners were believers in God.

2. In 1Cor.7v10,11., when Paul speaks of the injunction that believers should remain unmarried if they separate, or else be reconciled. However, in regard to a believer being married to an unbeliever, he gives no such command in 1Cor.7v15.; Paul does not say that they must remain unmarried, indeed, the words "is not bound," "ou dedoulotai," obviously mean, "is released from the marriage bond." If the unbeliever goes, they would likely go to another partner, and so there would then be no doubt about the dissolution of the marriage bond. The only question that arises is what the position is if the unbeliever remained unmarried, or without other companionship. Leaving the Christian partner for unfaithfulness would obviously give the right for absolute and legal divorce. In 1Cor.7v15., the lack of instruction that separation must not result in remarriage when the unbelieving partner departs, indicates that remarriage is possible. The fact that Paul does not mention that the deserting unbeliever has to marry before the bond is broken is very significant, and shows that Paul considers the unremediable desertion by an unbeliever a basis for divorce, even if the unbeliever remained unmarried.

3. In Rom.7v2., when Paul states, "a wife is bound to her husband by the Law as long as he lives," he uses "dedetai," the perfect passive of the verb "deo," to bind, to speak of the bond of marriage, the perfect emphasises the state or condition. In 1Cor.7v27., when Paul speaks of the marriage bond, he uses "dedesai," the perfect passive 2nd person singular of "deo," to bind. In 1Cor.7v39., Paul again uses "dedetai," the perfect passive indicative of "deo," to bind.

In 1Cor.7v15., when Paul says a Christian partner is not bound when an unbelieving partner leaves them. "depart," is chorizestho," the present imperative passive of "chorizo," to sever, to withdraw, to depart, to separate, to divorce. In 1Cor.7v15., Paul uses "dedouletai," the perfect passive indicative of "douloo," to be a slave, to enslave, to be under bondage, which some have stated that "deo" is certainly not a stronger word than "douloo," and if anything "douloo" carries a stronger force than "deo." So "ou dedouletai," may strongly be argued to mean, "Is not bound in the marriage bond."

4. The wilful and obstinate desertion of a believer by an unbeliever is grounds for divorce, as "The Westminster Confession" states, "Nothing but adultery, or such wilful desertion as can in no way be remedied by the Church, civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the marriage bond.." Chapter 24, Section 6.

N. B. 1. A believer must not cause or encourage the desertion of the unbeliever, for this will have to be answered for at the judgement seat of Christ. Separation and desertion must be the sole responsibility of the obstinacy of the unbeliever.


N. B. 2. Can 1Cor.7v15., be applied to all wilful desertion? Two Christian partners are to have a higher standard than a mixed marriage, and God expects them not to give up easily on their marriage, but to make the most earnest efforts to keep it intact.

N. B. 3. The Catholic Church quite rightly allows the annulment of marriages which are not consummated; it also allows annulment under other circumstances, even when marriages appear to have been consummated, but this is not an easy or quick process, and it only happens in a few cases, however, this appears to be divorce under another name.

A SUMMARY, AND SOME CLOSING THOUGHTS, ON MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

Marriage in the Old Testament.
Marriage under the Law was prohibited with certain relations. Lev.12v7,13,14. Wives for sons were chosen by fathers, or if a father was absent, by mothers. Gen.24v3. 21v21. 38v6. A heiress had to marry in her tribe. Numb.36v6. There were racial bars against marring certain nations. Exod.34v12-16. Duet.7v1-6. Joshua.23v11-13. Judges.2v11-15. 1Kings.11v1-13. There was no war service for one year for newly married men. Deut.24v5.

Divorce.
Divorce was taken for granted in the Old Testament, and God said in His Law that divorce gave the right to remarry. Gen.21v14. Lev.21v7-14. 22v13. Numb.30v9. Deut.24v1-3. Is.50v1. Jer.3v8. The Law made it clear that divorce was to be withheld under certain circumstances, and in the case of flagrant adultery capital punishment made divorce unnecessary. Deut.22v13-29.

A divorced woman, who had re-married, could not marry her former husband again, even if her present husband died. Deut.24v1-4. Christ did not change the Old Testament meaning of divorce, He says that unfaithfulness and any other form of sexual uncleanness is the only real grounds for divorce. This was what Shammai taught, whereas Hillel taught that a man could divorce a wife for almost any reason.

The Hebrew word "ervah" in Deut.24v1., translated in the Authorised Version as "uncleanness," indicates some serious moral fault, not a trivial thing. Christ said that God permitted divorce because of men's hardness of heart, and 100,000 pending divorces prove that men's hardness of heart is still the same, and that you cannot legislate the Christian ideal of marriage, even though it is the correct and perfect standard. The Christian ideal is the correct standard for all, but it is impossible for many, because of the hardness of their hearts, it is only real love that can make the Christian ideal work. Moses did not allow easy divorce, it was for some real moral failure, and neither should we, we should treat unfaithfulness, immorality and divorce as seriously as the Scripture does. Job.31v1,9-12. Prov.2v16,18,19. 5v3,4. 6v924-29,32,33. 7v5-22. Rom.7v3. 1Cor.6v15,16,18. 10v8. 2Cor.21v21. Gal.5v19,21. 2Pet.2v9,10,14.

N. B. The verb "apoluo," "to let loose from, let go free" is made up of "apo," from, "luo," to loose, is used of divorce in Mt.1v19. 5v,31,32. 19v3,7-9. Mk.10v2,4,11,12. Lk.16v18. In Mk.10v12., Jesus used it of the right of a wife to put away her husband. "Apoluo" is used in Lk.13v12., of a woman being loosed from infirmity, and in Mt.18v27., of someone being loosed from debt; it is used in the sense of people being sent away in Mt.15v39. Mk.4v36. 6v45. and Acts.17v14. Eph.5v22,23. Wives be subject to husbands - be submissive and adapt yourselves - to your own husbands as (a service) to the Lord. v23. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the Church, Himself the Saviour of His Body.

The noun "apostasion," lit., "a standing off," is from "apo," "from," and "stasis," "a standing"; It is used of "a bill of divorcement," in Mt.5v31. 19v7. and Mk.10v4., this is a quote from Deut.24v3., and was included in the Law by God Himself. See Is.50v1. Jer.3v8..

God warns that there will be severe judgement on men who forsake the wife of their youth. Mal.2v13-16.
Divorce should not be treated lightly, every effort should be made to preserve a marriage, even when things have gone badly wrong. Paul says in 1Cor.7v10-14., that Christians should live with their partner as long as they are willing to do so. All in a person's power should be done to restore a happy loving relationship; suspicion, bitterness and criticism will never build up anything, genuine affection and love are the only thing that can heal human relationships, and this can only come by partners praying together, and real caring for one another. Christians should make every effort to save a marriage, and they should give every consideration to their partner and children.

In Mt.5v28., Jesus said that men who look upon a woman with lust are adulterers in God's eyes.
Judged by this standard, the fallen, like the fallen woman of Jn.8v1-11., will find it very difficult to find any person who can condemn them, and a wonderful Saviour, waiting and longing to forgive and bless. Jesus said the Christian attitude is not to throw stones, but to be gentle and consider ourselves. It is not enough to dogmatise on New Testament law, we have to be full of New Testament grace, a hard proud spirit is just as evil as sexual promiscuity. 2Cor.7v1. Mt.21v28-32. Let us always remember that this is the age of grace. There is a time for Christian discipline, but there is never a time when we can be without Christian love. Let us all be watchful in these dark evil days, and lovingly help every stumbling brother and sister. 2Cor.2v6-8. Gal.6v1. Let us manifest the same grace that Christ manifested to the Samaritan woman and Mary Magdalene. Some have made adultery and divorce into unforgiveable sins, but they are not; unfaithfulness, like any other sin, can be forgiven. Both those who have sinned before they were married, and those who have sinned after marriage, can experience the mercy of God and receive forgiveness and blessing.

A CHRISTIAN MAY REMARRY.

1. After the death of a partner.
Mt.22v23,24. Rom.7v1-4. 1Cor.7v39,40.

2. After pre-conversion divorce.
"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." Ps.103v12. "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." Is.43v25. God blots out the sins of the past, including marriage sins. Some people have been divorced before they became Christians, and their marital relationships and lives are like scrambled eggs, which cannot be unscrambled, but God can renew them, and fill their lives with joy, just as Jesus promised the Samaritan woman, who had been in six relationships before she met Jesus. John.4.

3. After an unbeliever leaves the believer they are married to.
In 1Cor.7v15., Paul states, "If the unbeliever departs, a brother or sister is not bound in such cases." Paul states that the bond of marriage is broken on the grounds of irremediable desertion, as in Rom.7v2., where death is said to make the partner free from the marriage bond. The Westminster Confession states, "nothing but adultery, or such wilful desertion as can in no way be remedied by the Church or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving, the bond of marriage." Ch.24. Sect. 6.

In 1Cor.7v14., Paul shows the sanctifying effect of a godly wife, and writes in 1Cor.7v9-13., that separation of a wife from her husband is to be avoided. If a Christian wife separates herself from an unbeliever, she is to remain unmarried, or be reconciled. If the unbeliever departs it is a totally different matter, divorce is possible.

4. As an act of mercy to the guilty party.
We read in Deut.24v2., that the divorced woman who is the guilty party, "May go and be another man's wife." It cannot be that our Lord was contradicting the Mosaic Law in His statement in Mt.5v32. and 19v9., and Lk.16v18., for He was the one who gave the Law to Moses. However. let us remember that our Lord makes it quite clear, that it is quite wrong to take God's permissive act of mercy as His standard for divorce, all such marital moral failures will have to be answered for on judgement day, and could well lose a Christian their reward. Let us make "agape" love the guiding principle of our marriages, and aim for God's perfect will, not His minimum permissive will.

There is great and widespread unhappiness in the world today through marriage infidelity, physical abuse, and the other works of the flesh. The cure for these evils is the grace and forgiveness of God, and the fruit of the Spirit which we will now consider.

7. THE ABOUNDING HARVEST OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
Jesus said hardness of heart is the real cause of breakdown in marriages, or in other words, marriages break up because people lack love and the other fruit of the Spirit, and allow the works of the flesh to dominate their lives. In Gal.5v19-26., Paul describes the fearful consequences of living in the flesh, and the glorious privilege and opportunity of manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit's character in our lives. The choice is before us, of either the way of death and corruption, or of life. Gal.6v7,8.

1. "THE PEACEABLE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS." Hebrews.12v11.
The noun "karpos," "fruit," can be used to describe works or deeds, which are the outward manifestation and product of either good or evil inner attitudes of heart, or good or evil spiritual forces. Mt.7v16. In Gal.5v19-22., Paul states that yielding to the Holy Spirit produces His beautiful qualities of character in us; whereas yielding to the bad desires of the flesh produces the evil "works of the flesh." Fellowship and living union with Jesus will produce "the fruit of the Spirit" in our marriages. Jn.15v2-8,16. Gal.5v22. The singular form is used to describe the nine fruit of the Spirit, they are, "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control," in contrast with the plural antagonistic "works of the flesh." See Phil.1v11., "Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." In Heb.12v11., God's educational disciplines are said to produce "the peaceable fruit of righteousness." We read in James.3v18., that "the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace." Those who sow the seed of peace in their homes, will reap a harvest of righteousness. See Eph.5v9., "The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth." No one can bless our homes like the living God.

In the parable of the sower, in Mt.13v22. and Mk.4v19., Jesus uses the adjective "akarpos," "unfruitful," which is derived from the negative "a," and "karpos," fruit, to warn us that our lives and marriages can become unfruitful if we allow, "the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in" to choke God's Word. Paul follows a similar line when in Ep.5v11., he directs us to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. See Titus.3v14. 2Pet.1v8. Jude.v12. Jesus also warns us in Lk.8v13,14., in the parable of the sower, that if we allow the "cares and riches and pleasures of this life," to dominate our lives, we will, "bring no fruit to perfection."

The characters of the Trinity perfectly manifest the fruit of the Spirit.
The Trinity do not just possess and perfectly manifest the fruit of the Spirit, these fruits describe the very nature and loveliness of their beings, it is what they are. In His humanity Jesus was the perfect manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in human form. He had submitted to the Father's grace and the Spirit's presence, and had grown in spiritual power and godly character. Lk.2v40,52. Is.49v1-3. 50v3-7. The life of Jesus gives us the perfect example of the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus said, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." Jn.14v9. The heart and character of the Father was perfectly manifested in our Lord's life. Jesus did not bring His unlimited divine powers into a human body, but by submission to the Spirit's presence, He "grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him. -- And Jesus INCREASED in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." Lk.2v40,52. The most striking thing about Jesus was not His miracles, but His wonderful character; His miracles flowed out of His character and His relationship with the Father. Jesus showed to us that real love not only manifests kindness and gentleness after suffering for a long time, but it also gives to the uttermost.

The transformation that Divine love and grace can bring to our characters and homes.
These fruits are the result of submitting to the influences of the Holy Spirit, whose aim is to develop the character of Christ in us. God determined before creation to make every effort to transform us into to the image of Christ. Rom.8v28-31. In Gal.5v19-26., Paul describes the fearful consequences of living in the flesh, and the glorious privilege and opportunity of manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit's character in our lives and homes.

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