Divorce and Remarriage

1. Preliminary Considerations
Importance of the subject.
Sends a message about God
- he separates from evil / imposes sanctions on covenant transgression
- he is covenantally faithful
People (inside and outside the church) are confused and hurting.
Gods !ay is best.
"ethod. Scriptures sufficient and authoritative
#ssumptions. $ocussing attention upon divorce and remarriage does %&' mean that these are the
most important things to be said in the !hole area of marriage relationships. #ll agree that
- marriage is intended to be lifelong
- physical death ends marriage
- divorce in the &' !as a God-given provision for a fallen !orld
- forgiveness and reconciliation are to be sought as far as they possibly can
- divorce( if permissible at all( is a last resort.
)ifficulties
- depth of personal involvement
- personal pain( difficulty of *iblical interpretation
- cultural conte+t and e+pectations
- rel bet!een &' and %'
- !hat do !ith silence / bac,ground debates
- range of denominational stances
-ust some of the associated issues !hich are important but !hich !e !ill not be dealing !ith.
Separation/ 0o! do !e proceed !hen the teaching of the church on divorce is very different from
the statutory position1/ "arriage prep/ "inistry to the divorced -evangelistic and pastoral/
)eveloping a local church policy on divorce and remarriage/ 2elating to your denomination and to
previous / local ministers/ Polygamy (Geisler. precedent 3 #dam/ precept 3 )t 45.45/ prescription
v adultery 3 6+ 78.45 sing/ populations proportion/ punishment 3 every polygamist suffered/ &vey
3 9reduces time for reading:)/ Singleness/ ;hat happens to the children1/ "arrying t!o
unbelievers1/ "arrying a believer and an unbeliever1/ 0omose+ual marriage/ Pre-nuptial
agreements/ 'eaching on a topic so many disagree about/ Preaching re marriage( !arnings re
adultery.
2. Some key questions upon which Christians disagree
4. ;hat is marriage and !hat is divorce1
7. 0o! many grounds for valid divorce are there1
- none (but separation may be necessary)
- just adultery
- adultery( desertion by a non-believer
- adultery( desertion by a non-believer( other related matters
1
- lots and lots
<. Is remarriage possible after divorce1
- no
- for the =innocent= party after a valid divorce
- for both parties after a valid divorce !ith particular conditions upon the =guilty= party
- for anyone after any divorce
3. ature o! the marriage "ond
a) merely voluntary - human !ill alone. park your car
BUT . =!hat God has joined. ..=
b ) metaphysical/sacramental. "bake a cake"
=marriage results in permanent ,inship ties= -0eth
=legal divorce does not dissolve one flesh= -0eth
=It is one thing to spea, of an extrinsic or legal dissolution of the marital love relationship
but >uite another to spea, of an intrinsic or constitutional dissolution of the marital kinship
relationship.= -0eth
a man cannot divorce or sever the ,inship relationship !ith his !ife !ho is his o!n flesh
and blood through the covenant and consummation of marriage.= 0eth
=&ne flesh means one person ...Parent and child al!ays remain t!o individuals. *ut the
most important thing about husband and !ife in ?hrists teaching is that they are no longer
t!o.= ?ornes
=?ouples cannot destroy the oneness God gave them !hen they married. .. 2emarriage(
-esus teaches( is adultery. 'his can only be because the original marriage -the oneness( the
joining together -still e+ists. 'his is !hy a divorced ?hristian( even !hen reconciliation is
no longer possible must continue to thin,. I am married and therefore not free to
contemplate marriage to anyone else. ;hile married( he could never thin, of marrying a
second partner. 0is legal divorce changes nothing in Gods eyes and therefore should
change nothing in his. he is still married( he is not free to contract a second marriage.=
-?ornes.
*@'
4. *iblical evidence for indissoluble bond1 ;here does this idea come from1 ;hat IS
marriage in the *ible1
7. Gen 7.7A. (x o.) . 'here is 9one flesh: in the physical sense !ithout marriage in the
*ible 3 6+ 77.4B-45( )inah( 'amar etc. If 9one flesh: C marriage then marriage is more
than physical union
<. =&ne flesh= and I ?orinthians B
'!o shall become one flesh 3 (esontai hoi duo eis sarka mian)
)oes =one flesh= C married or not1
2
if so( then have become married to prostitute in I ?or B
if only first time then ho! is it possible for a married person to then
become =one flesh= !ith the prostitute 3 unless this is simply a form of
polygamy (and is that the !ay the problem is framed1)
actually( the !ay it is framed is about the *&)D 3 this is about se+( not
about the formation of a metaphysical entity
A. Since all agree that death ends marriage( are there other =deaths= than physical1
Genesis 7( 2omans B- 5( -ohn E( 6ph 7
Martin uther! ='he temporal s!ord and government should therefore still put
adulterers to death( for !hoever commits adultery has in fact himself already
departed and is considered as one dead. 'herefore the other Fthe innocent partyG may
remarry just as though his spouse had died.= (Huther( The "state o# Marria$e% in
&orks AI.<7( >uoted in Instone-*re!er( '(B% 7EA)
&estminster )on#ession% )hapter 7A(JJI. K. #dultery or fornication committed
after a contract( being detected before marriage( giveth just occasion to the innocent
party to dissolve that contract. In the case of adultery after marriage( it is la!ful for
the innocent party to sue out a divorce. and( after the divorce( to marry another( as if
the offending party !ere dead.
*rthodox )hurch! ?oncept of the death of a marriage -the divorce is the burial.
c) ?ovenant. "build a house"
difficulty of definition
personal structural bond (legal authority( personal oath commitment -involving God as
!itness and sanction-imposer/ enforcer( terms of fulfilment( divine sanctions etc)/
unilaterally established or bilaterally established. (Genesis 4I( )euteronomy 7Bff( -eremiah
<A)
*iblical !arrant for thin,ing of the marriage bond as covenantal - Proverbs 7.45( "alachi
7.4A-4B( 6phesians I
//s -God and Israel/ ?hrist and church/ ?hrist and believer (baptism)
not surprising that a certificate of divorce is a 9document of cutting off: 3 + :_x
_

x _ _ ) (A+ in *0S 3 )t 7A.4( </ Is I8.4/ -er <.E)

?an covenants end1 ;hat !ould that mean1
4. &ne of the parties brea,s the terms of the covenant and so comes under covenant
curse1 Des( but covenant curse is not the same as covenant annullment (apostates
are not the same as pagans).
7. &ne of the parties brea,s the terms of the covenant so that it is as if the covenant had
never happened1 %o evidence for this.
<. &ne of the parties brea,s the terms of the covenant in such a !ay as effects their
o!n detachment covenant relationship1 %o reason to thin, so.
3
A. &ne of the parties brea,s the terms of the covenant and at the re>uest of the innocent
party the relevant authority imposes covenant annullment as itself the sanction.
In a covenantal understanding of divorce( LA. above !ould be the model for claiming that in a
divorce God honours the appeal of the innocent party to impose the appropriate sanction !hich
is death (physical or covenantal). 'he divorce certificate is a document of cutting off 3 itMs a
copy of the sentence announced by God and handed over to the innocent party !ho( in turn(
hands it over to the guilty party.
#. ature o! divorce
indissolubilist 4. it is impossible to brea, the marriage bond and therefore there can be no
legal recognition that it has been bro,en -divorce is an impossibility or a lie
indissolubilist 7. it is impossible to brea, the marriage bond but !e may have to act as
though it had been bro,en -a divorce is a !ay of stating that for all practical purposes the
marriage relationship is over even though the marriage bond remains intact ( and therefore
remarriage !ould be adulterous)
covenantal. distinguish bet!een
a) actions !hich brea, the terms of the covenant in such a !ay as !arrants death
b) the legal e+ecution of the 9death: sentence 3 the bill of divorce (Is I8.4( -er <.E)
covenantal. it is possible to brea, the terms of the covenant in such a !ay as !arrants death
and yet for the innocent party not to demand the 9death: penalty (!hich !ould be
documented in the bill of divorce). 'he innocent party may forgive (absorb the penalty /
ma,e atonement).
covenantal. divorce is only legitimate !here the covenant terms have been bro,en in those
!ays !hich God says !arrant 9death:. )ivorce on other grounds is a legal mista,e /
fiction / !hite!ash.
'hus( one of the ,ey >uestions is 9!hat are those transgressions of the terms of the marriage
covenant on the basis of !hich the innocent party may legitimately appeal to God for a
sentence of death to be passed on the guilty party (and thus for certification of this !hich
!ill be handed over to the guilty party as a 9divorce:1:
$. Some %ld &estament passages
a) Genesis 7.7A
'hough imprecise( there is help in the fre>uently used analysis of full and proper
marriage as constituted by.
a) civil/ social - public establishment of ne! social unit- =leave=
b) personal - faithful love of covenant commitment - =cleave=
c) physical - se+ual union -=one flesh=
b) 6+odus 74.48-44
Instone-*re!er argues that the application of these verses !as almost universally
recognised in -e!ish tradition as providing grounds for divorce in cases of neglect.
4
'his lies behind God s protestations of his covenant faithfulness in 6Ne,iel 4B( for
e+ample and informs I ?or 5.<-I( <7-<A.
c) )euteronomy 7A.4-A
!hat is the cause of offense / indecent thing / na,edness of a thing ()t 7<.4A) /
something about her he doesnt li,e (v.4) (*0S. xo_ox / HOO
o:coooeqxoooo)
does God regulate !hat is in itself sinful1 (as against the conse>uences of sin. ..
burial( rules for !ar( punishment etc and remedies for sin/!ays of dealing !ith it1)
is the first divorce a legitimate divorce1 if so( then not only is remarriage possible
but remarriage for the guilty party is possible. (v7)
does legitimate divorce C death (v.<)1
in !hat !ay has being divorced by the first man or married to the second man ( or
being divorced a second time1) defiled the !oman in relation to her first husband
(but not( apparently in relation to a possible third husband)1 (v.A) could she have
married a third man1
d) Heviticus 74.4A( 77.47-4<
"aybe this places the divorcee in the same marital status as the !ido! and others -
namely( free to marry( though not to marry a priest.
e) "alachi 7.4A-4B.
)ifficult translation issues. 6SK =$or the man !ho hates and divorces( says the
H&2)( the God of Israel( covers his garment !ith violence( says the H&2) of hosts.
So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not be faithless.=
f) God s marriage relationship !ith Israel
Is a harmonisation possible or necessary1 #nd is it instructive1 )oes God divorce1
)oes he remarry1
God marries Israel
'his turns out to be marriage to t!o sisters - Israel and -udah - 6Ne, 7<
God meets all his covenant obligations - and more - 6Ne, 4B
God divorces Israel for persistent violation of the covenant - 0osea 7( -er <
It loo,s as though God has divorced -udah too - -er <
*ut actually he has !ithdra!n from her (sent her a!ay 3 I8.4c)( not divorced
her - Isaiah I8( IA
#nd even Israel may come bac, - though this is not in violation of )eut 7A.4-A
because she !ill do so only by reuniting !ith -udah - 0osea 7-<( -eremiah <.4I-
4E( 6Ne,iel <5.4I-7E
'. &he teaching o! (esus
a) relationship to &' teaching1
5
"osaic la! !as positively !rong / second best / good only for a limited time etc
-so -esus sets it aside and goes behind it to Genesis 71
-esus confirms and e+plains )eut 7A properly (against contemporary
misunderstanding / abuse of it) and thereby gives an e+haustive account of
marriage( divorce and remarriage1
-esus confirms and e+plains )eut 7A properly (against contemporary
misunderstanding / abuse of it) but does not thereby give an e+haustive account
of marriage( divorce and remarriage1
0o! far should our reading of -esuss ans!er depend upon our reading of
contemporary rabbinic debates1
Is -esus specifically and directly dealing !ith rabbinic debates and saying
-=In regard to the matter indecency in )eut 7A( I agree !ith Shammai -this
is serious se+ual immorality not -as 0illel says -pretty much anything you
li,e. 'he only reason )eut 7A gives for divorce is serious se+ual
immorality.=1
='he School of Shammai say( # man may not divorce his !ife unless
he has found in her aught improper( as it is said( because he hath
#ound some unseemly thin$ in her. *ut the School of 0illel say( 6ven
if she spoiled a dish for him( as it is said( because he hath #ound some
unseemly thin$ in her." +Mishnah% 'ractate Gittin( P.48( >. ?lyde
-ones)
Is -esus attac,ing easy divorce !ith a vie! to remarriage1 &r is he attac,ing
divorce as such1
)$ reading of "atthe! 4P.
< 3 tell us about divorce 3 go on( enter the 0illel-Shammai debate
A-B 3 no( IMll reiterate the big important stuff from Gen 7
5 3 yeah but !hat about )t 7A
E-P rebu,e and e+planation
E 3 rebu,e 3 this !as a regrettable provision introduced because of human
sinfulness (general 3 not the hardness of heart of the potential divorc-erQ -
that !ould be saying 9because you !anted to do something bad God gave a
rule to allo! you to do itQ:
P 3 e+planation 3 and if you !ant to ,no! !here I stand on )t 7A( IMm !ith
Shammai 3 thatMs ho! you shd read it (though its permissive not mandatory)
48 3 !hoa( thatMs strictQ

Objection and a possible answer:
*b,ection!
6
0o! can that !or, 3 it ma,es the e+ception clause 3 !hich "ar, and Hu,e omit 3
the punchline1 0o! !ould they omit the punchline1
-ns.er!
)ear O(

"any than,s for your thoughts about the e+ception clause - really( really helpful.

# !ord about procedure. I thin, that there are good reasons for holding my vie! of
"att 4P. I am presented !ith !hat appears to be a very strong reason for
abandoning it. "y first action should be to try find !ays of defending my vie!.
'his is not because I !ont cheerfully abandon my vie! if I need to. Its simply a
sensible !ay to operate. 'hat means that !hat follo!s is tentative and e+ploratory.
Im not saying( =this is the case= but =I !onder( does this help1=

'here are some major differences bet!een the accounts.

4) Hu,e 4B.4E is an isolated saying and so( for our purposes( it may be discounted -
there are no =punchline= issues about e+ception or not

7) "ar,
- 48.7 does not have =for this cause=
- the statement about =!hoever divorces ...= ta,es place outside of the conversation
!ith the Pharisees
- the order of !ho says !hat is different in ", and "att
- there is no =!hoa= statement from the disciples

S& ho! about something li,e this for a harmoniNation

a) "atthe! - as I represented yesterday. 'he Pharisees have a conversation !ith
-esus about the meaning of )eut 7A.4 (for any cause) !hich goes bac, and forth and
the punchline for !hich is the e+ception clause. 'his leads to disciples =!hoa=.

b) "ar, - on the basis of the conversation !hich "att reports( "ar, gives us a t!o-
paragraph pericope !hich summariNes -esuss general stance on divorce but is not
framed as a discussion of )t 7A.4.
- para 4 - the most important thing -esus has to say on the matter is contained in 7-P(
i.e. divorce is a !ay of dealing !ith sin( it shouldnt be li,e this( dont separate !hat
God has joined (clima+ in ", compared to a statement !hich leads to a further
debate in "att)
- para 7 - a H, 4B.4E type( self-contained statement from -esus about divorce (!hich
doesnt mention the e+ception clause because "ar, !ishes to use it to drive home
the msg of this section - =dont divorce= !hereas in "atthe! its mentioned precisely
because his is a section on the meaning of )t 7A.4).

c) in summary
7
- "att uses !hat happened on this occasion and others to tell us both !hat -esus
thin,s generally about marriage and divorce #%) his specific contribution to the )t
7A.4 debate
- "ar, uses !hat happened on this occasion and others to tell us just !hat -esus
thin,s generally about marriage and divorce

Id forgotten ho! very different the t!o accounts are and rec,on the harmoniNation
Ive given as fairly plausible (I !ont bring in arguments here from "atthaean
priority because I might lose a hearer at that pointQ).

;hat do you thin,1

*lessings

)avid
b) "atthe! I.<4-7( "atthe! 4P.<-47( "ar, 48.48-47( Hu,e 4B.4E
i) are there e+ceptions or not1
- not to mention an e+ception is not the same thing as to deny it
ii) !hat is porneia/
- pre-marital immorality1
- incestuous marriage !hich should never have ta,en place1
- adultery1
- adultery and other illicit se+ual immoralities1
- radical breaches of the covenant( principally though not e+clusively of a
se+ual nature1
- e>uivalent to the indecent thing of )eut 7A1
iii) !hat does the e+ception clause apply to / mean1
i) )ivorce - e+cept for porneia - is adultery #%) divorce and remarriage(
!/o e+ception is adultery
ii) )ivorce and remarriage is adultery - e+cept !here the divorce is for
porneia
iv) ho! does divorcing on illegitimate grounds ma,e the other an adulterer ("att
I.<7)1
i) because it is assumed she !ill remarry and yet she is still married to her
former husband. 2emarriage after invalid divorce is adultery.
%ot only is it assumed that the divorced !oman !ill remarry( it appears that
the divorce certificate itself !as framed in precisely this !ay. Mishnah%
'ractate Gittin P.<.
='he essential formula in the bill of divorce is( Ho( thou art free to
marry any man .= (=Dou are free to any man.=)
8
ii) because it is counting her and treating her as an adulteress - divorced as
though she !ere an adulteress although all she has actually done is burn the
toast
). Paul*s teaching
a) 2omans 5.4-B
- the concept of covenantal death
- free to remarry after death
- free to remarry after o!n death Q
b) I ?orinthians 5
E-P - its good to be unmarried
48-44 - but if you re married( dont get divorced
the =separate= and =divorce= !ords are e>uivalent
(coxo 0oooooo)
a) parallelism of vv.48-44
b) note that both men (v .44) and !omen (v 4<) can divorce
c) vv.47-4< - divorce and =consent to live !ith=
the =unmarried= !ord (a$amos) is used for
a) those !ho have never married v.E
b) the marital status of the divorcee v.44
!hy stay unmarried1 (or be reconciled1)
this is t!o believers and the li,elihood/desirability of reconciliation is
much higher than in a mi+ed marriage
so is remarriage forbidden in this circumstance1
(9let her remain unmarried: - menet a$amos) by analogy !ith E-P(
possibly not)
47-4A - and dont divorce your unbelieving partner
4I - but if your unbelieving partner divorces you( &R( you re free
- =free= - a reference to the divorce certificate - i.e free to remarry
- compare to v<P (though a different !ord) -free C free to remarry
- the v<P !ord also in v75 3 are you bound to a !ife 3 do not see, to be free(
are you free from a !ife( do not see, a !ife1
- in terms of the flo! of the passage( 4Ib is parenthetical
!hy the difference bet!een v 44 - dont remarry and v4I - free to remarry1
- the li,elihood and desirability of reconciliation
if you are free to remarry after the divorce of v.4I then
- either -esuss teaching !as not meant to be e+haustive
- or someho! this (irremediable desertion on religious grounds) is a divorce for
9
porneia
- that is to say( does Paul give us a ground for divorce !hich -esus has not1
If so( !hat is the significance of that1
!hat about believers deserting believers1
- *eliever # deserts believer *
- the church re>uires reconciliation / return
- *eliever # refuses
- at !hich point this person falls under discipline and is =treated as an unbeliever= in
any case - "atthe! 4E.4I-45
+. ,re these passages e-haustive or instructive.
is there a generaliNable definition of legitimate grounds for divorce1 (e.g. ?lyde -oness
=!ilful and radical violation of the marriage covenant=). ;hy !ould !e see, one1
!hat about capital crimes !here sentence not e+ecuted -i.e. !here the guilty party is
covenantally or judicially dead and the innocent party therefore judicially !ido!ed1
'heodore "ac,in( re *yNantine ?hurch. =*ut the adultery !arranting dismissal and
dissolution !as understood to be not the only cause( but to be only a sample and a
point of departure for other and e>uivalent causes. It !as ta,en as self-evident that
other crimes are possible to spouses that injure their marriages !ith e>ual or greater
severity. #bortion and attempted murder of the spouse !ere only t!o of these.=
(>uoted by ?lyde -ones( pp.4EE- P)
response to physical / emotional abuse1 (threefold response to tyrants -complaint(
flight( armed resistance )
is there room for such a concept as constructive separation / abuse parallel !ith schism
and dismissal from employment as analogies1 !ould this fall under =does not consent
to live !ith=1 and( again( !ould that irremediable desertion constitute grounds for
divorce1
!hat !ould the =resurrection= of the guilty party mean after their covenantal death1
remember that not all temporal conse>uences of our sin are reversed by
repentance (cut off arm)
by analogy( such =resurrection= !ill presumably involve.
conversion to ?hrist -sorro! for sin
readiness to obey Gods commands ho!ever costly
sincere endeavours to achieve reconciliation and ma,e reparation
!illingness to be patient and submit to counsel
/. Summary with additional notes
4. "arriage is a covenant relationship !hich God intends to be lifelong
7. ;hen the terms of the covenant are bro,en by a 9divorce-!orthy: sin then
the SinnocentM party may forgive and carry on or may divorce
<. )ivorce !ould mean the innocent party handing over a certificate !hich
God gives them and !hich says 9you have committed divorce-!orthy sin
10
and are thus( in respect of this marriage( liable to death: to the guilty party
A. 'hese certificates are only available for !hat God rec,ons to be divorce-
!orthy sins and amount to a statement from God to the innocent party( 9you
can treat him as though he !ere dead and you can act as though he !ere
dead:
I. ;hen certificates do the rounds !hich have other 9grounds: for divorce on
them( then they are forgeries
B. 'he guilty party is passive in this 3 he cannot initiate a divorce( nor does he
have the po!er to end a marriage against the !ill of the innocent party
5. )ivorce is not a sin but a God-given !ay of dealing !ith sin
E. #fter a legitimate divorce( the innocent party may remarry
P. 2emarriage after an illegitimate divorce is adultery
48. )ivorce-!orthy sins include
i. serious se+ual infidelity
ii. irremediable desertion
iii. gross violation of the marital obligations of 6+odus 74
iv. capital crimes
44. ;hile there is the possibility of reconciliation( a ?hristian !ho has divorced
from another ?hristian should not remarry
47. 'here may be cases of 9resurrection: !here the guilty party in a divorce or
those !ho !ere divorced illegitimately are permitted to remarry. &n the
same basis( illegitimately contracted marriage relationships may be put on a
ne! footing.
10. 1urther reading
-ay #dams - Marria$e% 'ivorce and (emarria$e% 4PE8
Greg *ahnsen 3 Theonomy in )hristian "thics% pp.P5-44B( 4PEA
#ndre! ?ornes - 'ivorce and (emarria$e% 4PP<( rev.ed. 7887
;illiam 0eth and Gordon ;enham - 1esus and 'ivorce% 4PEA
;illiam 0eth 3 9-esus on )ivorce. 0o! "y "ind 0as ?hanged: - S*-'( B.4( (Spring 7887)
and at http.//!!!.sbts.edu/resources/sbjt/7887/Spring7.pdf
;ayne 0ouse (ed.) - 'ivorce and (emarria$e - 2our 3ie.s 4PP8
)avid Instone-*re!er - 'ivorce and (emarria$e in the 4
st
and 54
st
)entury% 7884 (and
resources at http.//!!!.Instone-*re!er.com
)avid ?lyde -ones - Biblical )hristian "thics% 4PPA
-ohn "urray - 'ivorce% 4PB4
-ohn Piper - 'ivorce and (emarria$e! - 6osition 6aper 7 http.//!!!.desiringGod.org
#lan Stor,ey - Marria$e and its Modern )risis 4PPB
-ohn Stott - 8e. 9ssues 2acin$ )hristians Today% 4PPP
2ay Sutton - :econd )hance% 4PEE
11
(emarria$e a#ter 'ivorce in Today;s )hurch! < 3ie.s% Paul Strauss (ed.)( Tondervan( 788B.
Gordon ;enham( ;illiam 0eth( ?raig Reener contributors.
Rallistos ;are( 9'he Sacrament of Hove. 'he &rthodo+ @nderstanding of "arriage and its
*rea,do!n:( 'o.nside (evie. 4PP4( e+tracted in 2obin Gill (ed.)( - Textbook o# )hristian
"thics% (<
rd
edn.( ?ontinuum( 788B)( pp.<P<-A87
Reep loo,ing at le+ical data !ith reference( for e+ample( to ch=ri>=andaphi?mi. If you !ant to
be really serious about this then chec, out the *)#G refs in the papyri themselves. 'a,e a
loo, at )avid )aubeMs !or, on biblical terms for divorce
Instone-*re!erMs )hristianity Today article -
http.//!!!.christianitytoday.com/ct/7885/october/78.7B.html
Piper response to I-*Ms )T article -
http.//!!!.desiringgod.org/2esourceHibrary/'aste#ndSee/*y)ate/7885/7AA<U'ragicallyU;id
eningUtheUGroundsUofUHegitimateU)ivorce/
I-*Ms response to Piper - http.//divorceremarriage.blogspot.com/7885/48/john-piper-corrects-
misconceptions.html (and lots more at http.//divorceremarriage.blogspot.com/ )
11. Some o! the te-ts
2enesis 2.2# 'herefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his !ife( and they
become one flesh.
3-odus 21.)411
5
;hen a man sells his daughter as a slave( she shall not go out as the male slaves
do.
E
If she does not please her master( !ho designated her for himself( then he shall let her be
redeemed/ he shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people( since he has dealt unfairly !ith her.
P
If he designates her for his son( he shall deal !ith her as !ith a daughter.
48
If he ta,es another !ife
to himself( he shall not diminish the food( clothing( or marital rights of the first !ife.
44
#nd if he
does not do these three things for her( she shall go out !ithout debt( !ithout payment of money.
5eviticus 21.1# # !ido!( or a divorced !oman( or a !oman !ho has been defiled( a prostitute(
these he shall not marry.
5eviticus 22.12413 If a priestMs daughter marries a layman( she shall not eat of the offering of the
sacred donations/ but if a priestMs daughter is !ido!ed or divorced( !ithout offspring( and returns
to her fatherMs house( as in her youth( she may eat of her fatherMs food. %o lay person shall eat of it.
Deuteronomy 2#.14# Suppose a man enters into marriage !ith a !oman( but she does not please
him because he finds something objectionable about her( and so he !rites her a certificate of
divorce( puts it in her hand( and sends her out of his house/ she then leaves his house
7
and goes off
to become another manMs !ife.
<
'hen suppose the second man disli,es her( !rites her a bill of
divorce( puts it in her hand( and sends her out of his house (or the second man !ho married her
dies)/
A
her first husband( !ho sent her a!ay( is not permitted to ta,e her again to be his !ife after
she has been defiled/ for that !ould be abhorrent to the H&2)( and you shall not bring guilt on the
land that the H&2) your God is giving you as a possession.
36ra 10.117 1#
44
%o! ma,e confession to the H&2) the God of your ancestors( and do his !ill/
separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign !ives.: V
4A
Het our officials
represent the !hole assembly( and let all in our to!ns !ho have ta,en foreign !ives come at
appointed times( and !ith them the elders and judges of every to!n( until the fierce !rath of our
God on this account is averted from us.:
Prover"s 2.1)
4B
Dou !ill be saved from the loose !oman( from the adulteress !ith her smooth
!ords(
45
!ho forsa,es the partner of her youth and forgets her sacred covenant/
12
8saiah $0.1 9see also $#.14': 'hus says the H&2).
;here is your motherMs bill of divorce !ith !hich I put her a!ay1
&r !hich of my creditors is it to !hom I have sold you1
%o( because of your sins you !ere sold( and for your transgressions your mother !as put a!ay.
(eremiah 3.+ 9see 1422: She sa! that for all the adulteries of that faithless one( Israel( I had sent
her a!ay !ith a decree of divorce/ yet her false sister -udah did not fear( but she too !ent and
played the !hore.
36ekiel 1'7 23
;osea 2.2
7
Plead !ith your mother( pleadW for she is not my !ife( and I am not her husbandW
that she put a!ay her !horing from her face( and her adultery from bet!een her breasts(
<alachi 2.1#41' 9see also vv 10411:
4<
#nd this you do as !ell. Dou cover the H&2)Ms altar !ith
tears( !ith !eeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it !ith favor
at your hand.
4A
Dou as,( 9;hy does he not1: *ecause the H&2) !as a !itness bet!een you and the
!ife of your youth( to !hom you have been faithless( though she is your companion and your !ife
by covenant.
4I
)id not one God ma,e her1 *oth flesh and spirit are his. #nd !hat does the one
God desire1 Godly offspring. So loo, to yourselves( and do not let anyone be faithless to the !ife
of his youth.
4B
$or I hate divorce( says the H&2)( the God of Israel( and covering oneMs garment
!ith violence( says the H&2) of hosts. So ta,e heed to yourselves and do not be faithless.
<alachi 2.1' = 3S> = $or the man !ho hates and divorces( says the H&2)( the God of Israel(
covers his garment !ith violence( says the H&2) of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and
do not be faithless.
<atthew 1.1/ 0er husband -oseph( being a righteous man and un!illing to e+pose her to public
disgrace( planned to dismiss her >uietly.
<atthew $.31432
<4
9It !as also said( S;hoever divorces his !ife( let him give her a certificate of
divorce.M
<7
*ut I say to you that anyone !ho divorces his !ife( e+cept on the ground of unchastity(
causes her to commit adultery/ and !hoever marries a divorced !oman commits adultery.
<atthew 1/.3412
<
Some Pharisees came to him( and to test him they as,ed( 9Is it la!ful for a
man to divorce his !ife for any cause1:
A
0e ans!ered( 90ave you not read that the one !ho made
them at the beginning Smade them male and female(M
I
and said( S$or this reason a man shall leave
his father and mother and be joined to his !ife( and the t!o shall become one fleshM1
B
So they are
no longer t!o( but one flesh. 'herefore !hat God has joined together( let no one separate.:
5
'hey
said to him( 9;hy then did "oses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce
her1:
E
0e said to them( 9It !as because you !ere so hard-hearted that "oses allo!ed you to
divorce your !ives( but from the beginning it !as not so.
P
#nd I say to you( !hoever divorces his
!ife( e+cept for unchastity( and marries another commits adultery.:
48
0is disciples said to him( 9If
such is the case of a man !ith his !ife( it is better not to marry.:
44
*ut he said to them( 9%ot
everyone can accept this teaching( but only those to !hom it is given.
47
$or there are eunuchs !ho
have been so from birth( and there are eunuchs !ho have been made eunuchs by others( and there
are eunuchs !ho have made themselves eunuchs for the sa,e of the ,ingdom of heaven. Het anyone
accept this !ho can.:
<ark 10.10412
48
'hen in the house the disciples as,ed him again about this matter.
44
0e said to
them( 9;hoever divorces his !ife and marries another commits adultery against her/
47
and if she
divorces her husband and marries another( she commits adultery.:
5uke 1'.1+ 9#nyone !ho divorces his !ife and marries another commits adultery( and !hoever
marries a !oman divorced from her husband commits adultery.
13
Romans ).14# )o you not ,no!( brothers and sistersWfor I am spea,ing to those !ho ,no! the
la!Wthat the la! is binding on a person only during that personMs lifetime1
7
'hus a married
!oman is bound by the la! to her husband as long as he lives/ but if her husband dies( she is
discharged from the la! concerning the husband.
<
#ccordingly( she !ill be called an adulteress if
she lives !ith another man !hile her husband is alive. *ut if her husband dies( she is free from that
la!( and if she marries another man( she is not an adulteress.
A
In the same !ay( my friends( you
have died to the la! through the body of ?hrist( so that you may belong to another( to him !ho has
been raised from the dead in order that !e may bear fruit for God.
I
;hile !e !ere living in the
flesh( our sinful passions( aroused by the la!( !ere at !or, in our members to bear fruit for death.
B
*ut no! !e are discharged from the la!( dead to that !hich held us captive( so that !e are slaves
not under the old !ritten code but in the ne! life of the Spirit.
8 Cor '.1$41)
4I
)o you not ,no! that your bodies are members of ?hrist1 Should I therefore ta,e
the members of ?hrist and ma,e them members of a prostitute1 %everQ
4B
)o you not ,no! that
!hoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body !ith her1 $or it is said( 9'he t!o shall be one
flesh.:
45
*ut anyone united to the Hord becomes one spirit !ith him.
8 Cor ).+41'
E
'o the unmarried and the !ido!s I say that it is !ell for them to remain unmarried
as I am.
P
*ut if they are not practicing self-control( they should marry. $or it is better to marry than
to be aflame !ith passion.
48
'o the married I give this commandWnot I but the HordWthat the !ife
should not separate from her husband
44
(but if she does separate( let her remain unmarried or else
be reconciled to her husband)( and that the husband should not divorce his !ife.
47
'o the rest I say
WI and not the HordWthat if any believer has a !ife !ho is an unbeliever( and she consents to live
!ith him( he should not divorce her.
4<
#nd if any !oman has a husband !ho is an unbeliever( and
he consents to live !ith her( she should not divorce him.
4A
$or the unbelieving husband is made
holy through his !ife( and the unbelieving !ife is made holy through her husband. &ther!ise( your
children !ould be unclean( but as it is( they are holy.
4I
*ut if the unbelieving partner separates( let
it be so/ in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. It is to peace that God has called you.
4B
;ife( for all you ,no!( you might save your husband. 0usband( for all you ,no!( you might save
your !ife.
8 Cor ).324#0
<B
If anyone thin,s that he is not behaving properly to!ard his fiancXe( if his
passions are strong( and so it has to be( let him marry as he !ishes/ it is no sin. Het them marry.
<5
*ut if someone stands firm in his resolve( being under no necessity but having his o!n desire under
control( and has determined in his o!n mind to ,eep her as his fiancXe( he !ill do !ell.
<E
So then(
he !ho marries his fiancXe does !ell/ and he !ho refrains from marriage !ill do better.
<P
# !ife is
bound as long as her husband lives. *ut if the husband dies( she is free to marry anyone she !ishes(
only in the Hord.
A8
*ut in my judgment she is more blessed if she remains as she is. #nd I thin,
that I too have the Spirit of God.
14