Matthew 5:27–32
Matthew 5:27–32
Adultery and divorce. (Note: Adultery is a
Right
Adultery in the mind (Matthew 5:27–30)
These verses give another example from Jesus’ words. They show how we should understand the
Jesus said words from Exodus 20:14. This is command 7. The
But, Jesus was speaking about something. It is the deliberate look of desire (when we mean to do it). Read Matthew 5:28. This describes the thoughts and actions of a man. That man is not innocent!
Read Matthew 5:28–29. A person may choose to imagine
Marriage is for life (Matthew 5:31–32)
This is another example that Jesus gave. He was referring to the teachers of the
The Bible deals with the subject of divorce. It deals with the subject of remarriage too. We should read the main passages about them first. Then, we will be able to understand Jesus’ words. The passages are: Deuteronomy 24:1–4; Matthew 5:31–32; Matthew 19:3–9; 1 Corinthians 7:12–16. There are three ways to understand these passages.
- People usually say, ‘Deuteronomy 24 permits divorce but it does not encourage it.’ In fact the
OT never did approve of divorce. But Jesus replaced theOT teaching. He gave a new standard. Now, there is only one reason for divorce. It is adultery. (There is more information in a later section. This is the section on Matthew 19:1–12.) 1 Corinthians 7 does not mention the word ‘divorce’. So, some people suggest that it refers to something else. It is when a couple separate from each other. This may take place when one partner leaves the other partner. In theNT , there is only one time when there can be a remarriage. This is when one partner dies. - Paul does not use the word ‘divorce’ in 1 Corinthians 7. But, he does use language that clearly refers to it. People do not want to act against Jesus’ words. So, they have an explanation. Jesus was speaking about marriage that was between believers. Paul was thinking about another kind of marriage. This marriage was between a believer and someone who was not a believer. So, believers cannot divorce except for two reasons. First, they can divorce for adultery. Second, they can divorce if the non-Christian partner leaves them.
- Perhaps this is the best explanation. Jesus was not trying to replace the
OT law about divorce. But he was trying to answer a question. TheJews often asked it. They asked: ‘What are the reasons for divorce in theOT ?’ But Jesus did not give a direct answer. He said that they were asking the wrong question. They should not be arguing about the reasons for divorce. They should ask something else first. They should ask: ‘What does theOT teach about marriage?’ Jesus emphasised the ideal for marriage. The relationship can end only when one partner dies.
But, Jesus recognised realities. There was a time to allow divorce. This was when there was adultery. In this case, there could be divorce. The ‘innocent’ partner would not be guilty of
There is something else. Maybe, a wife behaves badly to her husband. This could make it easier for him to think about adultery. Then, Jesus would expect her to feel guilty. She would have some responsibility in the matter. Of course, a husband may behave badly to his wife. The same thing would be true in that case too.
But, Jesus did not change the teaching of the
But Jesus emphasised something. The teachers of the
Questions
- Am I thinking about some wrong things? Do I enjoy doing this? What could I do to improve things? How does Jesus feel about it?
- There is always
sin in a divorce. So, what does this teach about the state of marriage? What does it teach about deciding to marry? - Sometimes a couple stay together when there is hate. This is a terrible thing. Is divorce worse than this? If so, why is it worse? If not, why is it not worse?
- Church leaders often find it hard to deal with divorce. How do they help someone who has had a divorce? How might this passage help them?