Jesus, when addressing the topic of divorce, employs an antithetical argument by beginning with “It has been said…” and following with “But I tell you…” Through this method, Jesus clarifies the intent and purpose of the commandment, elevating it to a higher moral standard.
“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
In first-century Palestine, Jewish views on divorce were heavily influenced by the Torah and rabbinical interpretations. This era saw significant debates among rabbinical schools regarding the acceptable grounds for divorce.
The School of Hillel endorsed a more permissive view, allowing a man to divorce his wife for almost any reason, including minor grievances. This liberal interpretation emphasized personal satisfaction and the right to seek a better match if one was dissatisfied with their marriage.
Conversely, the School of Shammai maintained a stricter stance, permitting divorce solely in cases of serious misconduct, primarily adultery. This perspective underscored the sanctity of marriage and the moral responsibilities of both partners.
The Scribes and Pharisees often challenged Jesus with questions intended to entrap him. Many of these questions were linked to the debates between the School of Hillel and the School of Shammai. In response, Jesus focused on interpretations of the Torah that promoted care, compassion, and righteous relationships.
Jesus addressed the issue of divorce more than once. In Matthew 19:7-8, he was questioned about the certificate of divorce: “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.”
The cultural significance of a certificate of divorce was its role as a protective measure for women. In a patriarchal society, a woman without this certificate could not remarry and faced severe economic hardships or social ostracization. Jesus indicated that Moses allowed divorce due to the hardness of human hearts, which necessitated protective measures for the vulnerable.
This context leads us to the rabbinical debate: What constitutes a legitimate reason for divorce? While the Hillel school allowed divorce for any reason, the Shammai school was far stricter.
Jesus emphasized faithfulness and the covenant of marriage, reminding his audience of God’s covenant with Israel. The prophets often likened Israel to a bride and God to its husband. In Isaiah 54:5, God is described as Israel’s husband. In Ezekiel 16, God compares his relationship with Israel to a loving marriage, and in Hosea 2, God promises to be betrothed to Israel forever.
If we are created in the image of God, our character should reflect this by following our good inclinations, yeẓer ha-tov, and demonstrating in our marriages the same covenant faithfulness that God shows to Israel. The Old Testament prophets condemned Israel as an adulteress for turning to foreign gods. Similarly, Jesus acknowledges human disobedience and failure but calls us to the highest standard of moral integrity.
I firmly believe that marriage vows should be taken seriously. However, there are legitimate reasons for divorce beyond adultery, such as abuse—physical, sexual, or psychological—which breaks the marriage covenant of care and love. Both adultery and abuse represent infidelity to the marriage covenant and should be considered valid grounds for divorce.
In my upbringing within fundamentalist and Evangelical communities, many Southern Baptist churches forbade divorced men from becoming pastors. I remember Democratic Presidential candidate Gary Hart being eviscerated for his infidelity. Yet since the 1980s, Evangelicals have softened their stance, notably supporting leaders like Ronald Reagan, who was divorced. The same “grace” was extended to thrice Newt Gingrich and, later, to Donald Trump despite his multiple divorces, affairs and conviction for sexual assault. This alignment with politics seems inconsistent with the moral standards Jesus advocated.
As we consider Jesus’ call for high moral standards on issues like adultery and divorce, we must hold our leaders, especially church leaders, to these standards. Accountability is crucial. Community support for marriages in distress, and compassion for those impacted by divorce is vital. The church must offer protection and resources to women discarded by adulterous men or women escaping abusive marriages.
We must adhere to Jesus’ principles in our marriages or risk forfeiting our identity as Christians. Our failure to model these principles undermines our role as a light to the world.
