A Greater Righteousness (4)
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Auto-play BP Review of Adultery (vv.27-30)
Greeting
Well … that was the BP eye-chart video review for the last case study we looked at during the last message. Turn to or navigate on your device with me to our text this morning.
Announce text: Matthew 5:21-32
Key Text: Matthew 5:21-32
Review
Announce text again: Matthew 5:21-32
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’
22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.
25 “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
26 “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’;
28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30 “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.
31 “It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’;
32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Prayer for added blessing to the reading of the Word
Message
Message
I thought of how important the strength of a marriage is to children when I saw a quote by Pete Rose, Jr., recently. The betting scandal his father was in meant little to Petey. He still dwelt on his parents' years-old divorce. His father was remarried with a new child and another on the way. His mother was tending bar in Cincinnati. Petey is a better-than-average big league prospect himself, and athletes at that stage in their careers are usually single-minded and driven. Yet Petey said something like this: "I would trade whatever future I have in big league baseball to see my parents get back together." It was as if he hadn't read the papers, didn't know the truth about his parents' marriage. Pete, Sr. had such an incredible reputation for chasing women, and such nasty, impossible-to-take-back things had been said by each about the other, that no one would give two cents for the possibility of any civility, let alone a reconciliation. And with Pete, Sr., remarried, there's no chance. Yet that comment from little Pete, if he were my son, would haunt me to my grave.
Jerry Jenkins, Hedges, Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1989, p. 128.
Big Idea: Cherishing JESUS’ teaching on marriage leads us back to GOD’s design, revealing the pathway to healing, understanding, and restored relationships.
Righteousness in the Bible describes a world where individuals treat one another with dignity and respect, diligently resolving conflicts by doing right by each other. To discern this way of living, JESUS pointed to the ancient Scriptures as the source of GOD's Wisdom. Meditating on the laws given to ancient Israel uncovers divine principles for relational harmony. These timeless laws remain relevant today, to guide us in righteous conduct. In the Sermon on the Mount, JESUS exemplifies this by citing a command from the Torah and unveiling the deeper wisdom it embodies.
We have been looking at the six teachings of JESUS found in the first section of the body from HIS SOTM. Today, we will look at the third case study that ties in with the first two we have already looked at. In the third teaching, JESUS highlights not a command, but a provision in the Law given by Moses—not YHWH. HE addresses the provision by narrowing the focus of the offense leading to divorce to reveal GOD's original intention for marriage and to emphasize the serious implications of breaking that covenant.
The title of the message this morning is Divine Design: Understanding God's Wisdom on Divorce.
Divine Design: Understanding GOD's Wisdom on Divorce
Divine Design: Understanding GOD's Wisdom on Divorce
What we will see is that GOD's original intention for marriage is a lifelong commitment, and that divorce is a concession to human sinfulness. This message aims to reveal the deeper issues of the heart that lead to marital breakdown and calls for reconciliation and healing.
This morning, we are going to look at three pillars of GOD’s design for marriage, or you could also view these as reflections on covenant fidelity. You’ll see both reflected in the slides.
The first pillar of divine design is that we must confront cultural compromises.
Three Pillars of Divine Design for Marriage:
Confront Cultural Compromises
JESUS begins by quoting from a Mosaic provision of the law regarding divorce. Divorce was permitted, but only one law in the entire Torah addressed the issue. JESUS quotes from it in ...
31 “It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’;
This provision of the law comes from Deuteronomy 24:1-4, where the root of the problem in the provision is found in v.1. After a man and woman are married, if ...
1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found SOME indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house,
We talked a little bit in the previous message about the culture in which JESUS was preaching. It was still very much a male-dominated society, much like the time in which the Law—and in this case, the provisions—were written. The provision that Moses gave the Israelite men was that a man could divorce his wife (or send her away), but he had to do it in a proper fashion and for a legitimate reason. The problem is that in JESUS’ day there were differing interpretations on the qualifications for what the Law was making provision for. At the center of the debate was the Hebrew phrase, ervah dabar, which is translated as “some indecency” in the NASB. There were essentially two basic interpretations:
Only in cases of adultery (school of Shammai).
For any reason at all (school of Hillel).
The school of Hillel was more widely accepted and followed—naturally. Men held the power. This provision was only given to the men—only they could initiate a divorce. If a man became dissatisfied in marriage, he could divorce his wife for any reason. So men were exploiting this open-ended interpretation of indecency and began divorcing their wives for selfish reasons. Thus, divorce could be obtained with little difficulty and was not regarded as a serious transgression.
What is interesting, is that JESUS repeats the words in v.32 later in Matthew 19, and it helps to bring clarity to what HE is saying in vv.31-32 of our text. These passages are linked in a way that Matthew 5 is a condensed version of what JESUS says more broadly in Matthew 19. So, we need to include both passages on this very specific subject. I say very specific because this is not meant to be a comprehensive teaching on JESUS’ views on divorce. In Matthew 19:3, we read:
3 Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?”
We’ll speak more about JESUS’ response to the Pharisees a little later, but you can see the issue is reinforced in the question. The fact they are asking that shows it is already something that is an issue in their community. I mean, why ask the question if it’s a non-issue—if it’s not happening? Notice, it was because the Pharisees were testing HIM. They were trying to trap JESUS—to categorize HIM, so as to cause division amongst HIS followers. They wanted to discredit HIM.
The irony is they likely held the more strict position—only adultery—because, remember what we learned early in this series? They were concerned about a strict adherence to the Law, but they were looking to trip JESUS up by presenting a more broad view.
Complicating things further, there were real practical matters with high stake implications for women. Women were completely dependent upon men for their well-being. So, there were serious consequences as a result. If a woman was divorced it left her in a comprised or vulnerable state.
However, even though the provision was for men, this doesn’t mean the women weren’t being influenced to divorce their husbands, particularly living in Roman culture. Jewish historian Flavius Josephus tells of two women, Salome & Herodias, who initiated divorce from their husbands, but these were exceptions. They were wealthy, had status, and were royal types. They had money to circumvent the legal system. For the common woman living in JESUS’ time, particularly a Jewish woman, she would have no real means to do so. They were effectively powerless and vulnerable.
I was reminded of the Samaritan woman at the well. Remember her story?
multiple husbands
reason
traditional point of view (promiscuity)
possible, but not necessarily
“irreconcilable differences”
discarded
widowed
one example woman in 20s already widowed 4Xs
In the context of Matthew—building on what we have seen in the Beatitudes and continue to see in their application—GOD values the powerless, seeing in them a worth that no one else perceives; this truth is exemplified in the encounter where JESUS went out of HIS way to reach the woman at the well.
What JESUS intends to do in our text, is to move beyond legalism and see marriage as a sacred bond. Addressing the issue of divorce from this perspective allows us to consider the sanctity of marriage as GOD originally designed it and helps us to reflect on our marital commitments seriously.
JESUS steps into a world where divorce wasn't just a legal loophole—it was a weapon of male power, discarding women like yesterday's news, leaving them exposed and prone to abuse. JESUS sees the wreckage of compromised covenants. But HE doesn't condemn; HE confronts. HE quotes Deuteronomy not to defend it, but to dismantle its abuse, pointing us beyond loopholes to the sacred "why" behind marriage: GOD's unbreakable design for oneness, where no one is disposable, and the vulnerable find their fiercest ADVOCATE.
We must confront the compromises in our culture, our churches, even our hearts—that cheapen vows and sideline the hurting. Let's reflect: In your relationships, are you wielding power or weaving grace? JESUS invites us to cherish marriage not as a contract to escape, but a covenant to embrace.
This leads us to the second pillar of divine design. Marriage must become a mirror of commitment.
Three Pillars of Divine Design for Marriage:
Confront Cultural Compromises
Marriage: A Mirror of Commitment
This is a place where GOD's faithful love reflects back in our every promise kept.
The periodical, Christian Clippings recorded this:
More and more people seem to forget Henry Ford's sage advice when asked on his 50th wedding anniversary for his rule for marital bliss and longevity. He replied, "Just the same as in the automobile business, stick to one model."
JESUS reveals that HE holds to the more strict view of divorce.
32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Here, JESUS is emphasizing the permanence of marriage.
Wednesday night convos
going through Genesis
conversation on covenant with Abraham
Chad Seabright first I remember speaking about this
left such a mark, I wanted to include it in every wedding i perform
i want to read to you the excerpt i have written for ceremony
if you’re still married, let these words help to reframe or refresh the vows you made to one another
if you’re considering marriage, ponder this as you consider this covenantal commitment
Contract vs. Covenant
Contract vs. Covenant
I believe what the FATHER wants to share with you today is part love story, part discourse, and it is tied to our faith. The love story is not merely inspirational, but it is life transformational. It begins as most beautiful love stories do with a perfect beginning. But perfection doesn’t seem to last, does it? Like every Hallmark romance, a tension builds between the characters in our story. The tension provides a hook for temptation, and a wrong choice gives birth to unfaithfulness with devastating consequences. Then, in the hour of despair, in an unexpected and undeserved way, the One Who was faithful, because of Their great love and grace, not only forgives the unfaithful, but initiates the path to reconciliation. The reward for Their love and grace was an unending cycle of restoration, unfaithfulness, love and forgiveness. It is an unusual love story. It is unusual in the sense that now that you’ve heard what the story is about, you probably think it strange to consider it a love story. Yet, it is important to understand, and especially fitting for this day. For even as we gather here, the story is still being written, and we are all characters in this story. It is the story of GOD’s love for man, and it centers on covenant.
Why Covenant
Why Covenant
The reason it is appropriate to speak about covenant in a setting such as this, is because today you are entering a covenant relationship with one another before GOD and these witnesses gathered here. You heard it in the language used in the ceremony leading to this point. To many, this is rather a contract. Consider this popular statement:
Marriage is 50/50 – 50% give, 50% take.
I’m sure you’ve probably heard this saying before, and perhaps you’ve even used it, as I have. It sounds right, but the reality is that it orients the perspective on marriage to that of a contract and sets a foundation for frustration at best and failure at worst. Its very nature is subjective. Who determines when it’s time to give? Who determines when it’s time to receive? What happens when those perspectives inevitably collide as each participant expects to receive at the same moment in time?
Contract vs. Covenant
Contract vs. Covenant
Consider this juxtaposition of contract and covenant, as provided by a blog post on the sayingidosite:
(Contract) Obligation: “I have to.”
(Covenant) Opportunity: “I want to.”
(Contract) Impersonal: “Involves something I have or do.”
(Covenant) Personal: “Involves all that I am.”
(Contract) Conditional: “If you do your part, I’ll do mine.”
(Covenant) Unconditional: “I’ll do my part whether you do yours or not.”
(Contract) Leverage: “I look out for my own best interest.”
(Covenant) Loyalty: “I am looking out for your best interest.”
(Contract) Suspicion: “I want assurance that you will do your part.”
(Covenant) Trust: “I will certainly do my part.”
(Contract) Compromise: “I’ll meet you halfway.”
(Covenant) Sacrifice: “I’ll give 100%.”
(Contract) Temporary: “Once all stipulations have been met, the contract is over.”
(Covenant) Permanent: “I will continue to do this as long as I draw breath.”
What is Covenant
What is Covenant
The Hebrew word commonly used for covenant from the OT is karath, and it means “to cut.” In the ancient Near East, it was a common practice that when two parties were to enter covenant with one another, they conducted a ceremony that involved the literal cutting of animals in half. The halved carcasses would be separated and laid across from each other forming a blood path for the two parties to pass through from opposite ends. Upon meeting one another, they would cut their right palms, join those hands, and exchange vows to seal the agreement. The blood path was an intentional indication that if either party broke the agreement, the result would be that the fate of the animals would be applied to both participants in the covenant. The ground they stood on was considered holy ground.
Covenant Symbolism
Covenant Symbolism
This is symbolized in many ways in weddings today. Here are a few:
The separation of families & friends on opposite sides of the aisle represents the cutting of the blood covenant between the two parties, and they are both witnesses and participants in the covenant. Some have made their own sacrifices for you to be here today.
The center aisle represents the blood path as both parties pass through. Sometimes a white runner is used to symbolize it is holy ground.
Symbolizing the image of marriage that Paul portrayed in Ephesians as CHRIST the groom WHO called and came for HIS bride, the church, the groom enters first demonstrating the blood covenant was established through CHRIST and initiated by GOD.
In a few moments, vows will be exchanged as you join right hands symbolizing the sealing of the agreement made today.
[Blood] Covenant Inception
[Blood] Covenant Inception
The wedding ceremony is a representation of the Abrahamic covenant – the covenant GOD made with Abram, later to be named Abraham, the father of our faith. In that covenant GOD promised Abram that HE would be Abram’s shield and would reward Abram greatly. He promised Abram his descendants would be greater than the stars overhead and that Abram would possess the land he was in. Abram then asked GOD for the ceremony we just described, as was tradition. Yet, GOD did something fundamentally different in that HE put Abram in a deep sleep, and while Abram was sleeping, GOD walked the blood path HIMSELF establishing covenant with Abram and his descendants but placing the fate of the animals squarely on HIMSELF. In effect, GOD vowed that if either HE or man broke that covenant, GOD would die.
Of course, man did break that covenant with GOD – repeatedly – and GOD later honored that covenant, when HE came to earth in the form of HIS SON, JESUS – the LAMB WHO takes away the sin of the world! HE showed us how to live a life in the presence of the FATHER so that we may have life abundantly. Then, at the appointed time, HE kept HIS WORD. HE died so that we may live.
I think that is a very fitting way to demonstrate the permanence GOD had in mind for marriage, and it is a strong reminder that we who are a people of faith in JESUS are a covenant community of believers who are meant to bear HIS Image as individuals and in our marriages.
This leads us to the third pillar of divine design. We need to maintain a firm grasp on grace and restoration.
Three Pillars of Divine Design for Marriage:
Confront Cultural Compromises
Marriage: A Mirror of Commitment
Grasping Grace and Restoration
In Matthew 19:8, we read:
8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.
It was Moses that gave this provision to men to divorce their wives. That was never YHWH’s intent! In fact, HE hates divorce!
14 “Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
15 “But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And what did that one do while he was seeking a godly offspring? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth.
16 “For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong,” says the Lord of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”
GOD seeks to restore marriage to its original ideal, particularly for those born again in CHRIST’s KINGdom and being sanctified by HOLY SPIRIT. This is why JESUS begins to reorient the perspective of the debate back to Genesis 1 & 2. JESUS responds to the Pharisees question in ...
4 And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female,
5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
6 “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”
instead of going back to the divorce law in Dt 24
. JESUS goes back to the creation story in Ge 1 & 2
for JESUS, marriage is a powerful way humans image GOD
HE kind of leverages one part of Torah--creation narrative in Genesis--over an abusive interpretation of a later part of Torah--provision in Dt 24
Bible scholar and author Scott Spencer talks about
In Genesis, there is a creational prototype
In Deuteronomy, there is the wilderness provisio
essentially means a caveat, an exception to the rule
Mt 19:7-8 JESUS explains why this provision was made
concession to sinfulness
tendency to be unfaithful--to break covenant loyalty to GOD & others
unrighteousness
Sin tends to alienate couples from each other, bringing guilt and trust issues, but GOD intends these struggles to draw people back to HIM.
By confessing sins and embracing CHRIST’s righteousness, couples can experience healing in their most important human relationship. We must live in forgiveness.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
No matter how far a marriage has deteriorated, it might still be worth saving; marriages can be rebuilt and become more beautiful by following GOD’s plans, with the understanding that GOD can bring beauty from ashes.
3 He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
This restoration requires divine grace, where GOD joins spouses’ minds to cultivate an indivisible partnership, helping them preserve faithfulness and remain united. Couples need the guidance of GOD’s SPIRIT to perform their duties, bear each other’s weaknesses, and support one another, and GOD abundantly bestows this grace when sincerely sought. When a couple confesses their sins (1 John 1:9), receives Christ’s forgiveness, and takes on His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21), they are transformed (Romans 12:2) and equipped to forgive one another (Eph 4:32), submit mutually (Eph 5:21), and love sacrificially (Eph 5:31‑33). This biblical pattern leads to healing, unity, and peace within the marriage—God’s most fundamental human relationship.
example of marriage: abuse verbal & physical ignored
So, pj … What’s the point?
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we stand at the threshold of these three pillars—confronting the compromises that fracture our covenants, mirroring God's unbreakable commitment in our unions, and grasping the grace that mends what we've shattered—let's pause to let the weight of Jesus' words settle deep. In a world quick to discard what's broken, where divorce scrolls like headlines and hearts harden like stone, Jesus doesn't hand us a rulebook etched in judgment. No, He whispers back to Eden's dawn: "What God has joined together, let no one separate." It's a divine design not for perfection, but for pursuit—a lifelong dance of fidelity, where loyalty isn't leverage but love, and every vow echoes the Father's vow to us: "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Remember Pete Rose Jr., that young ballplayer with the world at his feet? Amid scandals and stats, what haunted him wasn't fame's glare but a child's ache for wholeness—a plea that could pierce any parent's soul: "I'd trade it all for my parents back together." Beloved, that's the cry Jesus amplifies today! Not to shame the separated or stone the stumbling, but to awaken us to the sacred: marriage as God's canvas for His image, painted in mutual honor, not male monopoly. From Deuteronomy's concession to hardness of heart, Jesus pivots to Genesis' glory—male and female, one flesh, fruitful and free. Yet He knows our frailty; Malachi thunders God's own ache: "I hate divorce," not as a curse on the divorced, but a lament for the treachery that treats covenant like contract, tossing treasures aside.
But here's the dawn breaking through the ashes: God is the Master Restorer. He who knit Adam and Eve from dust, who walked the blood path alone in Abraham's sleep, who tore the veil in Christ's cry—He specializes in beauty from brokenness. Psalm 147:3 declares, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Ephesians 4:32 beckons: "Be kind... forgiving each other, just as God in Christ forgave you." And Colossians 3:13–14 crowns it: "Forgive as the Lord forgave you... put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." No marriage is beyond His reach; no heart too scarred for His suture. Whether you're whispering vows anew, nursing wounds in solitude, or standing in the rubble wondering what's next, hear this: Grace isn't God's afterthought—it's His anthem. Confess, receive, transform (1 John 1:9; Romans 12:2), and watch Him weave unity from unraveling threads.
Beloved, cherish Jesus' teaching not as chains, but as keys—unlocking healing, understanding, restored relationships. In your home, your heart, your church, choose grace over grudges, loyalty over loopholes. Let marriage mirror the Messiah's mercy, drawing the world to the warmth of a God who woos the wandering home. And if today finds you aching, come to the Altar of the One who mends. He who joined heaven to earth will join your fragments into forever.
Closing prayer & benediction
Let's pray: Father, in the shadow of shattered rings and silenced homes, flood us with Your restoring river. Teach us to forgive as we've been forgiven, to commit as You've committed, to love as Christ loved—to the end. Bind wounds, rebuild altars, and make our unions a testimony to Your unbreakable bond. In Jesus' covenant-keeping name, amen.
24 The Lord bless you, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.’
Scripture records the following words in v.27:
“So whenever they use my name to bless the Israelites, I will bless them.”
So, receive and go with the blessings of YAHWEH!
