Untitled Sermon

Matthew: A Commentary, Volume 1: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12 c. Wedding Day: The Wednesday Command of Marital Fidelity: Against Divorce (C 4), 5:31–32

The goal of this Command is the lifelong love of marriage partners.

Matthew 5:31–32 ESV

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Matthew: A Commentary, Volume 1: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12 c. Wedding Day: The Wednesday Command of Marital Fidelity: Against Divorce (C 4), 5:31–32

From Deut 24 forward a man must provide the woman he divorced with at least the dignity of a document indicating the divorce was his decision, not hers, and so freeing her to be married again. Deut 24’s divorce legislation, Jesus will later teach (19:8), was concessionary legislation, intended to dam the eroticism of a male chauvinism that dismissed wives without sufficient legal rights and then thought it could take them back at pleasure. The paper of Deut 24’s concession at least put a legal right into women’s hands, if not a sense of self-respect into their hearts.

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This law in Deut 24 was given because of the stubbornness & sin of men’s hearts (Matt. 19.8).

Was a concession.

This law did provide a sense of protection for women; the were not property one could do away with like in other ANE societies.

this law was a progression forward.

In Jesus time - obvi this law was still abused and turned sexist very quickly.

“for any reason” (19.3) = debate amongst different rabbinic thought.

was a more conservative take

was a more liberal take

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Jesus saw through the sexist stratagems of his times and returned believers from Deuteronomy’s concession to Genesis’ intention, to the original will of God in instituting marriage at all, namely, the equal dignity and permanent union of one man and one woman in marriage...1

1 Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 226.

...Jesus here places himself foursquare on the side of the legally weaker party (in this case the woman) and against the concessionary legislation of Deuteronomy (as read by the laxer party in Jesus’ time, the party of Rabbi Hillel). Jesus reinstitutes God’s original creation plan of inviolable marriage.1

1 Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 226.

Jesus sides with the women--who in these divorce cases, often easily abused by the law.

Jesus takes this side probably bc women were so reliant on husbands for everything.

So to be divorced was social death sentence and if didn’t have family--would be very difficult to provide for.

Overall point --> Jesus reinstitution the intended purpose of marriage.

The New International Version Chapter 5

But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery

In a case of sexual infidelity, Matthew’s Jesus says, the disciple does not so much divorce an unfaithful spouse as he or she recognizes a fact: a divorce has already occurred; the unchaste spouse simply does not live as a true marriage partner any longer. A divorce has already happened in reality (de facto); a legal (de jure) divorce simply recognizes the reality. In obedience to Jesus’ prior Command of Mercy, however, the offended disciple will seek reconciliation, repentance (the partner’s and one’s own), and mutual forgiveness—and seek these for as long as possible. But there are limits.1

1 Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 227.

For this reason, faithfully divorced disciples deserve the church’s special support, not disdain. Jesus does not want divorce (5:31–32); but if there must be divorce, Jesus does not want remarriage (Matt 19; Mark 10; Luke 16; 1 Cor 7). We cannot summarize the NT’s teaching here any more clearly—or any less painfully. (In the exposition of Matt 19, the text requires me to say more, but on the same first principles.1

1 Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 229.

The New International Version Chapter 5

makes her the victim of adultery

Bruner = “Drives her into adultery”.

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The focus is the endangered—the “adulterated”—woman. We are not told in this warning that the man who unfaithfully divorces the woman is himself an adulterer.1

1 Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 229.

In Jesus’ teaching, in short, a divorced person is terribly vulnerable to adultery. Jesus is not blind to reality. He recognizes the primitive power of the sexual drive.1

1 Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 229.

The New International Version Chapter 5

and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.o

Luke 16:18 ESV

“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Matthew 19:11–12 ESV

But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”

So precious is the marriage union in Jesus’ sight that whoever takes home someone else’s (even divorced) marriage partner contaminates not only that person and partner but oneself as well. So sacred is the marriage bond that even when it is externally broken it lives on with a kind of inward taboo power, contaminating anyone who dares break what God’s own hands joined together.1

1 Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 229–230.

This is a tough teaching. Jesus really does internalize the Law and take it to a much higher degree.

Should be read alongside Matthew 19 for further understanding.

Esp. Matt 19.11-12

“not everyone can accept this word” = following Jesus is very difficult.

“but to only those whom it has been given” = true disciples who obey Jesus.

v. 12

there are people who live without being married / have sex for the sake of devotion to God and his work in the world.

Matthew 5:32c ESV

But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Jesus hates divorce.

People are to stay together for life.

If this Command cannot drive men and women to the Beatitudes, what can? This Command can also, if taken out of context (the context, i.e., of the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Cross), drive a person into despair or rebellion, for it seems too harsh. Teaching Jesus’ divorce sayings is unpleasant work because it often hurts people who have already been hurt enough. It can be hitting people who are already down.1

1 Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 230.

There is the broader context in this teaching that we ought to keep in mind.

We can’t interpret this text and forget the context (blessings, SOTM, Lord’s prayer, cross).

Matthew: A Commentary, Volume 1: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12 c. Wedding Day: The Wednesday Command of Marital Fidelity: Against Divorce (C 4), 5:31–32

Under this text the church must openly ask a final question: “Can God’s blessing ever rest on a remarriage?” One answer to this question, surely, is this: “Is there forgiveness of sins in the gospel?” The answer to both questions is “Yes.” Yes, there can be God’s blessing on a second or even subsequent marriage because, yes, there is forgiveness of sins for the sincerely repentant person in the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed in his church. But the forgiveness of sin is the forgiveness of sin. If we try to remain above sin ourselves by excusing ourselves or accusing mainly the partner or someone else, or if we try, however subtly, to say we had no sin, or little sin, then it must be clear that for unsinful persons there can be, by definition, no forgiveness of sin. Thus there should be no remarriage of such persons in the church. There is forgiveness of sins in the church only for those who truly repent of their sins—whether they be the sins (to review our Commands so far) of impiety, anger, lust, or divorce. But real sins and real sinners, Jesus can forgive. To permit the divorced or the divorced-and-remarried to be church members but not church officers does not seem right either, for it is close to saying “we will forgive, but we will not forget.” But what God forgives, he forgives fully and thus forgets. So must the church.

The context of Jesus’ commands lie in the context of the Gospel.

Must hold them in balance.

We must always remember that the text of Jesus’ Commands (including this one on marriage) lies within the context of Jesus’ gospel, a gospel that says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom” (B 1) and “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (B 5). In her exposition of Scripture the church is always to teach faithfully both text and context, both Jesus’ Commands and Jesus’ Blessings, both Jesus’ antagonism to sin and Jesus’ forgiveness of sin where there is true repentance and amendment of life. For both Jesus’ Blessings and his Commands have the same purpose: the deep help of people, the salvaging of lives, salvation. God Saves is Jesus’ very name, and he saves both by his tough Commands and by his forgiving Blessings. Disciples must keep faith with both.1

1 Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12, Revised and Expanded Edition., vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 231.