What God has joined together Matthew 19:3-9 At Jesus’ Feet

What GodWhat Godhas joined togetherhas joined together

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9

At Jesus’ FeetAt Jesus’ Feet

What God has joined What God has joined togethertogether

• Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3


• Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3

Deuteronomy 24:1When 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…


• Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3–ShammaiShammai – “an indecent matter” = – “an indecent matter” =

divorce for adultery onlydivorce for adultery only–HillelHillel – “indecency or another matter” = – “indecency or another matter” =

divorce for any matter at alldivorce for any matter at all

Q: “In this debate, is Hillel right that a man Q: “In this debate, is Hillel right that a man can divorce his wife for any matter at can divorce his wife for any matter at all?”all?”


• Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3• Jesus redirects discussion – 19:4-6Jesus redirects discussion – 19:4-6

“For the best part of thirty years we have been conducting a vast experiment with the family, and now the results are in: the decline of the two-parent, married-couple family has resulted in poverty, ill-health, educational failure, unhappiness, anti-social behavior, isolation and social exclusion for thousands of women, men and children.”Experiments in Living: The Fatherless Family by Rebecca O'Neill



• Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3• Jesus redirects discussion – 19:4-6Jesus redirects discussion – 19:4-6–NOT, “What are legitimate grounds for NOT, “What are legitimate grounds for

divorce?”divorce?”–BUT, “What can I do to help my marriage BUT, “What can I do to help my marriage

last for a lifetime?”last for a lifetime?”


• Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3Pharisees attempt to entrap – 19:3• Jesus redirects discussion – 19:4-6Jesus redirects discussion – 19:4-6• Pharisees press for an answer – 19:7Pharisees press for an answer – 19:7• Jesus ends the debate – 19:8-9Jesus ends the debate – 19:8-9–You have missed Moses’ point. Divorce You have missed Moses’ point. Divorce

permitted, not required.permitted, not required.–Hillel is wrong. Divorce for Hillel is wrong. Divorce for porneiaporneia, not for , not for

“any matter.”“any matter.”

Biblical Grounds for Biblical Grounds for Divorce & RemarriageDivorce & Remarriage

1.1. porneiaporneia – extra-marital sex: adultery, incest, – extra-marital sex: adultery, incest, prostitution, homosexual acts, bestialityprostitution, homosexual acts, bestiality



Exodus 21:7-11 “If a man sells his daughter as a female slave [and later she becomes the master’s wife]… If [her owner] takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce [the slave wife’s] food, clothing, or conjugal rights. If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.”



2.2. Life-threatening neglect or behaviorLife-threatening neglect or behavior



2.2. Life-threatening neglect or behaviorLife-threatening neglect or behavior1 Corinthians 7:12-13,15…if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away… Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace.

SummarySummary1.1. marriage is meant to be marriage is meant to be monogamousmonogamous2.2. marriage is marriage is heterosexualheterosexual3.3. marriage is meant to be marriage is meant to be lifelonglifelong4.4. divorce & remarriage are allowed only for divorce & remarriage are allowed only for

narrowly defined groundsnarrowly defined grounds (porneia, (porneia, extreme neglect, abandonment)extreme neglect, abandonment)

5.5. divorce is divorce is never mandatorynever mandatory6.6. reconciliationreconciliation is is alwaysalways preferable if preferable if

possiblepossible

To those already divorcedTo those already divorced• With biblical groundsWith biblical grounds–You are free to marry a godly spouseYou are free to marry a godly spouse–You are free to reconcile if possibleYou are free to reconcile if possible

• Without biblical grounds or you Without biblical grounds or you caused the divorcecaused the divorce–Confess to those you have hurtConfess to those you have hurt– If not remarried, pursue reconciliationIf not remarried, pursue reconciliation– If remarried, commit to lifelong marriageIf remarried, commit to lifelong marriage

To All…To All…Live in God’s grace and His Live in God’s grace and His

powerpower

To All…To All…Live in God’s grace and His Live in God’s grace and His

powerpower

Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.”

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What God has joined together Matthew 19:3-9 At Jesus’ Feet