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by Sandy Shaw
When we come to Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 31, Jesus speaks about divorce, and the Church, as I have seen it, has been woolly on this one too. Jesus goes beyond the legal and the superficial.
People were taking the Old Testament law to justify or defend their own wrong doing. The Pharisees and the Scribes were experts at doing this.
This passage could be preached and interpreted hurtfully, if dealt with insensitively.
This passage can raise deep wounds and bring to the surface painful memories.
Now, bear with me. This is not easy, because we do not know the background to what Jesus is teaching as these disciples would do – and we do have to remember that this is Jesus Christ teaching – and it is for his disciples today just as much as it was then.
What is the background? Rabbi Shamei taught only where there was marital unfaithfulness, only then could there be divorce. Rabbi Hillel taught that you could divorce on almost any ground. A man could divorce his wife, but not a wife her husband, at this time. This is the kind of background.
The only real concern was that the paperwork was done correctly. The grounds were not all that important. Men could get off with anything they liked provided you get the paperwork correct. It was as if the Pharisees wanted to know which side Jesus was on, and Jesus disagrees with both teachers!
The passage they went to was Deuteronomy Chapter 24 verse 1, but what about the verses which follow. Look at the ‘ifs’. God’s prime concern is to protect marriage – the permanence and sanctity of marriage. This is the background against which Jesus is speaking. This is different from owning your cattle or your fields.
Jesus is correcting a misuse of the Law of Moses. He is correcting a rampant religious chauvinism, where women were regarded as objects of desire, or a possession, or a thing.
It was easier at that time for a marriage bond to be broken, than a man’s rights over his cattle and his fields. In the Bible, adultery breaks a marriage bond.
In Deuteronomy Chapter 24, we really do not have a command. It is a permission, and it is all conditional. What Jesus is teaching the legalists here is that they were misunderstanding their own Bible. They were misinterpreting and misrepresenting the Scriptures. God is very tolerant of human weakness, for which I am very grateful. Man has been so weakened by sin in every area of life.
Jesus speaks clearly about this matter of divorce – regarding the matter of marital unfaithfulness. The legitimate reason given to us by Jesus, permitting divorce, is where there has been fornication – unfaithfulness – the word used is – PORNEIA – adultery – incest – and every immoral act as described in I Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 1 and verses 9 to 11.
Jesus is smashing apart a whole set of social customs. Two verses challenge an entire social convention. Matthew Chapter 19 is really a commentary on these verses 31,32. Jesus does not answer their questions, but goes right back to Creation and quotes from Genesis chapters 1,2. Some questions are not answered.
Consider the woman caught in adultery, or the woman at the well who came out alone because of shame. Some would like to go back and be just like the early church – really?
We must guard against being sentimental over this issue. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are realists. Jesus understands what is going on and Jesus also understands our pain.
The Church as we have known it has taken one part of the law of Moses and has said – if you are divorced, you cannot re-marry – which is right – BUT – when we apply the whole law – the adulterer would be stoned to death, legally – and the widower would then be free to re-marry. Applying half a law is immoral.
The Episcopal Church, where I used to pastor, had an arrangement that members wanting to be re-married could be re-married in the Church of Scotland! What was that saying to the world?
I Corinthians Chapter 6 verses 9 to 11 teach – You have been washed – made clean – and justified. There is no longer any guilt. Yes, we have to be strict, but no stricter than God. God had to say to Peter on another matter – what I have made clean, do not you call unclean. The principle is the same. I tremble for Church Members who judge others without mercy!
We have referred to two who had sinned, and who were actually sinned against, and Jesus was so compassionate, but firm.
Remember we are talking about just living according to the teaching of Jesus. O, if we only did that this world would be a better place. Rubbish – there would be a riot!
Why do you think Jesus was crucified? Was it not because of his teaching as well as who He was, and what he came to do? There is the human and the divine – man and God.
If you live a really bad life, society will put you in prison. If you live a godly life in Christ Jesus, you will be persecuted. This is why society would prefer that we were just average. We need to come to terms with this reality as early as possible. What are we to do with these issues raised in this passage where there may be pain? Take them to the pain bearer, who is Jesus Christ.
Related to this is the next section about oaths and vows. If you make a vow, keep it.
Think of Ordination vows. It is like a noose around your neck, but then the Holy Spirit comes and cuts the rope and frees you. We were at the Ordination in a certain ‘very tight denomination’ and when it came to the vows a man sitting next to me said – “Mr Shaw, now you close your ears at this point!”
When I recall the vows I asked people to take and make on what is called ‘joining the church’ – these promises which encourage legalism – or failure – or disappointment. We have to work all this out. What does it mean for us? Where are the important areas? Can we do it without offending people – probably not! However, I do not think true disciples will be offended.
Some may cry – this will cause division – and my answer to this has been – you may divide something, but you will not divide the Church of Jesus Christ.
One further phrase – verse 35 – “the city of the great king”. If the Church of Jesus Christ taught clearly on that too today, we would not have this massive problem in the Middle East.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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