Divorce in the Bible: Scriptural Teachings and Guidelines

Biblical Teachings on Divorce

The biblical teachings on divorce are rooted in the creation narrative, where marriage is established as a union between a man and a woman, making them "one flesh" (Genesis 2:24) ^[7]. This foundational understanding is crucial for grasping the scriptural perspective on divorce.

Old Testament Regulations

In the Old Testament, the law regulating divorce is found in Deuteronomy 24:1-4. This passage permits a man to divorce his wife if she "finds no favor in his eyes" due to "something indecent" or "unseemly" about her, and he must give her a certificate of divorce ^[1]. The grounds for divorce were debated among Jewish schools of thought during the New Testament period, with the school of Shammai limiting it to moral delinquency and the school of Hillel extending it to more trivial causes ^[1].

New Testament Teachings

Jesus challenges the prevailing views on divorce in the New Testament. In Matthew 5:31-32 and 19:3-9, Jesus teaches that divorce is only permissible in cases of sexual immorality (porneia), and remarriage after an unlawful divorce constitutes adultery ^{[4, 5]}. This teaching is reinforced in Mark 10:2-12 and Luke 16:18. Jesus emphasizes that the original intention of marriage is permanence, citing Genesis 2:24 ^[10].

The apostle Paul further clarifies the Christian perspective on divorce in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, advising couples not to separate but, if they do, to remain unmarried or be reconciled. Paul grounds his counsel in the Lord's command, referencing Jesus' teachings on the matter ^[15].

Grounds for Divorce

The biblical grounds for divorce are primarily centered on sexual immorality or porneia. Jesus allows divorce in such cases (Matthew 19:9) ^[5]. The Old Testament also protected a wife from being falsely accused by her husband; if the accusation was false, the husband was not allowed to divorce her ^[3].

Consequences and Prohibitions

The law in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 not only regulated divorce but also stipulated that a divorced woman who remarried and was subsequently divorced or widowed could not return to her first husband ^[3]. The prophet Malachi expresses God's displeasure with divorce, stating, "For I hate divorce," says the LORD, the God of Israel (Malachi 2:16) ^[6].

Historical and Interpretive Context

The practice of divorce was prevalent among the Israelites, and the Mosaic law tolerated it with certain conditions to mitigate its harshness. Jesus' teachings on divorce were a response to the laxity and misuse of divorce laws during His time ^{[1, 2]}. The early Christian church understood marriage as a permanent union, and divorce was seen as a concession to human hardness of heart rather than an ideal ^[10].

The biblical teachings on divorce underscore the importance of the marriage covenant and the seriousness with which divorce should be considered. While the scriptures provide guidelines and exceptions, they also emphasize the value of faithfulness and the permanence of marital vows.

The historical and theological context provided by the sources highlights the complexity and nuance of the biblical teachings on divorce, reflecting both the ideal of marital permanence and the reality of human sin and hardness of heart. The Presbyterian and Protestant academic sources consulted demonstrate a shared understanding of the biblical text's emphasis on the gravity and consequences of divorce ^{[8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]}.

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Divorce — "a legal dissolution of the marriage relation." The law regulating this subject is found (24:1-4) and the cases in which the right of a husband to divorce his wife was lost are stated ibid ., (22:19,29) The ground of divorce is appoint on which the Jewish doctors of the period of the New Testament differed widely; the school of Shammai seeming to limit it to a moral delinquency in the woman, whilst that the Hillel extended it to trifling causes, e.g., if the wife burnt the food she was cooking for her husband. The Pharisees wished perhaps to embroil our Savi”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Divorce — The dissolution of the marriage tie was regulated by the Mosaic law (Deut. 24:1-4). The Jews, after the Captivity, were reguired to dismiss the foreign women they had married contrary to the law (Ezra 10:11-19). Christ limited the permission of divorce to the single case of adultery. It seems that it was not uncommon for the Jews at that time to dissolve the union on very slight pretences (Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:1-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18). These precepts given by Christ regulate the law of divorce in the Christian Church.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Divorce — Law of marriage against -- Ge 2:24; Mt 19:6. Permitted By the Mosaic law. -- De 24:1. On account of hardness of heart. -- Mt 19:8. Often sought by the Jews -- Mic 2:9; Mal 2:14. Sought on slight grounds -- Mt 5:31; 19:3. Not allowed to those who falsely accused their wives -- De 22:18,19. Women Could obtain. -- Pr 2:17; Mr 10:12. Could marry after. -- De 24:2. Responsible for vows after. -- Nu 30:9. Married after, could not return to first husband. -- De 24:3,4; Jer 3:1. Afflicted by. -- Isa 54:4,6. Priests not to marry women after -- Le 21:14. Of servants,”
Matthew “Matthew 5:31 (NASB) — "It was said, 'WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE';”
Matthew “I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.” -- Matthew 19:9”
Malachi “Malachi 2:16 (BSB) — “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith.”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — + Its origin and history .--The institution of marriage dates from the time of man's original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied in her being formed out of man. (2) The indissolubleness of the marriage bond, except on; the strongest grounds, Comp. (Matthew 19:9) (3) Monogamy, as the original law of marriage (4) The social equality of man and wife. (5) The subordination of the wife to the husband. (1 Corinthians 11:8,9; 1 Timothy 2:13) (6) The respective duties of ”
Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:31: 5:31-32 Jesus challenges the misapplication of the Old Testament provision for divorce (see Deut 24:1-4; cp. Matt 19:3-9): Following the rules does not make divorce acceptable. Jesus allows only one legitimate reason for divorce, sexual infidelity, and forbids casual divorce (see also 1 Cor 7:10-11). 5:31 A notice of divorce is a document stating the legality of a divorce. Evidence suggests that such a document permitted remarriage. “The essential formula in the notice of divorce is, ‘Lo, you are free to marry any man.’ . . . The essential formula in a writ of em”
Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 3:8: 3:8 divorced: See 2 Kgs 17:23.”
Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 10:5: 10:5-9 God permitted divorce as a concession to the hard hearts of the people. But God’s will is more aptly expressed in the passages that Jesus quotes from the law of Moses (Gen 1:27; 2:23-24; see also Mal 2:16). Jesus shows that God delights in marriage, which is the creation of a new union in which two become one. No one should rebel against God’s will by seeking to split apart what God has united.”
Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 5:31: It hath been said--This shortened form was perhaps intentional, to mark a transition from the commandments of the Decalogue to a civil enactment on the subject of divorce, quoted from Deu 24:1. The law of divorce--according to its strictness or laxity--has so intimate a bearing upon purity in the married life, that nothing could be more natural than to pass from the seventh commandment to the loose views on that subject then current. Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement--a legal check upon reckless and tyranni”
Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 19:2: And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there--Mark says further (Mar 10:1), that "as He was wont, He taught them there." What we now have on the subject of divorce is some of that teaching. Divorce (Mat 19:3-12).”
Deuteronomy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Deuteronomy 24 (introduction): OF DIVORCES. (Deu. 24:1-22) When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes--It appears that the practice of divorces was at this early period very prevalent amongst the Israelites, who had in all probability become familiar with it in Egypt [LANE]. The usage, being too deep-rooted to be soon or easily abolished, was tolerated by Moses (Mat 19:8). But it was accompanied under the law with two conditions, which were calculated greatly to prevent the evils incident to the permitted”
Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 19:9: 19:9 Jesus permits only one legitimate reason for a man to divorce: if his wife has been unfaithful (see 5:32). In the face of those who thought divorce could be taken lightly, Jesus affirms God’s created order: Marriage was designed to be permanent (see Mark 10:11-12). • commits adultery: This speaks only of the man who divorces his wife unlawfully. In such a case, his remarriage is adulterous. Jesus’ motivation is to reestablish the permanency of marriage.”
1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 7:10: 7:10-11 Paul advises Christian couples contemplating divorce. • a command that comes . . . from the Lord: This doesn’t mean that Paul’s other instructions (see 7:12, 25, 40) have less authority. It means this particular counsel is grounded in known sayings of Jesus (see Matt 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18). • But if she does leave him: Paul acknowledges that some couples have great difficulty in living together, but even in that case they must honor their marriage vows to be faithful to their spouse alone (see 1 Cor 7:27; Rom 7:2).”

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