March 10, 2010
The bad news of divorce is the good news of the gospel
Matthew 19:1-12
Wes Butler
Central Truth
Jesus' strong words regarding divorce reflect a Savior's heart and a desire to show Himself faithful through the faithfulness of His followers. Jesus pleads passionately with His followers to avoid decisions that lead to pain and destruction.
Key Verse | Matthew 19:8
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." (Matthew 19:8)
Matthew 19:1-12
Teaching About Divorce
1 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast 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 not man separate.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” 1 19:9 Some manuscripts add and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery; other manuscripts except for sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery
10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 12 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.”
Footnotes
[1] 19:9 Some manuscripts add and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery; other manuscripts except for sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adulteryDive Deeper | Matthew 19:1-12
The last five years at Watermark have forced me to this passage more times than I can possibly remember.
Some might think that my exposure to the reality of divorce on an almost daily basis would cause me to question the validity of Jesus' words here. After all, divorce is about half as common as marriage (i.e. 50% divorce rate), so can anyone really take Jesus' words here seriously? Not only can we, we absolutely must.
Whenever I consider this passage, I am overwhelmed by two great truths about our God.
First, I am struck by the protecting love of a Heavenly Father who knows what is best for us and longs to keep us from those things that will ultimately bring pain and heartache. The impact of divorce, experts say, is second only to the sudden death of a loved one in the way it impacts people emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
The destructive wake of divorce is not limited to just the two people. It also affects children, grandchildren, and the very fabric of society. I have seen firsthand just how devastating it is. In light of all of this, how amazing is the love of our Father that He would speak words of warning and instruction to plead with His children to avoid such consequences.
Second, Jesus' instructions here are the very hope of the gospel He came to proclaim. This covenant love between God the Father and His children, His church, is meant to be the standard for our covenant relationships with one another, namely marriage.
So when Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age," He meant it. And when He said, "I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:28), it is an eternal promise that can never be broken. These hard sayings concerning divorce are the good news of the gospel; we have a Savior who is eternally faithful, patient, and passionate about those He loves unconditionally.
Discussion Questions
1. What other encouraging truths about God can be found in these instructions from Jesus regarding divorce?
2. Read Hebrews 12:5-6. What other difficult instructions or commandments of Jesus demonstrate His gracious love for us? In what way?
3. What encouragement do you receive from knowing there is a God who loves unconditionally, forgives indefinitely, and protects to ensure that not one of His children called by His name will be snatched away? Who else do you know who could use that reminder today as an encouragement?
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. In verse 8 it says that God originally intended something for marriage, what was that?
2. Is it easy for a man and woman to stay married today? Why do you think it is hard?
3. Do you know what God intended the marriage between a man and a woman to be a picture of?