In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus addresses divorce with a clarity that unsettled His first hearers and still challenges us today. He locates marriage not in custom or convenience but in God’s design, and He calls His disciples to honor that design even when culture lowers the bar (Matthew 5:31–32). His words press into the heart, guarding faithfulness and exposing shortcuts that break covenant and wound people made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 5:27–30).
This teaching is not cruel. It is protective. From the start God joined man and woman as “one flesh,” and what God joined no one should separate (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:6). Jesus’ standard rests on that creation truth. He also knows our world is fallen. So He speaks of narrow grounds for dissolving a marriage and summons His people to truth and grace together—truth that guards vows and grace that tends the bruised (Matthew 5:32; John 1:14).
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Historical and Cultural Background
When Jesus said, “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce,’” He pointed back to Moses’ regulation in a hard age (Matthew 5:31; Deuteronomy 24:1–4). That law did not command divorce; it acknowledged it and placed guardrails around it. The “certificate” protected a woman from slander and allowed legal remarriage, restraining high-handed men and chaotic customs. Yet the text also shows that the problem was rooted in the heart. Jesus later explains that Moses permitted divorce “because your hearts were hard,” not because God changed His mind about marriage (Matthew 19:8).
In Jesus’ day rabbis argued over the phrase “something indecent” in Deuteronomy 24. Some taught that sexual sin alone justified divorce; others stretched the phrase to “any cause,” even trivial offenses. That debate sits behind the tests the Pharisees put to Jesus, hoping He would take a side they could attack (Matthew 19:3). Jesus refuses to start with loopholes. He starts with creation: “Haven’t you read… the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave… and the two will become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4–5). By going back to the beginning, He restores the purpose of marriage as a covenant bond, not a contract to be canceled at will.
Israel’s prophets had already spoken this way. Malachi rebuked men who dealt treacherously with the wives of their youth, saying, “The Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth… guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth” (Malachi 2:14–16). The point was not to trap people in harm but to guard a holy union and the children it nurtures, because God seeks “godly offspring” who learn faith at home (Malachi 2:15). When Jesus teaches in the same key, He stands in that stream.
The Greco-Roman world around Judea treated divorce as a simple legal act. Men and women of means could end marriages by sending notice. That ease shaped expectations. Into that air Jesus breathes older, truer air from Eden. He honors women as full covenant partners and calls men and women alike to fidelity, making lust a heart issue and oath-keeping a sacred duty (Matthew 5:27–37). The kingdom ethic stands over culture, not under it.
Biblical Narrative
Jesus’ first word on divorce in the Sermon is simple and strong: “Anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:32). He names a real but narrow exception—sexual immorality—which strikes at the “one flesh” union and shreds trust. Even then, Jesus does not command divorce; He allows it. Forgiveness and restoration remain possible by grace, as Hosea’s lived parable shows, though they are costly (Hosea 3:1–3; Ephesians 4:32).
When the Pharisees later press Him, Jesus repeats His ground in creation: “They are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Matthew 19:6). They counter with Moses. Jesus answers that Moses permitted divorce because of hard hearts, “but it was not this way from the beginning,” then adds the same exception clause: “Anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery” (Matthew 19:7–9). Mark’s account underscores the same ethic without repeating the exception, stressing the permanence of the bond: to put away and remarry is to commit adultery (Mark 10:2–12). The combined picture is clear: God’s design is lifelong union, and the path out is narrow.
The apostles extend Jesus’ teaching into the life of the church. Paul passes on “a command, not I but the Lord,” that a wife must not separate from her husband; “but if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled,” and a husband must not divorce his wife (1 Corinthians 7:10–11). He then treats a mixed marriage where one spouse does not believe. If the unbelieving partner is willing to live with the believer, the marriage should continue; but “if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances,” because “God has called us to live in peace” (1 Corinthians 7:12–15). This “not bound” text has long been understood to describe willful desertion by an unbeliever as a valid ground for release.
Paul also honors singleness and marriage as gifts, urging each person to serve the Lord with undivided devotion in the station where God has placed them (1 Corinthians 7:7; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 1 Corinthians 7:35). He lifts marriage beyond bare rule-keeping by setting it under the gospel. Husbands are to love their wives “just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” and wives are to respect their husbands, so that the union pictures Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:25–33). That vision lifts ordinary days into worship and sets the tone for how a couple handles wounds, setbacks, and sin.
At the edges of these commands lie real sorrows: betrayed vows, hardened hearts, and homes at risk. Scripture does not minimize harm. It calls evil evil, protects the weak, and brings civil authority to bear where crimes occur (Romans 13:1–4; Psalm 82:3–4). The church must hold Jesus’ standard and Jesus’ heart together, pressing toward peace when possible and providing shelter when needed.
Theological Significance
Jesus’ teaching on divorce rests on creation order and covenant love. Marriage is God’s idea, not ours, and He defines it. He made humanity male and female and designed the “one flesh” union to be exclusive and enduring, a bond deeper than blood ties to parents and strong enough to carry the weight of life (Genesis 2:24). To treat marriage as disposable is to deny the Maker’s wisdom and to harm the people He joined (Matthew 19:4–6).
From a dispensational perspective, we read Jesus’ words with a grammatical-historical lens and honor progressive revelation. We see continuity in God’s moral will and distinction in His dealings across ages. Moses’ concession managed sin in a hard moment. Jesus, speaking as King, restores the original standard and narrows the exit. The apostles, writing in the church age, apply the Lord’s teaching and add clarity about mixed marriages and desertion (Deuteronomy 24:1–4; Matthew 19:8–9; 1 Corinthians 7:10–15). This does not make Scripture contradict itself; it shows God shepherding His people across time with increasing light (Proverbs 4:18).
The exception clauses matter. Jesus names sexual immorality as a ground for lawful divorce because it strikes at the covenant’s core (Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9). Paul adds that the believer is “not bound” when an unbelieving spouse abandons the marriage (1 Corinthians 7:15). These are not loopholes to be stretched; they are protections for the sinned-against. In both, the aim is still holiness and peace. Where repentance and restoration are real, reconciliation displays the gospel. Where sin hardens or desertion stands, release is mercy under God’s Word.
We must also hold together two callings that some try to pull apart: moral clarity and tender care. God hates treachery that breaks the covenant, and He hates violence that hides under religious talk (Malachi 2:16; Psalm 11:5). He also binds up the brokenhearted and does not break a bruised reed (Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 12:20). In practice that means the church says “no” to permissive divorce, “no” to legalistic cruelty, “yes” to safety, and “yes” to restoration where trust can be rebuilt. The Lord is righteous and kind; His people must be the same (Psalm 145:17; Micah 6:8).
Finally, the mystery of marriage points past itself. Paul says the union of husband and wife echoes Christ and the church, not because spouses can save one another, but because covenant love, sacrifice, cleansing, and joyful union picture the greater story (Ephesians 5:31–32). That means how we speak about marriage and divorce is not only private ethics; it is public witness. As we keep vows and walk in forgiveness, we show something of the Savior who keeps covenant forever (Psalm 89:34; Hebrews 13:5).
Spiritual Lessons and Application
First, enter marriage with a high view and open eyes. Jesus’ standard urges couples to attach their hearts to God’s Word before they attach their lives to each other. Prayer, counsel, and clear promises set a different tone than romance alone. “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain,” so ask Him to build it from the start (Psalm 127:1). Keep the gospel at the center of your home so that confession and forgiveness become normal, not rare (Colossians 3:12–14).
Second, guard the covenant daily. Small compromises become big fractures. Jesus presses truth into desire when He warns that lust is adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:28). He presses truth into speech when He warns against casual vows (Matthew 5:33–37). Bring those words into marriage. Refuse secret habits. Tell the truth. Seek help early. “Catch for us the little foxes,” the small threats to love, before they ruin the vineyard (Song of Songs 2:15). Choose kindness when frustrated, and keep short accounts, because “love keeps no record of wrongs” and “covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Peter 4:8).
Third, pursue reconciliation wherever honest repentance and wise boundaries make it possible. Jesus tells us to forgive again and again, not to excuse sin but to imitate mercy we have received (Matthew 18:21–22; Ephesians 4:32). Some wounds do heal. Real repentance bears fruit, rebuilds trust, and invites safeguards. In such cases, restoration becomes a living parable of grace. In other cases, sin persists and safety fails. Then the church must apply Jesus’ and Paul’s words about lawful separation or divorce, walking with the sinned-against in patience and care (Matthew 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:15).
Fourth, protect the vulnerable and honor civil authority. Where abuse, threats, or crimes are present, the first duty is safety. Call the authorities God appointed “to bring punishment on the wrongdoer,” and remove the endangered from harm (Romans 13:4; Proverbs 24:11–12). The Bible never asks a spouse or child to submit to violence. Churches that hide evil grieve the Lord. Churches that bring darkness into the light honor Him and love neighbor (Ephesians 5:11–13).
Fifth, carry the burdens of the divorced without softening Jesus’ words. Many carry shame, fear, or anger after a divorce. The church must be a place of truth and help. Teach what Jesus taught. Also bring meals, counsel, child care, and steady friendship. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Point to the Savior who restores and to a future that is not over because a marriage is over. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
Sixth, counsel wisely about remarriage. Scripture treats remarriage as adultery when the prior divorce was not on biblical grounds (Mark 10:11–12). Where a divorce met Jesus’ or Paul’s criteria, many understand that remarriage is permitted, since the innocent party is no longer bound (Matthew 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:15). These cases require careful shepherding, patient timelines, and real community. The goal is not to box people with rules but to help them walk in step with God’s Word so that future vows stand firm (Psalm 119:105).
Seventh, keep your hope in Christ, not in human perfection. Even faithful marriages mix joy and pain in a fallen world. The answer is not to lower the bar, but to draw near to the God who gives grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). He delights to pour out wisdom generously when we ask and to give the Spirit’s fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to those who walk by the Spirit (James 1:5; Galatians 5:22–23).
Conclusion
Jesus’ words on divorce are sharp because His love for people and for God’s design is strong. He brings us back to creation, where God made us male and female and joined two into one flesh, and He warns us not to tear apart what God has joined (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:6). He gives narrow grounds for lawful divorce, not to make escape easy but to protect the sinned-against in a hard world (Matthew 5:32; 1 Corinthians 7:15). He calls His church to be a people of covenant faithfulness, honest repentance, real safety, and deep mercy, so that our homes preach the gospel as clearly as our lips.
In every case—newlyweds, the weary, the betrayed, the divorced—Christ remains enough. He forgives the penitent, heals the broken, strengthens the weak, and teaches His people to love as He loved. He is the Bridegroom who will never betray His bride, and He will keep every promise forever (Ephesians 5:25–27; Revelation 19:7). Holding His words, we honor marriage, protect the fragile, and live as citizens of a better kingdom while we wait for the day when all tears are wiped away (Philippians 3:20; Revelation 21:4).
“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Matthew 19:6)
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For Further Reference: A Detailed Study on the Entire Sermon on the Mount