Joe R. Price

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason” (Matthew 19:3, NKJV)?

Ending marriages for all sorts of reasons is commonplace in America and around the world. The deterioration of marriage does untold damage to families and souls.

How Jesus answered the Pharisees’ insincere question settles God’s view of divorce.

(1) “Have you not read” (Matt. 19:4). God’s word answers the question of divorce for all who believe.

(2) God rules over marriage (Matt. 19:4-5). It is His gift to humanity, and we must obey His will in it.

(3) Marriage is between a male (man) and a female (woman) (Matt. 19:4, 5). Same-sex “marriage” is a corruption of marriage and not God’s will.

(4) God joins together the man and his wife (Matt. 19:5-6). God approves and joins one man and one woman in marriage (Rom. 7:2-3).

(5) People are not to separate what God joins together (Matt. 19:6). Ending a marriage without God’s approval is a sin (1 Cor. 7:10).

(6) Jesus said God allows one reason for ending a marriage, fornication (Matt. 19:9).

Divorce for “any reason” (Matt. 19:3) violates God’s will and is evidence of a hard heart toward God and marriage (Matt. 19:7-8). Christ permits putting away a spouse for the cause of fornication. By doing so, the one innocent of fornication has God’s consent to marry another. All other remarriages produce adultery, and those in them are not “joined together” by God (Matt. 19:9, 6).

God’s way is not man’s way (Isa. 55:8-9). All who want God’s blessing will abide in His will concerning marriage, divorce, and remarriage (Matt. 19:10-12)