Matthew 5:31-32 "It was also said, 'whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate...'"

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the grounds of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Comment:

This is, indeed, a challenging passage in the context of Jesus’ overall message of love and non-judgment. There seem to be several different themes being expressed. First of all, Jesus is denying the absolute authority of the law as recorded in the name of Moses—the extensive legal code set down in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. That code allowed men to divorce their wives, but did not allow wives to divorce their husbands. It was a human misinterpretation of spiritual law. To align with spiritual law we must go back to the loving Source. So we have a key distinction between marriage laws crafted by men and the loving and creative Law of God in which true unity is attained. 

The important distinction, I think, can be found best expressed at Mark 10:11: “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” If a union is truly of God—if a commitment is wholeheartedly spiritual—then nothing we may do on the mortal plane can affect it. But clearly not every marriage is joined together by God. Some are entered into for a variety of human reasons, and it may become clear that there is no spiritual union. In such a case, to remain in the relationship for the sake of human laws may be damaging to the spiritual paths and purpose of both people involved. It is, Jesus insists, “what God has joined together” that matters. And it is the Presence of God in you that can provide clarity in a challenging situation.

Jesus goes on to talk about the importance of not swearing falsely. A spiritual commitment can only be ended for valid spiritual reasons. Nothing else will suffice. Only if it’s clear that the marriage was in fact “man-made,” not something that God has put together, can it be dissolved. This still may seem challenging and unfair to us today. But given the collective consciousness of the time, it was an affirmation of the power and importance of spiritual commitment, rather than marriages of convenience.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed