Yeshua’s Teaching on Divorce – Matthew 19:1-12

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Matthew 19:1-12 Yeshua’s Teaching on Divorce

YeHoVaH’s instructions in the Torah, given to Moses to teach to the Hebrews, covered every aspect of the Hebrew Israelites' lives. The subject of divorce has been a cause of contention since the giving of the Torah and was one of the issues YeHoVaH specifically instructed Moses on.

In this passage, Yeshua was questioned about the causes or reasons a man could divorce his wife and specifically spoke about Moses' instructions concerning the bill of divorcement. Yeshua’s response to the religious leaders has been a subject of debate and a cause for contention amongst many religious leaders for millennia.

My philosophy of marriage and divorce was shaped by my parents. They both were married twice and divorced twice. My dad lived with a woman that was not his wife until the day he died.

My theology of marriage and divorce was shaped by the churches I attended. Each of the dominations I served in accepted divorced and remarried individuals in ministry and leadership.

When I came back to the church, I was going through a divorce. The leaders told me it was okay for me to divorce because I was not saved when I got married, and basically my marriage was not recognized by God because I did not get married in the church.

My understanding of marriage and divorce was shaped by YeHoVaH and His Word. Father spoke clearly to me and gave me specific instructions, that from that moment forward, I could not perform the wedding ceremony if one of the persons had a living spouse.

From that time until now, the subject of marriage and divorce has been somewhat challenging for my flesh to teach because I have married people who had been divorced and who still had living spouses. I know that a great number of people, who listen to my teachings, have been married before and have spouses that are still alive or is married to someone who has a living spouse.

Mt 19:1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;

Mt 19:2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

Mt 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

This is the second time Yeshua deals with the subject of divorce in the Gospel of Matthew.

The first time Yeshua dealt with the subject is when He started His public ministry after John the Baptist was put in prison by Herod. The reason John was put in prison was because he had confronted Herod about it being unlawful for him to have married his brother's wife.

Keep in mind that this question comes after John the Baptist, the greatest prophet born of a woman according to Yeshua, had been beheaded for confronting the King about having another man’s wife.

Mk 6:17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.

Mk 6:18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

Had his brother been dead, marrying his wife would not have been an issue.

Lev 20:21 And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.

Put Away – 630 ἀπολύω apoluo {ap-ol-oo'-o}

Meaning: 1) to set free 2) to let go, dismiss, (to detain no longer) 2a) a petitioner to whom liberty to depart is given by a decisive answer 2b) to bid depart, send away 3) to let go free, release 3a) a captive i.e. to loose his bonds and bid him depart, to give him liberty to depart

used of divorce, to dismiss from the house, to repudiate.

Usage: AV - release 17, put away 14, send away 13, let go 13, set at liberty 2, let depart 2, dismiss 2, misc 6; 69

The Hebrew uses the same word for the divorced woman and the woman who is put away.

Lev 21:7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.

Put Away – 01644 גּרשׁ garash {gaw-rash'}

Meaning: 1) to drive out, expel, cast out, drive away, divorce, put away, thrust away, trouble, cast up 1a) (Qal) to thrust out, cast out 1b) (Niphal) to be driven away, be tossed 1c) (Piel) to drive out, drive away 1d) (Pual) to be thrust out

Usage: AV - drive out 20, cast out 8, thrust out 6, drive away 2, put away 2, divorced 2, driven 1, expel 1, drive forth 1, surely 1, troubled 1, cast up 1, divorced woman 1; 47

Lev 21:14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.

Divorced woman – 01644 גּרשׁ garash {gaw-rash'}

Meaning: 1) to drive out, expel, cast out, drive away, divorce, put away, thrust away, trouble, cast up Usage: AV - drive out 20, cast out 8, thrust out 6, drive away 2, put away 2, divorced 2, driven 1, expel 1, drive forth 1, surely 1, troubled 1, cast up 1, divorced woman 1; 47

The same Greek word is used for “put away” and “divorced” in Matthew 5.

Mt 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Put Away – 630 ἀπολύω apoluo {ap-ol-oo'-o}

Meaning: 1) to set free 2) to let go, dismiss, (to detain no longer) 2a) a petitioner to whom liberty to depart is given by a decisive answer 2b) to bid depart, send away 3) to let go free, release used of divorce, to dismiss from the house, to repudiate.

Usage: AV - release 17, put away 14, send away 13, let go 13, set at liberty 2, let depart 2, dismiss 2, misc 6; 69

Divorced– 630 ἀπολύω apoluo {ap-ol-oo'-o}

Meaning: 1) to set free 2) to let go, dismiss, (to detain no longer) 2a) a petitioner to whom liberty to depart is given by a decisive answer 2b) to bid depart, send away 3) to let go free, release used of divorce, to dismiss from the house, to repudiate.

Usage: AV - release 17, put away 14, send away 13, let go 13, set at liberty 2, let depart 2, dismiss 2, misc 6; 69

Yeshua’s response took them to the Creator’s intent in the beginning, before the fall of man!

Mt 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

Mt 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

Mt 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

They were not satisfied with Yeshua’s answer and took the subject a step further.

Mt 19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

Notice the question:

Why did Moses command a writing of divorcement and to put her away?

Mt 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Hard-hearted people did what they desired regardless of what YeHoVaH wanted or said. Moses permitted it, but in the beginning, it was not so.

Mt 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

First, notice what Yeshua did not say: except it be for adultery. What He said: except it be for fornication.

Second, Yeshua uses both words in the same sentence, so it is clear He is not confusing the words.

Single people fornicate.

Married people who have sex with someone other than their spouse commit adultery.

Fornication – 4202 πορνεία porneia {por-ni'-ah}

Meaning: 1) illicit sexual intercourse 1a) adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc. 1b) sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18 1c)

Usage: AV - fornication 26; 26

Adultery – 3429 μοιχάω moichao {moy-khah'-o}

Meaning: 1) to have unlawful intercourse with another's wife, to commit adultery with

Usage: AV - commit adultery 6; 6

Yeshua’s response caused His disciples to conclude, “If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.”

Mt 19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

Why would the disciples draw the conclusion “it is not good to marry” if Yeshua was providing a way out of a marriage?

Mt 19:11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

Based on Yeshua’s response, His answer was “yes” psychologically, but not all could receive that saying, only those who were called to receive that …

Those who were born eunuchs
Those who were made eunuchs by men
Those who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom

Mt 19:12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

The Christian church, divorced from the Laws of God, has diminished the role of God and His Word in the lives of Christians.

David had Uriah killed so that he could have his wife Bathsheba, after he had committed adultery with her. This, as we know, was unacceptable to YeHoVaH.

Herod married his brother's wife which was a violation of Torah. John the Baptist was beheaded for calling Herod out. Had his brother been dead, this would not have been an issue, but Herod’s brother was still alive.

Yeshua concludes this conversation in Mark’s Gospel by stating:

Mk 10:11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

Mk 10:12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

Lk 16:18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

Ro 7:2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Ro 7:3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

1Co 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

1Co 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

The year of release, or the forgiveness of debt, is this coming Biblical New Year.

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