Jesus on Marriage and Divorce | A SOAP devotional, By Pastor Jamie

Matthew 19:1-12- When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. 2 Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick. 3 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?” 4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’" 5 And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” 7 “Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked. 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9 And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.” 10 Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry!” 11 “Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps. 12 Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

After Jesus taught on the infinite nature of our need to be forgiving, here He is approached by a Pharisee who wants to trap Jesus with a "gotcha question." This is not someone coming from a perspective or hurt or pain from having gone through a divorce. Jesus honors the longstanding, biblical picture of one man and one woman in marriage for a lifetime. Is divorce a "sin?" Yes, even if it is the "best bad decision" a person can make given the circumstances they find themselves in, it "misses the mark of God's full intention for our lives." Sin is an old archery word related to hitting the bull's eye, but divorce is no different than any of the other ways we can miss the mark of God's glory for our lives. Romans 3:23 reminds us, "All have fallen short of the glory of God." It's never God's first or best hope for us to sin! Our "sin" reminds us to stay close to Christ and depend on Him for grace, forgiveness, help for today, and hope for a better future.

It's important for us to remember how Jesus encountered the woman caught in adultery- a real-life dilemma not someone trying to trap Him in a bad response. John 8:10-11: “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” Jesus was the only one worthy enough to condemn her and He chose not to drive her deeper into despair. Or in another real-life situation how did Jesus deal with the woman at the well who had five husbands and was living with a sixth man in John 4? He engaged her and offered her new life! This doesn't minimize divorce or let us off the hook with God but drives us to our knees for forgiveness and grace to receive the help and care we need.

Dear God, thank You for so many of the challenging teachings of Jesus that are hard to live out- on anger, lust, fear, forgiving our enemies, marriage and divorce. As we struggle and train to become more like Jesus, give us Your grace and care, especially when we mess up. Help us extend grace to others and honor You today. Amen.

 

"Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:9-10),

 

Pastor Jamie

 

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