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here is some more to ponder today…
divorce is one of those topics that will always be debated…especially when one wants to know “exactly” what the bible has to say about it. on one hand, the topic is so complex and buried in jewish history and culture, it is virtually impossible to know “exactly” what is meant. even the different rabbinical “schools” of interpretation of the jewish talmud have strong differences of opinion.
the law, in the OT, states: if a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce… Deut. 24:1 the differences of opinion center on the real meaning of “something indecent”. frankly, nobody really knows. more than likely, it probably meant anything the husband didn’t like. that was just the culture they lived in.
so when divorce first appears in the bible, the practice was already in existence. what god did through moses was to regulate divorce in order to prevent its abuse to keep a bad situation from becoming worse. the fact that god did not lay down a specific law in the pentateuch prohibiting divorce showed his realistic approach to our failure. it shows how god is always willing to work on behalf of those who fail to live up to his ideal for them.
as you read yesterday, the NT doesn’t have a ton to say about divorce either… and most of it is in relationship to the OT law.
in matthew 5 , it seems that Jesus makes allowance for divorce in the case of marriage unfaithfulness, but, honestly, we don’t really know exactly what Jesus meant when he used the word porneia:
“It has been said, `Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness (porneia), causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery. Matthew 5:31-32
porneia has various meanings and bible interpreters and commentators have translated it many ways. there is no consistency each time the word porneia appears in the NT, changing from passage to passage and translation to translation: unchastity, infidelity, marriage unfaithfulness, homosexuality, fornication, sexual perversion, immorality…even the sexual defilement in idolatry. the only common theme is that is always refers to something sexual.
a historical perspective is that marriage unfaithfulness in NT times…most often referred to sex with someone else during the engagement (betrothal) period. the betrothal in those days was a period where the couple would separate for as long as a year, in order to prepare themselves for marriage. no contact with each other. definitely no sexual contact…with each other or anybody else.
also, we have to recognize that jesus is giving new insight to the OT law for his hearers. honestly, it must have been shocking for them to hear what he had to say. right before his statement on divorce, he blows them away with a “new” definition of adultery:
“You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28
there is no question that jesus is teaching them that the sacredness and holiness of marriage extends, not just to action and behavior, but deep into our thoughts, intents, motives, and feelings. to me, it seems that jesus wants us to understand that faithfulness in marriage encompasses every part of our existence…and not just the act.
like i said before, this topic is more complex than meets the eye, and we always need to be careful whenever we say “the bible says…” sometimes it’s not that simple.
more on divorce tomorrow.
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