What the Bible Says about Divorce
Throughout the Bible, divorce appears as a law and a form of punishment, while not being presented as an ideal or desired outcome. In the Old Testament, God gave the Israelites rules to uphold the order and stability of their society. One of those rules pertained to the right of a man to put away his wife.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 states:“When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, and if she goes and becomes another man’s wife, and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord.And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.” (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)
In this passage, we can see that God gives the Israelites permission to divorce, but acknowledges that a divorce is not part of God’s plan. He still views it as a sin. In the New Testament, Jesus elaborated on the Law in regard to divorce.
In Mark 10:2-12, Jesus states:“And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.’ And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. And he said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.’” (Mark 10:2-12)
Here, Jesus emphasizes that even though divorce is recognized as a legal option, it is still a sin in the eyes of God. He is emphasizing that marriage is to be taken seriously – it is a sacred bond and should not be broken lightly.
Not only is divorce seen as a sin, but it is also seen as a form of punishment. In the Old Testament, God sometimes punished people with divorce as well. In Deuteronomy 24:3-4, it says:“And if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 24:3-4)
In this passage, we can see that God is using the act of divorce as punishment. Divorce is seen as an abomination in the eyes of God, so it makes sense that it would be used as a punishment for those who disobey Him.
The Bible is clear that God does not intend for us to get divorced. While divorce may be allowed in certain circumstances, God still looks at it as a sin. He views it as something to be avoided, and He uses it as a form of punishment for those who oppose Him.
Effects of Divorce in the Bible
Divorce has a profound effect on both parties involved. In the Bible, we see examples of the effects of divorce in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, God gave laws regarding the right of a man to put away his wife, and the consequences of this action.
In Deuteronomy 24:3-4, it states:“And if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife…” (Deuteronomy 24:3-4)
In this passage, we can see that a divorced woman in the Old Testament was unable to remarry her first husband. This expresses the harsh reality of divorce in the Bible and the effects that it had on both parties involved. They were forced to move on with their lives even if they wished to reconcile.
In the New Testament, Jesus delved further into the effects of divorce. In Mark 10:11-12 Jesus states:“And he said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.'” (Mark 10:11-12)
Here, Jesus is expressing the painful consequence of divorce. Not only will both parties have to go through a difficult process of ending the relationship, but they will both also be committing adultery if they decide to remarry. Jesus is emphasizing the importance and sanctity of marriage, and how it should not be taken lightly – it should be cherished and protected.
Reconciliation After Divorce in the Bible
The Bible states that marriage is sacred and should be taken seriously, but it also states that there may be certain circumstances that warrant divorce. Divorce can be a difficult process, but there is still hope for reconciliation after divorce. In the Old Testament, reconciliation was possible if the husband and wife could reconcile their differences.
We can see this in Malachi 2:16, which states:“‘For the Lord God of Israel says that he hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.’” (Malachi 2:16)
In this passage, God is expressing His hatred for divorce, but He is also giving the Israelites hope. He is saying that if the husband and wife can reconcile their differences, then divorce would not be necessary. This expresses the hope that God has for the reconcilability of marriages and for couples to find a way to make things work.
The New Testament also expresses God’s hope for reconciliation after divorce. In Romans 7:3, it states:“So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.” (Romans 7:3)
In this passage, we can see that if a husband or wife dies, then their partner is free to remarry without it being considered a sin. This expresses the hope that God has for reconciling marriages, even after divorce.
Remarriage After Divorce in the Bible
While divorce is discouraged by the Bible, the Bible does make allowances for remarriage after divorce. In the Old Testament, a man was allowed to remarry if he was divorced. According to Deuteronomy 24:2-4, it states:“When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house.”(Deuteronomy 24:2-4)
In this passage, we can see that God is allowing a man to remarry if he is divorced. This expresses the understanding that God has for the difficult process of divorce, and for the fact that it can be necessary for certain situations.
The New Testament also expresses the understanding that sometimes remarriage after divorce is necessary. In 1 Corinthians 7:15 it states:“But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.” (1 Corinthians 7:15)
In this passage, we can see that the Bible has compassion for those in an unhappy marriage – if a man or a woman is in an abusive or unbearable situation, they are allowed to separate and remarry. This expresses the understanding that God has for difficult situations and His desire that people should find peace in any way they can.
Conclusion
The Bible makes it clear that divorce is not a desirable outcome, but it also acknowledges that it can be necessary in certain circumstances. While divorce may be allowed, the Bible is clear that it is still a sin in the eyes of God and it is to be avoided. The Bible also makes allowances for reconciliation after divorce and for remarriage after divorce. It expresses the understanding that sometimes these difficult decisions need to be made, and that God still has hope for reconciling marriages and for finding peace.
