Divorce and Remarriage: What did Jesus say about Divorce and Remarriage

Jesus’ teachings on divorce and remarriage are primarily found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Here is a summary of His key teachings along with relevant Bible verses:

1. Matthew 19:3-9: Jesus emphasizes the permanence of marriage, referencing the Genesis account to highlight that marriage is a union made by God that should not be separated by man. He mentions that Moses allowed divorce due to the hardness of people’s hearts but clarifies that this was not God’s original intention. He explicitly states that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.
2. Mark 10:2-12: Similar to Matthew’s account, Jesus underscores the importance of the marriage bond and reiterates that divorce and remarriage equate to adultery, with an emphasis on the creation narrative to substantiate the sacredness of marriage.
3. Luke 16:18: Here, Jesus succinctly states that anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. Unlike Matthew’s account, there’s no exception clause mentioned here.

Three Main Takeaways:

1. Marriage is a sacred and permanent union: Jesus’ reference to the Genesis creation account underscores His view of marriage as a divinely instituted bond that should not be dissolved. The permanence of marriage is a core principle in His teachings.
2. God’s original design vs. human hardness: Jesus acknowledges that the allowance for divorce in the law of Moses was a concession to human weakness, not a reflection of God’s original plan for marriage. This highlights the difference between God’s perfect will and the allowances made due to human sinfulness.
3. Seriousness of remarriage after divorce: In Jesus’ teaching, remarriage after divorce, except in the case of sexual immorality (as noted in Matthew), is considered adultery. This underscores the seriousness with which Jesus views the commitment of marriage and the consequences of dissolving it without biblical grounds.

These teachings of Jesus on divorce and remarriage challenge believers to uphold the sanctity of marriage and approach it with the gravity it deserves, aligning their actions with God’s design and will.