Read: Mark 10:1-16 This passage raises the important question: IS IT LAWFUL TO DIVORCE?
Ever get into a discussion with someone about Jesus? You think you’re finally making progress, and then they suddenly change the subject: “What about dinosaurs? My neighbor was a good person; won’t they go to heaven? How could anyone believe the Bible?” These are derailments designed to lead away from the truth of who Jesus is. The Pharisees wanted to derail Jesus.
BE CAREFUL WHAT QUESTIONS YOU ASK
“And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’” The Pharisees were angry, jealous, and fearful of Jesus. Their hearts were cold and dark. They should have heeded: “Be careful of what questions you ask, for fear of what answers you may receive”. (attributed to writer Robert Harris). Jesus answered their loaded question with truth.
“IS IT LAWFUL?” ASKED BY MURDERERS
It is absurd that they began with: “Is it lawful?” They didn’t care about the law since they were in a frenzy to murder Jesus. They also didn’t care about the state of marriage in the people they were to shepherd. In Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus addressed their heart condition: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” The religious leaders didn’t want truth. They wanted an execution.
GOD’S VIEW OF MARRIAGE
Jesus replied with truth. He went back to the beginning when God instituted marriage. Marriage is sacred and pictures Christ’s relationship with His Bride, the Church. To us living today, it is counter-cultural to care about God’s view of marriage. Is it lawful to divorce?
THEY DIDN’T CARE WHAT GOD THOUGHT
The Pharisees didn’t care about what God thought. In Jesus’ time, Herod Antipas had John the Baptist executed because John publicly denounced the illegitimate divorce and remarriage of Herod to Herodias, Herod’s niece. The Pharisees hoped the marriage question would get Jesus in trouble with Herod, leading to Jesus’ execution. Who would have thought the Pharisees would take advantage of their pagan Roman oppressor’s behavior?
2 SCHOOLS REGARDING DIVORCE
There were also two schools of thought within the Jewish religious community concerning divorce. The Shammai school argued that the only thing that would justify a divorce would be sexual infidelity. The Hillel school taught, “Anything that a woman does that embarrasses her husband, or even displeases him, is grounds for divorce.” Rabbi Akiva observed that if a wife even broke a dish, that would be legitimate grounds for divorce. Doesn’t the Hillel opinion sound familiar to our cultural view of divorce?
HELPS FOR NAVIGATING THROUGH MARRIAGE
Are you dealing with the question of divorce? Jesus desperately cares about each marriage. Yes, some marriages cannot be saved, but many can. Letting God work through this season demands significant Bible study, prayer, discussion with your pastor, and counseling. It is hard work. God doesn’t approve of “break a dish, get a divorce.” Don’t let yourself get derailed; let God work through this season of your life. The Holy Spirit can lead you through.
Click to read an excellent post about the sanctity of marriage. Another great resource is John Piper’s message, “What God has joined together”.
