Divorce in the Corinthian church
It seems that romantic love was seldom a cause for marriage among the
Greeks. Marriages and engagements were often prearranged. Divorces in
Hellenistic society were common and easy to obtain. A French historian stated,
"There's an epidemic of broken marriages in Rome". Around 18 B.C.,
the Roman emperor Augustus established laws promoting marriage and discouraging
divorce. Therefore, divorce must have been a problem in the Corinthian church
as well.
God speaks extensively about divorce in His Word [the
Bible]. So, let’s have a look what He says about this crucial matter in the
Mosaic Covenant and in the New or Messianic Covenant:
a.) Divorce in the Mosaic or Sinai Covenant
Through the mouth of
His prophet Malachi, God declares forthrightly: “‘I hate divorce!’ says the
LORD, the God of Israel. ‘It is as cruel as putting on a victim's bloodstained
coat,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘So guard yourself; always remain loyal to your
wife.’” (Malachi 2:16)
Jesus quotes the Mosaic law by
saying: “‘You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘A man
can divorce his wife by merely giving her a letter of divorce.’” (Matthew 5:31; see Deuteronomy 24:1-4)
Later on Jesus
explains God’s original design for marriage and why Moses allowed divorce:
“Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him [Jesus] with this question: ‘Should
a man be allowed to divorce his wife for any reason?’ ‘Haven't you read the
Scriptures?’ Jesus replied. ‘They record that from the beginning 'God made them
male and female.'’ 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.’ Since they
are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them
together.’ ‘Then why did Moses say a man could merely write an official letter
of divorce and send her away?’ they asked. Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted
divorce as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness, but it was not
what God had originally intended.’” (Matthew 19:3-8; see
also Mark 10:2-9)
b.) Divorce in the New or Messianic Covenant
We saw in earlier meditations that the New or Messianic Covenant is characterised by our
reconciliation with God through the guilt offering of Jesus, God’s Son, and by
the gift of God’s Spirit (see Meditations 22-33).
That means in practice that God does not need to allow a concession any
longer because of our hard-hearted wickedness as in the Mosaic Covenant. It is
God’s Spirit in the reborn Jewish and non-Jewish followers of Jesus who is
destined to help us overcome the hardness of our rebellious and wicked hearts.
The apostle Paul explains this as he shows the difference between a Jew,
living under the Mosaic Covenant and a Jew who follows Jesus and lives under
the New or Messianic Covenant: “You are not a true Jew just because you were
born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of
circumcision [Mosaic Covenant]. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with
God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart
produced by God's Spirit [New or Messianic Covenant].” (Romans
2:28-29)
Because of the powerful and transforming presence of God’s Spirit in
Jesus’ reborn followers, Jesus is authorised to give them clear-cut orders
concerning divorce and remarriage:
-- “I tell you that
anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries
another woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:9)
-- “I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been
unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced
woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:32; see also Luke 16:18)
-- Concerning divorce and remarriage by a woman, Jesus said: “If a
woman divorces her husband and remarries, she commits adultery.” (Mark
10:11-12)
In these declarations Jesus plainly states that according to the New or
Messianic Covenant the unbreakable bond of marriage is the unconditional will
of God. According to Jesus, even an arranged divorce amongst His followers does
not dissolve their first marriage in God’s eyes! On the contrary, a Christian
who divorces his wife (except in a case of her infidelity), and remarries,
commits adultery and drives his wife into an adulterous relation should she
remarry!
Through the inspiration of God’s Spirit, the apostle Paul grounds his
teaching on Jesus’ declarations:
-- “For those who are married I have a command that comes not from me,
but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband.... And the husband must
not leave his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:11-10)
-- “When a woman
marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he
dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. So while her husband is
alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her
husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she
remarries.” (Romans 7:2-3)
-- “Are you married? Do not seek a divorce.” (1 Corinthians 7:27)
The Epistle to the
Hebrews also confirms Jesus’ declarations and warns of the consequence of
disobedience: “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in
marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit
adultery.” (Hebrews 13:4)
Yet, also for reborn children of God there might be heart-rending
situations in which a marriage doesn’t survive, in spite of the powerful
presence of God’s Spirit who would be able to kindle Christlike love. What is
God’s will in such circumstances?
Through the apostle Paul, God says: “Now, for those who are married I
have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. ... If she [the wife]
does leave him [her husband], let her remain single or else go back to him.”
(1 Corinthians 7:10-11)
This command from the Lord is in keeping with the earlier-mentioned
declaration of Jesus that according to the New or Messianic Covenant the bond
of marriage is unbreakable and even an arranged divorce amongst God’s reborn
children does not dissolve their marriage in God’s eyes!
Interestingly, based on Jesus’ declarations, the apostle personally
advises the church in Corinth, saying: “I will speak to the rest of you,
though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a Christian man has a
wife who is an unbeliever and she is willing to continue living with him, he
must not leave her. And if a Christian woman has a husband who is an
unbeliever, and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave
him. For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian
husband brings holiness to his marriage.” (1 Corinthians
7:12-14)
Well, on the matter of divorce, God’s Word gives us much food for
thought. Here in the West, we see how the near ‘epidemic’ of divorce and
remarriage ravages many churches, not only ‘infecting’ some members but
likewise some church leaders.
That’s why I would like us to take some time to assess our own personal
situations and the state of affairs in our churches:
-- Am I familiar with Jesus’ declarations with regard to divorce and
remarriage? Do I adhere to God’s statement that remarriage during my first
spouse’s lifetime is adultery in God’s eyes?
-- Does my church abides by Jesus’ declarations regarding divorce and
remarriage? Does my church teach and act in accordance with God’s statement
that remarriage during the lifetime of one’s first spouse is adultery in His
eyes?
-- Do I and my church know fellow-Christians who have left their spouses
and remain single in accordance with God’s will, whatever the cost?
-- Do I and my church know fellow-Christians who stick to their
non-believing spouses? In what way do they practically bring Christlike
holiness to their marriages?
-- Amidst our permissive society, does my church train its members how
to stand firm on God’s Word, especially with regard to divorce and remarriage?
-- Does my church have awareness programmes to teach my church about
God’s Word and His will regarding divorce and remarriage?
-- Does my church have wise and Christlike counsellors to care
compassionately for those church members who go through a divorce and in
obedience to God have decided to remain single whatever agony that brings?
-- Is my
church prepared to firmly use Christlike church discipline in a loving and
compassionate way to deal with unrepentant members? (see Meditation 88)
Matthew 19:9 and 1 Corinthians
7:27 are quotes from the New International Version. All
other quotes are from the New Living Translation.
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