Matthew 5:31 - “It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’ Deuteronomy 24:1
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What does "Matthew 5:31" mean?
This verse, "It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’ Deuteronomy 24:1" from Matthew 5:31, is part of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount. He's not stating his own rule here; he's quoting an accepted teaching from the Old Testament (specifically Deuteronomy 24:1). To understand its meaning, we need to look at the context both in Deuteronomy and in Matthew:
Deuteronomy 24:1's Original Context:
Legal Framework: Deuteronomy 24:1 provided a legal framework for divorce within the ancient Israelite society. It stipulated that if a man found "some uncleanness" (the Hebrew term is debated, but generally understood as something shameful, though its exact nature is unclear) in his wife and wanted to divorce her, he had to give her a certificate of divorce.
Protection for the Woman: The certificate of divorce served several purposes:
Legal Recognition: It officially dissolved the marriage, acknowledging the woman's single status and right to remarry.
Protection from Abuse: It likely served as a check on impulsive or arbitrary divorces. Requiring a written document might have forced the husband to consider the consequences more carefully.
Financial Security (potentially): While not explicitly stated in Deuteronomy 24:1, the certificate likely helped the woman establish her right to any settlement or dowry owed to her.
Limited Regulation, Not Approval: Crucially, Deuteronomy 24:1 regulated divorce; it didn't approve of it. It acknowledged that divorce happened and sought to mitigate its negative consequences, especially for women who were vulnerable in that society.
Jesus's Use of the Verse in Matthew 5:31:
Part of a Broader Critique: Jesus is using this verse as a jumping-off point to challenge the prevailing understanding and practice of divorce in his time. He's not endorsing the idea of easy or frivolous divorce. He's setting the stage for a higher standard of righteousness.
Focus on the Heart: Jesus consistently calls people to look beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of the law. He focuses on inner motives and intentions. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, he's addressing issues like anger (related to murder), lust (related to adultery), and now divorce, showing how inward attitudes are just as important as outward actions.
Setting up the Stronger Statement: Matthew 5:31 is incomplete on its own. The real point comes in Matthew 5:32: "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
Implications of Matthew 5:32:
Restriction on Divorce: Jesus significantly restricts the grounds for divorce, suggesting that "sexual immorality" (porneia in Greek, which has a wider range of meanings than just adultery) is the only justifiable reason.
Consequences of Unjust Divorce: Divorcing a wife for reasons other than "sexual immorality" makes her vulnerable to committing adultery if she remarries, because in Jesus's view, the original marriage bond wasn't truly broken. The man is therefore responsible. Also, the man who marries the divorced woman is considered as committing adultery because the original marriage has not been broken.
In Summary:
Matthew 5:31 presents a common understanding of divorce based on Deuteronomy 24:1, which allowed divorce with a certificate. However, Jesus uses this verse as a contrast to introduce his own teaching on divorce (Matthew 5:32), which is much stricter. He challenges the prevailing view and points to the importance of commitment, faithfulness, and the sanctity of marriage, emphasizing that divorce has serious consequences. He highlights that easy divorce, even if legally permissible, can lead to further sin and injustice. The focus is not just on following the letter of the law, but on understanding and living according to the spirit of God's intention for marriage.
It's important to note that the interpretation of Matthew 5:32 (the "exception clause" regarding sexual immorality) is debated among Christians. However, the overall message of Jesus's teaching is a call to a higher standard of commitment and faithfulness in marriage.
Matthew 5:31 - “It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’ Deuteronomy 24:1
What does "Matthew 5:31" mean?
This verse, "It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’ Deuteronomy 24:1" from Matthew 5:31, is part of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount. He's not stating his own rule here; he's quoting an accepted teaching from the Old Testament (specifically Deuteronomy 24:1). To understand its meaning, we need to look at the context both in Deuteronomy and in Matthew:
Deuteronomy 24:1's Original Context:
Legal Framework: Deuteronomy 24:1 provided a legal framework for divorce within the ancient Israelite society. It stipulated that if a man found "some uncleanness" (the Hebrew term is debated, but generally understood as something shameful, though its exact nature is unclear) in his wife and wanted to divorce her, he had to give her a certificate of divorce.
Protection for the Woman: The certificate of divorce served several purposes:
Legal Recognition: It officially dissolved the marriage, acknowledging the woman's single status and right to remarry.
Protection from Abuse: It likely served as a check on impulsive or arbitrary divorces. Requiring a written document might have forced the husband to consider the consequences more carefully.
Financial Security (potentially): While not explicitly stated in Deuteronomy 24:1, the certificate likely helped the woman establish her right to any settlement or dowry owed to her.
Limited Regulation, Not Approval: Crucially, Deuteronomy 24:1 regulated divorce; it didn't approve of it. It acknowledged that divorce happened and sought to mitigate its negative consequences, especially for women who were vulnerable in that society.
Jesus's Use of the Verse in Matthew 5:31:
Part of a Broader Critique: Jesus is using this verse as a jumping-off point to challenge the prevailing understanding and practice of divorce in his time. He's not endorsing the idea of easy or frivolous divorce. He's setting the stage for a higher standard of righteousness.
Focus on the Heart: Jesus consistently calls people to look beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of the law. He focuses on inner motives and intentions. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, he's addressing issues like anger (related to murder), lust (related to adultery), and now divorce, showing how inward attitudes are just as important as outward actions.
Setting up the Stronger Statement: Matthew 5:31 is incomplete on its own. The real point comes in Matthew 5:32: "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
Implications of Matthew 5:32:
Restriction on Divorce: Jesus significantly restricts the grounds for divorce, suggesting that "sexual immorality" (porneia in Greek, which has a wider range of meanings than just adultery) is the only justifiable reason.
Consequences of Unjust Divorce: Divorcing a wife for reasons other than "sexual immorality" makes her vulnerable to committing adultery if she remarries, because in Jesus's view, the original marriage bond wasn't truly broken. The man is therefore responsible. Also, the man who marries the divorced woman is considered as committing adultery because the original marriage has not been broken.
In Summary:
Matthew 5:31 presents a common understanding of divorce based on Deuteronomy 24:1, which allowed divorce with a certificate. However, Jesus uses this verse as a contrast to introduce his own teaching on divorce (Matthew 5:32), which is much stricter. He challenges the prevailing view and points to the importance of commitment, faithfulness, and the sanctity of marriage, emphasizing that divorce has serious consequences. He highlights that easy divorce, even if legally permissible, can lead to further sin and injustice. The focus is not just on following the letter of the law, but on understanding and living according to the spirit of God's intention for marriage.
It's important to note that the interpretation of Matthew 5:32 (the "exception clause" regarding sexual immorality) is debated among Christians. However, the overall message of Jesus's teaching is a call to a higher standard of commitment and faithfulness in marriage.