BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A) BEFORE CONSIDERING SUCH CRITICAL ISSUES AS MARRIAGE, DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE THE BELIEVER MUST HAVE A HISTORY OF TRUSTING IN THE WISDOM OF THE WORDS OF GOD'S WORD SO AS TO DIRECT EVERY ASPECT OF HIS LIFE

1) SEEK FIRST GOD'S KINGDOM & HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS & LIFE'S NEEDS WILL BE MET INCLUDING THOSE OF MARRIAGE

a) [Mt 6:25, 33-34]:

b) [Compare Pr 3:1-6]:

B) THE BELIEVER'S PERSONAL LIFE IS NOT OF THE GREATEST PRIORITY - EVEN SUCH THINGS AS MARRIAGE ARE TO BE ENTERED INTO IN THE LIGHT OF ONE'S APPOINTED SERVICE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD

1) [Eph 2:8-10]:

C) WORKS OF SERVICE ARE TO BE DONE VIA INSTRUCTION IN AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD

1) [Eph 4:11-13]:

2) [Compare 2 Tim 2:15]:

D) AS BELIEVERS GROW IN SPIRITUAL MATURITY VIA STUDY, ACCEPTANCE & APPLICATION OF GOD'S WORD IN THEIR LIVES THEY PREPARE THEMSELVES PROPERLY FOR DECISIONS ABOUT SUCH CRITICAL ISSUES IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AS MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE

1) [Eph 4:11-16]:

II) GOD'S VIEWPOINT ON MARRIAGE

A) BELIEVERS ARE NEITHER TO MARRY NOR CLOSELY ASSOCIATE WITH UNBELIEVERS OR CARNAL CHRISTIANS

1) [Compare 2 Cor 6:14-18]:

2) [Compare Pr 22:24-25]:

3) [Compare 1 Cor 15:33]:

4) [Compare 2 John 7-11]:

5) [Compare Eph 5:3-4, 11]:

6) [Compare 1 Cor 7:12-13]:

a) Paul Offers Advice Not A Command From The Lord Not To Divorce A Spouse Who Is An Unbeliever Who Is Willing To Remain Living With The Believer Spouse

b) Paul Implies That It Is Not Advisable To Marry An Unbeliever

B) ISRAELITES WERE NEITHER TO MARRY NOR CLOSELY ASSOCIATE WITH NON-ISRAELITES

1) Ex 34:11-16]:

2) [Compare Dt 7:1-4]:

3) [Mal 2:10-16]:

4) [Ezra 10:2, 10-11, 16-17]:

C) A MARRIAGE CEREMONY IS REQUIRED WHICH ACKNOWLEDGES GOD AS A WITNESS, HUMAN WITNESSES ARE TO BE PRESENT AND BIBLICAL VOWS ARE TO BE MADE TO FORM A PERMANENT COVENANT

1) [Compare Gen 2:24]:

2) [Compare Mt 19:4-6]:

3) [Compare Mal 2:14-16]:

4) [Compare Mt 18:16b]:

5) [Compare Ruth 4:9-12]:

D) CIVIL LAWS MUST BE OBEYED RELATIVE TO MARRIAGE SUCH AS A CEREMONY, WITNESSES, BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN

1) [Compare Ro 13:1, 7]:

E) MARRIAGE IS TO BE ENTERED INTO AS A PERMANENT UNION

1) [Compare Gen 2:20b-24]:

2) [Compare Mt 19:4-6]:

3) [Mal 2:14-16]:

F) MARRIAGES ARE TO BE MONOGAMOUS

1) [Mt 19:3-6]:

2) [Gen 1:27]:

3) [Gen 2:24]:

4) [Eph 5:22-23]:

5) [Ex 20:17]:

6) [1 Tim 3:2]:

7) [1 Cor 7:2]:

8) [Compare OT passages on godly people as examples of monogamy]:

9) Compare OT passages evidencing polygamy & its consequences]:

10) [Compare OT passages on godly men who were nevertheless polygamous]:

G) MARRIAGE IS A PICTURE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT OF GOD'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL

1) [Isa 54:5]:

2) [Jer 31:32-33]:

H) MARRIAGE IS A PICTURE IN THE CHURCH AGE OF OUR LORD'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHURCH

1) [Eph 5:25-32]:

I) PRACTICAL ADVICE AND COMMANDS FROM SCRIPTURE ON MARRIAGE FOR NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS

1) [1 Cor 6:15-7:24]:

a) [1 Cor 6:15-20]:

i) Sexual Immorality Unites One With One's Illegitimate Partner And Defiles The Marriage

b) [1 Cor 7:1]:

i) Paul Responds With Advice Relative To What The Corinthians Wrote About: It Is good For One Not To Marry - On The Other Hand This Is Not A Mandate For Believers Not To Marry

c) [1 Cor 7:1-2]:

i) In View Of So Much Immorality, Generally Speaking, Each Man Should Have His Own Wife And Each Woman Her Own Husband

d) [1 Cor 7:1-3]:

i) Husbands And Wives Should Fulfill Their Marital Duty To Satisfy Their Spouses Sexual Needs

ii) The Husband's Body Does Not Belong To Him Alone Nor The Wife's Signifying That Each Spouse Has Ownership Of One Another's Bodies Relative But Not Necessarily Limited To Sexual Intercourse

e) [1 Cor 7:1-5]:

i) Husbands And Wives Are Not To Deprive One Another Of Sexual Needs Except By Mutual Consent And That Only For A Time In Consideration Of The Possibility Of Lack Of Self-Control, In Order To Devote Themselves To Prayer

f) [1 Cor 7:1-6]:

i) Paul Says What He Has Said In Verses 1-5 As A Concession Not As A Command In Accordance With Ones Own Life To Lead Before The Lord

g) [1 Cor 7:1-7]:

i) Paul Wishes That All Men Were As Focused And Largely Without Distractions As He Is. But He Adds That Each Man Has His Own Gift From God And Leaves It Up To Each To Make Up His Own Mind - Especially As To Whether To Marry Or Not

h) [1 Cor 7:1-9]:

i) Paul Advises The Unmarried And Widows That It Is Good For Them To Stay Unmarried Like He Is, Evidently To Best Live Out A Godly Life And Serve The Lord Except They Should Marry If They Cannot Control Themselves Rather Than To Burn With Passion

i) [1 Cor 7:10]:

i) Paul Provides A Command From The Lord Relative To Believers Not Separating, i.e., Not Divorcing

ii) The Subject Of Divorce Of Believers Is At Hand Relative To All Marriages Jew & Gentile Alike

[Compare Gen 2:20b-24]:

[Compare Mt 19:4-6]:

j) [1 Cor 7:10-11]:

i) Divorce Not Just Physical Separation Of Believers Who Are Married Is In View Because Of The Word Rendered "Unmarried" To Which Divorce Not Physical Separation Applies. This Parallels The Next Phrase In The Verse, "And A Husbands Must Not Divorce His Wife"

ii) Husbands And Wives Who Are Believers Must Not Divorce. If They Do, They Are To Remain Unmarried Or Else Be Reconciled - Evidently Pointing To An Unwarranted Divorce Wherein The Marriage Is Not Biblically Dissolved

iii) Since Verses 12-15 Provide For One Instance Of Legitimate Divorce, It Is Not Summarily Ruled Out In The Case Of NT Believers - Just Unwarranted Divorces Are Addressed

k) [1 Cor 7:10-13]:

i) Not A Command But Godly Advice From Paul Follows

ii) Paul Offers Advice Not A Command From The Lord Not To Divorce A Spouse Who Is An Unbeliever Who Is Willing To Live With The Believer Spouse

iii) Paul Implies That It Is Not Advisable To Marry An Unbeliever

l) [1 Cor 7:10-14]:

i) The Unbelieving Spouse And The Marriage's Children Have Been Sanctified By The Believing Spouse - Set Apart For God's Protection, Blessings And Service To Him Who Would Otherwise Be Spiritually Unclean - I.E., Be Separated From God

m) [1 Cor 7:10-15]:

i) A Believer/Spouse Is Advised By Paul To Let An Unbeliever/Spouse Separate From The Marriage Who Chooses To Separate, I.E., Signifying An Exhortation To Divorce An Unbeliever/Spouse Who Abandons The Marriage

n) [1 Cor 7:10-16]:

i) Paul Provides Further Reason Why A Believer Should Not Divorce His/Her Unbelieving Spouse Who Chooses To Remain: He/Her May Be Saved By Remaining In The Marriage

o) [1 Cor 7:17-24]:

i) Whatever Situation God Has Assigned To An Individual Believer Is The One He Has Been Called To And Is To Retain Until God Directs Otherwise - That Includes Marriage

ii) The Issue Of Marital Unfaithfulness Including Adultery Relative To Divorce Is Not Addressed

III) GOD'S VIEWPOINT ON SEPARATION, DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE

A) A BELIEVER IS TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM THE EVIL WAYS OF THE WORLD & THIS MAY INCLUDE ONE'S SPOUSE

1) THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE APPLICABLE TO ALL BELIEVERS - MARRIED AND UNMARRIED: TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE SET APART TO GOD

a) DO NOT BE PARTNERS WITH THOSE WHO LIVE A SINFUL LIFESTYLE

i) INTRODUCTION

ii) [Compare Eph 5:1-14]:

B) DIVORCE FOR THE ISRAELITE UNDER THE LAW WAS AN OPTION WHEN SOMETHING INDECENT CONTAMINATED THE MARRIAGE TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT GOD PERMITTED ITS FORMAL DISSOLUTION THROUGH A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE IN ORDER TO ENABLE LEGITIMATE REMARRIAGE

1) [Compare Dt 24:1-4]:

a) [Dt 24:1]:

i) All Israelite Husbands And Wives Are In View - Not Just Those After The Marriage Has Been Consumated. Hence The Passage Is Not Limited To Only Those Who Are Betrothed To Be Married As Some Might Suggest

ii) Marriage And Divorce Involving Non-Israelites Is Not In View In Dt 24. On The Other Hand, The Principle Of The Permanancy Of Marriage As Established By God In Genesis 2:20b-24 As Related By Jesus Christ in Mt 19:4-6 Are For All Mankind

[Compare Dt 1:1]:

[Compare Gen 2:20b-24]:

[Compare Mt 19:4-6]:

iii) The Phrase Something Indecent Refers To Any Kind Of Impurity Or Indecency But More Than The Trivial For Marriages Under The Law. It Thus Includes Sexual Misconduct Within The Marriage, Especially Adultery Provided The Option Of Death Is Not Invoked

[Compare Dt 23:9, 14]:

iv) In View Of The Fact That Divorce Was Already Widespread Within The Israelite Society In Moses' Time, The Commands In Dt 24:1-4 Were Not To Initiate Divorce But To Regulate An Already Bad Situation And Present It In A Very Negative Light

[Compare Lev 21:7, 14; 22:13]:

[Compare Num 30:9]:

b) [Dt 24:1-4]:

i) Divorce Evidently Was Instituted In Order To Regulate When An Individual May Or May Not Remarry - A Biblically Warranted Divorce Permits Both Parties To Remarry, But Not Without Consequences For Sinful Behavior

ii) Divorce Even If Biblically Warranted Which Includes The Possibility Of Remarriage Defiles The Person And Is Viewed In A Very Negative Light

[Compare Jer 3:1a]:

iii) The Law Prohibited Remarriage To A Former Spouse

C) GOD PERMITTED DIVORCE WHEN ISRAELITES MARRIED OUTSIDE OF THE FAITH INDICATING THAT MARRIAGE OUTSIDE OF THE FAITH IS UNWARRANTED

1) [Mal 2:10-16]:

2) [Ezra 10:2, 10-11, 16-17]:

D) ABANDONMENT OF THE MARRIAGE BY A SPOUSE WHO IS AN UNBELIEVER CONSTITUTES REASON FOR DIVORCE

1) [Compare 2 Cor 6:14-17]:

a) Believers Are Commanded Not To Marry Unbelievers

2) [Compare 1 Cor 7:10-24]:

a) [1 Cor 7:10]:

i) Paul Provides A Command From The Lord Relative To Divorce

ii) The Subject Of Divorce Is At Hand

[Compare Mt 19:4-6]:

b) [1 Cor 7:10-11]:

i) Paul Means Divorce Not Just Physical Separation Because He Uses The Word Rendered "Unmarried" To Which Divorce Applies Not Physical Separation And Then Parallels This With Husbands Should [Likewise] Not Divorce Their Wives

ii) Paul Acknowledges That Husbands And Wives Must Not Divorce. If They Do, They Are To Remain Unmarried Or Else Be Reconciled - Evidently Pointing To An Unwarranted Divorce Wherein The Marriage Is Not Biblically Dissolved

iii) Paul Does Not Rule Out All Cases For Divorce

c) [1 Cor 7:10-13]:

i) Not A Command But Godly Advice From Paul Follows

ii) Paul Offers Advice Not A Command From The Lord Not To Divorce A Spouse Who Is An Unbeliever Who Is Willing To Remain Living With The Believer Spouse

iii) Paul Implies That It Is Not Advisable To Marry An Unbeliever

d) [1 Cor 7:10-14]:

e) [1 Cor 7:10-15]:

f) [1 Cor 7:10-16]:

i) Paul Provides Further Reason Why A Believer Should Not Divorce His/Her Unbelieving Spouse Who Chooses To Remain: He/Her May Be Saved By Remaining In The Marriage

g) [1 Cor 7:17-24]:

i) Whatever Situation God Has Assigned To An Individual Believer Is The One He Has Been Called To And Is To Retain Until God Directs Otherwise - That Includes Marriage

E) JESUS DECLARED THAT DIVORCE IS TO OCCUR ONLY AS A RESULT OF MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS - MARRIAGES TO NON-ISRAELITES AND UNBELIEVERS ARE NOT IN VIEW

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EXCERPTS FROM MATTHEW CHAPTER 19:1-12:

[Note: parallel passages in Mt 5:31-32; Mk 10:2-12]

I) [Mt 19:1-3]:

A) SOME PHARISEES ASK JESUS A TEST QUESTION RELATIVE TO DIVORCE EVIDENTLY IN ORDER TO HAVE A REASON TO CONDEMN HIM

II) [Mt 19:4-6]:

A) JESUS' ANSWER TO THE PHARISEES WAS TO PROVIDE WHAT GOD SAID ABOUT MARRIAGE FROM THE BEGINNING

B) GOD VIEWS THE HUSBAND AND WIFE AS ONE FLESH. HIS PLAN FOR MARRIAGE: WHAT HE HAS JOINED TOGETHER IN MARRIAGE LET NO MAN SEPARATE

III) [Mt 19:6-7]:

A) JESUS IS THEN ASKED ANOTHER QUESTION MEANT TO ENTRAP HIM IN A DILEMMA: IF MARRIAGE IS NOT TO BE DISSOLVED THEN WHY DID MOSES COMMAND OTHERWISE?

B) THE DILEMMA THE PHARISEES ATTEMPTED TO PUT JESUS IN IS THAT SINCE SCRIPTURE STIPULATES THAT GOD HATES DIVORCE AND VIEWS IT AS TREACHEROUS THEN HOW IS IT THAT MOSES PERMITTED IT IN THE LAW

1) [Compare Mal 2:13-16]:

IV) [Mt 19:8]:

A) JESUS REFERS TO DEUTERONOMY 24:1-4 WHICH PASSAGE REGULATES DIVORCE THAT THE ISRAELITES UNDER THE LAW WERE COMMITTING BECAUSE OF THEIR HARD HEARTS. HE STIPULATED THAT DIVORCE WAS NOT CONDONED, BUT PERMITTED IN ORDER TO REGULATE IT AND PROTECT ITS VICTIMS

1) [Compare Mk 10:4-5]:

2) [Compare Dt 24:1]:

a) All Israelite Husbands And Wives Are In View - The Passage Is Not Limited To Only Those Who Are Betrothed To Be Married As Some Suggest

b) Marriage And Divorce Involving Non-Israelites Is Not In View In Dt 24. On The Other Hand, The Principle That Marriage Is To Be Permanent Is Established In Genesis Which Pertains To All Mankind

i) [Compare Dt 1:1]:

ii) [Compare Mt 19:4-6]:

c) The Phrase Something Indecent Refers To Any Kind Of Impurity Or Indecency But More Than The Trivial For Marriages Under The Law. It Thus Includes Sexual Misconduct Within The Marriage, Especially Adultery Provided The Option Of The Death Penalty Is Not Invoked

i) [Compare Dt 23:9, 14]:

d) In View Of The Fact That Divorce Was Already Widespread Within The Israelite Society In Moses' Time, The Commands In Dt 24:1-4 Were Not To Initiate Divorce But To Regulate An Already Bad Situation And Present It In A Very Negative Light

i) [Compare Lev 21:7, 14; 22:13]:

ii) [Compare Num 30:9]:

3) [Dt 24:1-4]:

a) Divorce Evidently Was Instituted In Order To Regulate When An Individual May Or May Not Remarry - A Biblically Warranted Divorce Permits Both Parties To Remarry, But Not Without Consequences For Sinful Behavior

b) Divorce Even If Biblically Warranted Which Includes The Possibility Of Remarriage Defiles The Person And Is Viewed In A Very Negative Light

i) [Compare Jer 3:1a]:

c) The Law Prohibited Remarriage To A Former Spouse

B) JESUS REFERS TO DEUTERONOMY 24:1-4 WHICH HAS ISRAELITE HUSBANDS AND WIVES IN VIEW WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTIONS. IT IS NOT NARROWED TO ONLY BETROTHED INDIVIDUALS

1) [Mt 19:8]:

2) [Compare Dt 24:1-4]:

V) [Mt 19:8-9]:

A) JESUS REFERS TO MOSES' PERMISSION TO ISRAELITES TO DIVORCE DUE TO THEIR HARD HEARTEDNESS AND THEN BROADENS THE CONTEXT OF MARRIAGE TO INCLUDE ALL MANKIND

B) JESUS IS ADDRESSING WOMEN WHO ARE REFERRED TO AS A POSSESSION OF ISRAELITE MEN, I.E., WIVES WITH NO LIMITING LANGUAGE = ALL WIVES, BETROTHED AND FORMALLY MARRIED ARE IN VIEW

C) JESUS NARROWS THE REASONS FOR DIVORCE FOR ISRAELITES UNDER THE LAW AND ALL MANKIND INCLUDING NT BELIEVERS TO ONE REASON - MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS. DIVORCE OF UNBELIEVERS TO ISRAELITES OR NT BELIEVERS IS NOT ADDRESSED

D) THE TERM PORNEIAS IN THE GREEK BIBLE RENDERED 'MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS' INCLUDES ADULTERY AND OTHER SEXUAL IMMORALITY IN THIS CONTEXT: WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF MARRIAGE

E) JESUS INDICATES THAT MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS, INCLUDING ADULTERY IS IMPLIED IN DEUTERONOMY

F) MT 19:8 IMPLIES THAT DIVORCE FOR MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS WILL NOT RESULT IN ADULTERY IF ONE REMARRIES

G) THE MAXIMUM PENALTY BUT NOT THE ONLY OPTION FOR ISRAELITES UNDER THE LAW FOR SEXUAL IMMORALITY RELATIVE TO MARRIED WOMEN AND MEN WHO COMMIT ADULTERY INCLUDING WOMEN WHO ARE BETROTHED WAS DEATH

1) Under The Law Adultery Warrants The Death Penalty For Both Parties

a) [Compare Lev 20:10:

b) [Compare Dt. 22:22]:

2) Under The Law Sexual Immorality For An Unmarried Woman Warrants The Death Penalty

a) [Compare Dt 22:13-21]:

3) Under The Law Sexual Misconduct Between A Man And A Bethrothed Virgin In A Town Warrants The Death Penalty - Even The Woman If She Made No Attempt To Scream

a) [Compare Dt 22:23-24]:

4) Under The Law A Man Who Rapes A Girl In The Country Side Who Is Pledged To Be Married, I.E., Who Is Bethrothed, Warrants The Death Penalty But Not The Woman

a) [Compare Dt 22:25-27]:

H) ALTHOUGH PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE STIPULATE THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR ISRAELITES UNDER THE LAW FOR MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS IS DEATH, DIVORCE IS NEVERTHELESS AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION IF THE DEATH PENALTY IS NOT INVOKED

1) Jesus Stopped The Stoning Of A Woman Who Committed Adultery Indicating That Stoning Was The Maximu Penalty Not Necessarily A Mandatory One

a) [Compare Jn 8:1-11]:

2) Neither David Nor Bathsheba Received The Death Penalty For Adultery

a) [Compare 2 Sam 12:10]:

3) Joseph Sought To Divorce Mary For Apparent Adultery. He Did Not Seek The Death Penalty

a) [Mt 1:18-19]:

I) GOD IS VIEWED AS DIVORCING ISRAEL BECAUSE OF HER ADULTERY AND INDICATES THAT HE WILL TAKE HER BACK - NOTICE THAT ADULTERY WARRANTS THE OPTION OF DIVORCE FOR GOD DID NOT TOTALLY DESTROY ISRAEL

1) [Compare Jer 3:6-14]:

J) DIVORCE WHEN PERMITTED IMPLIES PERMISSION TO REMARRY EXCEPT TO A PREVIOUS SPOUSE ONCE ONE HAS MARRIED ANOTHER AND THEN DIVORCED AGAIN

1) [Compare Dt 24:1-4]:

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F) FURTHER COMMANDS FROM SCRIPTURE ON MARRIAGE, DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE

1) [1 Cor 7:10-24]:

a) [1 Cor 7:10]:

i) Paul Provides A Command From The Lord Relative To Divorce

ii) The Subject Of Divorce Is At Hand

[Compare Mt 19:4-6]:

b) [1 Cor 7:10-11]:

i) Paul Means Divorce Not Just Physical Separation Because He Uses The Word Rendered "Unmaried" To Which Divorce Applies Not Physical Separation And Then Parallels This With Husbands Should [Likewise] Not Divorce Their Wives

ii) Paul Acknowledges That Husband And Wives Must Not Divorce. If They Do, They Are To Remain Unmarried Or Else Be Reconciled - Evidently Pointing To An Unwarranted Divorce Wherein The Marriage Is Not Biblically Dissolved

iii) Paul Does Not Rule Out All Cases For Divorce

c) [1 Cor 7:10-13]:

i) Not A Command But Godly Advice From Paul Follows

ii) Paul Offers Advice Not A Command From The Lord Not To Divorce A Spouse Who Is An Unbeliever Who Is Willing To Live With The Believer Spouse

iii) Paul Implies That It Is Not Advisable To Marry An Unbeliever

d) [1 Cor 7:10-14]:

e) [1 Cor 7:10-15]:

f) [1 Cor 7:10-16]:

i) Paul Provides Further Reason Why A Believer Should Not Divorce His/Her Unbelieving Spouse Who Chooses To Remain: He/Her May Be Saved By Remaining In The Marriage

g) [1 Cor 7:17-24]:

i) Whatever Situation God Has Assigned To An Individual Believer Is The One He Has Been Called To And Is To Retain Until God Directs Otherwise - That Includes Marriage

ii) The Issue Of Marital Unfaithfulness Including Adultery Relative To Divorce Is Not Addressed