BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: MATTHEW CHAPTER 5

MATTHEW CHAPTER 5

OBSERVATION STAGE

Let's take a look at this chapter in its entirety first to see what we can observe from it alone within the context of the book of Matthew, and then we will double back and provide elaboration and corroboration.

The observation stage is to teach an individual to focus on the text at hand which, by and large, has all the information necessary to understand what it is saying without going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere.

Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.

I) [Mt 5:1-12]:

(Mt 5:1 YLT) "And having seen the [crowds], He [Jesus Christ, (v. 4:23)] went up to the mount, and He having sat down, His disciples came to Him,

(Mt 5:2 YLT) and having opened His mouth, He was teaching them, saying:

(Mt 5:3 NKJV) 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(Mt 5:4 NKJV) Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

(Mt 5:5 NKJV) Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

(Mt 5:6 NKJV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

(Mt 5:7 NKJV) Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

(Mt 5:8 NKJV) Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

(Mt 5:9 NKJV) Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

(Mt 5:10 NAS) Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(Mt 5:11 ASV) Blessed are [you] when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.

(Mt 5:12 NAS) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.' "

A) JESUS CALLED HIS FIRST DISCIPLES, WENT THROUGHOUT GALILEE TEACHING IN SYNAGOGUES PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND, HEALED EVERY KIND OF DISEASE AND SICKNESS; AND WHEN THE REPORT OF HIM WENT OUT INTO ALL SYRIA, AND PEOPLE BROUGHT TO HIM ALL THE SICK, THOSE THAT HAD VARIOUS DISEASES, TORMENTS, THE DEMON POSSESSED, EPILEPTICS, PARALYTICS - HE HEALED THEM ALL TOO. THEN LARGE CROWDS FOLLOWED HIM FROM GALILEE, DECAPOLIS, JERUSALEM, JUDEA AND BEYOND THE JORDAN. SO THEN AS CROWDS OF PEOPLE FOLLOWED JESUS, HE WENT UP ON A MOUNTAINSIDE NEAR CAPERNAUM; AND WHEN THOSE OF THE CROWD WHO WERE HIS DISCIPLES CAME TO HIM, HE TAUGHT THEM BEGINNING WITH NINE BEATITUDES. EACH BEATTITUDE PORTRAYED INDIVIDUALS BEING SINGULARLY FAVORED BY GOD AS A RESULT OF THEIR RESPONSE TO GOD AND HIS STANDARD OF PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS. JESUS DECLARED THAT THIS RESULTED IN TEMPORAL BLESSINGS; AND HE FORETOLD OF THEM RECEIVING ETERNAL BLESSINGS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

(Mt 4:12 YLT) "And Jesus having heard that John was delivered up [put in prison], did withdraw to Galilee. (Mt 4:13 YLT) And having left Nazareth, having come, He dwelt at Capernaum that is by the sea, in [within] the borders of Zebulun and Naphtalim. (Mt 4:14 YLT) that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, (Mt 4:15 YLT) 'Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations!' [Isa 9:1-2] -4:25 9999 get versions) (Mt 4:23 NAS) Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. (Mt 4:24 CBL) And the report of Him went out into all Syria. And they brought to Him all the [sick] having various diseases and torments, [oppressed with sicknesses], demon possessed, [epileptics], paralytics; and He healed them. (Mt 4:25 HOLMAN) [And] large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. (Mt 5:1 YLT) "And having seen the [crowds], He [Jesus Christ, (v. 4:23)] went up to the mount, and He having sat down, His disciples came to Him, (Mt 5:2 YLT) and having opened His mouth, He was teaching them, saying: (Mt 5:3 NKJV) 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:4 NKJV) Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. (Mt 5:5 NKJV) Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. (Mt 5:6 NKJV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. (Mt 5:7 NKJV) Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. (Mt 5:8 NKJV) Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. (Mt 5:9 NKJV) Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. (Mt 5:10 NAS) Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:11 ASV) Blessed are [you] when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. (Mt 5:12 NAS) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.' " =

Jesus called His first disciples, went throughout Galilee teaching in synagogues proclaiming the gospel of repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand, healed every kind of disease and sickness; and when the report of Him went out into all Syria, and people brought to Him all the sick, those that had various diseases, torments, the demon possessed, epileptics, paralytics - He healed them all too. Then large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond the Jordan. So then as crowds of people followed Jesus, He went up on a mountainside, (evidently near Capernaum, {cf Mt 4:23-25}); and when those of the crowd who were His disciples came to Him, He taught them beginning with nine beatitudes. Each beattitude portrayed individuals being singularly favored by God as a result of their response to God and His standard of perfect righteousness. Jesus declared that this resulted in temporal blessings; and He foretold of them receiving eternal blessings in the Kingdom of God.

There He began to teach His disciples, (those individuals in the crowd - not necessarily believers - who followed Him with the purpose of adhering to what He taught them, (not limited to the Twelve). Jesus began to teach them by pronouncing nine blessings, often called the Beatitudes. Each one was comprised of three parts, (1) the Greek word, "Makarioi" rendered "Blessed" in Mk 5:2-11, which portrays individuals being singularly favored by God: (2) as a result of their humble response to God and His standard of perfect righteousness, (3) resulting in temporal blessing and foretelling of a future hope of eternal life and blessing in the eternal Kingdom of God.

So, in the nine Beatitudes Jesus taught His disciples about the perfect life of godly righteousness that one should have, (Mt 5:6, 10, 20, 48), in order to (1) receive God's temporal blessings, (Mt 5:3-11, 6:25-33; 7:7-11), (2) be a light to the world of God's Perfect Righteousness, (Mt 5:14-16); (3) enter the eternal kingdom of God as sons of God to see God, (Mt 5:8-10, 19-22, 29-29); i.e., not go to eternal destruction in hell, (Mt 5:20-22, 29-30, 7:13-14) and (4) receive eternal rewards such as inheriting the earth and the Kingdom of Heaven, i.e., the Kingdom of God, (Mt 5:3, 5, 5:10, 12; 6:1-8, 16-21).

Jesus taught that His disciples were to be as perfect as God is perfect, (Mt 5:48). But this He taught was impossible with man. He implied in His teaching that it was from God that man would receive God's perfect righteousness, (Mt 5:3-9; cf Mt 19:25-26).

1) [Compare Mt 19:26 NKJV]:

"But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' "

B) [SUMMARY IN CAPS]:

The Greek word, "Makarioi" in Mt 5:3 rendered "Blessed" in Mk 5:2-11, portrays an individual being singularly favored by God. The verse goes on to say, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The verse indicates that the poor in spirit - those individuals who recognize in their lives their own spiritual poverty relative to being unable to demonstrate by their own auspices the perfect righteousness of God - having trusted in God to provide it for them - receive from God the reward of inheriting the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. This implies occupancy in the eternal Kingdom of God, i.e., eternal life in order to receive ownership.

C) [SUMMARY IN CAPS]:

Those that recognize their spiritual bankruptcy will be those who mourn their incapacity to be as righteous as God is. As a result of this, they will be comforted by God in some manner, implying a future promise that God will provide His perfect righteousness and perfect fellowship with them so that they will no longer mourn their spiritual bankruptcy.

99999999 commentaries EXP / BKC / CBL / NKJV 999999999

888888888 EXPOSITOR'S 8888888888

"weeping for sins.... can cover a global as well as personal view of sin and our participation in it...."

8888888888 CBL 8888888888

acknowledge their sins and spiritual poverty.... extreme sadness.... Those who mourn because they have spiritual needs can expec God to comfort them.

888 BKC

recognize their needs and present them to the One Who is able to assist.

9999999999999999

D) [SUMMARY IN CAPS]:

["meek" = Str #4239, humble implying obedience.

E) [Mt 5:6]:

Those who hunger and thirst for God's righteousness in the sense of earnestly desiring and trusting in God to express through them and treated with the perfect righteousness of God, will be themselves filled with the perfect righteousness of God in the sense of being credited with it; not in the sense of earning it, or doing deeds.

F) [Mt 5:7]:

To be merciful is to be forgiving of others who do not necessarily deserve it and to respond in deed as a result of a compassion for those in need. The result of one showing mercy is to be rewarded with divine mercy. God's mercy is as His grace - it is bestowed on an individual who does not deserve it - the individual has no merit within himself which even partly can claim that what God does is owed to him. And as James says at the end of Jas 2:13: "mercy triumphs over judgment" = God's undeserved mercy - His inestimable grace - gains complete and total victory over the judgment - the eternal condemnation that one would otherwise have received.

G) [SUMMARY IN CAPS]:

Since the context of the passage includes inheriting the kingdom of heaven, then the phrase "or they shall see God" implies to have eternal life with God in heaven.

"shall see" = "opsontai" future tense form, middle voice, of the verb = "orao" = meaning to gaze, i.e., with open eyes, with a discerning mind as at something remarkable; and thus differing from "blepo" = which denotes simple voluntary observation or other verb forms which do not convey such an intensity of visual contact. Although it is true that all will see God when they are judged by Him, this verse however refers contextually to another kind of seeing - one of an intimate relationship with Him. Only those who have been credited with Christ's absolutely perfect righteousness - credited with a pure heart - will actually receive this gift of a pure heart at the point of their physical death or when they go up in the rapture. This "pure heart" qualifies them to "see God" - to have eternal life.

H) [SUMMARY IN CAPS]:

Relative peace is one thing which men strive for and lie about on this earth using their own human viewpoint reasoning to guide them. Peace to man more often than not means cease fire, postponed killing, being in control over others, etc. Absolute peace, however, is what Mt 5:9 is speaking about - that which finally results in the salvation of men and the sovereign rule of Jesus Christ.

I) [SUMMARY IN CAPS]:

(Mt 5:1 YLT) "And having seen the [crowds], He [Jesus Christ, (v. 4:23)] went up to the mount, and He having sat down, His disciples came to Him, (Mt 5:2 YLT) and having opened His mouth, He was teaching them, saying: (Mt 5:3 NKJV) 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:4 NKJV) Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. (Mt 5:5 NKJV) Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. (Mt 5:6 NKJV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. (Mt 5:7 NKJV) Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. (Mt 5:8 NKJV) Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. (Mt 5:9 NKJV) Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. (Mt 5:10 NAS) Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:11 ASV) Blessed are [you] when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. (Mt 5:12 NAS) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.' " =

Blessed, (happy and fortunate), are those believers who have been persecuted "when men revile...[them]...and persecute... [them]... and say all kinds of evil against...[them]...falsely" for the sake of righteousness. The faithful believers were persecuted not because they behaved so perfectly righteous but on account of Who they represent and His righteousness. Verse 11 above states: "Blessed are you when men...persecute you...on account of Me [Jesus Christ] ." So a believer who endeavors to follow Christ can expect adversity and persecution because of Whom he endeavors to represent and live like. Although it is true that the more Christlike in behavior a disciple is the more he will tend to be persecuted, the disciple will not be persecuted because of his own behavior but because of Who he emulates and His righteousness. For the righteousness of Christ, not the individual's own righteous behavior is what stands between an individual and his eternal destiny.

XXX) [Mt 5:31]:

(v. 31) "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' "

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

(v. 1) "If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house

(v. 2) and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man,

(v. 3) and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies

(v. 4) then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance."

1) 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

(Dt 24 v. 1) "If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house (v. 2) and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man" =

If divorce becomes a legitimate (biblical) option then that would indicate that there was a dissolution of the marriage, hence permission to remarry is legitimate, otherwise why offer divorce at all?

Moses appears to have presented the law on marriage certificates as a defense for women who had been divorced (Deut. 24:1-4). The certificates verified their legal right to remarry. Without such certificates, the women would not have been identifiable as legitimately divorced, making it impossible for them to remarry.To marry a woman who was not divorced was to commit adultery.

Illegitimate remarriage is adultery. If one party of a marriage after an unwarranted divorce remarries, that party commits adultery and the other party is now biblically released from the marriage and may remarry without committing adultery. Although the party who committed adultery may now remarry, (he/she already has), this does not release him/her from the consequences of the sin of adultery by an illegitimate remarriage after an unwarranted divorce.

At the same time, Deuteronomy 24:1-4 mentions remarriage after a divorce, it does not call it adultery, nor demand the death penalty for the remarried spouse. The Bible explicitly says that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16), but nowhere explicitly states that God hates remarriage. The Bible nowhere commands a remarried couple to divorce. Deuteronomy 24:1-4 does not describe the remarriage as invalid. Ending a remarriage through divorce would be just as sinful as ending a first marriage through divorce. Both would include the breaking of vows before God, between the couple, and in front of witnesses.

So Scripture indicates that with a divorce with biblical warrant, both parties may remarry. In the absence of anything from Scripture to the contrary, even the guilty party may remarry. Since marriage is a covenant, it stands to logic that if one party can remarry pointing to the severed covenant, then both can. On the other hand, there will be consequences for sinful attitudes and behavior in spite of permission to remarry. And many divorces do not have biblical warrant so the parties may not remarry in spite of the formal divorce declaration.

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

a) [Compare Jer 3:1a]:

"If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled?"

[BKC, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT Edition, Walvoord & Zuck Eds., Victor Books, USA, 1988; p. 305]:

"The man divorces the woman, and she remarries another man who also dislikes her and divorces her - or dies, leaving her without a husband. This law says that the first husband cannot marry the woman because she has been defiled by the second marriage. This act (of remarriage), should it occur, would be detestable in the Lord's eyes and would bring sin on the land (v. 4). This required procedure for divorce is not given elsewhere but is referred to by Jeremiah (Jer 3:1) and Jesus (Matt 5:31-32)...

If after being divorced she remarried and then her second husband divorced her or died, her first husband was not permitted to remarry her since she had been defiled. The word translated "defiled" was also used to describe a man who had committed adultery (Lev. 18:20). So the use of this word to describe a woman who had been divorced and remarried to the same man suggests that divorce was viewed in a negative light even though Moses permitted it. A remarriage to her former husband would be tantamount to a legal adultery and therefore detestable to the LORD... The purpose of this law seems to be to prevent frivolous divorce, and to present divorce itself in a disparaging light.

3) The Law Prohibited Remarriage To A Former Spouse

(v. 1) "If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house (v. 2) and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, (v. 3) and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies (v. 4) then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance." =

Note that there is a prohibition of marrying a former husband, even if previous divorces were legitimized by the Mosaic Law.

[BKC, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT Edition, Walvoord & Zuck Eds., Victor Books, USA, 1988; p. 305]:

"Verses 1-3 are the protasis [subordinate clause] of a conditional sentence, and the first part of v. 4 is the apodosis containing the prohibition. The first three verses set the stage: a man marries a woman who subsequently displeases him because of some indecency. The man divorces the woman, and she remarries another man who also dislikes her and divorces her - or dies, leaving her without a husband. This law says that the first husband cannot marry the woman because she has been defiled by the second marriage. This act (of remarriage), should it occur, would be detestable in the Lord's eyes and would bring sin on the land (v. 4). This required procedure for divorce is not given elsewhere but is referred to by Jeremiah (Jer 3:1) and Jesus (Matt 5:31-32).

When grounds for divorce existed, the man must have 'a certificate of divorce' (v. 3) served on his wife. Only then may he send her from his home...

A remarriage to her former husband would be tantamount to a legal adultery and therefore detestable to the LORD... The purpose of this law seems to be to prevent frivolous divorce, and to present divorce itself in a disparaging light."

Note that divorce was only initiated by the husband not the wife."

XXXI) [Mt 5:31-32]:

(v. 31) "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'

(v. 32) But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery."

A) DIVORCE FOR MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS AND THEN REMARRIAGE IS LEGITIMATE, ON THE OTHER HAND, BOTH SPOUSES WHO DIVORCE OTHERWISE AND REMARRY COMMIT ADULTERY WHICH WARRANTS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES

1) [Compare Mt 19:8-9]:

(v. 8) "Jesus replied, 'Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.

(v. 9) I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."

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

(v. 8) "Jesus replied, 'Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. (v. 9) I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." =

Jesus refers to Moses' permitting the Israelites to divorce as due to their hard heartedness. Then He points to God's plan for marriage for all mankind with the phrase "From the beginning," (v. 8b). He follows in v. 9, with "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another commits adultery." All mankind is now in view including NT believers for our Lord has broadened the context by referring to marriage of all mankind in Gen 2:20b-24.

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

"But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife" =

"wife" = "gunaika", Str. #1135, woman, often more specifically a woman who is married, a wife.

Notice that a woman who is married is in view with no particular limitation in the text such as having only betrothed women in view. All wives are thus 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

(v. 8) "Jesus replied, 'Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. (v. 9) I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." (cont.) =

Jesus refers to Moses' permitting the Israelites to divorce as due to their hard heartedness. On the other hand, our Lord points to God's plan for marriage for all mankind with the phrase "From the beginning," (v. 8b). He follows in v. 9, with "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another commits adultery." All mankind is in view including NT believers for our Lord has broadened the context by referring to marriage of all mankind in Gen 2:20b-24. Hence He implies that divorce for Israelites under the Law and all mankind outside of marital unfaithfulness is not legitimate. This leads to the conclusion that marital unfaithfulness is a legitimate reason for divorce. Finally, since marriage of Israelite to Israelite or NT believer to NT believer is in view, and since marriages outside of Israelites and NT believers is not in view, the divorce of unbelieving spouses is not addressed.

[Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 8, Regency Ref. Library, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1984, p. 413]:

"In vv. 4-8 Jesus lays out the true direction in which Scripture points... Even here Jesus acknowledges that the Mosaic concession springs not from divine desire but human hardheartedness. Would Jesus say human hearts were any less hard in His own day? Might there not therefore be some exception to the principle He lays out, precisely because porneia was not on the Creator's mind in Genesis 1-2? More importantly sexual sin has a peculiar relation to Jesus' treatment of Genesis 1:27; 2:24 (in Matt 19:4-6), because the indissolubility of marriage He defends by appealing to these verses from the creation accounts is predicated on sexual union ('one flesh'). Sexual promiscuity is therefore a de facto exception. It may not necessitate divorce; but permission of divorce and remarriage under such circumstances, far from being inconsistent with Jesus' thought, is in perfect harmony with it....

...Matthew and Mark-Luke have this in common - they abrogate any permission for divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1 if that permission extends... beyond sexual sin"

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

"But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness" =

"marital unfaithfulness" = "porneias" = Str. # 4202, fornication, i.e., sexual immoralilty. Also, whoredom, concubinage, adultery, lewdness, uncleanness, idolatry. Most specifically here it has to do with sexual immorality within the bounds of marriage which includes adultery, lesbianism, homosexuality, lewdness.

[Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 8, Regency Ref. Library, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1984, p. 413]:

"The word porneia [= 'marital unfaithfulness' (NIV); 'fornication" (KJV)] itself is very broad. In unambiguous contexts it can on occasion refer to a specific kind of sexual sin. Yet even then this is possible only because the specific sexual sin belongs to the larger category of sexual immorality. Porneia covers the entire range of such sins... and should not be restricted unless the context requires it."

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

Notice that Jesus brings into view what Moses wrote relative to divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1. He then excludes all that Moses permitted for divorce except for marital unfaithfulness, i.e., adultery and other forms of sexual immorality. This implies that Deuteronomy 24:1 includes sexual immorality as a reason for divorce, evidently if the death penalty for such is not invoked.

The Hebrew word for adultery in Leviticus 20:10 (na'aph) represents sexual intercourse with the wife or betrothed of another man. Na'aph and porneia have very similar ranges of meaning, both encompassing a range of gross sexual sins. The context in Leviticus 20:10 would seem to point primarily to adultery, but other sexual sins also warranted death and might easily fall into this category (e.g., bestiality, incest; cf. Lev. 20).

[Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 8, Regency Ref. Library, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1984, p. 413]:

"Jesus is interpreting the 'erwat dãbãr' ('something indecent') of Deuternonomy 24:1 in this way [with the Greek word porneia]. Jesus is then saying that divorce and remarriage always involve evil; but as Moses permitted it because of the hardness of men's hearts, so also does He - but now on the sole grounds of porneia (sexual sin of any sort)."

Considering the fact that capital punishment by stoning was not always done when adultery was discovered in a marriage, and since adultery is 'something indecent' which has defiled the marriage, then marital infidelity warrants divorce which is God's way of abrogating a union that has become an abomination in God's eyes.

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

Consider the parallel logic of these two statements and the proper conclusion arrived therein:

A previous management has said, 'You will be paid for work done at any time of the day or night, no matter how many hours;' but I say to you except for hours from 8AM through 5PM, you will not be paid.

Compare this to,

"Moses permitted you to divorce your wives [because he finds something indecent, (Dt 24:1)]... [But] I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness and marries another woman commits adultery"

Just as the management's statement implies that working between 9 and 5 will be paid, so believers divorcing for marital unfaithfulness will be permitted and not result in adultery if one remarries.

g) THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR ISRAELITES UNDER THE LAW FOR SEXUAL IMMORALITY RELATIVE TO MARRIED WOMEN AND MEN WHO COMMIT ADULTERY INCLUDING WOMEN WHO ARE BETROTHED WAS DEATH

(Lev 20:10) "If a man commits adultery with another man's wife - with the wife of his neighbor - both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death." =

In the Old Testament, adultery was punishable by a maximum penalty of death (Lev. 20:10). Legal codes typically present maximum penalties, not mandatory penalties, unless otherwise specified).

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

[Compare Lev 20:10:

"If a man commits adultery with another man's wife--with the wife of his neighbor - both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death."

[The Hebrew word for adultery in Leviticus 20:10 (na'aph) represents sexual intercourse with the wife or betrothed of another man. Na'aph and porneia have very similar ranges of meaning, both encompassing a range of gross sexual sins. The context in Leviticus 20:10 would seem to point primarily to adultery, but other sexual sins also warranted death and might easily fall into this category (e.g., bestiality, incest; cf. Lev. 20).

Notice that both the man and the woman are to be put to death. There is implied here that there is adequate proof of adultery. There is no limitation here of only wives who have been formally married, nor exclusion of the betrothed

[Compare Dt. 22:22]:

(v. 22) "If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.

[The punishment for adultery is death for both parties. Notice that there is no stipulation that both must be caught in the act and apprehended in order for it to be adultery subject to a maximum penalty of death. With adequate proof, either or both will be subject to the maximum penalty of death]

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

[Compare Dt 22:13-21]:

(v. 13) '''If a man takes a wife and, after lying with her, dislikes her

(v.14) and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, "I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity,"

(v. 15) then the girl's father and mother shall bring proof that she was a virgin to the town elders at the gate.

(v. 16) The girl's father will say to the elders, "I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her.

(v. 17) Now he has slandered her and said, 'I did not find your daughter to be a virgin.' But here is the proof of my daughter's virginity." Then her parents shall display the cloth before the elders of the town,

(v. 18) and the elders shall take the man and punish him.

(v. 19) They shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the girl's father, because this man has given an Israelite virgin a bad name. She shall continue to be his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives.

(v. 20) If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl's virginity can be found,

(v. 21) she shall be brought to the door of her father's house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father's house. You must purge the evil from among you."

[The penalty for sexual immorality for an unmarried woman is death]

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

[Compare Dt 22:23-24]:

(v. 23) If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her,

(v. 24) you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death - the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man's wife. You must purge the evil from among you.

[Notice that the penalty for a girl who is betrothed to another and sleeps with someone is death by stoning if she made no attempt to scream]

iv) 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

[Compare Dt 22:25-27]:

(v. 25) "But if out in the country a man happens to meet a girl pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die.

(v. 26) Do nothing to the girl; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders his neighbor,

(v. 27) for the man found the girl out in the country, and though the betrothed girl screamed, there was no one to rescue her.

[Notice that the man who rapes the girl in the country faces a maximum penalty of death. The girl in the country is not held liable.]

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

(Mt 19:9) "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." =

Notice that Jesus allowed divorce as a valid alternative to seeking the death of one's spouse. Evidently actions of married persons that warrant death also warrant divorce if the death penalty is not invoked. If those actions warrant ones spouse to be freed from the marriage by legally seeking ones death, the spouse may also be freed from the marriage by divorce. Divorce is a more merciful application of Lev 20:10.

In the absence of particulars to the contrary, the fact that other passages in Scripture stipulate the death penalty under the Mosaic Law for marital unfaithfulness does not rule out that divorce is an option for marital unfaithfulness if the death penalty is not invoked. History proves this out. In the Old Testament, adultery was punishable by a maximum penalty of death (Lev. 20:10). Legal codes typically present maximum penalties, not mandatory penalties, unless otherwise specified). Death would result in the freedom of the surviving party to remarry. By implication, lesser penalties (such as divorce) would result in the freedom of other party to remarry without committing adultery. The marriage covenant between believers may be legitimately severed by death or by biblical divorce.

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

[Compare Jn 8:1-11]:

(v. 1) "But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

(v. 2) At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.

(v. 3) The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group

(v. 4) and said to Jesus, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

(v. 5) In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?'

(v. 6) They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.

(v. 7) When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."

(v. 8) Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

(v. 9) At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.

(v. 10) Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'

(v. 11) 'No one, sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.' "

Notice that Jesus opted to not have the woman who committed adultery stoned to death, implying that this was the maximum penalty, not necessarily mandatory.

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

[Compare 2 Sam 12:10]:

"[Nathan said] 'Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' "

Neither David nor Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, after their adultery, suffered the death penalty; but there were other consequences which were implied by the words, "the sword will never depart from your house".

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

[Mt 1:18-19]:

(v. 18) "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

(v. 19) Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly."

Notice that Joseph chose the option of divorce rather than the death penalty and was still viewed as a righteous man.

Joseph also demonstrated that this was a valid application of Leviticus 20:10 when the Bible called him "righteous" for wanting to divorce Mary quietly rather than disgrace her or seek her death (Matt. 1:18-19). Notice that Mary was a betrothed wife whom Joseph sought to divorce as opposed to put to death. It cannot then be concluded from this historical account that wives committing adultery after the wedding ceremony do not have the option of divorce in lieu of the death penalty. The passage is silent on this matter. Furthermore, it would be illogical and inconsistent to insist that sexual promiscuity or adultery would suffer divorce only while one is betrothed but stoning for after marriage or when one is single.

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

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

(v. 6) '''During the reign of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, "Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there.

(v. 7) I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it.

(v. 8) I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.

(v. 9) Because Israel's immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood.

(v. 10) In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense," declares the LORD.

(v. 11) The LORD said to me, "Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah.

(v. 12) Go, proclaim this message toward the north: " 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD, 'I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful,' declares the LORD, 'I will not be angry forever.

(v. 13) Only acknowledge your guilt - you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,' " declares the LORD.

(v. 14) "Return, faithless people," declares the LORD, "for I am your husband. I will choose you - one from a town and two from a clan--and bring you to Zion." '''

God is viewed as temporarily divorcing Israel because of her adultery and indicates that He will take her back - notice that adultery warrants the option of divorce.

Nevertheless, even God Himself is willing to divorce when His wife's sin is great enough (Isa. 50:1; Jer. 3:8). On the one hand, then, divorce is generally to be avoided and always involves some form of sin (whether by the one who provokes the divorce, or by the one who pursues the divorce, or by both). On the other hand, it is sometimes justifiable, so that it is not always sinful to seek a divorce.

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

(Mt 19:9) "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." =

Adultery has already defiled the marriage relationship and divorce is a formal acknowledgment of what has already taken place.

Since divorce is an avenue by which an individual may remarry and since Jesus Christ stipulated that divorce is an option for marital unfaithfulness, then one who is divorced due to marital unfaithfulness has permission to remarry without committing adultery.

If divorce becomes a legitimate (biblical) option then that would indicate that there was a dissolution of the marriage, hence permission to remarry is legitimate, otherwise why offer divorce at all?

Throughout the Scriptures, whenever a divorce is allowed legitimately, then remarriage is either stipulated or implied as warranted.

At the same time, Deuteronomy 24:1-4 mentions remarriage after a divorce, does not call it adultery, and does not demand the death penalty for the remarried spouse. The Bible explicitly says that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16), but nowhere explicitly states that God hates remarriage. The Bible nowhere commands a remarried couple to divorce. Deuteronomy 24:1-4 does not describe the remarriage as invalid. Ending a remarriage through divorce would be just as sinful as ending a first marriage through divorce. Both would include the breaking of vows before God, between the couple, and in front of witnesses.

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

(Dt. 24v1) "If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house

(v. 2) and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man,

(v. 3) and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies

(v. 4) then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance."

XXXI cont.) [Mt 5:31-32 cont.]:

(v. 31) "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'

(v. 32) But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery."

B) ONE WHO MARRIES AN ILLEGITIMATELY DIVORCED INDIVIDUAL COMMITS ADULTERY. WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF LEGITIMATE DIVORCE, MARRIAGE IS NOT ADULTERY

"But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery." =

Notice that anyone who marries an illegitimately divorced individual commits adultery. Evidently marriage to a legitimately divorced individual is not considered adultery.