I believe scripture should be taken as a whole and to not base an entire theological believe on a 1 verse wonder taken out of context. Namely Matt 19:9
MT 19:3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
Historically, a man could divorce his wife for any reason, even burning his food. The Pharisees are once again attempting to make Jesus look bad in front of the people by seeing if he will agree with Moses or not.
MT 19:4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator `made them male and female,' 5 and said, `For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
This is another wise and beautiful statement by Christ. Not only does he reemphasize on scripture, but he acknowledges that the two become one, God joins (binds) them, and commands them not to separate.
MT 19:7 "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
Ah, the ways of the World shine through and again they are trying to make Jesus appear inconsistent with Moses.
A HARDENED HEART
MT 19:8 Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.
Historically Moses had to be the Judge over the land long ago, “It was a dirty job sometimes, but someone had to do it”. Along with being the Judge came responsibility and questions of divorce from the people surrounding him. Jesus did not say whether Moses was right or wrong in making the divorce decree, Jesus merely stated the fact that Moses made the divorce decree allowable because the people’s hearts were hard. Jesus then expanded upon that and stated “But it was not this way from the beginning.” In other words, divorce is not in Gods original design for marriage.That reminds me of someone else’s heart who was hard… Exodus 7:13 Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
MT 19:9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."
Jesus is not agreeing with or allowing divorce in this statement, if fact if you were caught in adultery you didn’t divorce your wife… she would have been stoned by the hardhearted people. Jesus is once again stating a fact here that has historical value. A divorce certificate was not made to benefit the man from divorcing his wife, a divorce certificate was given to the wife to prove that she was not guilty of adultery. Once again, she would have been stoned for adultery, that was their way. John 8:7 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."
Sarcastically speaking to the pro-choice (pro-divorce) people, why divorce your wife, when you can just stone her, but be sure to harden your heart good and plenty first.
MT 19:10 The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry." MT 19:11 Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.
Ah, so true, but the response of so many in the World today is: I can always remarry if this one doesn’t work out.
