In my humble opinion (IMHO), means I am open to discussion on this even desire it. We should not reject it without understanding first.
Just because someone does not agree does not mean they do not have a valid point.
Jesus pointed out a hardness of heart issue (Matthew 19:8).
I believe He was condemning hardness of heart not all divorce or all divorced people. Have you been divorced? If not how can you condemn others who are. I have found very judgmental people say divorce is a sin and sinners have no part in God's kingdom (lose their salvation?)
They say it is the sin of adultery if they marry again. Or that a divorced woman who marries another man is condemning him to hell because it is a perpetual adultery. So she should divorce the second husband and go back to the first one even if he does not want her. When he refuses, She is then told to pray and wait for his salvation to be joined back together in God's eyes. But possibly be celebrate the rest of her life. she will become a "marriage martyr" never to experience the true love marriage was meant to be. If the husband then demands money for her freedom, because she is his property, it looks very much like what has continued to this day in Judaism. The marriage martyr is called a chained wife. The Hebrew word is "agunah" and continues even to this day. check it out for yourself. This IMHO it is hardness of heart. When Jesus was asked about the the Mosaic Law, I believe this is the hardness of heart He was speaking of. Not all men put away their wives and then demand money before they grant a get (divorce) paper to marry again. Jesus was not speaking to people suffering from divorce but Pharisees seeking to trip Him up concerning the Law. So we should not condemn divorce either.
Your answer to ; if God hates divorce how could he divorce Israel is found in Jeremiah chapter 3 starting in verse 8. There are 2 verses speaking of divorce and almost 20 verses immediately following asking, pleading begging with Israel to come back.
I think the explanation is obvious ; God had every legal right to divorce Israel under the Law for. "unfaithfulness". But He did not want to, He hated to divorce her and pleaded with her to return in his Grace and her Obedience.
I am sorry but feel this subject has been approached in legalism.
quote: "God had every legal right to divorce Israel under the Law for. "unfaithfulness". But He did not want to, He hated to divorce her and pleaded with her to return in his Grace and her Obedience."
Exactlly, that is a perfect example. Many do not want to divorce but have no choice in the matter. A man or woman cannot controll what the other does.
My translation of that verse is "he who hates and puts away, says the Lord, covers his mind with violence as with a garment."
The implication is that like God, it is possible to divorce without hatred. Joseph also sought to put away Mary quietly rather than have her stoned to death. The Deut. 24:1-5 account also shows mercy towards a divorced woman.
THIS QUOTE shows the confusion over the doctrine of divorce and remarriage...
"A victim of divorce is perhaps the best way to depict a person whose spouse has left them. Jesus says that a person who divorces causes their spouse to become an adulterer. A person is not an adulterer by virtue of becoming divorced. It would appear that Jesus is making the assumption that most divorced people will get remarried. To get remarried would cause the divorcee to become an adulterer. However, from Jesus' statement it appears as if the guilt of adultery rests upon the one who initiated the divorce because he or she has caused their spouse to become this. That being said, a divorced person is responsible for their own actions and even though they are a victim of divorce, they are not forced to get remarried."
A bit of common sense is really needed here. Take for instance a spouce who divorces or gets divorced because they are sexually unfaithful. It only makes sense they should marry again because of their weakness in that area. Condeming a divorced man or woman, with strong sexual desires, to remain unmarried for life contradicts all common sense. It is a streach to claim Jesus taught this based by asumptions of what HE must of meant.
Anyone can assume what Jesus must have meant. If a divorced person does stay unmarried does that mean they have not sinned? :dunce:
The Bible doesn't say it's ok to divorce & remarry due to adultery as many have stated. That's a modern day twisting of the word due to modern translations using faulty catholic renderings. Mt 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of FORNICATION, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. --Jesus was talking about the betrothal system. If you were betrothed, you were "married" but not married to the point of consumating the marriage. They were considered husband and wife during the "engagement." Mt 1:15-16 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. v18-19 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.---Fornication and adultery are two different sins. The modern perversions change the word. WARNING!!!! Rev 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
That is corrct. but the issue is the definition of divorce verses "Put Away." Put away is not the same thimng as divorce as we know it today. Only a written certificate made remarriage, Deut 24:1-4.
Jesus never said a legal divorce was adulterous.:yay:
I can't understand why you stopped @ v8. Mt 19:8-9 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
Adultery, Fornication and Hardness of heart are keys to understanding.
What is hardness of heart? It is not divorce. That is my point here. Were the Jews (EZRA10:3) divorcing pagan wives because of hardness of heart? God did not divorce Israel because HE is hard hearted. Jesus gave Fornication as a reason for divorce. Fornication includes adultery. Spiritual adultery is mentioned twice as much in the Bible as physical adultery.
Looking is both physical and spiritual adultery. Pornea (fornication) has been defined as images of harlotry. And the case can be made that Porn addicts can be divorced for adultery as well.
But according to the OT Law, women could not divorce husbands. they were like the husbands property. In the beginning it was not so. In fact, in the beginning mankind was sinless until the fall. Marriage today is not made in Paradise today. And Jesus answers were not meant to be THE new commandment on marriage. :waving:
