Hebrew Voices #216 – Does God Command Divorce? Part 1

Matthew 5:31-32, not 4:31-32

So basically Yeshua added to Torah by saying the only acceptable reason for divorce is adultery and second marriages are adultery (thereby forbidding second marriages) in Matthew 4:31-32 and 19.

This really is an excellent study, thank you. Another level you might want to consider is how Malachi is specifically rebuking Judah and Levi. Why? Is it because they are the leaders and priesthood? Malachi may very well be addressing them as the parents of Israel, Yehuda the father/husband and Levi the mother/wife. The leaders were in the same manner dealing treacherously with the priesthood which of course would also influence their offspring.

Consider, God can take Israel back because if she has been sent away and thinks she has been with other ‘men’ she hasn’t, for there is no other God, they exist only in her imagination. God can take her back just as a man can take his wife back if she was not with another man during the separation. Therefore, Yehovah is not violating His instructions.

I’m assuming that there is a part two (or more). Where do I find it? Thanks

Thank you, as always you address the difficult issues and bring clarity. I like the way you bring out the consistency of God in His mercy and judgement.
Will you be looking at the impact on priestly roles?

“duties as a husband, which are shelter, food, clothing and conjugal relations to the best of your ability.” defines the husband’s responsibility to the wife. How that is applied for Christians is explained in Ephesians, but also in the Tanakh with God’s relationship to Israel (which extends to the wife). What is implied is the one to one relationship.

Thank you for this teaching. for many years I put up with an abusive husband, due to my religious beliefs. I only got divorced because I didn’t want my daughter growing up accepting it and my son growing up being a perpetrator. This has given me forgiveness and I don’t feel like such a bad person. Thank you

Adele, if woman A did not remarry or was not with another man even though they weren’t legally married, for man A to remarry her seems acceptable. She has not been with another man. Nehemiah, Luella, please comment!

This teaching makes sense to me. My ex-wife divorced me because she didn’t want to be married to me anymore and didn’t even like me anymore, not because I was abusive. Even though I was sad, I was relieved also and am glad she divorced me under the circumstances because I wouldn’t want to waste my life being with someone who didn’t even like me anymore. Jesus must have been talking about some kind of abuse of that marriage legal system so I might go back and study that part some more.

Wonderful teaching!
Dr. Gordon when are you going to write a Biblical commentary?
I love when you discuss what it really says in Hebrew! So enlightening!
Look forward to part 2!

What about the man? Man and woman ‘A’ marry then divorce. Man ‘A’ marries woman ‘B’, then they divorce. So then man ‘A’ goes back and remarries woman ‘A’, but it still doesn’t work and they split again.
Marriage bed was defiled, and they should not have remarried again, right?

Thank you both for this, it has shed so much light on the subject! Over the years I have seen so many persons suffer, trying to stay in unhealthy and abusive marriages because they were told divorcing is sin. I thought to myself, there must be more to this topic that we are missing. Nehemiah could you do a part 2 or 3 covering Jesus and Paul’s words? Often times that is where persons point, to support the notion that divorcing is sin. If you have covered it already, please let me know in which teaching. Thanks so much!

Is addressing the death of the husband for freedom to remarry applicable?

Would it not be more accurate to define marriage first before the concept of divorce?
Thanks