God's View on Marriage Divorce and Remarriage in Scripture
God's View on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in Scripture
Marriage originates in the creation account, where God declares it is not good for man to be alone and institutes the union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18-24) [8, 9]. This original charter establishes several principles: the unity of husband and wife, the indissolubleness of the bond, monogamy as the created norm, and the social equality yet distinct roles of the partners [9]. Jesus himself affirmed this foundation when questioned about divorce, pointing back to Genesis as the basis for all subsequent regulation (Matthew 19:4-5) [8, 10].
The Mosaic Concession
The Law of Moses permitted divorce under specific conditions (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) [1, 4], though this permission was not a reflection of God's ideal. Jesus explained that Moses allowed divorce "on account of hardness of heart" [4, 10]—a concession to human sinfulness rather than an endorsement. The Mosaic law also restricted divorce in certain cases: a man who falsely accused his wife of premarital unchastity, or who had taken a virgin's virginity before marriage, forfeited the right to divorce her (Deuteronomy 22:18-19, 29) [4]. Women could obtain divorce and remarry afterward, though a woman divorced and remarried could not return to her first husband (Deuteronomy 24:2-4) [4, 5].
By the first century, Jewish teachers disagreed sharply on permissible grounds for divorce [7]. The school of Shammai limited divorce to cases of serious moral delinquency, while the school of Hillel extended it to trivial causes—even burning a meal [7]. This laxity prompted Jesus to clarify God's original intent.
Jesus' Teaching on Divorce
Christ restricted legitimate divorce to a single ground: sexual immorality [1, 2, 11]. In Matthew 19:9, he states, "I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery" [2]. This teaching reestablished the permanency of marriage against those who treated divorce casually [11]. Jesus' motivation was to restore God's created order, in which marriage forms an indissoluble union—"what God has united," no one should split apart [10].
The exception clause for sexual immorality appears in Matthew's Gospel but not in Mark or Luke's parallel accounts [1]. This has generated interpretive discussion, but the consistent emphasis across all Gospel accounts is that divorce contradicts God's design. Remarriage after an unlawful divorce constitutes adultery because the original bond remains intact in God's sight [2, 11].
God's Attitude Toward Divorce
Malachi 2:16 records God's direct statement: "For I hate divorce" [6]. This declaration appears in a context condemning covenant-breaking and violence, linking divorce to treachery against one's spouse. The prophets frequently employed marriage as a symbol for God's covenant relationship with Israel, with adultery representing spiritual unfaithfulness [12, 13]. Jeremiah 3:1 uses divorce imagery to illustrate Israel's harlotry, asking whether a divorced and remarried woman could return to her first husband—a rhetorical question highlighting the pollution such actions bring [5]. These prophetic uses underscore marriage's sacred, covenantal nature.
Hebrews 13:4 commands that "marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefined: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers" [3]. This New Testament affirmation places marriage under divine protection, warning that violations carry eternal consequences.
Remarriage and Widowhood
The New Testament distinguishes between divorce and death in dissolving marriage. Paul teaches that a wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives, but upon his death she is free to remarry "whom she will" (1 Corinthians 7:39) [14]. This passage confirms that second marriages after a spouse's death are lawful, with no divine limitation on the number of times one may marry following widowhood [14]. Death alone fully annuls the marriage bond [14].
The permanence of marriage, God's hatred of divorce, and the narrow exception for sexual immorality together reveal a divine design in which covenant faithfulness mirrors God's own unbreakable commitment to his people.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Divorce — The dissolution of the marriage tie was regulated by the Mosaic law (Deut. 24:1-4). The Jews, after the Captivity, were reguired to dismiss the foreign women they had married contrary to the law (Ezra 10:11-19). Christ limited the permission of divorce to the single case of adultery. It seems that it was not uncommon for the Jews at that time to dissolve the union on very slight pretences (Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:1-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18). These precepts given by Christ regulate the law of divorce in the Christian Church.”
- Matthew “I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.” -- Matthew 19:9”
- Hebrews “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. -- Hebrews 13:4”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Divorce — Law of marriage against -- Ge 2:24; Mt 19:6. Permitted By the Mosaic law. -- De 24:1. On account of hardness of heart. -- Mt 19:8. Often sought by the Jews -- Mic 2:9; Mal 2:14. Sought on slight grounds -- Mt 5:31; 19:3. Not allowed to those who falsely accused their wives -- De 22:18,19. Women Could obtain. -- Pr 2:17; Mr 10:12. Could marry after. -- De 24:2. Responsible for vows after. -- Nu 30:9. Married after, could not return to first husband. -- De 24:3,4; Jer 3:1. Afflicted by. -- Isa 54:4,6. Priests not to marry women after -- Le 21:14. Of servants,”
- Jeremiah “Jeremiah 3:1 (NASB) — God says, "If a husband divorces his wife And she goes from him And belongs to another man, Will he still return to her? Will not that land be completely polluted? But you are a harlot with many lovers; Yet you turn to Me," declares the LORD.”
- Malachi “For I hate divorce”, says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with violence!” says Yahweh of Armies. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you don’t deal treacherously. -- Malachi 2:16”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Divorce — "a legal dissolution of the marriage relation." The law regulating this subject is found (24:1-4) and the cases in which the right of a husband to divorce his wife was lost are stated ibid ., (22:19,29) The ground of divorce is appoint on which the Jewish doctors of the period of the New Testament differed widely; the school of Shammai seeming to limit it to a moral delinquency in the woman, whilst that the Hillel extended it to trifling causes, e.g., if the wife burnt the food she was cooking for her husband. The Pharisees wished perhaps to embroil our Savi”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — Was instituted in Paradise when man was in innocence (Gen. 2:18-24). Here we have its original charter, which was confirmed by our Lord, as the basis on which all regulations are to be framed (Matt. 19:4, 5). It is evident that monogamy was the original law of marriage (Matt. 19:5; 1 Cor. 6:16). This law was violated in after times, when corrupt usages began to be introduced (Gen. 4:19; 6:2). We meet with the prevalence of polygamy and concubinage in the patriarchal age (Gen. 16:1-4; 22:21-24; 28:8, 9; 29:23-30, etc.). Polygamy was acknowledged in the Mosa”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — + Its origin and history .--The institution of marriage dates from the time of man's original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied in her being formed out of man. (2) The indissolubleness of the marriage bond, except on; the strongest grounds, Comp. (Matthew 19:9) (3) Monogamy, as the original law of marriage (4) The social equality of man and wife. (5) The subordination of the wife to the husband. (1 Corinthians 11:8,9; 1 Timothy 2:13) (6) The respective duties of ”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 10:5: 10:5-9 God permitted divorce as a concession to the hard hearts of the people. But God’s will is more aptly expressed in the passages that Jesus quotes from the law of Moses (Gen 1:27; 2:23-24; see also Mal 2:16). Jesus shows that God delights in marriage, which is the creation of a new union in which two become one. No one should rebel against God’s will by seeking to split apart what God has united.”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 19:9: 19:9 Jesus permits only one legitimate reason for a man to divorce: if his wife has been unfaithful (see 5:32). In the face of those who thought divorce could be taken lightly, Jesus affirms God’s created order: Marriage was designed to be permanent (see Mark 10:11-12). • commits adultery: This speaks only of the man who divorces his wife unlawfully. In such a case, his remarriage is adulterous. Jesus’ motivation is to reestablish the permanency of marriage.”
- Ezek (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezek 23:4: 23:4 Marriage is commonly used in the Bible as a symbol for the covenant relationship between God and his people (e.g., Isa 54:1-8; Eph 5:22-33). Adultery symbolizes Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness (e.g., Hos 1–3). God makes his covenants in spite of, not because of, his people’s character (Rom 5:6-11).”
- Ezekiel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezekiel 23:4: 23:4 Marriage is commonly used in the Bible as a symbol for the covenant relationship between God and his people (e.g., Isa 54:1-8; Eph 5:22-33). Adultery symbolizes Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness (e.g., Hos 1–3). God makes his covenants in spite of, not because of, his people’s character (Rom 5:6-11).”
- 1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7:39: The whole is here closed up with advice to widows: As long as the husband liveth the wife is bound by the law, confined to one husband, and bound to continue and cohabit with him. Note, The marriage - contract is for life; death only can annul the bond. But, the husband being dead, she is at liberty to marry whom she will. There is no limitation by God's law to be married only for such a number of times. It is certain, from this passage, that second marriages are not unlawful; for then the widow could not be at liberty to marry whom she pleased, nor to marr”