Contrary to popular belief, the Bible only allows for divorce in two scenarios; if a believing wife commits adultery or if an unbelieving (unequally yoked) spouse wishes to leave the marriage. With divorce and remarriage for any reason under the sun being the accepted norm in today’s society, it is important to acknowledge that this is not part of Jesus’ teachings. It is important for us as Christians, to transform our minds regarding divorce.
Matthew 5:32 – But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
Matthew 19:8-9 – Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
The only reason God would allow a divorce between a believing husband and wife, would be due to a wife’s adultery and no other reason.
In the scriptures above, Jesus does not mention that a wife can divorce her husband if he has committed adultery. That being said, I am in no way, condoning adultery on behalf of a husband. As we know from scripture, a man is to be faithful to his wife.
Exodus 20:14 – “You shall not commit adultery.
Deuteronomy 5:18 – “You shall not commit adultery.
Malachi 2:14-16 – You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. 15 Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. 16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
This scripture is clearly speaking of a husband committing adultery against his wife and divorcing her for another. God is condemning divorce in this scenario, but He does not condemn divorce in the event that a wife has committed adultery.
This in no way contradicts Matthew 5:32 or 19:8-9 which respectively say that if a wife commits adultery, the husband can both divorce his wife and remarry another. In the unfortunate event that a wife commits adultery, divorce is not a mandate or commandment. Rather, it is an option that is made available to the husband which is applicable to this type of scenario only (a wife’s infidelity).
Matthew 5:32 – But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery.
Matthew 19:9 – Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
Redefining Divorce
In the Old Testament, Jewish men were divorcing their wives for any reason at all. This is what Jesus meant when he referred to their ‘hard hearts’, and Moses allowed divorce under the law, because of it. Moses wrote this concession in:
Deuteronomy 24:1 – 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…
This is what Jesus quotes in:
Matthew 5:31 – “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’
And what the Pharisees are referring to in:
Mark 10:4 – They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”
This is what the Pharisees were asking Jesus in:
Matthew 19:3 – And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?”
When Jesus came, he restored the allowance of divorce (between two believers) to be issued only if the wife had committed adultery, and no other reason.
Matthew 19:9 – Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
Jesus reveals that God did not originally allow divorce for any reason at all. However, he always permitted divorce in the event of a wife’s infidelity.
Jeremiah 3:8 – 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.
Fornication vs. Adultery
Some may argue that other translations of Matthew 5:32 & Matthew 19:9 use the word ‘fornicate’ instead of ‘adultery’. The Aramaic Bible in plain English says:
Matthew 19:9 – But I say to you, “Whoever divorces his wife apart from adultery and will take another, commits adultery, and whoever will take her who is divorced commits adultery.”
Other translations say:
Matthew 5:32 NLT – But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
Matthew 19:9 NLT – And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
Matthew 5:32 NASB – – but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Matthew 19:9 NASB – And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Matthew 5:32 Literal Standard Version – but I say to you that whoever may put away his wife, except for the matter of whoredom, makes her to commit adultery; and whoever may marry her who has been put away commits adultery.
Matthew 19:9 Literal Standard Version – And I say to you that whoever may put away his wife, if not for whoredom, and may marry another, commits adultery; and he who married her that has been put away, commits adultery.”
‘Adultery’ falls under the umbrella of ‘fornication’, which means any sexual intercourse outside the institution of marriage. For example, two single people having sexual intercourse is considered fornication. In the same way, adultery is having sexual intercourse with an individual outside of the marriage. Adultery is a more specific form of fornication which applies when one or both parties are in a marriage. So any wife who fornicates is doing so outside of her marriage, making it adultery.
Can A Wife Divorce?
In matters of divorce concerning a wife’s position, we must look at what the Apostle Paul said in:
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 – To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
This scripture is specifically stating that under no circumstances, must a wife separate from her husband. This is why a divorced or separated woman must remain unmarried or single. It is in the hopes that she will reconcile with her husband.
Furthermore, no man can ever marry a divorced woman. If a man marries a divorced woman, he is committing adultery, since he is marrying another man’s wife in God’s eyes.
Matthew 5:32 – But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
Luke 16:8 – “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
The reason why Paul uses the word ‘separate’ and not ‘divorce’ in 1 Corinthians 7:10 is because in Jewish culture, as per the Old Testament law, a wife cannot divorce her husband for any reason. She must ask her husband to agree and grant her a divorce. This is why Paul is using the word ‘separate’ since a wife cannot legally divorce her husband.
She can, however, physically relocate and live apart from her husband; which would be considered separation. The word “separate” then includes both scenarios of either a wife who received a divorce from her husband or one who chose to physically relocate.
Whether she receives a divorce from her husband or she physically separates from him, a wife cannot get remarried. She is bound to her husband in marriage until her husband dies.
Romans 7:2-3 – For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
We also see this in:
1 Corinthians 7:11 – But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him.
This verse states that a wife cannot remarry if she separates from her husband. Some may argue that this is a contradiction to verse 10 – To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. It is not a contradiction. This verse is simply stating that if a wife decides to disobey the Lord’s commandment and separates from her husband, she should not compound her sin by committing adultery as well through remarriage. Instead, she should remain unmarried, in the hopes of being reconciled to her husband, thereby correcting the sin of separation from her husband.
However, once she remarries, both the sin of separation and adultery become irreconcilable. If a woman remarries, her original husband could never marry her again, even if she becomes a widow.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 – 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, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 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, 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.
Jeremiah 3:1 – “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? But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers—would you now return to me?” declares the Lord.
It can now be understood that 1 Corinthians 7:11 also states that a husband must not divorce his wife feeling that this is a contradiction to Matthew 5:32 & Matthew 19:9. Some may feel that there is a discrepancy or contradiction in the Bible over the issue of divorce. This is due to the fact that the gospels of Mark and Luke do not mention the exception of adultery as a reason for divorce.
In 1 Corinthians 7:11, Paul simply states that a husband must not divorce his wife.
Mark 10:11 – He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
Luke 16:18 – “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Jesus is very clear that we are not to set aside any scripture in the Bible just because it does not suit our purpose or because we don’t understand it. Under no circumstances must we annul scripture.
John 10:34-35 – Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside
This is also stated by the Apostles in the New Testament.
Revelations 22:18-19 – I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
And throughout the Old Testament.
Deuteronomy 4:2 – Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
Deuteronomy 12:32 – See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.
Proverbs 30:5-6 – “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Paul himself, states this in:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
And so does Peter:
2 Peter 1:20-21 – Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
And so, we must refer to the scripture that elaborates and provides the most detail about the matter. In the matter of divorce, the scriptures that provide the most detail are Matthew 5:32 & Matthew 19:9. These scriptures cannot be annulled, or you do so at your own expense.
God Himself confirms the teaching of Matthew 19:9 in Jeremiah 3:8 and Isaiah 50:1.
Matthew 19:9 – Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
Jeremiah 3:8 – 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.
Isaiah 50:1 – This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Because of your sins you were sold; because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
The only instance in which divorce becomes an option for a believing couple, is if the wife has committed adultery. To be clear, divorce is an option, it is not mandatory.
Does The Bible Allow Remarriage?
For an adulterous wife, remarriage is not permitted after divorce. This is in the hopes that the estranged husband and wife will reconcile their marriage. The husband however, can remarry if he so chooses.
Matthew 19:9 – Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 – To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
Romans 7:2-3 – For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
The goal of remaining unmarried for the wife, is in the hopes of reconciling her marriage. The only time a man cannot remarry his wife is if she remarried another man.
Jeremiah 3:1 – “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? But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers—would you now return to me?” declares the Lord.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 – 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, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 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, 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.
This is why in:
Jeremiah 3:12-14 – Go, proclaim this message toward the north: “‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will not be angry forever. 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. 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 willing to embrace Israel again even though she has committed adultery since she has not ‘remarried’ or committed to another. However, this is by no means, a commandment or mandate for a husband to return to his adulterous wife. Rather it is a choice for the husband to make. Both options of remaining married or getting a divorce in the circumstance of a husband with an adulterous wife, are acceptable by God. If the couple separates, the husband can return to his adulterous wife as long as she has not remarried. Or he can choose to divorce his wife, and the husband is free to remarry; while the adulterous wife must remain unmarried. If divorce is the option, and the wife has not remarried (which would be adultery), the couple are free to remarry each other and reconcile at any time. Ultimately, reconciliation is the goal.
Of course in biblical times, a man could have multiple wives. Under today’s laws however, if a husband remarries, then the wife is doomed to remain unmarried with no possibility of reconciliation to her husband. She must remain unmarried until her husband dies, in which case, she would become a widow and would no longer be bound to the laws of marriage. Once she is a widow, she would be free to marry again as long as the man is a Christian (in the Lord).
Romans 7:2-3 – For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
1 Corinthians 7:39 – A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.
2 Corinthian 6:14-15 – Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
Some people argue that God commanded Hosea to embrace his wife again after adultery, which is true.
Hosea 3:1-3 – The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. 3 Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.”
However, God also commanded Hosea to specifically marry a promiscuous woman. This is not a commandment we should all follow and teach our sons. These commandments are specific to Hosea only.
Hosea 1:2-3 – When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” 3 So he married Gomer, daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.
These scriptures speak to the contrary:
1 Corinthians 6:15 – Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!
Proverbs 7 – Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands. 2Obey my commands and live! Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes. 3Tie them on your fingers as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. 4Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family. 5Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman, from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman. 6While I was at the window of my house, looking through the curtain, 7I saw some naive young men, and one in particular who lacked common sense. 8He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman, strolling down the path by her house. 9It was at twilight, in the evening, as deep darkness fell. 10The woman approached him, seductively dressed and sly of heart. 11She was the brash, rebellious type, never content to stay at home. 12She is often in the streets and markets, soliciting at every corner. 13She threw her arms around him and kissed him, and with a brazen look she said, 14“I’ve just made my peace offerings and fulfilled my vows. 15You’re the one I was looking for! I came out to find you, and here you are! 16My bed is spread with beautiful blankets, with colored sheets of Egyptian linen. 17I’ve perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning. Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses, 19for my husband is not home. He’s away on a long trip. 20He has taken a wallet full of money with him and won’t return until later this month.” 21So she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery. 22He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter. He was like a stag caught in a trap, 23awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life. 24So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words. 25Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her. Don’t wander down her wayward path. 26For she has been the ruin of many; many men have been her victims. 27Her house is the road to the grave. Her bedroom is the den of death.
So we can see that in the case of Hosea, God gave two commandments which were specifically for him only. Much like God’s commandment to King Saul.
1 Samuel 15:1-3 – Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
This command was specific to Saul. It does not mean that we are also commanded to kill, does it? No, the command for us to follow is “thou shalt not kill”.
Exodus 20:13 – “You shall not murder.”
Deuteronomy 5:17 – “You shall not murder.”
What we see from God’s actions in the book of Hosea, is the option of taking back an adulterous wife, even after divorcing such a woman.
Hosea 2:2-23 – “Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adulterous look from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts. 3 Otherwise I will strip her naked and make her as bare as on the day she was born; I will make her like a desert, turn her into a parched land, and slay her with thirst. 4 I will not show my love to her children, because they are the children of adultery. 5 Their mother has been unfaithful and has conceived them in disgrace. She said, ‘I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my olive oil and my drink.’ 6 Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. 7 She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now.’ 8 She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold—which they used for Baal. 9 “Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens, and my new wine when it is ready. I will take back my wool and my linen, intended to cover her naked body. 10 So now I will expose her lewdness before the eyes of her lovers; no one will take her out of my hands. 11 I will stop all her celebrations: her yearly festivals, her New Moons, her Sabbath days—all her appointed festivals. 12 I will ruin her vines and her fig trees, which she said were her pay from her lovers; I will make them a thicket, and wild animals will devour them. 13 I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot,” declares the Lord.
At this point, God has divorced Israel (put her away) but then He chooses to remarry her in the preceding verses, which He had also done before:
Jeremiah 3:8 – 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.
Isaiah 50:1 – This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Because of your sins you were sold; because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
Jeremiah 3:1-5 – “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? But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers—would you now return to me?” declares the Lord. 2 “Look up to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been ravished? By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers, sat like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with y our prostitution and wickedness. 3 Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame. 4 Have you not just called to me: ‘My Father, my friend from my youth, 5 will you always be angry? Will your wrath continue forever?’ This is how you talk, but you do all the evil you can.”
Israel had been unfaithful to God, but they did not commit themselves to another God. For this reason, God chose to take Israel back by remarrying her or reestablishing His covenant with Israel once again.
Jeremiah 3:14-15, 20-22 – 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. 15 Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding…20 But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord. 21 A cry is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel, because they have perverted their ways and have forgotten the Lord their God. 22 “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” “Yes, we will come to you, for you are the Lord our God.
God is doing the same thing in Hosea 2:14 onwards. He is re-establishing his covenant with Israel after divorcing her due to adultery.
Continued…Hosea 2:14
14 “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. 15 There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. 16 “In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’ 17 I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked. 18 In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.
At this point, God is speaking of making a new covenant with Israel like a man remarrying the wife he put away or divorced.
19 I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, In love and compassion. 20 I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.
God is speaking of entering into a covenant in comparison to marriage after divorce once again. Prophetically, this is referring to the new covenant through Jesus with Christians.
21 “In that day I will respond,” declares the Lord—“I will respond to the skies, and they will respond to the earth; 22 and the earth will respond to the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, and they will respond to Jezreel. 23 I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.]’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”
Prophetically, God is speaking of the Gentile people as well as the Jewish people, who accept Jesus as the Messiah, becoming children of God (Christians) under a new covenant.
It is up to the individual husband of an adulteress wife to decide whether he will divorce his wife or not. Later on, he may consider reconciliation, remain unmarried or remarry someone else. This is his choice now that he is the husband of an adulterous wife.
We should also examine the story of the woman, caught in the act of adultery, who was brought to Jesus. Some refer to this story as proof that a husband must not divorce his adulterous wife but this is not the case:
John 8:3-11 – 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 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. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 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. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Jesus does not contradict his words in Matthew 5:32 & Matthew 19:9 in this instance. Because of the woman’s repentance, Jesus forgives her of her sins and commands her to stop sinning in this way (adultery). This, however, in no way prohibits a husband from divorcing his adulterous wife.
The scriptures do not state the husband was among the crowd of people and had no right to condemn her or that Jesus rebukes her husband in any way. Rather, the strangers in the crowd had no right to condemn her. If a wife has committed adultery, the husband has the choice to divorce her or not. Either way, he would be without sin.
Even though a husband divorces his adulterous wife, this does not mean that God would not forgive her if she repented and remained unmarried. He would absolutely forgive her. Getting remarried, however, would mean that a wife has not obeyed the command to ‘go and sin no more’. She would be repeatedly committing adultery by getting remarried.
An Example Of Acceptable Divorce
A perfect example of divorce in the event of adultery on the wife’s part, takes place with Jesus’ own parents.
Matthew 1:18-19 – 18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly.
Joseph is called a ‘righteous man’. We can see then that Joseph, thinking his wife had committed adultery and become pregnant, had made a righteous decision to divorce his wife. He knew that the only reason divorce would be allowed, was if Mary had committed adultery. So that Mary was not stoned, as the law states is the punishment for adultery, Joseph did not want to publicly accuse her.
Matthew 1:20 – But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Later, when the angel came to Joseph, did he rebuke Joseph for deciding to divorce Mary? No. Instead, the angel assures Joseph that no adultery had taken place, meaning Joseph did not have the right to divorce Mary.
Some may argue that Joseph and Mary were merely betrothed (engaged) and not fully married, and that divorce is allowed during the betrothal period. However, there is not one scripture that would validate this argument in the entire Bible. To the contrary, God sees no difference between a betrothed woman and a wife:
Deuteronomy 22:22-24 – 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. 23 If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24 you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death—the young woman 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.
Divorce & Separation Are The Same Thing
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 – But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband. 11 But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.
So we can see here that according to the Bible, a husband can only divorce his wife if she has committed adultery and for no other reason. And a wife, under no circumstances, can divorce or separate from her husband. If the husband of an adulterous wife chooses to divorce, he is free to remarry while the adulterous woman cannot.
Some Christians believe that divorce is not permitted under any circumstances whatsoever. This is an untrue statement. If a believing wife is faithful to her believing husband, there is absolutely no reason that a husband could divorce his wife.
Married To An Unbelieving Spouse
There is only one other reason that divorce is allowed in the Bible, and that is if a believer has an unbelieving spouse.
1 Corinthians 7:12-15 – To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.
If a believing husband or wife has an unbelieving spouse, it is important to understand that the believing spouse is not permitted to divorce the unbelieving spouse. However, if the unbelieving spouse wishes to divorce, let it be so. The believing spouse is therefore released from the bonds of marriage. Only the unbelieving spouse may choose to leave the marriage through divorce. This goes for both husbands and wives.
1 Corinthians 7:15 (ISV) – But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him go. In such cases the brother or sister is not under obligation. God has called you to live in peace.
1 Corinthians 7:15 (God’s word translation) – But if the unbelieving partners leave, let them go. Under these circumstances a Christian man or Christian woman is not bound [by a marriage vow]. God has called you to live in peace.
1 Corinthians 7:15 ( KJV) – But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
Paul is using the same wording as he uses in:
Romans 7:2-3 – For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
In a marriage where one of the spouses is not a Christian, the believing spouse is permitted to remarry, as they are released from the bondage of marriage. However, the next marriage must be to a believer so that the cycle of divorce does not continue.
1 Corinthians 7:39 – A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.
2 Corinthians 6:14-15 – Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
Technically, the first marriage should have been with a believer and the individual should not have entered into an unequally yoked marriage to begin with.
The obvious danger of being allowed to remarry if your spouse is an unbeliever, is simply justifying that your spouse is in fact, an unbeliever. A wife may become rebellious to her unbelieving husband and a husband may become harsh with his unbelieving wife in an attempt to make the unbelieving spouse request a divorce, so that they can get remarried. However, the believing spouse cannot divorce the unbeliever and must follow the Bible’s teachings regarding the duties of husbands and wives. Wives are even commanded to be submissive to their husbands, even if he himself, is being disobedient and not living according to the word of God. Husbands are commanded not to be harsh to their wives for any reason.
Colossians 3:19 – Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Ephesians 5:25-33 – Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
1 Peter 3:7 – Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
And for wives:
1 Peter 3:1-2 ESV – Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
Other translations say:
1 Peter 3:1-2 GNT – In the same way you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands, so that if any of them do not believe God’s word, your conduct will win them over to believe. It will not be necessary for you to say a word,
1 Peter 3:1-2 NASB – In the same way, you wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your pure and respectful behavior.
Ephesians 5:24 – Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Ephesians 5:22 – Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.
Colossians 3:18 – Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
1 Peter 3:5 – For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands…
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