The topic of marriage, divorce and remarriage is a controversial issue among brethren. There are several different views regarding the Bible teaching on this subject. There has been much writing and debate recently, particularly over the rights of an innocent put-away spouse. Debates (whether written or oral) can be useful in presenting two sides of an issue for an audience to more easily compare the teachings with Scripture. However, when one goes to study the subject, the amount of material available may seem overwhelming. Where do we begin? We need to begin with what the Bible teaches regarding marriage.
Marriage is a Divine Institution
Jesus said, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6). Marriage was established, and thus is also regulated, by God. It was put in place at the beginning. After God created Eve to be a “helper” for Adam (Genesis 2:18), the text says, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). God’s rules regarding marriage were established long before any culture, society, or government. Therefore, none of those affect the divine institution of marriage.
A misunderstanding of the role of civil government accounts for many of the disagreements among God’s people today over the subject of marriage, divorce and remarriage. Like marriage, civil government is an institution “established by God” (Romans 13:1). Civil authorities are given certain responsibilities by God. They are to keep order “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life” (1 Timothy 2:1-3) and deal out punishment to “the one who practices evil” (Romans 13:4). But nowhere in Scripture do we find where God gave civil governments any role or authority with regard to marriage.
In our present day United States, civil government does record and recognize marriages. But what they recognize as marriage is not always what God sees as marriage. In some places (and sadly, this will probably spread to more and more places), the civil government will recognize the union of two men or two women as a marriage. Many times, the government will permit marriage between two people when one or both of those people are still bound by God’s marriage law to another. What the laws of man choose to recognize does not change God’s law.
As Christians who realize that we are governed by God’s law, we need to respect that law when it comes to marriage. His law is unchanged by the courts and cultures of men. Those courts and cultures can choose whether or not they will recognize those whom God has bound together as being married. But regardless of who they view as married or unmarried, God’s marriage law determines who is or is not bound in marriage.
God Will Join Two Who are Eligible to Marry
As I already stated, just because a society or government recognize a couple as being married, does not mean that God has bound them to each other in marriage. God will only join two who are eligible to marry. When Jesus was asked by the Pharisees if a man could “divorce his wife for any reason at all,” He went back to the beginning and explained God’s universal marriage law. “And He answered and said, ‘Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female” (Matthew 19:4)? God’s design for marriage involves one man and one woman. He will not join two men or two women in the bond of marriage, regardless of what society recognizes.
But God will not join every man-woman couple who wish to marry. He will only join those who have the right to marry. Of course, one who has never been bound in marriage has the right to marry. This was the situation Adam and Eve were both in when God established marriage in the beginning. Also, those who have been married and their spouse dies, they have the right to marry again (Romans 7:2-3). Lastly, those who put away their mate who is guilty of fornication has the right to marry (Matthew 19:9). According to what the Bible teaches regarding marriage, individuals in one of these categories have the right to marry another who also falls into one of these categories.
Marriage is a Life-Long Relationship
The rampant divorce in our country and in many places around the world is a mockery of God’s plan for marriage. God’s intent is for marriage to last a lifetime. There are only two exceptions given in Scripture that give one who was previously bound in marriage to another the right to remarry. If their spouse dies, they are released from their marriage bond (Romans 7:2). If they put away their mate for fornication, they are released from their bond and are free to remarry (Matthew 19:9).
To demonstrate the permanency of the marriage bond, we can see examples in Scripture of those who were still bound by God’s marriage law to one while being recognized by men as being married to another. Herod was said to have married Herodias, who was previously his brother Philip’s wife (Mark 6:17). John had an opportunity to teach Herod and told him, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife” (Mark 6:18). Herod and Herodias were seen by men as being married. But John, the prophet of God, knew God’s marriage law. Herodias was still bound to Philip. That is why he could still call her Philip’s wife. The marriage bond remains intact even after an unlawful divorce and remarriage.
Another example is found in Jesus’ teaching on marriage: “And He said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her’” (Mark 10:11). When a man remarries without the right to do so, that second marriage constitutes adultery against his original wife. Some have argued that against should be translated with, even though the vast majority of translators (experts in the Greek language) have translated against instead of with. Regardless, whether the Greek word epi should be translated as against or with, the meaning is the same. He commits adultery with the second wife against his first wife. Adultery is defined as “willful sexual intercourse with someone other than one’s husband or wife” (Nelson’s Bible Dictionary). The fact that Jesus called this second marriage adultery shows that this man was still bound in marriage to his first wife. His divorce and subsequent remarriage did not change that.
Conclusion
When the Pharisees came to Jesus, they asked Him if a man could “divorce his wife for any reason at all” (Matthew 19:3). Before answering their question, He set forth the truth of God’s law regarding marriage. This needs to be established before teaching on divorce and remarriage will be of any profit. Today, many have questions regarding divorce and remarriage. Before we examine the different teachings to see which is the Biblical view, we need to first understand God’s marriage law. Marriage has been established by God, not man. God joins two in marriage who have the right to marry. Once He joins them in the bond of marriage, unless one of the two exceptions that we discussed earlier occurs, they are expected to remain in that relationship. This law applies to all men of all time, regardless of society or culture.
