Matthew 5:31-32
“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus isn't just stating the existing divorce law here; he's exposing how casually it had become accepted, reducing marriage to a contract easily broken. The mention of a "certificate of divorce" wasn't about regulating divorce, but about a societal loophole that allowed men to dismiss wives for almost any reason.
Jesus is now directly addressing the Mosaic Law concerning divorce, correcting the common interpretation that allowed for divorce on almost any grounds. He quotes the Old Testament's provision for a "certificate of divorce" not to endorse it, but to show how it had been distorted by popular opinion and practice into a license for casual separation. He will soon clarify that this provision was a concession to human hardness, not God's ideal for marriage.
Jesus quotes a common understanding of the Law, but reveals a deeper truth. What did this 'certificate' really represent?
The Mosaic Law, found in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, did indeed allow for divorce with a certificate. However, this wasn't God's original design for marriage, but a concession for the 'hardness of your hearts' (Matthew 19:8).
What happened in practice was that this certificate became a loophole. Many Jewish teachers interpreted the Law to mean that a man could divorce his wife for almost any reason, however trivial. The certificate was seen as sufficient 'paperwork' to make the divorce legally valid, regardless of the true reasons or the emotional and spiritual cost.
Christ pushes back against this shallow interpretation. He reminds them that the Law's provision was a concession, not a green light. The 'certificate' didn't dissolve the sacred bond God intended for marriage; it merely facilitated a separation that often led to further sin.
Jesus declares a radical truth about marriage that would have shocked His listeners. What makes this union so sacred?
While the verse quotes the allowance for divorce, Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:31-32 is about the sanctity of marriage. The Jewish leaders had reduced marriage to a contract that could be easily dissolved by the husband's whim, often using the 'certificate of divorce' as justification.
But Jesus calls them back to the foundational truth: Marriage is a bond established by God. It's meant to be 'indissoluble.' The 'certificate' might release a couple from civil obligations, but it doesn't break the spiritual tie in God's eyes, unless specific grounds (like adultery, as mentioned later in His teaching) are present.
By merely giving a certificate, a man wasn't truly absolved. He was still spiritually bound to his wife, and if he remarried, he was committing adultery. This highlights that God sees the heart and the true covenant, not just the legal formalities.
Understand the original words
apolyō · Greek Verb
To dismiss, release, or send away; in a marital context, it refers to the legal dissolution of the marriage bond.
apostasion · Greek Noun
A legal document or writing of separation given to a wife to certify the termination of a marriage, providing her legal protection.
porneia · Greek Noun
A broad term for sexual sin and unchastity, encompassing any sexual activity outside the biblical marriage covenant between a man and a woman.
moicheuō · Greek Verb
The violation of the marriage covenant through sexual relations with someone other than one's spouse, breaking the 'one flesh' union.
This verse highlights a critical moment where Jesus confronts the widespread, permissive interpretation of divorce laws that had become common in Jewish society, contrasting it with God's original, stricter intent for marriage.
c. 1400 BC
Ten Commandments Given
The foundational Law of Moses, including prohibitions against adultery, is given to Israel at Mount Sinai, setting a divine standard for relationships.
c. 1000 BC
Solomon's Reign and Wisdom
King Solomon, known for his wisdom, compiles wisdom literature like Proverbs, reflecting on the complexities of human relationships and morality.
c. 750-450 BC
Prophetic Warnings Against Societal Decay
Prophets like Isaiah and Malachi decry societal breakdown, including the misuse of marriage laws and the lack of faithfulness in relationships.
c. 20 BC - AD 20— this verse
Rabbinic Schools Develop Divorce Interpretations
The influential schools of Hillel and Shammai debate the grounds for divorce based on Deuteronomy 24:1, with Hillel's laxer interpretation becoming dominant.
This passage is the direct source of the 'certificate of divorce' that Jesus is referencing, showing the Old Testament provision that had become corrupted by human interpretation.
Malachi 2:16This prophet directly condemns divorce, stating that God 'hates' it, providing a strong Old Testament basis for Jesus' stricter teaching on marital fidelity.
Matthew 19:3-6Here, Jesus directly addresses the Pharisees' question about divorce, reaffirming the original creation ideal of marriage as a lifelong union, not easily dissolved.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11Paul echoes Jesus' teaching, advising that if a couple separates, they should remain unmarried or be reconciled, underscoring the sanctity of the marital bond even after separation.
This wisdom text reflects the laxer view prevalent among some Jewish teachers of Jesus' day, showing how far the common understanding of divorce had strayed from God's intent.
calvinMatthew 5:31-32: "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:"
Again, it hath been said, Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. [408] 32. But I say to you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, except on account of unchastity, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry a woman that is put away committeth adultery.
Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth a…
henryMatthew 5:27-32: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:"
5:27-32 Victory over the desires of the heart, must be attended with painful exertions. But it must be done. Every thing is bestowed to save us from our sins, not in them. All our senses and powers must be kept from those things which lead to transgression. Those who lead others into temptation to sin, by dress or in other ways, or leave them in it, or expose them to it, make themselves guilty…
Jesus isn't just stating the existing divorce law here; he's exposing how casually it had become accepted, reducing marriage to a contract easily broken. The mention of a "certificate of divorce" wasn't about regulating divorce, but about a societal loophole that allowed men to dismiss wives for almost any reason.
Jesus is now directly addressing the Mosaic Law concerning divorce, correcting the common interpretation that allowed for divorce on almost any grounds. He quotes the Old Testament's provision for a "certificate of divorce" not to endorse it, but to show how it had been distorted by popular opinion and practice into a license for casual separation. He will soon clarify that this provision was a concession to human hardness, not God's ideal for marriage.
Jesus is now directly addressing the Mosaic Law concerning divorce, correcting the common interpretation that allowed for divorce on almost any grounds. He quotes the Old Testament's provision for a "certificate of divorce" not to endorse it, but to show how it had been distorted by popular opinion and practice into a license for casual separation. He will soon clarify that this provision was a concession to human hardness, not God's ideal for marriage.
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c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
Jesus delivers His most famous sermon, addressing the Law's intent and challenging the popular, often corrupted, interpretations of His day, including divorce.
"“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a di…" — Jesus isn't just stating the existing divorce law here; he's exposing how casually it had become accepted, reducing marriage to a contract easily broken. The mention of a "certificate of divorce" was…
