Divorce and Remarriage: EVERYTHING the Bible Says about It.

May 27, 2020

Dive into the intricate teachings of Jesus and Paul on divorce and remarriage. Explore the Jewish backdrop and exceptions to divorce laws that cleverly challenge the notion of unbreakable marriages. Discover what 'sexual immorality' really means in scripture and how it relates to justified divorces, especially in cases of abuse. The discussion also examines different interpretations of biblical texts, urging compassion and understanding over strict legalism. Ultimately, it offers practical insights for modern believers navigating these complex issues.

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Intro

00:00 • 25min

Divine Teachings on Divorce

25:27 • 28min

Understanding Divorce and Sexual Immorality in Biblical Context

53:32 • 17min

Divorce and Remarriage: A Biblical Perspective

01:10:40 • 1h 6min

Navigating Spiritual Priorities in Marriage and Singleness

02:16:15 • 2min

Marriage and Remarriage in Biblical Context

02:17:55 • 47min

VIDEO MAP/TIME STAMPS 0:00 Intro to topic #1 10:07 What you need to know about the Jewish backdrop of Jesus’ teaching on divorce. #2 25:53 Why you should be open to exceptions to Jesus’ rule about not divorcing. #3 37:15 What all four Gospels have in common on this topic. #4 39:00 Jesus’ teaching on divorce in Mark 10. #5 46:54 Jesus’ teaching on divorce in Luke 16. #6 48:42 Jesus’ teaching on divorce in Matthew 5. #7 50:16 I’ve been taught that marriage is literally unbreakable; that it is ontologically impossible to end unless your spouse dies. What about that? #8 54:26 What did Jesus mean by “sexual immorality”. #9 1:11:00 Jesus’ teaching on divorce in Matthew 19. #10 1:21:22 Jesus’ teaching on divorce in Romans 7. #11 1:28:17 Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 7 vs. 10-16. #12 1:37:54 Does “not enslaved” allow remarriage after divorce in 1 Corinthians 7 vs. 15? #13 1:51:19 When can a Christian spouse be treated like a non-Christian? #14 2:00:49 What about abuse or extreme situations? #15 2:08:25 If you divorce for abuse or extreme situations can you get remarried? #16 2:10:51 Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 7 vs. 17-40. #17 2:19:05 Who are we to disagree with the church fathers? #18 2:31:46 God said, “I hate divorce”, doesn’t that mean you can’t get divorced? #19 2:33:53 What about those who will abuse the exceptions and wrongly divorce? #20 2:36:28 What about alcoholism, gambling, drug use, etc.? #21 2:37:29 What about a marriage that was entered sinfully? Should it be broken up? #22 2:44:05 What about David Instone-Brewer? #23 2:57:06 Should a pastor marry someone who is wrongly divorced? #24 2:58:53 Summary of all 16 biblical principles. #25 3:02:45 What are bad reasons for getting a divorce? #26 3:03:16 Final thoughts. RESOURCE LIST My teaching for husbands. https://youtu.be/65eMggo_xKQ My teaching for wives. https://youtu.be/H8PFVZgIQ2w Know that I don’t endorse these different works. They are resources showing a wide variety of interpretations from the most strict to relatively lenient. If you want to go deep on this topic then I recommend reading several authors, especially those you disagree with. ARTICLES: John Piper, “Divorce and Remarriage: A Position Paper” https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/divorce-and-remarriage-a-position-paper Raymond Westbrook, “The Prohibition on Restoration of Marriage in Deuteronomy 24:1-4” https://www.wisereaction.org/ebooks/westbrook.pdf this is where he gives his case for the first marriage involving a man keeping the ketubah and the second marriage involving the woman getting it. Wayne Grudem, “Grounds for Divorce: Why I Believe There Are More Than Two” (the infamous paper delivered at last year’s ETS) http://www.waynegrudem.com/grounds-for-divorce-why-i-now-believe-there-are-more-than-two/ David Instone-Brewer’s article on ancient marriage and divorce papyri. http://www.tyndalearchive.com/Brewer/MarriagePapyri/1Cor_7a.htm The Damascus Document https://www.academia.edu/28913750/The_Damascus_Document_CD_2005_ Carol Osburn article refuting David Pawson’s view that the Greek shows second marriages are continual adultery. “The Present Indicative in Matthew 19:9” https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=restorationquarterly BOOKS: David Pawson - “Remarriage is Adultery Unless…” https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00564TNV2/ Gordon Wenham, “Jesus, Divorce, and Remarriage: In Their Historical Setting” https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083ZN5ZQ3/ Wenham, Heth & Keener, “Remarriage after Divorce in Today’s Church: 3 Views” https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050O6P1O/ David Instone-Brewer, “Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible: The Social and Literary Context” https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001Q3L4VY/ See reviews of Instone-Brewer’s work here (Gagnon’s negative review and I-B’s response are particularly interesting) https://www.divorce-remarriage.com/ Craig Keener, “…And Marries Another: Divorce and Remarriage in the Teaching of the New Testament” https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801046742/ Jay E. Adams, “Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in the Bible” probably the single book I’d recommend if you were only going to read one book and wanted extended advice for pastoral ministry along with simple but thoughtful treatment of the Bible passages in question. https://www.amazon.com/Marriage-Divorce-Remarriage-Bible-Adams/dp/0310511119 D.A. Carson’s commentary on Matthew https://www.amazon.com/Matthew-Expositors-Bible-Commentary-Carson-ebook/dp/B01N2BKWIG There are a number of commentaries and quite a few other scholarly articles I used in my prep that I’m not including here. But if you pay attention to the footnotes in these sources I’m sure you will have more than enough content to look into.