A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
LUKE 16:14-18
Lesson #44
MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, AND REMARRIAGE
- Memory Verse: Luk 16:17
- In a constant dealing with the religious leadership of the Jews during his earthly ministry, Jesus covered various topics that were covered by the Law of Moses.
- However, we have seen in the early part of the book of Luke that Jesus indicated times were changing.
- The Law of Moses was for the Jews during the time of the Old Testament up until the time of John the Baptist. (Luk 16:16)
- Jesus was opening a period of New Testament grace where the Law of Moses was no longer in force.
- Jesus’ disciples were trained to minister in the new age of grace, but they too had questions about the Law which Jesus answers in this section of scripture.
- However, we have seen in the early part of the book of Luke that Jesus indicated times were changing.
- Read Luk 16:14-17 The Law until the time of John the Baptist
- Justification before men or justification before God. Which is more important?
- The religious leaders had justified themselves before men. They hid behind a supposed self-righteousness.
- While some people would believe their presumption of holiness, God knew they were not holy men because God knew the heart.
- Justification before God is the more important aspect.
- In the Old Testament a person was justified before God by faith in the promised Messiah. (Abraham)
- However, the Pharisees believed that keeping the Law justified a person before God.
- The problem is that no one can keep the law, so the Pharisees pretended they were justified and saved because even they could not keep the Law.
- Then how do we achieve justification before God today?
- Only through faith in receiving Jesus Christ in our hearts and permitting the Holy Spirit to give us a new life in Christ can man stand before God in holiness.
- When we receive Christ into our hearts, God looks at the perfection of Jesus instead of our sinfulness. Therefore we are justified in Christ so that we can stand before God even while we are yet sinners by nature.
- The definition of justification is = Even while we were sinners he made us acceptable to God. (Rom 5:8 Gal 2:16)
- In the Old Testament a person was justified before God by faith in the promised Messiah. (Abraham)
- Justification before men or justification before God. Which is more important?
- Read Luk 16:18 Divorce
- Jesus spoke about divorce and the Law of Moses because people were making light of the Law.
- Jesus seemed more concerned with people’s attitude rather than the keeping of the letter of the Law that would end at the crucifixion.
- Background:
- The Pharisees were making divorce easy to obtain.
- The Law of Moses said, “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.” (Deu 24:1)
- The popular doctrine of the Pharisees was to divorce for any reason (The Hillel Teaching).
- This is the reason the religious leaders brought the topic to Jesus with the hope of undermining Jesus’ popularity with the crowd.
- People were divorcing over the slightest issue in conformity with the Pharisee doctrine.
- Jesus spoke about divorce and the Law of Moses because people were making light of the Law.
The meaning of the word “uncleanness” led to a long debate through the Old Testament times as to its meaning.
Did it mean she failed to clean the house properly?
Or did it mean something more spiritual?
Jesus indicates that “uncleanness” means fornication which we will examine shortly. (Mat 19:9)
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- What did Jesus say about the Law of Moses and divorce?
- Read Mat 19:3-12
- Jesus gives us four reasons not to divorce, of which these four reason were part of the Law:
- =1= God created men and women so they belong to God. (Mat 19:4)
- =2= God began the institution of marriage between a man and a woman for life. (Mat 19:5)
- =3= The bond between a man and his wife is so strong, God considers them as one flesh. (Mat 19:5)
- =4=Man was not to break the bond of marriage that God bound together by marriage. (Mat 19:6)
- Moses permitted divorce for only one reason, “uncleanness” which Jesus specifies as fornication. (Mat 19:9)
- What is fornication?
- Fornication is sexual immorality; any sexual act outside of marriage, which includes adultery.
- Moses permitted divorce on a limited basis because of their “hardness of heart”. (Mat 19:8)
- Divorce, therefore, is God’s permissive will and not God’s perfect will.
- Because the two are one flesh in marriage, divorce is the tearing apart of that flesh.
- For this reason divorce is extremely painful and a loving God would want His children to avoid that pain.
- Sin and unbelief are the basis of a hard heart. Therefore, sin and unbelief are the basis of divorce.
- Sexual sins on the part of one or both partners are the basis of God’s permissive will of divorce.
- Unbelief on the part of one or both partners that God cannot and will not work to restore a marital relationship confirms in the mind of one or both partners the decision to divorce.
- Divorce, therefore, is God’s permissive will and not God’s perfect will.
- What did Jesus say about remarriage of divorced people?
- The question of remarriage was equally disputed through Old Testament times once divorce was permitted by Moses.
- Jesus said that according to the Law remarriage for a person that divorced for any other reason than fornication is considered as living in adultery. (Mat 19:9)
- Jesus gives us four reasons not to divorce, of which these four reason were part of the Law:
- What did Paul say about divorce?
- Read 1Cor 7:1-16
- “But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.” (1Cor 7:6)
- Paul first gives us his personal opinion:
- =1= Everyone should marry and live faithfully with that spouse.
- =2= But if at all possible it is better not to marry.
- Singleness is a gift from God so as to devote one’s life to serving God like Paul did.
- If singleness results in immorality, it is better to marry.
- “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:” (1Cor 7:10)
- Then Paul gives us God’s command according to God’s perfect will:
- =1= A wife should not leave her husband.
- Now we have already seen that divorce was permitted by the Law for sexual immorality.
- But what about alcoholism, physical abuse, and etc.
- “But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.” (1Cor 7:6)
A woman could separate from her husband and not divorce. (1Cor 7:11)
Or a woman that divorced because of these conditions should not remarry.
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- =2= A man should not divorce a wife that left him. (1Cor 7:11)
- “ But to the rest speak I, not the Lord…” (1Cor 7:12)
- Then Paul returns to his own opinion concerning what was happening in the Corinthian church:
- =1= When a person converted and accepted Christ into the heart, that believer was not to divorce his or her unbelieving spouse as some were doing. (1Cor 7:12)
- =2= A believer was not to separate from an unbelieving spouse if the unbeliever did not desire separation. (1Cor 7:13)
- =3= If the non-believer decided to divorce the believing spouse over belief in Christ, then the believing spouse was free to remarry for she is not under bondage to that unbelieving spouse. (1Cor 7:15)
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- Summary and application:
- In our lesson today we see clearly the problem with making rules and Laws.
- Man seeks ways to get around the rules and laws so as to justify himself and continue living in the sin he has decided to commit. For this reason Luk 16:14-17 deals with self-justification.
- God said man and woman are to marry and not divorce to live in God’s perfect will.
- But in Luk 16:18 man sought to break that covenant relationship first with God and then with a spouse because of man’s sin nature and his unbelief.
- Man seeking to live in his own will by his own determination, divorced for any frivolous cause and justified his own behavior.
- Jesus gives us God’s perspective on man’s reasoning.
- Read Mat 5:27-28
- The Law of Moses said, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Exo 20:14)
- Jesus extended the Law of Moses that governed only man’s outward actions.
- In other words, Jesus raised the standard in this New Testament age over the Old Testament standard of outward behavior. Why did He do that when man could not live up to the old standard?
- The Old Testament standard of the Law of Moses was ending at the crucifixion of Christ.
- Now man’s thoughts, motives, and inner life are more important because man’s outward actions will be mediated by the indwelling Holy Spirit instead of a list of rules and regulations of Law.
- Jesus extended the Law of Moses that governed only man’s outward actions.
- Therefore, in this New Testament age of grace that began at the crucifixion , Jesus opened the way for God to give man a new impetus for obeying God….the presence and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit through the new birth experience. Now the Holy Spirit will help us to live to a higher standard.
- “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” (Luk 16:17)
- God made the Law of Moses so it must be fulfilled.
- A “tittle” is a small piece of a letter of the Jewish alphabet.
- However, man cannot fulfill it.
- Jesus Christ fulfilled every detail of the Law when he lived a perfect life without sin.
- Because Jesus fulfilled the Law and nailed it to the cross (Col 2:14), the believer in Christ today does not need to try to live according to the Law of Moses.
- Instead the believer must listen to the indwelling Holy Spirit who will convict of sin and guide the believer into truth.
- God made the Law of Moses so it must be fulfilled.
- In our lesson today we see clearly the problem with making rules and Laws.
Homework
Luke 16:19-31
- Application of Luk 16:14-18
- If at some time in your life you obtained a divorce, you need to know that God forgives all sin through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross.
- If you are in a place where you are considering divorce, you need to know that God is a God of restoration. Restoration is not easy. It takes work, but it is well worth the blessings that occur when we walk in God’s perfect will. Seek a pastor that can work with you and your spouse toward restoration.
- Preparation for Luk 16:19-31
- Read Luk 16:19-31
- How do you know we will know each other after death?
- What is the point of Jesus’ story about the rich man and Lazarus?
- Read Luk 16:19-31
- Memory Verse: Mat 6:33
