Matthew 5:27-32

In this passage Jesus quotes from two places in the Old Testament.  First is the seventh of the Ten Commandments: You shall not commit adultery.  “Adultery” refers to a sexual relationship by a married person with someone not their spouse.  Second Jesus refers to Deut. 24:1-4 which commanded a certificate be given to a woman when her husband divorced her.  This was done for her good so that she could prove the divorce to a future husband in remarriage.

In the matter of adultery our society often expresses a permissiveness not even present in Jesus’ day.  We often say that the sexual relationship is between two consenting adults no matter who they are.  For serious Jews adultery was a violation of the law, but it was limited to the act.  As in murder, so it is with adultery: the issue is the heart.  Jesus’ understanding of sin is that it begins in the heart, and that the sin is committed before it becomes an act.

Verses 29-30 are sometimes misunderstood.  Jesus does not advocate a masochistic approach to spirituality.  His concern is with being cast into hell.  Given the terribleness of hell Jesus says it would be better to mutilate yourself than end up there.  Jesus’ previous emphasis on the heart issue in sin one should not think merely dealing with the externals would somehow satisfy the righteous demand of the law.

In vs.31-32 Jesus challenges the common attitude toward divorce.  In His day (as in ours) divorce came easy, especially if you were a man in the Jewish setting.  You didn’t need much of a reason to send your wife away.  You just needed to remember to give her the certificate.  But for Jesus that callous approach is confronted by the words for any reason except sexual immorality.  (Note: Jesus will teach in more detail on divorce in Matthew 19:1-12.)  He is saying that in His view to divorce a woman because she’s a poor homemaker or hard to get along with is wrong.  In His view she is still married and thus to divorce and then to remarry (as is always assumed and expected in the Bible) causes her to commit adultery.

There is no doubt that some reading this may be offended at Jesus’ words and seemingly harsh standard.  He is not harsh in that He is exalting the marriage relationship to the high level intended by God from the beginning.  As Jesus would later say, What God has joined together, let not man separate (Matt. 19:6).  But He is harsh in the sense that He challenges our attitude towards marriage and our spouse in particular.  This is a glaring aspect of life in which your righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees.  In this area we are prone to rationalize or explain away our decisions.  We must see that these are merely ways that we disagree with God.  

Will we confess our lustful thoughts?  Will we agree with Christ about the most difficult and wonderful relationship of marriage?  Will you enter His Kingdom?