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.
Note: These verses continue to elaborate on Matthew 5:20 regarding righteousness that “exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees”.
Jesus reiterates the Old Testament requirement of “sexual immorality” written in Deut. 24:1 below. He points out that a divorce not meeting that requirement is not valid.
Definitions of “sexual immorality” and “commit adultery“.
Similar Old Testament Verses
When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house…
Deuteronomy 24:1
Definition of “indecency“, improper behavior related to nakedness. Jesus’ words make it clear that the Old Testament verse means the same as sexual immorality. Leviticus 18:6-18 uses the same word for unlawful sexual relations.
Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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