Matthew 5:32

Return to Archive Topical Index

MATTHEW 5:32

Verse by verse study of Matthew 5:17-32

17        Jesus did not come to wipe away the law of Moses. He came to live it perfectly. After living it to the fullest he could set it aside.

18        NOTE: There are two "tills" in this verse. 1] Till heaven and earth pass; 2] Till all is fulfilled. The law will not be done away "till" either/or is completed. Illus. - car guaranteed for 12 months/ 12,000 miles; "whichever comes first."

19        These rules are not to be violated. You should not teach or encourage others to violate them.

20        These rules were the "MDR" that God expected. You should do more than the "minimum daily requirement."

21-26 The law vs. Jesus on the subject of murder and hatred. The law dealt with the act of murder. Jesus extended the "intent" of the law to deal with the thinking that would lead to such an act.

27-28 Adultery vs. lust. The law dealt with the actual act of adultery. Jesus extended it to include the kind of thinking that would lead to the act.

29-30 When any part of our body is leading us into sin; it would be better to sacrifice that part of our body than be lost in Hell forever. (See Ps. 101:3; I urge you to put this in the corner of your TV screen.)

31        Deut. 24 on the subject of divorce.

32        HERE IS THE TEACHING OF JESUS. First, the rule. Whoever puts away his wife, causes her to commit adultery, AND whoever marries her that is put away commits adultery.

NOTE #1: The phrase "causes her" implies that he makes her feel that she is "innocent" and "free" to marry when she is not. She commits adultery when she re-marries, not at the point of the divorce.

NOTE #1A: There is a difference in the "legal" right under the laws of the civil government and the "moral" rights that one has under the law of Christ. One may be divorced legally in Tennessee and be wrong in the sight of God.

NOTE #1B: "Causes her" says that while she is guilty of the sin of adultery, he bears the responsibility for that wrong. God will hold him accountable for this action.

NOTE #2: She is the "innocent party" in this situation. I urge you to remember that Jesus does not allow the innocent party who has been wrongly put away to re-marry. Think about this: If the innocent party who is wrongly put away can not re-marry, can the "guilty party" who is properly put away re-marry?

NOTE #2A: If both the innocent party and the guilty party can re-marry, then God does not have any law of the subject of marriage and divorce. Why are we studying this material?

NOTE #3: The exception, "saving for the cause of fornication." Adultery and fornication are not the same. "Fornication" is from "pornea". It is a broad term that includes all kinds of unlawful sexual behavior.
        I Cor. 5:1 - incest
        Jude 7 - homosexuality
        I Cor. 7:1-2 - pre-marital sex
        I Cor. 6:8-9 - prostitution
        Also included in "fornication" are: Rape, Beastility, Sexual Abuse, Adultery, Necrophilia, Pedophilia, Masochism, White Slavery, etc. The Greek word "pornea" comes into the English in words like "pornography" and "porno-movies".

NOTE #4: The problem here was not the divorce, but the lack of commitment to the marriage. The same is true today. Many know going into marriage that there is an easy way out. The marriage is in trouble before it starts.

NOTE #5: "For the cause" means that this was a primary factor in the person's decision to divorce. Not divorce because of some trivial matter and later decide that there was fornication involved. What was the motivation to get the divorce?