[Tuesday's Devotional] - Anyone who divorces his wife…

2   Anyone who divorces his wife… Divorce was a hot topic in New Testament times.  It was allowed under Old Testament Law.  Some rabbis held a high view of marriage, but others would allow divorce for as trivial a reason as burning the toast at breakfast!   Jesus comments:   I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness causes her to be an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.  Matthew 5: 32  [NIV]   Jesus has a very high view of marriage.  It is to be exclusive and for life.  But here, Jesus speaks to men who would divorce their wives for any reason.  Yes, the Law of Moses allowed divorce, he is saying, but by divorcing your wife just because she doesn't warm your slippers or because you fancy a younger woman is not a good enough reason.  The only reason for divorce ought to be adultery.   By divorcing his wife for a trivial reason, a man would make her an outcast and, if she married again, an adulterer.  And the man himself, if he remarried, would be an adulterer, too.  For some unimportant reason, a man could make both himself and his wife guilty of a much more serious sin.     In speaking to men (for only men could initiate divorce) Jesus is saying that the Law of Moses does not endorse divorce, only that divorce should be the last resort and then only in the case of adultery.   Lord, please give me grace to work at all my relationships, seeking to support and bless, not to find fault and criticise.  Amen.   David Long   Twitter Website Copyright © 2016 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!