Is The Divorce Rate In America Really 50%?
Does The Bible Really Say That God Hates Divorce?
Does the Bible actually prohibit divorce? When I discus this topic with other Christians I usually get an answer that, "Yes, divorce is a sin." Note, they don't say that the Bible prohibits divorce but that divorce is a sin in and of itself. When I ask them if they can point to the idea that divorce is a sin they will most likely go to Malachi 2:16 saying that God hates divorce. So I went through different translations to see how they translate the text. So here is a list of those textual translation:
KJV- Malachi 2:16, “For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.”
NIV- Malachi 2:16, “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.”
AMP- Malachi 2:16, ““For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong and violence,” says the Lord of hosts. “Therefore keep watch on your spirit, so that you do not deal treacherously [with your wife].”
ESV- Malachi 2:16, “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”
HCSB- Malachi 2:16, “If he hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord God of Israel, “he covers his garment with injustice,” says the Lord of Hosts. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously.
Now, looking at all of these text is there any indication that God prohibits divorce? As I stated the accusation is that God hates divorce. Well not every translation states that God hates divorce. So I went to the Hebrew text to see what is actually said;
ס׃ חׅבְגֹּדוּ וְלאׄ בּׅרוּחֲכֶם וְנׅשְׁמַרְחֶּם עְבָאוׄח יְהוָה אׇמַר לבוּשׁוׄ ־ עַל חָמָס וְכׅסּה יׅשְֹרָאֵל אֱלהֵי יְהוָה אָמַר שָֹנֵא־כּׅי
I know this is bit confusing but this is the Hebrew case. That phrase that many go to for the idea that God hates divorce is אֱלהֵי יְהוָה אָמַר שָֹנֵא־כּׅי. The actual translation for this is "God hates the putting away." Another way of translating the text can be, "God hates the sending away." (If you wish to get a better font for the text click on the link here from scripture4all.org: Hebrew-English Interlinear.) So what does the text mean "God hates the putting away"? Putting away does not mean get rid of something to never regain that item. In the case of marriage "putting away" means to place a spouse to the side while one goes on living as if they are single or live in a marriage with another. So how does this connect with the text. A careful study of the people of Israel living prior to their exile shows they were worshipping false gods by making sacrifices, to include their children, and burn incense. Then when the day of atonement, the sacrifice to clear their sins, and other holidays directed by God, such as the Day of Booths and the Day of Unleavened Bread, they would celebrate those as usual. They would celebrate those days traditionally but the rest of the year they were devoting themselves to worship false gods.
Here is something of an example. All year when a family sits down for dinner they would use a certain set of dishes to eat from, the common dishes. Yet, during those special days of the year like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, anniversaries and birthdays and weddings there are a specific set of dishes that are pulled out to eat from. When they are not used they are put away, usually in a special safe place to wait. That is how the people of Israel were treating God. Thus the reason God rejected their sacrifices and gave them a certificate of divorce.
The only time the term שַלַּח (to put away or send away) has been used in relation to divorce is in Deut. 22:19 and in Matthew 19. Jesus explains the reason Moses allowed divorce, the heart of man is corrupt. Of all the uses of the word it is used less than .01% of the time as the it relates to divorce and the word שַלַּח is used 847 times in the Old Testament.
Another Hebrew word for divorce is גָּרַש (gârash – gaw-rash’) which is used 47 times in the Old Testament. 20 times it is used to mean drive out; 8 times as cast out; 6 times as thrust out; 2 times as drive away, put away, divorced; once as driven, expel, drive forth, surely, troubled, cast up, divorced woman. The Scriptures use the word in terms of when God drove out the Amorite and the Canaanite from the promise land (Ex. 34:11). What is seen here is God is driving out ungodliness from the land he had designated for his people.
Another Hebrew word to mean divorce is כְּרׅיחוּח (kᵉrîythûwth) which is used 4 times in Scripture. The root of the word comes from כָּרַח (kârath) and it is used 288 times. The primary meaning is to “cut off.” In the case of the first word it refers to the cutting of the matrimonial bond, a bill or certificate of divorce (Jeremiah 3:8). Due to Israel’s and Juda’s unfaithful character God gives them a certificate of divorce. Jesus says in Matthew 19 that the only reason for divorce is sexual immorality, adultery. Israel was committing spiritual adultery by worshipping false gods rather than remaining faithful to the living God.
Then why does so many people in the church say that God hates divorce? Well for a couple of reasons. First, biblical illiteracy. People don’t read nor study their Bibles as they should. One pastor once told me that ignorance is bliss, the people simply don't want to get that deep into Scripture because they wish to keep it simple. Yet, if someone wish to do a study they don’t dig deeper into what the authors were saying. Their usual method of Bible Study is going to a Commentary or some book on the subject failing to check the sources the authors have used to write their books. People’s complete understanding of the scriptures is based on knowing today's English and today’s culture. They fail to understand that the Scriptures were not written in English and that the culture was very different from ours today. The world view of the biblical authors is alien to us and our world view is alien to them. Even today, Western Civilization's culture is alien to the people in the Middle East and visa versa.
The second issue is tradition and presuppositions. These lead people to believe much of what they think they know and understand of the Scriptures. People are hard set in their traditions and presuppositions of the Bible that they are not willing to learn the truth of what is being said by the biblical authors. That is what Grandpa believed that is what they will believe. That is what they have been taught in church all their life therefore they will not question them.
So what are people trying to say when they state that the Scriptures say that “God hates divorce”? Usually what they are attempting to say is that because God hates divorce then it is a sin to get divorced. What they fail to do is look at the full text. In some translations the text says “For a man who does not love his wife but divorces her...” In others it says, “If a man hates his wife and divorces her…” The issue is not only that a man divorces his wife but that he no longer loves her or simply put hates her. The text considers this as covering his clothes (garments) with violence. The warning that follows is God telling men to guard their spirits and to remain faithful. Guard their spirits from what? Well from whatever caused them to hate their wives. Mankind is very selfish and arrogant. Man is always looking for greener fields to live in to feel at peace and comfort from life’s struggles. To go out to work or battle every day is hard enough but he doesn’t want to come home to trouble either. The man needs to rethink how he views his wife and consider that she deals with life struggles as well every day.
So now the question is, according to people’s understanding of Malachi 2:16 believing that God hates divorce can it be said that God sinned as well due to giving Israel and Judah a certificate of divorce? By no means can God sin but Scripture is clear, he did divorce Israel and Judah. A word for divorce in one place means divorce in other places too, right? No because words can have multiple meanings and the context needs to be considered in each case. The result is that people twist Scripture to establish legalistic conditions in the church. The idea of putting away in an abusive relationship where one it taking advantage of another for personal reasons and benefits. God did not put up with such behavior and being God he put into motion to cause Israel to repent of her ways and reconcile to her God.
KJV- Malachi 2:16, “For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.”
NIV- Malachi 2:16, “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.”
AMP- Malachi 2:16, ““For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong and violence,” says the Lord of hosts. “Therefore keep watch on your spirit, so that you do not deal treacherously [with your wife].”
ESV- Malachi 2:16, “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”
HCSB- Malachi 2:16, “If he hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord God of Israel, “he covers his garment with injustice,” says the Lord of Hosts. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously.
Now, looking at all of these text is there any indication that God prohibits divorce? As I stated the accusation is that God hates divorce. Well not every translation states that God hates divorce. So I went to the Hebrew text to see what is actually said;
ס׃ חׅבְגֹּדוּ וְלאׄ בּׅרוּחֲכֶם וְנׅשְׁמַרְחֶּם עְבָאוׄח יְהוָה אׇמַר לבוּשׁוׄ ־ עַל חָמָס וְכׅסּה יׅשְֹרָאֵל אֱלהֵי יְהוָה אָמַר שָֹנֵא־כּׅי
I know this is bit confusing but this is the Hebrew case. That phrase that many go to for the idea that God hates divorce is אֱלהֵי יְהוָה אָמַר שָֹנֵא־כּׅי. The actual translation for this is "God hates the putting away." Another way of translating the text can be, "God hates the sending away." (If you wish to get a better font for the text click on the link here from scripture4all.org: Hebrew-English Interlinear.) So what does the text mean "God hates the putting away"? Putting away does not mean get rid of something to never regain that item. In the case of marriage "putting away" means to place a spouse to the side while one goes on living as if they are single or live in a marriage with another. So how does this connect with the text. A careful study of the people of Israel living prior to their exile shows they were worshipping false gods by making sacrifices, to include their children, and burn incense. Then when the day of atonement, the sacrifice to clear their sins, and other holidays directed by God, such as the Day of Booths and the Day of Unleavened Bread, they would celebrate those as usual. They would celebrate those days traditionally but the rest of the year they were devoting themselves to worship false gods.
Here is something of an example. All year when a family sits down for dinner they would use a certain set of dishes to eat from, the common dishes. Yet, during those special days of the year like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, anniversaries and birthdays and weddings there are a specific set of dishes that are pulled out to eat from. When they are not used they are put away, usually in a special safe place to wait. That is how the people of Israel were treating God. Thus the reason God rejected their sacrifices and gave them a certificate of divorce.
The only time the term שַלַּח (to put away or send away) has been used in relation to divorce is in Deut. 22:19 and in Matthew 19. Jesus explains the reason Moses allowed divorce, the heart of man is corrupt. Of all the uses of the word it is used less than .01% of the time as the it relates to divorce and the word שַלַּח is used 847 times in the Old Testament.
Another Hebrew word for divorce is גָּרַש (gârash – gaw-rash’) which is used 47 times in the Old Testament. 20 times it is used to mean drive out; 8 times as cast out; 6 times as thrust out; 2 times as drive away, put away, divorced; once as driven, expel, drive forth, surely, troubled, cast up, divorced woman. The Scriptures use the word in terms of when God drove out the Amorite and the Canaanite from the promise land (Ex. 34:11). What is seen here is God is driving out ungodliness from the land he had designated for his people.
Another Hebrew word to mean divorce is כְּרׅיחוּח (kᵉrîythûwth) which is used 4 times in Scripture. The root of the word comes from כָּרַח (kârath) and it is used 288 times. The primary meaning is to “cut off.” In the case of the first word it refers to the cutting of the matrimonial bond, a bill or certificate of divorce (Jeremiah 3:8). Due to Israel’s and Juda’s unfaithful character God gives them a certificate of divorce. Jesus says in Matthew 19 that the only reason for divorce is sexual immorality, adultery. Israel was committing spiritual adultery by worshipping false gods rather than remaining faithful to the living God.
Then why does so many people in the church say that God hates divorce? Well for a couple of reasons. First, biblical illiteracy. People don’t read nor study their Bibles as they should. One pastor once told me that ignorance is bliss, the people simply don't want to get that deep into Scripture because they wish to keep it simple. Yet, if someone wish to do a study they don’t dig deeper into what the authors were saying. Their usual method of Bible Study is going to a Commentary or some book on the subject failing to check the sources the authors have used to write their books. People’s complete understanding of the scriptures is based on knowing today's English and today’s culture. They fail to understand that the Scriptures were not written in English and that the culture was very different from ours today. The world view of the biblical authors is alien to us and our world view is alien to them. Even today, Western Civilization's culture is alien to the people in the Middle East and visa versa.
The second issue is tradition and presuppositions. These lead people to believe much of what they think they know and understand of the Scriptures. People are hard set in their traditions and presuppositions of the Bible that they are not willing to learn the truth of what is being said by the biblical authors. That is what Grandpa believed that is what they will believe. That is what they have been taught in church all their life therefore they will not question them.
So what are people trying to say when they state that the Scriptures say that “God hates divorce”? Usually what they are attempting to say is that because God hates divorce then it is a sin to get divorced. What they fail to do is look at the full text. In some translations the text says “For a man who does not love his wife but divorces her...” In others it says, “If a man hates his wife and divorces her…” The issue is not only that a man divorces his wife but that he no longer loves her or simply put hates her. The text considers this as covering his clothes (garments) with violence. The warning that follows is God telling men to guard their spirits and to remain faithful. Guard their spirits from what? Well from whatever caused them to hate their wives. Mankind is very selfish and arrogant. Man is always looking for greener fields to live in to feel at peace and comfort from life’s struggles. To go out to work or battle every day is hard enough but he doesn’t want to come home to trouble either. The man needs to rethink how he views his wife and consider that she deals with life struggles as well every day.
So now the question is, according to people’s understanding of Malachi 2:16 believing that God hates divorce can it be said that God sinned as well due to giving Israel and Judah a certificate of divorce? By no means can God sin but Scripture is clear, he did divorce Israel and Judah. A word for divorce in one place means divorce in other places too, right? No because words can have multiple meanings and the context needs to be considered in each case. The result is that people twist Scripture to establish legalistic conditions in the church. The idea of putting away in an abusive relationship where one it taking advantage of another for personal reasons and benefits. God did not put up with such behavior and being God he put into motion to cause Israel to repent of her ways and reconcile to her God.
Does Remarriage Really Disqualify A Man From Ministry?
Far too often there activities that people have a difficult time thinking that Christians should do such things. In addition there are activities that Christians claim that all Christians should not participate in and if they do they are sinning. For example, the idea of drinking alcoholic beverages, going to movies, listening to secular music, wear particular style of clothes in church, or even reading a modern translation of the Bible. However, would there be any consideration that such activities should disqualify a man from ministry? Where do people get this idea?
Paul addresses various issues with Timothy in his letter that titled after Timothy. One issue is how church leaders, elders and deacons, should and should not behave. Paul says to both elders and deacons that they should be a man of one wife. So what does that actually mean? Some scholars say that polygamy wasn't common in Rome at that time. Other scholars claim that isn't true that polygamy was a common practice. So why the divide and why do Christians side with the first?
The assumption is that many in the church believe that Paul is saying that a man who wishes to be leader in the church cannot be one who has been married, divorced, and remarried, therefore, believing that a man who has been divorced and remarried have multiple wives. Where does Paul say such a thing? I can't find it and I do not form my theological beliefs on assumptions. To make the Scriptures say something that isn't in the text is known as an eisegesis, to put into the text what isn't there.
I am under the impression that what Paul is stating in 1 Timothy 3 is that a man cannot be a polygamist, being married to more than one woman at the same time. Paul say nothing about divorce or remarriage in this text. Therefore, too many theological views are merely based on assumptions rather than careful study of the text to include exegesis and hermeneutics.
If we look at what Jesus says in Matthew 19 that when a man divorces his wife he was to give her a certificate of divorce. Why is that? Well according to The Code of Hammurabi a man could discharge his wife, give her up, at any time for any reason and if he wished to have her back, even if she remarried, that man could legally take her back. Well, the case of a certificate of divorce prohibited such action. The certificate was a certification that the marriage was null and void, no longer legally binding.
So is the case today. Our legal system allows people to get divorced without a reason which is known as a "No Fault" divorce. When that marriage is terminated neither member is legally bound to one another. And if they wish to remarry they are not married to multiple people.
Paul addresses various issues with Timothy in his letter that titled after Timothy. One issue is how church leaders, elders and deacons, should and should not behave. Paul says to both elders and deacons that they should be a man of one wife. So what does that actually mean? Some scholars say that polygamy wasn't common in Rome at that time. Other scholars claim that isn't true that polygamy was a common practice. So why the divide and why do Christians side with the first?
The assumption is that many in the church believe that Paul is saying that a man who wishes to be leader in the church cannot be one who has been married, divorced, and remarried, therefore, believing that a man who has been divorced and remarried have multiple wives. Where does Paul say such a thing? I can't find it and I do not form my theological beliefs on assumptions. To make the Scriptures say something that isn't in the text is known as an eisegesis, to put into the text what isn't there.
I am under the impression that what Paul is stating in 1 Timothy 3 is that a man cannot be a polygamist, being married to more than one woman at the same time. Paul say nothing about divorce or remarriage in this text. Therefore, too many theological views are merely based on assumptions rather than careful study of the text to include exegesis and hermeneutics.
If we look at what Jesus says in Matthew 19 that when a man divorces his wife he was to give her a certificate of divorce. Why is that? Well according to The Code of Hammurabi a man could discharge his wife, give her up, at any time for any reason and if he wished to have her back, even if she remarried, that man could legally take her back. Well, the case of a certificate of divorce prohibited such action. The certificate was a certification that the marriage was null and void, no longer legally binding.
So is the case today. Our legal system allows people to get divorced without a reason which is known as a "No Fault" divorce. When that marriage is terminated neither member is legally bound to one another. And if they wish to remarry they are not married to multiple people.
