Matthew 19:9……Working

Matthew 19:9……Working

19:9 I tell you (Emphasizes divine authority) that anyone who divorces his wife, except (apart from this, saving for this reason, there is no other.(New) ) for (the only basis, cause) marital unfaithfulness, (The Greek word “porneia”, is the word from which we get our modern word “Pornography. The essential meaning of porneia is “”sexual immorality” encompassing various forms of illicit sexual behavior, including adultery, fornication, prostitution, incest, and other sexual sins.) and marries another woman commits adultery.” (And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”-(Mark 10:12) Emphasizes how adultery is a  two person sin.-(New)  (For Complete Expository See Book)

Extended Sermons

Additional Notes & applications

Jesus’ “exception clause” has been a source of ongoing debate among theologians and biblical scholars regarding its scope and application. Some argue it applies to both the divorced and the remarried, while others focus on its implications for the innocent party. Also note, because the same passage appears in the other Gospel. But because the “exception clause is absent in Mark and Luke. Some feel it was an addition added by Matthew and should not be in the bible. We need to be careful when we do that, because then we become the authority of what belongs in the bible and what does not belong in the bible What happens is you start to pick and choose what you want to obey what you don’t need to obey based on it’s legitimacy.      

Please note, though,  Jesus’ exception clause is not a command for divorce and/or remarriage. Jesus is not saying that if marital unfaithfulness occurs a couple should divorce. Jesus is not saying that if a divorce occurs due to marital unfaithfulness, the innocent spouse should remarry. At most, Jesus is giving allowance for divorce and remarriage to occur. In no sense is Jesus declaring divorce and remarriage to be the best or only option. Repentance, forgiveness, counseling, and restoration are God’s desire for marriages damaged by unfaithfulness. God can and will heal any marriage in which both spouses are committed to Him and willing to follow His Word.

Some contend if Jesus was referring to adultery as the only legitimate grounds for divorce the text would have used the word “moichao’ ” (Strong’s 3429-“to commit adultery”) Because it doesn’t, suggest we should look elsewhere for Jesus’ meaning. If the exception clause does not refer to adultery, the only thing it can reasonably refer to is impurity in the women discovered on the first night of the marriage. In which case there would have been deceit in the marriage contract. Resulting in an act of unfaithfulness during the engagement period. Jesus would then be saying in full accord, with the accepted views of the day, that a man may divorce a women immediately after marriage if he finds her not to be a virgin.