Book of Faith - Luke 16:14-18 - Divorce

In reading Luke, it was difficult to move through this passage about divorce.   To set the context, in the time of Jesus, there were two schools of thought about divorce.  One was the school of Shammai, which allowed divorce only on the grounds of adultery.  The other school of the school of Hillel, which had a more liberal interpretation.  A man could divorce his wife because she spoiled the food, or spoke disrespectfully, or was too loud.  This is just a partial list.  The prevailing view was Hillel.  In fact, it was so bad that women were refusing to be married.  Jesus enters the conversation and argues against divorce.  "Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."  

Here is where our discussion began.  Are there absolute laws?  What does it mean that we are free of the law? What is the church's position on divorce?  Has it changed through the years?  How can it change?  If it can, what are the implications for other laws?

We began the conversation looking at the church's position through the years.  Going back to 1930, there has been a shift in our position about divorce.  Divorce is still a sin because it is a breaking of a relationship, but there is a much more gracious tone.  Divorce is a consequence of our living in a broken and sinful world.  Sometimes, divorce brings an end to an abusive relationship.  However, every divorce is an occasion of grief.  Everyone who has ever gone through a divorce can speak of the pain.  No one needs to tell someone who is divorcing about the brokenness.  Certainly, no one needs to judge them.  As a community of faith, we are to speak a word of forgiveness and grace.  If someone then marries again, the hope and prayer is for that marriage to be for a lifetime.  God's intention remains the same.  God intends every marriage to be forever.  That is the constant.  Jesus sounds harsh in scripture because of the reason the people had for  asking the question.  They were trying to get around the law.  They wanted to justify divorce as though bending or using the law would negate the consequences.  Divorce is never OK.  Divorce is never what God intends.  However, like the woman caught in the act of adultery, in the midst of someone divorcing, God's word is one of forgiveness, not judgment.  As Jesus says to the adulterous woman, after he challenges anyone who is without sin to throw a stone of judgement at her and one by one the people walk away, "Is there no one left to judge you, neither do I.  Go and sin no more."  This is God's gracious word.  

We will be continuing this conversation this coming Wednesday.  We have not addressed all the questions.  We invite you to join us in person at noon on Wednesday or join us on the blog.  In any event, be a part of the discussion as we explore the scriptures on the road to discipleship.