Introduction

• Mark 6:17-19
• This can be a very emotional topic!
• John 12:48
• I Corinthians 6:9-10 – Fornication and adultery can keep us out of heaven!
• If you work hard enough, you will find someone who agrees with you on any topic. But we must follow God’s word.

Seven scriptures about marriage

Genesis 2:18-22, 24

• The Bible doesn’t always use the word “married” to refer to marriage. If often uses a descriptive phrase.
  • Deuteronomy 24:2; 7:3
  • Ezekiel 16:8
  • I Corinthians 7:2
  • Romans 7:3
• In Hebrew and Greek, there are no separate words for “husband” or “wife.” Context must indicate whether it is “man” or “husband.”
  • Old Testament Hebrew:
    • is man or husband
    • issa woman or wife
  • New Testament Greek
    • aner man or husband
    • gyne woman or wife
  • issa – Genesis 2:22-3:2
  • aner – John 4:16-18
• Words can refer figuratively to the past or future.
  • Figure of speech: prolepsis
    • Luke 2:11 – Jesus was not yet the Savior.
    • Deuteronomy 22:23-24
  • Figure of speech: adjournment
    • Exodus 7:10, 12 – Aaron’s staff was now a serpent.
    • John 9:17
    • II Samuel 11:26 – Uriah was not still technically her husband.
    • II Samuel 12:10
    • Mark 6:17-19 – Herodias was not still technically the wife of Philip.

Romans 7:1-4

• Paul’s main point is how a change of law works. He uses marriage as an illustration of this.
• In Romans 7:2-3, the law under consideration is God’s law. The marriage and the bond are two different things. The woman is bound to one man and married to another, making her an adulteress.

I Corinthians 7:39

• “Only in the Lord” – in harmony with God’s marriage laws.
• “bound” – not free to marry another

Mark 10:11-12

• Marriage law is the same for men and women.

Luke 16:18

• Divorcing a spouse and marrying another causes one to commit adultery.

Matthew 19:9

• If the divorce is due to sexual immorality, the innocent party is free to remarry. The guilty party is not free to remarry.

Matthew 5:32

• Divorcing a spouse except for sexual immorality “causes her” to commit adultery by putting the spouse in a difficult situation.

Conclusion

• Sin and Satan are the problems here, not God or His laws.