Sound Doctrine (Marriage and Divorce)

Subject: Sound Doctrine (Marriage and Divorce)

Scripture Reading: Mark 10: 1 - 9

Memory Verses: Mark 10: 7 - 9

Objective: To determine from scripture that putting away, separation, or divorce was never in God’s plan.

1.     When the Pharisees questioned Jesus about “putting away,” where did He direct their thoughts? Mark 10: 2 - 9, Matthew 19: 3 - 6; Where was the foundation laid? Genesis 2: 20 - 24

2.     Anticipating their follow-up question, how did Jesus speak to the immutability of God’s instructions, and what fundamental reason did He give for the precept allowed by Moses? Matthew 19: 7 - 8

Note: In their newfound freedom from Egypt’s bondage, the men of Israel developed a taste for unrighteous practices seen among the surrounding nations. One such practice was putting away one’s wife for another at will. To protect the women of the nation from this abuse, Moses permitted a precept to be written. Jesus agreed fully with the Father’s command: it is the weakness and hardness of man’s heart that seeks to do differently. Discuss the chaos into which the body of Christ would descend if such practices were accepted.

3.     When the demands of the marriage covenant weighed heavily on His disciples, what observation did they make, and how did Jesus respond? Matthew 19: 10 - 12

4.     The Apostle Paul did not endorse putting away (divorce); rather, he discouraged it. How did he seek to preserve the sanctity of marriage, mindful that some spouses would remain bitter, unrelenting, and hard-hearted toward one another? 1 Corinthians 7: 6 - 11 Some take comfort in the first clause of verse 11; however, what is the message in the second clause?

5.     How did God rebuke Israel for their unfaithfulness in “putting Him away”? Malachi 2: 14 - 16

6.     While modern theology rejects this specific command, how do we continue to encourage those who still struggle with this subject? 1 Corinthians 10: 13, 1 Peter 5: 6 - 7 & 10