Whosoever Putteth Away His Wife (Luke 16:18)

2024-09-25

Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. (Luke 16:18)

Jesus teaches that divorce and remarriage is adultery in several other places in the New Testament. However, this verse is tucked in a seemingly unrelated subject. Consider the previous verses:

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. (Luke 16:15-17)

I believe that Jesus may be making a spiritual application to what is a normal Scriptural teaching. Surely, we are joined to the Law as long as we live and are citizens of this world. Perhaps this is an allusion to what is mentioned in Romans 7:1-6. One must die to end the bond of marriage; likewise, we must die to the law to be joined to Christ. I believe this is an additional application here in Luke’s account; why else bring it up with no other context referring to marriage? We die to this world and to the law, and in Christ, we have truly died to both to be joined to Another. The law may not pass, be we have passed away in Jesus Christ.