The preceding passage
has caused a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding through the
years as to what constitutes adultery. Yours truly has been a part, in
the past, of preaching from this text things that he now knows are not
an accurate interpretation of what Jesus was and is saying. I have
repented of that error, and hope that this article will set the record
straight.
The first half of this
passage is dealing with the seriousness of lust. The Bible condemns lust
(2 Peter 1:4; 2:10; Galatians 5:16-17). Jesus says that lust is serous
enough to cause adultery in the heart. This is NOT to be confused with
the "full-blown" act of adultery. If it were, Jesus would NOT
have added the qualifier, "in his heart." The idea would have been
correctly stated as follows: "But I say to you that whoever looks at a
woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her."
Therefore, the allowance Jesus makes in Matthew 19:1-9 for "sexual
immorality" being a sufficient grounds for both a divorce and the
remarriage for the innocent one is not the issue being addressed in
Matthew 5:28.
Also, the thing Jesus
says to get rid of in regard to the lust and subsequent adultery in the
heart is not the offending spouse. It is rather the element of the body
that causes or tempts one to sin (i.e., right eye, right hand). Instead
of one seeking to use adultery in the heart as grounds for divorcing an
offending spouse, let the effort be to help the spouse overcome the lust
that led them to commit the adultery in the heart.
The contextual emphasis
of Jesus’ sermon has to do with the coming of the gospel, and how that
gospel differs from the oral and written traditions that had become
commonplace among the Jews. In Matthew 15:3-6, Jesus addressed this very
problem: "He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the
commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying,
'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or
mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'Whoever says to his
father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a
gift to God"; 'then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you
have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition."
Part of that tradition
had caused error to be widely taught and practiced regarding marriage
and divorce. In the later part of the text above, Jesus sets the record
straight regarding this matter. His words show vividly that marriage is
a permanent arrangement, not to be dissolved flippantly or for reasons
other than those which God has dictated.
Adultery in the heart
is a serious matter. In Matthew 15:19-20, Jesus says, "For out of the
heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts,
false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but
to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." If the Christian
guards his or her heart from evil, and hides the Word of God in that
heart, lust will likely find no fertile ground for doing its dirty work
(Proverbs 4:23; Psalms 119:11).
However, if someone is
diligently seeking any loophole in the Word of God that they can find in
order to get rid of their mate, perhaps their heart is in just as much
need of repentance and restoration as the one who falls prey to lust.
God has plainly told us that there are at least two options other than
remarriage when a home is on the brink of falling. Those options are:
remaining unmarried, and/or being reconciled to the spouse (1
Corinthians 7:11).
Marriage can be
wonderful for two Christians who are Biblically eligible for it. They
can have many years of happiness and fruitfulness for the Lord, and can
be a strength to the church. As long as they each devote themselves to
serving God individually and together, and keep their hearts pure, the
ugliness and heartache of immorality and divorce need never threaten the
sanctity of their relationship.
This IS and always has
been the will of God.