This is what Jesus said about marriage and divorce

Elaine Storkey unpacks Matthew 19, and reminds us that our relationships should be faithful, safe and loving

Study passage: Matthew 19:1-12

A woman went to her pastor for advice about her sister who had endured years in an abusive marriage. She had long been concerned about her sister’s low self-esteem, but since her brother-in-law’s violence had escalated, she now worried for her safety. The husband refused counselling, denying the issue, so she felt her sister should begin divorce proceedings before things got worse. The pastor listened thoughtfully. He asked if the husband had had affairs or been unfaithful. She didn’t think so, but that wasn’t the problem: the man’s cruelty was. The pastor was sympathetic but saw it differently. He pointed out that Jesus’ teaching in the Gospel of Matthew was that a wife shouldn’t divorce her husband except on grounds of adultery. As a Christian, her sister needed to obey Jesus even if she found life hard and heavy-going.