Fornication and Divorce

by: Andre Price

There is a bias proclamation when interpreting a statement made by Christ that clarified what God recognized as the only cause for divorce.  

Matthew 5:32 “Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication (porneia), causeth her to commit adultery (moichao): and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery (moichao).

To believe that Christ meant He was setting aside the law of Moses concerning marital unfaithfulness prior to His death on the cross is misguided and leads to an incorrect understanding of what He plainly stated.  It is a matter of translation of a Greek word into the English word fornication that causes many to not perceive exactly what He was saying.  Unfortunately or by God's design there are no words in our English language that exactly distinguishes spiritual fornication and physical fornication.  In the above verse, the Greek words translated fornication and adultery were not meant to be interpreted as being the same.  The fact that they are literally different should be a clue to that.  The Greek word porneia {por-ni'-ah} was translated into the English word fornication.  It was used to address two forms of sin:

porneia {por-ni'-ah}  - fornication
1) illicit sexual intercourse

• 1a) adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.
• 1b) sexual intercourse with close relatives;
• 1c) sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman;

2) metaph. the worship of idols

• 2a) of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols

The Greek word moichao {moy-khah'-o} was translated into the English word adultery.  It was used to address one sin:

moichao {moy-khah'-o} - commit adultery
1) to have unlawful intercourse with another's wife, to commit adultery with

The second meaning of the Greek word porneia is why the Jews did not take up stones when Christ said fornication is the only acceptable cause for divorce.  The Jews were not confused at all concerning the meaning of porneia.  If they believed He was applying the first or sexual meaning of porneia, they would have immediately accused Christ of teaching one to break the law of Moses and took up stones to kill Him.  The following is the law of Moses concerning adultery:

Leviticus 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

Notice the total absence of the word divorce in the above law of Moses.  It was abundantly clear in the minds of the Jews that death was how adultery was dealt with.  Knowing that the Pharisees and Sadducees were looking for a legitimate reason to kill Christ should make it clear that He was not changing the law of Moses concerning adultery when He pronounced that fornication is a cause for divorce.  The Jews understood that and were not seeking guidance on what to do about adultery when they asked Christ the following question concerning divorce:

Mt 19:3 And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

The Pharisees were not satisfied with His restricted answer so they presented an argument to Christ.

Matthew 19:7-9 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Christ did not change the law when He clarified the only cause God allowed for divorce.

Mt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Prior to His death on the cross, the law was in full effect and everyone were accountable to it as it is written.  Proclaiming Christ taught otherwise is heresy.  If you think that the Pharisees and Sadducees did not expect Christ to uphold the law of Moses concerning adultery, think again.  Since they expected Christ to uphold the law of Moses, they plotted to use a woman caught in adultery in an attempt to entrap Christ into breaking the Roman law in order to fulfill the law of Moses.  The Roman law prohibited the Jews from stoning people to death.  If Christ had commanded the stoning, He would have been subject to death by Roman law.  Christ did not dispute the law of Moses when He was challenged by evil hearts to sanction stoning to death of the woman caught in adultery according to the law of Moses.

John 8:3-11 And the scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman taken in adultery; and having set her in the midst, they say unto him, Teacher, this woman hath been taken in adultery, in the very act.  Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such: what then sayest thou of her?  And this they said, trying him, that they might have whereof to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.  But when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.  And again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.  And they, when they heard it, went out one by one, beginning from the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst.  And Jesus lifted up himself, and said unto her, Woman, where are they? did no man condemn thee?  And she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more.

He forgave her and instructed her to sin no more.  He did not issue an edict of divorce to resolve the matter.  During that time, Christ was carrying out a great mission to save mankind from sin.  He had the power to forgive sin on the spot knowing He would pay the price of death to redeem us from sin.  

Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So what is the fornication followed by a bill of divorce Christ spoke of that the Jews found recognizable and acceptable?

Jer 3:8-15 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.  And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.  And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.  And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.  Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.  Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:  And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

It is evident in the above verses that God is angry concerning spiritual fornication against Him which is why He divorced His people.  Maintaining the consistent will of God, He also allows people to divorce for the cause of spiritual fornication.  Now that the law has been fulfilled, we are in a period of salvation by grace through faith.  It is apparent that sexual fornication, the first meaning of the word porneia, is also in effect as a cause for divorce replacing stoning to death with death by sin for those who refuse to repent.  God's divine wisdom foresaw the divisiveness of our time but we error if we forget that spiritual fornication has always dominated the hearts of mankind and is spiritually deadly.  Spiritual unfaithfulness to God and His divorce is far more critical than marital unfaithfulness and divorce.

The book of Revelation empahsizes porneia, spiritual fornication, as the most prominent sin facing the wrath of God.  Over the centuries, spiritual fornication was largely swept under the rug by strictly focusing on porneia as sexual fornication.  This ideology has already stumbled and damned many.  One should take notice that the book of Revelation uses the Greek words porneia and porneuo when describing the spiritual prostitution of all the world with the MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.  The Greek words porneia and porneuo have two meanings that are nearly identical.  See the definitions below.  It is clear that God is not proclaiming that all the kingdoms of the world will have physical sex with a great whore.  It is largely accepted by scholars that God is speaking of spiritual fornication surrounding the same Greek word porneia given by Christ as the only cause for divorce under the Old Covenant just before the New Covenant was established.  Examine the following verses containing the word fornication from the book of Revelation:

Re 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication (porneia).
Re 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication (porneia), and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Re 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication (porneia); and she repented not.
Re 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication (porneia), nor of their thefts.
Re 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication (porneia).
Re 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication (porneuo), and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication (porneia).
Re 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication (porneia):
Re 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication (porneia), and the kings of the earth have committed fornication (porneuo) with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Re 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication (porneuo) and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Re 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication (porneia), and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

How cunning the devil is to set the minds of men entirely on sexual sin when interpreting the word fornication in the Bible.  Spiritual fornication goes largely unnoticed as if it were eradicated.  The truth is that spiritual fornication is the greatest hidden sin of all time and even made to appear acceptable in the name of the Lord.  It is spiritual blindness that opens people to excusing spiritual fornication while boasting of sexual purity.  The Jews lived under the law and the swift consequences of spiritual fornication was an example for us. A dismissal of Old Testament teachings by many is why modern Christianity largely rejects sexual fornication while embracing spiritual fornication: hence, the falling away prophesied to stumble many into facing the wrath of God.

1Ti 4:1-3 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

2Th 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

To protect against stumbling, the Spirit of God directed the disciples to instruct the Church concerning transgressions that are particularly offensive to God and abominable.

Acts 15:28-29 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication (porneia): from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Don't be fooled by the notion of not having any physical idols erected and bowing before them while ignoring idols of the heart.

Eze 14:3-4 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

GREEK DEFINITIONS:

porneia {por-ni'-ah} - fornication

1) illicit sexual intercourse

• 1a) adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse
• with animals etc.
• 1b) sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18
• 1c) sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman; Mk. 10:11,12

2) metaph. the worship of idols

• 2a) of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the
• sacrifices offered to idols

porneuo {porn-yoo'-o} - commit fornication

1) to prostitute one's body to the lust of another
2) to give one's self to unlawful sexual intercourse

• 2a) to commit fornication

3) metaph. to be given to idolatry, to worship idols

• 3a) to permit one's self to be drawn away by another into idolatry

moichao {moy-khah'-o} - commit adultery
1) to have unlawful intercourse with another's wife, to commit adultery with