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Summary
- Jesus taught that marriage comes from God at creation, quoting Genesis: the two “shall be one flesh”, and what God has joined no one should put asunder (Matthew 19:4–6).
- He said Moses allowed divorce because of hard hearts, “but from the beginning it was not so”, and he called divorce followed by remarriage adultery, with an exception for fornication in Matthew.
- Churches apply his words differently: Catholics allow no second marriage while a valid first one stands, Orthodox churches allow one as an act of mercy, and many Protestants allow divorce for adultery or desertion.
- Jesus gave his first sign at a wedding in Cana, which the churches read as a blessing on marriage.
- He said there is no marrying in the resurrection, and he honoured those who stay unmarried for the kingdom, as he did himself.
- He called himself the bridegroom, and Paul saw in every marriage a picture of Christ’s love for the church.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- The Holy Bible, King James Version, quoted from BibleGateway: Genesis 1:27, 2:24; Deuteronomy 24:1; Isaiah 62:5; Matthew 5:32, 7:3, 8:14, 18:22, 19:3–12, 22:2, 22:29–30, 25:1–13; Mark 2:19–20, 6:3, 10:11–12, 10:43–45; Luke 16:18, 20:36; John 2:1–11, 3:29, 4:10, 4:18, 15:12; 1 Corinthians 7:7, 9:5; Ephesians 5:25–32; Revelation 19:7–9.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1613, 1614 and 1618 (The Sacrament of Matrimony: Marriage in God’s Plan), 1629 (Matrimonial Consent) and 1650 (The Goods and Requirements of Conjugal Love). Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997.
- Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, Synodal Affirmations on Marriage, Family, Sexuality, and the Sanctity of Life (1992).
- The Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 24, “Of Marriage and Divorce” (Orthodox Presbyterian Church edition).
- Mishnah Gittin 9:10, William Davidson English edition, Sefaria.
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