A Good Question: Does God Hate Divorce? | Reform Magazine

WALTER HOUSTON ‘Today, divorce means something different from in Malachi’s day’

If we want to settle a question about what the Bible means for our life, it is not enough to ask: ‘What does the Bible say?’ The Bible was written for situations that have vanished, and with assumptions that we may have given up. We must ask: ‘If Bible writers 2,500 or so years ago said this in their situation, what should we say in ours?’

In the case of Malachi 2:16 (‘“I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel,’) it is not even clear what the Bible text says. In the original Hebrew, this verse is a difficult text in a difficult passage. Most modern versions say: ‘I hate divorce,’ but there is no ‘I’ in the Hebrew, though there is no question that God is denouncing divorce in the passage. I would uncertainly translate verse 16 as: ‘“If a man hates his wife and divorces her,” says the Lord the God of Israel, “he is concealing abuse,” says the Lord of hosts. So be careful not to be faithless.’ Jesus too criticised divorce, comparing it to adultery.

What we need to understand is that, in ancient Jewish society, only the husband could divorce his wife. Malachi and Jesus both saw men casually using this privilege for their pleasure or advantage. …

Walter Houston is an Old Testament scholar and church minister

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HILARY ROCK-GORMLEY ‘Divorce was her only option, and I do not believe that God would condemn her’

I remember Jane (not her real name) who had instituted divorce proceedings against her husband. Jane’s husband was in prison after being convicted of being part of an internet child pornography ring. She had known nothing until the house was raided early one morning by police, and her husband was arrested. She had two young daughters.

Jane’s husband had not technically committed adultery – the only grounds Jesus gives for divorce (Matthew 19:7-9) – but she could not put her daughters at risk by allowing him to return to the family home. Divorce was her only option, and I do not believe that God would condemn her.

Divorce is an issue in Christian circles, but the real debate is about whether biblical instructions are applicable eternally. The Ten Commandments are clearly universal – applicable across time and cultures. However, how many churches today would follow St Paul’s instructions for women to be ‘fully submissive’? …

Hilary Rock-Gormley is a psychotherapist