Remarriage Institution and Repeal Chart

Old Covenant

New Covenant

Genesis 2:

Deuternonomy 24:1-2

Matthew 19:9

Monogamy--Man and Wife Beginning—First Marriage:

Institution of Remarriage:

First and second law givings of Moses

Reproof and End of Remarriage Institution

Fulfillment of the law through the prophet to come:

“21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” (KJV)

“1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.” (KJV)

“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.”

Divorce Tolerated Dt. 24:1

Divorce only permitted in case of fornication.

Mt. 19:9.

Gender bias is a biblical criterion for consideration. In the Old Testament, males were allowed to be polygamous. The men could have many wives. However, the women were not allowed to be polygamous. Even though monogamy was established in the NT, and remarriage was not tolerated, I would think in the case of female defilement, intolerance of female impurity (Mt.19.9) is appropriate.

Also see The Sanctification Wars.

Divorce and Remarriage Tolerated

Remarried and impure women tolerated (Dt.24: 1-2)

→ → →

Remarriage and Fornication Not Permitted

Mark 10:10-12

Return of Divorced and Remarried Wife Not Permitted

Dt.24: 1-4

→ → →

Return of Divorced and Remarried Wife Not Permitted

Reproof of The Shepherd of Hermas Dt. 24:4