What Did Jesus Say About Marriage?
What did Jesus say about marriage? Let's take a look.
Matthew 19:3-12 King James Version (KJV)
3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 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.
9 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.
10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
The Bible also tells us this.
1 Peter 3 King James Version (KJV)
3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
Now many stop there, and many husband's wish it would, (pause for laughter) but verse 7 goes on and tells us how husbands should treat their wives.
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
Now Jesus doesn't want a month to Lord over his wife with an iron fist expecting them to slave to his every wish while he ignores HER needs. Married couples are to work together. Where one is strong, the other may be weak. If he's not good with numbers, it's okay for the woman to balance the checkbook. When the wife has to work, it's alright for the husband to cook and clean and even do the laundry. If one of them is sick or injured, the other should step up and carry the load for awhile until the other can heal or recover from an illness.
In spite of what some psychiatrists tell you these days, that's not “co-dependence.”. I'm sure that everyone has heard that made up term by now. It's how husband and wife are supposed to treat each other. The two are as one, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. That's what makes a good marriage.
I know that many of you have heard me rant about my wifebeing unfaithful. While that is true, there were many things that we did as man and wife that are painful for me to remember. We DID work as a team and it was very painful when she was separated from me by death. I had every biblical reason to divorce her and sometimes considered it, especially just before she found out that she had cancer and told me that she was leaving me right after the party was over. Still, when she got the news, I didn't run and say that I just couldn't handle it. I stayed and did my best to do what I could to help her through it. I took my vows seriously even though she did not.
We are not ready responsible for what our spouse does. We are held accountable for what WE did. Did WE do what was good and pleasing to God or did we behave in a manner which God told us not to?
Need another example?
Ephesians 5:17-33 King James Version (KJV)
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Now I know that husband's wish that it would stop there again, but it goes on.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Yes, there it is. That stinky old part about how husbands should treat their wives, but it's there in black and white.
Sometimes my wife and I would bicker and argue and not behave as we were told that we should in a marriage. My wife was not a Christian and she denied that she believed in Jesus to her grave. I knew that she would be completely healed if she could believe strongly enough. It had happened for me more than once, so I tried to get her to believe one last time so that I would see her in heaven. Alas, it was useless. Still, she defended me to her family even though she was dying. Perhaps that was enough? I don't know. I sometimes hope that I will see her again, just not looking down her in the pit of hell.
Those of you who are Christian and have Christian spouses should know better. You should know how to treat one another. If you don't, familiarize yourself with these verses then ask yourself again, “Am I treating my spouse the way that God wants me to?” Listen to what the voice inside tells you. Sometimes it might not be what we want to hear, but you need to listen to that voice.
Oh, I almost left out all of the reasons that Jesus gave for acceptably divorcing your spouse. Here IT is. It may not seem fair, but God knows better than we do.
Mark 10:2-12 King James Version (KJV)
2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
So, if you love Jesus and want to serve the Lord as Christ loved the church, you must become one, help one another, and the wife must ohey her husband even if he's not Christian, and the husband must love and sacrifice for the wife as Christ loved and sacrificed for the church.
Have a blessed weekend.
