David Bivin1 ... points out that the simple conjunction “and” in Hebrew or Aramaic (which Jesus spoke) can often mean “in order to.” He thus argues that Jesus may have said, “Whoever divorces his wife in order to marry another is committing adultery.” Jesus is therefore highlighting the fact that many men were divorcing their wives, not because of a fault in their wives but because they wished to marry other women. This is an interesting interpretation, but a weak one.
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Author: David Instone-Brewer
Keywords: Marriage, Divorce, Bill of divorcement, Certificate of divorce, Certificate of divorcement, Bill of divorce, School of Hillel, School of Shammai, Any cause, Every cause, Divorce for any cause, Divorce of every cause, Rabbinic debate, Commits adultery, Remarriage, remarried, remarry, Divorcement, Exception clause, Put away, Put assunder, Putteth away, Divorcee, matter of indecency, no fault divorce, any matter, divorce marriage, divorce remarriage, domestic violence, sexual abuse, husbands and wives
Bible reference(s): Deuteronomy 24:1-3, Malachi 2:16, Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:3-9, Mark 10:4, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18, Romans 7:2-3, 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, 1 Corinthians 7:13, 1 Corinthians 7:15, 1 Corinthians 7:27
Source: Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible: The Social and Literary Context (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002), pg. 288.
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