The Way of Jesus

Part 3: "Paul, What Is Your Advice?"

Download 03_Paul, What_is_Your_Advice?.mp3   Part 3 of our series on Marriage and Divorce.  We focused on Paul's response, in 1 Corinthians 7, to a list of questions that the church had regarding singleness, marriage, divorce and remarriage.  Click on the link for the study notes on this teaching Part Three notes.doc.

Part 2: Jesus, can you divorce for "Any Matter"?

Download 02_"Jesus_can_you_divorce_for_"any_matter"?.mp3  Part two in our marriage and divorce series.  This teaching unpacks the Jewish debate surrounding Deuteronomy 24:1 on whether or not an "any matter" divorce is biblically valid.  Jesus, gives many unique contributions to what was normally a two sided debated between the rabbinic schools of Hillel and Shammai.  Click on the link for the notes page on this teaching Part 2 study notes and review.doc

God's Marriage and Divorce

Download 01_"God's_Marriage_and_Divorce".mp3   Part One in our series on marriage and divorce.  The first step in understanding challenging issues is to take a step back.  In this teaching we looked to gain insight into the ancient near eastern cultural views of marriage, divorce and remarriage and then we looked at the surprisingly dominant theme throughout scripture of God's marriage to Israel.  We find that God uses language of marriage to describe his covenant with Israel.  The two historical exiles described in the Old Testament of Israel (the 10 northern tribes) to Assyria and later, Judah to Babylon, are described by the prophets as God divorcing Israel and treating Judah's exile as a separation.  The prophets paint a future hope that God will remarry a renewed and reunited Israel/Judah. It is amazingly provacative that God describes himself as experiencing marriage, divorce, separation and remarriage...the ramifications of this are profoundly impacting me.