Is it wrong to get remarried after a divorce?

Whether it is "wrong" to remarry after a divorce is a subject of significant tension within the biblical texts, reflecting a shift from ancient Near Eastern legal norms to the more restrictive ethical frameworks of the early Christian movement. Critical scholarship analyzes these passages not as timeless moral laws, but as responses to specific socio-legal contexts, including Mosaic law and Roman imperial decrees.

The Mosaic Framework

In the Hebrew Bible, the legal framework for divorce was primarily unilateral. According to Deuteronomy 24:1, a husband could terminate a marriage if he found "something objectionable" about his wife ^[1]. This system reflected a socio-legal context where women were viewed as property and lacked the reciprocal right to initiate divorce ^[2]. While Deuteronomy 24:1–4 provided a procedure for the husband to "write her a certificate of divorce," scholars note that these laws were not general rules for marriage but addressed specific cases, such as the prohibition against a man remarrying a wife who had since married another person ^[3].

The Teachings of Jesus

In the New Testament, Jesus presents a more restrictive view of marriage and divorce, often framing it as a return to the "creation" ideal of Genesis ^[4].

* The Equation of Remarriage with Adultery: In Mark, Jesus suggests a rigorous ethical equation where divorcing a spouse to marry another is viewed as adultery He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. Mk 10:11, WEB. Some scholars, such as Mary Rose D’Angelo, argue that this reflects the influence of the Lex Julia de adulteriis, a strict legal code established by Caesar Augustus regarding adultery and chastity ^[5].

• The "Exception Clause": There is a notable textual variation between the Gospels. Matthew is the only author who includes an "exception clause," suggesting that sexual immorality is a valid ground for divorce I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.” Matt 19:9, WEB ^[6]. In this framework, if a divorce occurs without such grounds, the divorce is considered void and any subsequent marriage is viewed as adulterous ^[7].
• Challenge to Pharisaic Views: By restricting the grounds for divorce, Jesus is seen as countermanding the Mosaic command in Deuteronomy 24:1, challenging the Pharisaic view of divorce as a male right and emphasizing a more egalitarian, though more restrictive, view of the marriage bond ^[8].

Pauline Adaptations

The Apostle Paul further adapted these teachings to fit the realities of the first-century Mediterranean world. Unlike the laws in Deuteronomy, Roman law allowed wives to initiate divorce, and Paul's writings reflect an adaptation of Jesus' teachings to accommodate this legal environment ^[9]. While Paul views remaining single as the most "blessed" state, he acknowledges that widows may remarry, provided the new spouse is also a believer ^[10].

Summary of Scholarly Perspectives

From a critical perspective, the biblical "verdict" on remarriage is not monolithic:
1. Legalistic/Restrictive: The Markan and Matthean traditions (with the exception clause) suggest that remarriage after an "unjustified" divorce is adultery.
2. Socio-Historical: This restriction is viewed by scholars as a reaction to either Roman imperial law or a desire to elevate the marriage covenant above the permissive standards of the Mosaic era ^[5][11].
3. Contextual: The transition from the unilateral rights of the husband in Deuteronomy to the restrictive "indissolubility" taught by Jesus reflects the evolving ethical and political pressures of the early church ^[12].