Divorce is a very sensitive subject for Christians here in our Western culture. And it’s a very sensitive subject because even though in the West 90% of people marry by the age of 50, upwards of 40–50% of marriages in America end up in divorce according to the Encyclopedia of Psychology. And the divorce rate for subsequent marriages—2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th , is even higher—almost as though the higher the number of times you’ve been married, the more likely it’ll end in divorce. The divorce rate among Christians—professing and practicing Christians—is perhaps unsurprisingly, not lagging too far behind the culture. Because divorce is commonplace—the “normal”—in our culture.

And it seems like with every generation, as the culture in society becomes increasingly more secularized and replaces conservative, traditional views of marriage and divorce with progressively liberal views of marriage and divorce, the divorce rate keeps going up. It’s not even a sensitive issue for people in society—far from it. In fact, quite the opposite, it almost seems as though it’s celebrated—promoted—all over the place in our culture.

Just turn on the television and see this actor or that singer and this athlete or that famous person on their 3rd, 4th, and 5th marriage. Signs for divorce lawyers when you’re driving on the highway, driving on the road through any area of business and store front and street signs, “So and So Divorce Attorney: Only $500. Divorce is easy, divorce is cheap, it’s trendy, it’s accessible, and it’s convenient. Not happy with your wife, no problem, you can get a new one, all you need is $500! Not happy with your husband, don’t worry, just sign on this dotted line and you’ll be legally single and ready to mingle and start looking for another! This cavalier view of divorce is pervasive in the world around us—it’s everywhere!

It was no different with the Jews in the Judaism that dominated in Jesus’ day…Divorce was easy—at least if you were a man, all you had to do was give your wife a certificate of divorce, and you were free. And we see that in the text this morning, though there were a few different views on what the appropriate grounds for divorce were among the Jewish religious elite, all of them agreed it was permissible. And even though the Pharisees’ question is disingenuous and they have a hidden deceptive motive to entrap Jesus, the question remains, and it’s one that Christians like you and me must face today?!

How should we as Christians approach divorce?! How should Christians—those who believe in the biblical Jesus and follow the biblical Jesus understand and approach this controversial issue of divorce?! Answer? By seeing and submitting to Jesus’—which is to say, God’s—answer about the question of divorce…

And we do that by opening the Bible to the pages of the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10 verse 2, where the Pharisees, seeking to entrap Jesus, come to him with an important question: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?!” And by extension, for a wife to divorce her husband?! And I think Jesus’ answer to this question is going to take many of you by surprise! I think even Moses’ answer to this question is going to take many of you by surprise! So, turn with me to Mark 10 verse 1.