Matthew 5:31 Meaning: The Certificate and the Hardened Heart
“It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
`And it was said, That whoever may put away his wife, let him give to her a writing of divorce;
It has been said too, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a letter of divorce.
Meaning in one sentence
Understand why the Old Testament allowed a certificate of divorce and how Jesus calls us back to God's original design for marriage.
Context
Jesus stands on the mountain, teaching a crowd that includes Pharisees who prided themselves on keeping the Law. He has just spoken about lust and adultery, warning that sin begins in the heart. Now he quotes a regulation from Deuteronomy 24, a law that allowed a man to divorce his wife by giving her a written certificate. In Jesus' day, two schools of rabbis argued over what grounds justified a divorce. One said only adultery. The other said almost any displeasing thing. Jesus is about to cut through both arguments and restore the original purpose of marriage.
Key Words
Two words carry the weight of this verse. The first is the Greek verb apoluō, meaning ‘to release’ or ‘dismiss’, like setting someone free. But here it describes sending a wife away, dissolving a marriage. The second word is apostasion, the noun for the certificate itself. It literally means ‘a standing away’ or ‘a separation.’ The document was designed to protect the woman by giving her legal proof that she was free to remarry. Notice the imperative: ‘he should give.’ The law did not command divorce, but when a man chose to send his wife away, it demanded a paper trail that limited harm and prevented her from being left without rights. Jesus will now show that even this careful regulation was a concession, not an ideal.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christian traditions read this verse in the light of Jesus' next words. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that marriage is indissoluble; a valid marriage cannot be ended by divorce, though an annulment may declare that a true marriage never existed. Many Protestant traditions hold that Jesus permits divorce only in cases of sexual immorality, while some extend this to abandonment as well, drawing from 1 Corinthians 7. Orthodox tradition allows divorce for adultery and other grave reasons, treating it as a pastoral concession to human frailty. All traditions grieve over divorce and point to God's original design for lifelong faithfulness.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume the Old Testament commanded divorce whenever a husband was displeased. In fact, the certificate was a restriction on an existing practice. Moses did not invent divorce; he limited its damage. The legal requirement protected women from being cast out without recourse. Jesus clarifies that the permission was never God's ideal, but a curb on human hardness.
Living This Out
This verse asks you to look at the promises you have made. If you carry guilt from a past divorce, know that Jesus offers forgiveness and a new beginning. If you are married, ask yourself: am I holding onto small grievances that could grow into walls? Am I treating marriage as a contract I might exit or a covenant worth protecting? If you are single, let this teaching shape how you view marriage: not as an agreement with an escape clause, but as a bond that reflects God's faithful love.
Main takeaway: God permitted divorce as a concession to hard hearts, but His true intention is marriage as a lasting covenant of faithfulness.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God made marriage to be forever. When people did wrong things, Moses gave a rule to protect wives who were sent away. Jesus reminds us that God's plan is the best plan.
For ages 9, 12
In Jesus' day, some rabbis thought you could divorce your wife for almost any reason, like burning a meal. But Jesus says that was never God's intention. The certificate was given to protect the woman, not to make divorce easy. Jesus calls us to take marriage seriously because it shows how faithfully God loves us.
Questions People Ask
What does “writing of divorce” mean?
It was a legal document that officially ended a marriage. In the Old Testament, Moses required a husband to give this certificate to his wife if he divorced her. The document protected the woman by proving she was free to marry someone else.
Did Jesus change the Old Testament law about divorce?
Jesus did not change the Law; he clarified its true meaning. The Law permitted divorce because of human sinfulness, but Jesus calls his followers back to God's original intention from creation: marriage as a lifelong union.
Why did Moses allow divorce if God hates it?
Jesus explains in Matthew 19:8 that Moses allowed divorce because of the hardness of people's hearts. It was a concession, not a command. God's design from the beginning was for marriage to be permanent.
What did the schools of Hillel and Shammai teach about divorce?
The school of Shammai taught that divorce was only allowed for adultery. The school of Hillel allowed divorce for almost any reason. Jesus takes the stricter view and points beyond the debate to God's original plan.
Is divorce ever allowed for Christians?
Christians have different answers. Jesus says that divorce and remarriage constitute adultery except in the case of sexual immorality (Matthew 5:32). Some traditions limit divorce to this exception only; others extend it to abandonment. All agree that divorce is a tragedy and that God's heart is for reconciliation and forgiveness.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study