282: What Does Jesus Say About Divorce?

Today on Talkin’ Bible, Rohan Bell and Jeff Baxter tackle one of the most sensitive and often misunderstood topics in Scripture: divorce and remarriage. These words of Jesus have been weaponised in the past, leaving many hurt and condemned — but what if His teaching is more about protecting marriage, elevating women, and offering grace than it is about rules?

Together, Rohan and Jeff explore the Jewish debate of the day, why Jesus raised the standard, and how the heart behind marriage reflects God’s covenant love. Along the way, they address how churches have mishandled these verses, the dangers of “easy divorce,” and the hope of God’s redemptive grace for anyone who’s walked through brokenness.

👀 In this episode, you’ll hear…

✅ 💔 Why Jesus’ words on divorce were meant to protect, not condemn

✅ 📜 The two schools of Jewish thought (Shammai vs. Hillel) and how they shaped this debate

✅ ⚖️ Why Moses allowed divorce — and what Jesus meant by “hard hearts”

✅ 👩 The cultural vulnerability of women in the first century, and how Jesus lifted their value

✅ 🏛️ How no-fault divorce today risks devaluing marriage — and what balance looks like

✅ 🤝 Paul’s practical wisdom in 1 Corinthians about separation and peace

✅ ✝️ The bigger truth: we’ve all fallen short, but God’s grace is greater

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: approaching divorce with compassion

02:00 – Luke 16:18 – “Whoever divorces and remarries commits adultery”

04:00 – Why Jesus always brings it back to the heart

07:00 – Matthew 5 & 19 – Moses, hard hearts, and God’s original plan

09:30 – Shammai vs. Hillel: strict vs. liberal Jewish schools of divorce

11:00 – How “easy divorce” devalued marriage then (and now)

13:00 – The church’s failure: sending women back into abuse

15:00 – Paul’s wisdom: if an unbelieving spouse leaves, let them go

18:00 – Guarding against over-legislation vs. cheapening marriage

20:40 – What ChatGPT had to say about the heart behind Jesus’ words

22:30 – Grace, compassion, and Jesus’ treatment of women

24:00 – Final reflections: Jesus raises marriage, but always with grace

🙋‍♂️ Reflection & Application

Marriage is serious, sacred, and worth fighting for. But it’s not a prison. Jesus’ teaching wasn’t meant to condemn those who’ve been divorced — it was meant to protect people from abuse, elevate women, and remind us that marriage reflects God’s covenant faithfulness.

💬 Question for you: How can the church hold both the seriousness of marriage and the fullness of God’s grace for those who’ve experienced divorce?

🔔 Subscribe so you don’t miss tomorrow’s episode, where we’ll look at Mary & Martha and the tension between busyness and devotion.

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