How the Western Church completely misunderstands Biblical Divorce

Let’s correct the bad conclusions that come from not knowing the Hebrew culture, and GOD’s approach to divorce.

“IF A WOMAN DIVORCES, SHE MUST REMAIN UNMARRIED, OR BE RECONCILED TO HER HUSBAND”. — 1 Corinthians 7:11

This creates misinterpretations because you are hearing the translation with Western ears, not what the Hebrew was saying to Hebrew people. A Biblical divorce had TWO parts, and both parts had to be accomplished for a woman to be divorced: the (1) writ of divorce and the (2) putting away.

Until both parts are complete, the divorce is not complete. This passage is talking about those who their Jewish husband had “put them away” BUT NOT given then the “writ of divorcement.” Thus they are kicked out of his house, but NOT fully/legally divorced.

When a Western person hears the word “divorce” in this passage, they are not hearing what the passage is talking about, and drawing false conclusions. These women are not divorced fully as the Western mind understand the word divorced. They are just HALF divorced; they are still in the divorce process.

“Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” — Mark 10:4

There are 2 parts to a real, complete and legal divorce. Both are required and without both, the divorce is not complete. (1) Sending away and the (2) certificate. Without the certificate, she was not legally divorced, and thus still married, thus not free to re-marry.

But the husbands are being cruel by intentionally leaving them half-divorced (without the legal paperwork that made the putting away official, and thus unable to marry). They are left STUCK and left with no male provider.

These woman are STILL legally married, only being half-divorced and not fully divorced because the husband is being especially mean by not giving her the “writ of divorcement”. She cannot thus prove to anyone she has been “put away” and divorced. The putting away was the verbal part along with her no longer living in his house. The writ of divorcement was the legal documentation accompanying it.

This makes her thus NOT fully divorced. If the passage was properly translated to Western ears it would say:

“IF A WOMAN HAS BEEN PUT AWAY BUT NOT YET GIVEN A WRIT OF DIVORCEMENT, SHE IS STILL NOT FREE TO REMARRY. UNTIL THE DIVORCE IS COMPLETE AND SHE HAS HER LEGAL DOCUMENT, SHE MUST REMAIN UNMARRIED, OR BE RECONCILED TO HER HUSBAND.”

Half-divorced leaves her stuck in a very hard place, and not morally or legally able to get remarried. It is pretty basic that anyone in the divorce process, but not completely divorced, is still married and not legally able to get married to someone else.

Then the passage is clear and simple and not saying anything unusual: OBVIOUSLY a not fully divorced person is not free to remarry as she is still legally married. Obviously a person still legally married is able to be reconciled to their spouse.

But if given the writ of divorcement the other part of the divorce process is in place and, now being FULLY divorced is free to remarry.

Because the Western church is not in touch with the context of the communication, separating itself from the culture, they have become blind and ignorant, pushing so many unbiblical things. The Western church needs to repent, receive correction, and come into alignment with the communication (the speaker, the audience and the cultural context). One example of so many where the Western church is totally off track as a result of this core error.

The Bible passage is against the CRUELTY of these people intentionally leaving their ex hanging and not FULLY divorced, thus in severe economic hardship as they cannot remarry. A person only half divorced obviously cannot remarry unless BOTH parts of the divorce process are complete.

To be thorough if I was writing a small book and not just this post, I’d reference all the times in the Old Testament where “writ of divorce” is talked about and where “putting away” is talked about, even where God Himself “put away” Israel and divorced her. You would then see that the Bible makes it very clear that these are two very separate things, but connected to each other in the divorce process. But I leave it up to you to look all these things up and CARE enough to do the work of deprogramming yourself of bad church teachings in the West, and coming to a truly Biblical understanding.