Jesus on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage: A Reflection on Matthew 19:3-12 and Mark 10:2-12 from an Akan Perspective

Abstract

Marriage, as depicted in both the Old and New Testaments, is considered a sacred institution created by God. However, this sacred institution has been under attack over the centuries and has resulted in a high divorce rate, particularly among Christians. While this might seem discouraging, it does not suggest that there is no hope for this divine institution. That means that Christianity today must help in formulating a truly Biblical view or principles for Christian marriage to reduce the prevalence of divorce. In the Gospels, Jesus spoke about marriage, divorce, and remarriage, condemning the Jewish leaders’ permissive attitude towards divorce. He highlights several principles to emphasize the uniqueness and permanency of marriage that Christians can use as a template for their marriage. This paper thus examined Jesus’ perspective on these topics in Matthew 19:3-12 and Mark 10:2-12 through a literary analysis using related materials. It first explored the context of the selected passages. It also examined four main principles that Jesus presents in the above passage regarding the institution of marriage by analyzing some key Greek words that Jesus used, which are relevant to the topic. These are kataleipō, proskollaō, suzeugnumi, and chōrizetō. The study concluded that the principles highlighted by Christ remain as pertinent in today’s world as they were during his era. Also when believers adhere to Christ’s teachings, Christian marriages can be enhanced and rejuvenated. This write-up adds to the existing literature on the marriage institution. Keywords: Chōrizetō, Divorce, Kataleipō, Marriage, Proskollaō, Suzeugnumi