Matthew 19:9: Porneia: a Response to the Divorce Between Randy and Paula White

In my previous article, Randy and Paula White: Divorce at Without Walls International Church I discussed 1 Corinthians 7:12-15, and the Scriptures that state if an unbelieving spouse wants to leave a believing spouse, that they may leave.

I believe that this is a picture of a root in the rise of divorce in the church today. However, in this article, I want to address: Matthew 19: 1-9. In this passage, Jesus is being asked the question if it is lawful to divorce a woman due to acts of misbehavior. Here is the text in King James Version, (by the way, the King James Version is in the public domain, so you can freely repeat, redistribute, record, etc. any text that you like in the King James Version: other versions hold copyright, so use them with caution). Ok, back to the article, Matthew 19:1-9

Mat 19:1 And it came to pass, [that] when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;

Mat 19:2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

Mat 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

Mat 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made [them] at the beginning made them male and female,

Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Mat 19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

Mat 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Mat 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except [it be] for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.