...But God

Matthew 5: 31-32

Creators & Guests

Host
Chad McBeam
Business Leader, Foster Advocate and Fighter of Human Trafficking, Chad enjoys hosting this podcast channel as a way to spread and highlight the great examples of those who live out their faith daily. He can also be seen on occasion on your TV or Film Screen or be heard narrating one of your books as his love of acting has stuck with him since his childhood.
Writer
Aaron Marcarelli
After getting his under-graduate degree from Cal State University San Bernardino where he played college baseball and received all American honors. he was a graduate assistant baseball coach at both Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, Tennessee, and at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.  He received his master’s degree in Teaching from Whitworth, with plans to someday be a head baseball coach at a university.  However, God had other plans.  Aaron started teaching English and History and coaching baseball and other sports at the high school level and found out how much he loves high school kids, and he has been doing that for the past 27 years.     Personally, heI has been married to his wife Sharon for 32 years, they have one daughter, Amanda Parrish, who has been married to Austin Parrish for 2 years. Aaron also has two grandsons Travis age 2 ½ and Aden who is 13 months and are blessed to have another on the way due in May. Aaron loves reading, golfing, and spending time with his wife and grandkids.
Designer
Linda Cowen
Linda Cowen of San Antonio Christian School is our gracious and talented art designer for the But God, weekday morning devotional series.

What is ...But God?

A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam

“Now it was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away is to give her a certificate of divorce’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Matthew 5:31-32 NASB2020
Jesus continues giving illustrations of some really difficult ideas. This one is about divorce. The Jewish law regarding divorce was in place to protect women from a man’s sudden unaccounted for change of heart. (Remember this was a world run by men where the women had very little rights). Therefore, the man could not just say I divorce you and put the woman on the street. He had to get a certificate of divorce. The man would have grounds to get this certificate for a wide variety of reasons from the trivial (he just did not find her attractive anymore) to unfaithfulness (adultery).
Jesus says the only reason for this certificate of divorce is adultery.
Once again Jesus is giving illustrations of how Jewish law has gone off course in relation to our sin nature.

This passage is a difficult passage, especially with divorce rates today being what they are. Plus there are a lot of followers of Christ who are remarried with awesome blended families. Jesus is explaining that divorce occurs because of our sin nature. And Jesus is the forgiver of all sin. Therefore, context is important. Once again Jesus is specifically speaking to how and why Jewish law had gone off the rails. This is his third illustration of how Jewish law had changed from what God intended. That is the context in which these verses should be read.
In my humble opinion way too many people who want to judge others have used these verses out of context. Jesus is not telling people to stay in abusive relationships. We also can’t avoid certain scripture because it’s uncomfortable or difficult to understand.
We are called to know His word. We are called to seek Him first. If we do that then all these things will become clear and be revealed to us, in and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Lord we thank you for you good and pleasing will. Thank you for your forgiveness and eternal life with you. Help us to seek you and your good and pleasing will. Reveal to us your precious words through the power of the Holy Spirit in Jesus Name Amen…
Shalom Blessings. Press in and Press On!