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In the Beginning Was No Divorce
Readers Theater, Matthew 5:31-32; 19:3-11
by Dr. Ralph F. WilsonPart of a study on the Sermon on the Mount
Faith of Abraham (Genesis 11-25)| READER 1 | Some Pharisees came to Jesus to test him. |
| READER 2 | Test |
| READER 3 | Trick |
| READER 4 | Get him into trouble. |
| READER 1 | They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?" |
| READER 2 | Get him to take a position. |
| READER 3 | Get him to stick his neck out on a controversial subject. |
| READER 4 | Then turn the people against him. |
| READER 2 | Test him. |
| READER 3 | Trick him. |
| READER 1 | "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' |
| READER 2 | Male and female |
| READER 3 | Woman and man. |
| READER 4 | At the beginning. |
| READER 3 | In the beginning. |
| READER 1 | And God said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? |
| READER 2 | One flesh. |
| READER 3 | The two shall be come one. |
| READER 4 | The two shall become one flesh. |
| READER 2 | United. |
| READER 3 | The man united to his wife. |
| READER 4 | The wife united to her husband. |
| READER 2 | The two become one. |
| READER 3 | One flesh. |
| READER 1 | So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." |
| READER 2 | Let not man divide. |
| READER 3 | Put asunder. |
| READER 4 | Split up. |
| READER 1 | "Why then," asked the Pharisees, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?" |
| READER 2 | Command? What's this command? |
| READER 3 | Well, then, "allow," "permit." |
| READER 4 | Allow, permit. |
| READER 2 | With a certificate. |
| READER 3 | A legal paper |
| READER 4 | Legally ending the marriage |
| READER 2 | And allowing both parties to remarry. |
| READER 1 | Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. |
| READER 3 | In the beginning it was not so. |
| READER 4 | No, in the beginning God desired the two to become one. |
| READER 2 | One flesh. |
| READER 3 | In the beginning it was not so. |
| READER 4 | But because of your hardness of heart. |
| READER 2 | Because of your sinfulness and selfishness. |
| READER 3 | Because of you always had to be right |
| READER 4 | Right, if not truly righteous |
| READER 2 | Moses permitted divorce |
| READER 3 | Permitted |
| READER 4 | For your hardness of heart. |
| READER 1 | I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." |
| READER 2 | That's hard. |
| READER 3 | Difficult. |
| READER 4 | Hard for us, that is. |
| READER 2 | Hard for us hard-hearted people. |
| READER 1 | The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry." |
| READER 2 | It's too hard. |
| READER 3 | It's too rigid. |
| READER 4 | It's better not to marry. |
| READER 1 | Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given." |
| READER 2 | We can't accept it. |
| READER 3 | Few can. |
| READER 4 | Our hearts are hard. |
| READER 2 | But in the beginning it was not so. |
| READER 3 | In the beginning God made them one flesh |
| READER 4 | And intended them to remain together. |
| READER 2 | Love is the key to marriage. |
| READER 3 | Not just the ooshy-gooshy love |
| READER 4 | Not just romantic love |
| READER 2 | Or erotic love. |
| READER 3 | But agape love |
| READER 4 | Self-giving love |
| READER 2 | Love inspired by the Spirit of God |
| READER 3 | Love inspired by the presence of Jesus |
| READER 1 | Not everyone can accept this word |
| READER 2 | Not everyone can receive it |
| READER 3 | But love is the antidote to divorce |
| READER 4 | Love is the fulfilling of the Law. |
| READER 2 | That loves a neighbor as one's self |
| READER 3 | That loves a husband |
| ALL | As one's self |
| READER 4 | That loves a wife |
| ALL | As one's self |
| READER 2 | Love can do it. |
| READER 3 | Love can bring us back full circle. |
| READER 4 | Back to the beginning |
| READER 1 | Where the two shall become one |
| READER 2 | Shall remain one |
| ALL | In the presence of their God. |
 All lessons now compiled as a 220-page book available as an e-book or printed book. |
Part of a study on the Sermon on the Mount found at https://www.jesuswalk.com/manifesto/
Copyright © 2025, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor
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