Marriage is a blood covenant in which God joins a man and a woman to be one flesh so that they are able to raise up Godly generations. In the discussion that prompted this command, Jesus focused attention on the origin of marriage.

In God’s original covenant of marriage, He caused a deep sleep to come upon Adam. Then He took from Adam a bone (in which blood is manufactured) and formed Eve. Adam then said: “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). The solemnity and seriousness of a blood covenant is illustrated in God’s blood covenant with Abraham. He told Abraham to divide several animals in two and set the parts across from each other. God then caused a deep sleep to come upon Abraham as He “passed between those pieces. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram . . .” (Genesis 15:9–17).

The marriage covenant is dishonored when either party entertains a secret delight in some other person. A covenant relationship will not tolerate any competing delight.

Q: Since God established marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman, why did He provide for divorce in the law of Moses? (See Deuteronomy 24:1–2.)

A: The Mosaic Law lifts up a very high standard for the permanency of marriage and requires severe punishment for anyone who violates this covenant. (See Deuteronomy 22:22, 28–29.) In Deuteronomy 24:1, however, the Law makes a provision for divorcing a wife who has “uncleanness.” The Hebrew word translated uncleanness means “nakedness” or “shame.” This one passage was leaped upon by the Pharisees, and there was much discussion about what was permissible under this provision.

When Jesus talked of the permanency of marriage, they tempted Him with the retort, “Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?” Jesus answered by explaining, “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.” (See Matthew 19:7–8.) Not only does the original institution of marriage, as recorded in Genesis 2:24, establish its permanency, but Christ’s command clearly states that while tolerated for the time, divorce contradicts the order of nature and of God.

Marriage is a Biblical pattern for Christ’s relationship with the Church—Jesus is the Bridegroom and believers are the Bride. Jesus was sent by His heavenly Father to win our hearts by paying the “bride price,” which was His death on the cross. His unbreakable bond with believers is portrayed in His design for the permanency of marriage.