Meaning of Deuteronomy 24:2

This verse, Deuteronomy 24:2, addresses a specific scenario within the Mosaic Law concerning divorce and remarriage. It posits that if a woman is divorced by her first husband and subsequently marries another man, the first husband is prohibited from remarrying her after she has been with the second husband. This prohibition is not merely a social regulation but is deeply rooted in the theological understanding of marriage as a covenant, where remarriage after a subsequent union would introduce a level of impurity or complexity that God sought to regulate for the well-being and integrity of Israelite society. The verse is part of a larger section in Deuteronomy dealing with various social and legal matters designed to guide the Israelites in their covenant relationship with God and with each other.

Context and Background

Deuteronomy 24 is concerned with the practicalities of life in ancient Israel, particularly concerning domestic and marital relationships. This specific passage follows verses that deal with the issuance of a certificate of divorce, allowing for a lawful separation. The intention behind the certificate was to provide a clear legal standing for a divorced woman, protecting her from accusations of adultery and enabling her to remarry. However, the prohibition in verse 2 introduces a significant limitation on remarriage, even after a lawful divorce. It is important to note that the permissibility of divorce itself was a concession, as Jesus later explains in Matthew 19:8, stemming from the "hardness of hearts" rather than the ideal of marriage as instituted in Genesis.

Key Themes and Messages

The central theme is the sanctity and finality of marriage, even when divorce occurs. While divorce is permitted under specific circumstances, the subsequent remarriage of the divorced couple is restricted to prevent the trivialization of marital vows and to maintain a certain level of moral and spiritual order. The verse emphasizes the consequences of remarriage, highlighting that once a woman has entered into a new marital union, the bond with her first husband is irrevocably broken, and a reconciliation or remarriage to him is forbidden. This reflects a concern for the integrity of the marital covenant and the social implications of serial marriages and divorces.

Spiritual Significance and Application

From a spiritual perspective, this verse underscores the profound nature of the marital covenant as a picture of the relationship between Christ and the Church. While the Mosaic Law provided a framework for Israel, the underlying principle points to a more ultimate reality. The prohibition can be seen as an illustration of the irreversible nature of certain commitments and the seriousness with which God views covenantal relationships. For believers, this verse, when understood within the broader redemptive narrative, encourages a view of marriage that prioritizes faithfulness, commitment, and the pursuit of reconciliation rather than the ease of dissolution and remarriage. It calls for intentionality and wisdom in marital decisions.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This verse contributes to the biblical understanding of marriage as instituted in Genesis 2:24, where "a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." While Deuteronomy 24:1-4 allows for divorce, it does so with specific stipulations, and verse 2 adds a crucial restriction. This reflects a progression in God's revelation, where the ideal is gradually brought into sharper focus. Later, Jesus addresses divorce in Matthew 5:31-32 and Matthew 19:3-9, reiterating the seriousness of marriage and limiting the grounds for divorce, implicitly critiquing the laxity that may have developed. The New Testament emphasis on the permanence of the marital bond, as seen in passages like Romans 7:2-3, further illuminates the underlying intent of such Old Testament regulations.

Analogies

One analogy to understand this prohibition is that of breaking a sacred covenant seal. Once a seal is broken and a new seal is applied, the original seal's integrity is compromised, and the original unbroken state cannot be fully restored in the same way. Similarly, once a woman has remarried and become "one flesh" with another man, the original "one flesh" union with the first husband, in its unadulterated form, cannot be reconstituted through remarriage. Another analogy could be crossing a river and burning the bridge behind you. Once the second marriage has taken place, the path back to the first marriage is effectively closed off by divine decree, preventing a return to a situation that has been irrevocably altered.

Relation to Other Verses

• Genesis 2:24: This foundational verse establishes marriage as a union of "one flesh," setting the ideal that the Mosaic Law, while allowing for divorce, seeks to protect from undue dissolution.
• Deuteronomy 24:1: This verse precedes the one in question, outlining the requirement of a "certificate of divorce" for lawful separation, which is a prerequisite for the scenario in verse 2.
• Matthew 5:31-32 and Matthew 19:3-9: Jesus' teachings on divorce in the New Testament clarify and, in some respects, restrict the grounds for divorce permitted under the Mosaic Law, emphasizing God's original intent for marriage as lifelong.
• Romans 7:2-3: This passage speaks to the binding nature of marriage, stating that a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. This highlights the singular and enduring nature of the marital bond.