Matthew 5:28 May one divorce their mate based upon Mt. 5:28? The question alludes, first, to there being a legitimate basis for a divorce, namely, sexual unfaithfulness. Jesus taught that in Mt. 19:9 -- "...except for fornication." But, in Mt. 5:28, Jesus said, "...whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Is "mental adultery," then, justifiable grounds for one putting away a companion? Before answering the question, two critical parts of Mt. 5:28, must be understood. First, Jesus is addressing a looking "with the intent to lust," (Gr. words pros to). Such "looking" has in view the creation and stimulation of strong passion. This "seeing" has an intent behind it. It is not the same as being exposed to the view of a woman improperly clad or acting in sexual way so that there might be an improper thought which comes to mind. It is the kind of looking that if external restraints were removed, the act would be committed. God can see that in man, I can see only what is expressed in behavior. Second, I can just hear someone affirming that Jesus was teaching that lust is the same as the act -- that is, that the thought is the same in every aspect as the act. The conclusion to which would be, "You might as well go ahead and commit the act." But what Jesus really said was that this kind of "looking to lust" was committing adultery with her "in his heart." By comparison, when John said, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer," (1 Jno. 3:15), he is not, thereby, saying that one who hates might as well go ahead and murder. Hate is sin, just like murder, but it is sin in thought and not sin in act. Compare Jesus' teaching in Mt. 5:21-24, on anger and murder. Though Jesus was teaching that such desire is sin, he did not say in Mt. 5:28, that the thought is the same as the act. Thoughts affect the person thinking them and no one else. On the other hand adultery is a physical act which has consequential effects on several people. Jesus was addressing the origin of sin behavior and, therefore, how to control it. It is controlled by right thinking. The man who imagines that he can control sin behavior while allowing his heart to run rampant in all sorts of immoral fantasies is a fool. That to which his heart aspires will be that which he will eventually perform. Unbridled lust is sin in heart but it is not the same as the physical act. I do not believe that Jesus was, in any form or fashion, implying that when a man has sinful desires that that becomes the basis for a lawful putting away. I really doubt that anyone wishes to pursue the concept that, in all our relationships, thinking should be treated the same as acting. If so, then ALL of us have a real problem.

	Created on 09-May-99	Page last updated