Matthew 5:31
““It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’”
What does Matthew 5:31 mean?
Jesus is quoting a law from Deuteronomy that allowed men to divorce their wives by giving a written document. This was actually meant as a *protection* in ancient times, ensuring a divorced woman had proof of her status and could legally remarry rather than being abandoned with nothing. But Jesus is about to challenge the way this law had been used and interpreted, showing that the original intent had been lost over time. The point of mentioning it here is to set up his teaching that divorce wasn't God's first desire for marriage, even though the law permitted it.