Matthew 5:31 records a rule that Jewish law had made familiar: a man who wanted to end his marriage had to give his wife a written certificate of divorce. Jesus quotes this rule in order to correct the way people had come to use it. The verse is part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus is speaking to a crowd of his disciples and listeners about how God’s kingdom changes the way people live.
“It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’
Matthew 5:31 (WEB)
What Matthew 5:31 Means
The verse begins with “It was also said,” which tells you that Jesus is quoting a teaching his listeners already knew. The teaching comes from Deuteronomy 24:1, where Moses permitted a husband to write a certificate of divorce and send his wife away. The paperwork was meant to protect the woman, giving her a document that showed she was free to marry again. Jesus does not reject the teaching outright. He treats it as a known starting point.
The phrase “whoever shall put away his wife” describes a man who ends a marriage simply by sending his wife out, a common practice in that culture. The verse, as quoted here, does not promise anything about marriage. It is a description of what the law said. Its real force comes in the verses that follow, where Jesus explains what the law had allowed and what God intended from the beginning.
The Context of Matthew 5:31
Matthew, traditionally identified as the tax collector who became one of the twelve apostles, wrote this Gospel for a Jewish audience who knew the Law of Moses well. The Sermon on the Mount, which runs through chapters 5 to 7, presents Jesus as a teacher who speaks with authority and who explains the true intent behind God’s commands. The surrounding verses make this clear. Just before verse 31, Jesus speaks about lust and about cutting off whatever causes a person to sin. The concern is with the heart, not only with outward behavior.
Right after verse 31, Jesus says that a man who divorces his wife, apart from sexual immorality, causes her to be treated as an adulteress. This is why the verse should not be read as a casual statement about paperwork. Jesus is showing that a rule designed to limit harm had become a loophole, and that God’s standard for marriage is faithfulness and permanence. Reading verse 31 alone can make it sound like Jesus is simply quoting an old law. Reading it with verses 32 and following shows that he is preparing to correct it.
Key Phrases in Matthew 5:31
Deuteronomy 24:1
When a man takes a wife and marries her, then it shall be, if she finds no favor in his eyes, because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
(WEB)
This is the Old Testament passage that lies behind the teaching Jesus quotes in Matthew 5:31. Reading it shows you the original law and helps you see what Jesus is correcting and what he is affirming.
Malachi 2:16
For I hate divorce”, says the LORD, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with violence!” says the LORD of Armies. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you don’t deal treacherously.
(WEB)
Malachi speaks plainly about God’s hatred of divorce and his concern for the faithfulness of those who made covenant vows. The verse shows that the seriousness Jesus expresses was already present in the prophets.
A Short Prayer From Matthew 5:31
Lord, you know the places in my life where I have been tempted to treat promises lightly, and the places where I have been hurt by others who did. Teach me to honor my commitments and to speak the truth in every relationship. Where I have failed, give me the humility to confess it and the courage to make things right. Where I have been wounded, bring healing and remind me that your faithfulness never fails. Shape my heart to reflect your steady love. Amen.
