Jesus on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage: A Reflection on Matthew 19:3-12 and Mark 10:2-12 from an Akan Perspective
Ernest Nyarko 
Issue: Vol.5 No.9 December 2023 Article 1 pp. 137 – 149
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/motbit.2023591 | Published online 18th December, 2023
© 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Marriage, as depicted in both the Old and New Testaments, is considered a sacred institution created by God. However, this sacred institution has been under attack over the centuries and has resulted in a high divorce rate, particularly among Christians. While this might seem discouraging, it does not suggest that there is no hope for this divine institution. That means that Christianity today must help in formulating a truly Biblical view or principles for Christian marriage to reduce the prevalence of divorce. In the Gospels, Jesus spoke about marriage, divorce, and remarriage, condemning the Jewish leaders’ permissive attitude towards divorce. He highlights several principles to emphasize the uniqueness and permanency of marriage that Christians can use as a template for their marriage. This paper thus examined Jesus’ perspective on these topics in Matthew 19:3-12 and Mark 10:2-12 through a literary analysis using related materials. It first explored the context of the selected passages. It also examined four main principles that Jesus presents in the above passage regarding the institution of marriage by analyzing some key Greek words that Jesus used, which are relevant to the topic. These are kataleipō, proskollaō, suzeugnumi, and chōrizetō. The study concluded that the principles highlighted by Christ remain as pertinent in today’s world as they were during his era. Also when believers adhere to Christ’s teachings, Christian marriages can be enhanced and rejuvenated. This write-up adds to the existing literature on the marriage institution.
Keywords: Chōrizetō, Divorce, Kataleipō, Marriage, Proskollaō, Suzeugnumi
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Ernest Nyarko, Ph.D., is an ordained Minister of the Methodist Church Ghana. He holds the position of Research Fellow at the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture, located in Akropong-Akuapem, Ghana. In addition to this role, he serves as the Acting Director of the Centre for Gospel and Culture Engagement (CEGACE) at the same Institute. Rev. Dr. Nyarko is an African Christian theologian and Biblical scholar whose research focuses on the contribution of the New Testament to the Gospel and cultural engagement in Africa, particularly emphasizing the writings of Paul. He also shows a keen interest in Christian and African Ethics, as well as Mother Tongue Biblical Hermeneutics.
Nyarko, Ernest. “Jesus on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage: A Reflection on Matthew 19:3-12 and Mark 10:2-12 from an Akan Perspective,” Journal of Mother-Tongue Biblical Hermeneutics and Theology 5, no.9(2023):137-149. https://doi.org/10.38159/motbit.2023591
© 2023 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
