more or less exact of one pronouncement. Our Lord's words are to be interpreted in connection with the challenge of the Pharisees which called them forth. This challenge certainly appears to be most correctly stated in the Gospel according to St. Matthew. "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" The judgment of Christ was demanded on the question which at the moment divided the religious world of Israel. The rival schools of Hillel and Shammai contended as to the interpretation of the Deuteronomic law of divorce. The text of that law was ambiguous.
"When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, then it shall be, if she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorcement, and give it into her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife."[1]
The question in debate was the measure of liberty of divorce granted in these words of the Law. The school of Hillel explained them
- ↑ Deuteronomy xxiv. 1, 2.
