Jesus’ focus in today’s gospel is on how wrong it is for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever. Divorce in 1st century Palestine, Fr Charlie points out, forced a woman into either begging or prostitution. Divorce itself isn’t the sin but forcing a person to choose between begging or prostitution for any cause whatever certainly is.
“I gave you a land that you had not tilled and cities that you had not built, to dwell in.”
JOS 24:1-13
Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,”Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?”
MT 19:3-12