Matthew 5. Faithfulness, Dignity, and the Courage to Protect by David Angus 15th February 2026
Now I know it’s Transfiguration Sunday- but this year there are not enough weeks for Epiphany 6 and the Transfiguration – so the lectionary gave both options- I chose Epiphany 6-to continue with the ‘Sermon on the Mount’.
Today I want to speak about Divorce- not an easy topic for the Church — especially since the 1970s, when Justice Lionel Murphy introduced No-Fault Divorce into Australian law. Churches wrestled deeply with what the new laws meant for marriage, for Scripture, and for faithfulness.
Cath and I were married on the 6th of December 1980, on the outskirts of Sydney. We were young enthusiastic Christians (singing Christian’s songs on the street) and we met studying the bible at Sydney Missionary and Bible College. We were what some might call fundamentalist Christians. We believed the Bible contained no error, and we read it literally as our guidebook for life.
So naturally the sermon at our wedding was from Ephesians 5:
“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord… For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church… Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
Needless to say, Sylvia — my mother-in-law — and not a churchgoer but a strong advocate for feminism, was not impressed. When we walked out of the church she turned to my mother and said, “oh How could they believe that?” My brethren mother calmly replied, “oh we let them have their little delusion. We know how things really are.”
As life goes on, our understanding of Scripture deepens- broadens.
Last year, when I was standing in for Desirée, all Licensed Lay Ministers were asked to complete training in Domestic Violence awareness. During that course I was confronted by some sobering statistics. In fact, I was shocked-A study by the Anglican Church of Australia found 38% of the general Australian population reported experiencing intimate partner violence (Domestic Violence) in their lifetime. That’s a lot 38% of Australians. But it gets worse. When they surveyed Anglicans- it rose to 44%.
It gets more disturbing, some perpetrators (of DV) reportedly used biblical teaching to justify their behaviour. Possibly either the Ephesians ref to ‘wives submitting’ or where the book of common prayer promises to ‘love and obey’.
Sobering statistics to reflect on. Violence in relationships is not theoretical. It is real.
Today’s words from Matthew 5 — (from the Sermon on the Mount) are not comfortable words. Jesus rarely offers comfort that allows injustice to remain unchallenged. Instead, when there is injustice- he invites transformation — of hearts, relationships, and communities.
In this passage, Jesus speaks about divorce. But if we only listen with old rigid ears, we may miss what the Spirit is saying to the Church today.
In Jesus’ time, a woman could easily be dismissed —divorced, cast aside — Similarly in Islam- the husband just had to say “I divorce you“ x 3.
Divorce had devastating consequences. Divorce was not simply the ending of a relationship. For women it often meant poverty, social exclusion, and a vulnerable life. When Jesus addresses divorce, he is not endorsing suffering. He is confronting a system that allowed the powerful to discard the powerless.
And remember: Jesus was a practising Jew. Matthew’s Gospel presents him clearly as a Torah-keeping Jew speaking to Jewish Christians. “Not one jot or tittle,” he says, “will pass from the Law.” Hebrew is a consonantal language — without the smallest markings, the meaning shifts entirely. Jesus affirms the law.
But Jesus also says, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees…” and the scribes and Pharisees were the meticulous law-keepers. So, what is he really saying?
Jesus is pointing beyond mere rule-keeping- to the heart behind the law.
So- What is the purpose of Scripture? What lies behind the commandments?
The Love of God and love of neighbour. The Beatitudes set the tone: mercy, humility, and a hunger for righteousness.
Some in Jesus’ day followed the letter of the law but neglected its spirit. Divorce was permissible; therefore, it was justified.
But Jesus asks: what about the person harmed? What about her dignity? What about her safety?
And so, the deeper truth emerges:
God does not bless relationships that destroy the dignity of another.
Let me say that again,
God does not ask anyone to remain where they are unsafe.
Our God is not a God of terror. Not a God of bruises hidden beneath sleeves. Not a God of whispered fear in one’s own home.
Our God is a God of liberation.
Throughout Scripture, whenever people are oppressed, God acts toward their freedom. From Egypt to exile, from the margins to the cross — the story of God is the story of rescue.
So, when we speak of relationships, we must speak honestly about domestic violence.
It exists.
It wounds,
And — with humility — we must confess that the Church has not always responded as it should.
There were times when silence felt easier than truth.
Times when preserving appearances seemed more important than protecting the vulnerable.
Times when Scripture was misused in ways that trapped people rather than freed them.
But hear this clearly:
The Gospel never sides with abuse. Never.
If anyone is experiencing harm, coercion, intimidation, or violence — this is not a cross for them to bear. Christ bore the cross so that you might live in freedom.