It is impossible to interpret Jesus’ words without making some assumptions. Protestants have generally argued that the purpose of divorce is to permit remarriage, and thus it is possible for someone to remarry after divorce if they were not the guilty party. 1 In this understanding it is assumed that divorce breaks the marriage bond and is contrary to God’s will (see Matthew 19:3–9).2 The early church and long-time Catholic consensus, however, was that marriage is a lifelong union that is broken only by death. 3 As a result, it is always adultery if someone remarries following divorce before the death of their spouse (see Romans 7:1–3; 1 Corinthians 7:10–11, 1 Corinthians 7:39).
32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.