Jesus gives His verdict Concerning Moses and Divorce
Text
Mat 19:7 "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her 'a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"
Mat 19:8 "Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning.
Mat 19:9 And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery."
Mat 19:10 "If this is the case with a man in relation to his wife," said the disciples to Him, "it is better not to marry."
Mat 19:11 "It is not every man," He replied, "who can receive this teaching, but only those on whom the grace has been bestowed.
Mat 19:12 There are men who from their birth have been disabled from marriage, others who have been so disabled by men, and others who have disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of the Heavens. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."
Introduction
We have seen that Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem and Beyond the Jordan He is still teaching and Preparing His Disciples for his soon Departure to heaven.
When asked about Divorce by the Pharisees He pointed them to God’s intention for marriage. He took them back to the Creation History, “He who made them 'MADE THEM' from the beginning 'MALE AND FEMALE,”....
Leon Morris adds; “Our sexuality is of Divine ordinance; it is intended to be exercised in a MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP”
He then quotes Genesis 2:24
Matthew 19 : 5 AND SAID, FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE UNITED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BE ONE'?
Mat 19:5 and said, For this cause a man shall leave father and mother and shall cling to his wife, and the two of them shall be one flesh? This Key Scripture needs to be read and reread and understood.
Now we continue with Jesus Teaching
Comments
Mat 19:7 "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her 'a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"
Notes
The Pharisees who were interrogating Jesus wanted to know his Grounds for Divorce. Here they come to him with another question to build on their argument. What Jesus had said previously looked like a prohibition of all Divorce. L.Morris p. 482
Here is their question,” Why then did Moses command the Husband to give her a written notice of Divorce and so put her away?” Actually Moese did not command a written Notice of Divorce so they had added to the Scripture. The certificate of Divorce was in vogue during Jesus’ time. Then she was free to marry another man.
Mat 19:8 "Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning.
Notes
Jesus Answer Correcting Them
Moses allowed it because of the Hardness of your Hearts.
Some say “Because you were so unteachable” but it is not their failure to understand but their failure to do what they should have done. GNB “Because you knew so little of the meaning of Love.”
Hardness of your Hearts.
G4641 σκληροκαρδία sklērokardia
Thayer Definition: 1) hardness of heart
It is dangerous to tolerate the least evil, though prudence itself may require it: because toleration, in this case, raises itself insensibly into permission, and permission soon sets up for command. Moses perceived that if divorce were not permitted, in many cases, the women would be exposed to great hardships through the cruelty of their husbands: for so the word σκληροκαρδια, is understood in this place by some learned men. A.C.
Moses, for your hardness of heart. Moses "suffered" some things that were not right on account of "the hardness of your heart," a low state of morals. A people cannot be lifted from moral depravity to a high standard at once. Hence the law permitted some things that were below the perfect standard of Christ. PNT.
Mat 19:9 And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery."
Notes
Against the background of Moses provision for Divorce because of the hardness of their hearts Jesus sets His own Verdict. For a woman to divorce his wife and marry another woman means that he commits adultery his second marriage violates the creation ordinance and thus is no marriage. For Jesus Marriage was meant for life. All the Jewish discussion about when a divorce is legal and when it is invalid are wide of the mark. Such discussions proceed out of a view that Marriage is a human device that can be manipulated and easily set aside. But when we realize that it is God's will and design then we must see Marriage in a different light.
Mat 19:10 "If this is the case with a man in relation to his wife," said the disciples to Him, "it is better not to marry."
Notes
It is expedient not to marry. Such a rigid marriage law was too high for their loose Jewish ideas. It seemed to them as if it would be impossible to live up to so high an ideal. If a man could not get rid of his wife, if he tired of her, it were better not to marry.PNT
Mat 19:11 "It is not every man," He replied, "who can receive this teaching, but only those on whom the grace has been bestowed.
Notes
To whom it is given. Only those can receive and live up to this rule who are enlightened by Christianity. The less Christianity, the lower the ideal of marriage. This is the rule everywhere
Mat 19:12 There are men who from their birth have been disabled from marriage, others who have been so disabled by men, and others who have disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of the Heavens. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."
Notes
For there are some eunuchs ... - Jesus proceeds to state that there were some who were able to receive that saying and to remain in an unmarried state. Some were so born; some were made such by the cruelty of men; and there were some who voluntarily abstained from marriage for the kingdom of heaven’s sake - that is, that they might devote themselves entirely to the proper business of religion. Perhaps he refers here to the Essenes, a sect of the Jews (see the notes at Mat_3:7), who held that marriage was unsuitable to their condition; who had no children of their own, but perpetuated their sect by adopting the poor children of others. Eunuchs were employed chiefly in attending on the females or in the harem. They rose often to distinction, and held important offices in the state. Hence, the word is sometimes used with reference to such an officer of state, Act_8:27.Barnes Notes
Conclusion
Against the background of Moses provision for Divorce because of the hardness of their hearts Jesus sets His own Verdict. For a woman to divorce his wife and marry another woman means that he commits adultery his second marriage violates the creation ordinance and thus is no marriage. For Jesus Marriage was meant for life
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