Matthew the apostle wrote how, “The Pharisees also came unto” Jesus” tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have you not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female. And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He said unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so”, and in chapter nineteen and verse nine of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus answered the Pharisees question by referring to, “committing adultery” where we read:
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and whoso marries her which is put away does commit adultery.
The verse reads, “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery:”. Matthew began with the words, “and I say” or “Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto you” which means “to the Pharisees”, “whosoever” or “whatever husband” “shall put away” which means “will set free, dismiss, bid depart and release” “his wife” or “the husband's female marriage partner”, “except it be” which means “if whether it is” “for fornication” or “because and on account of illicit sexual intercourse, adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism or intercourse with close relatives or animals”, “and shall marry another” which refers to “taking another wife in marriage”, “commits adultery” which means “has unlawful intercourse with another's wife”. Matthew shared how Jesus said the person who “divorces” their spouse and is “married” to another person has “committed unlawful adultery” unless there is “fornication” involved.
The verse goes on to say, “and whoso marries her which is put away does commit adultery.” Matthew added the words, “and whoso” or “whoever or whatsoever person” “marries her” which means “takes a woman as his wife” “which is put away” or “who has been set free, dismiss, bid depart, divorces and releases” “does commit adultery” which means “actually has unlawful intercourse with another's wife”. Matthew wrote how Jesus said a man who marries a woman who has been divorced actually “commits adultery” with her.
When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how far our world has come from Jesus' standard for living. God's original design was for a man and woman to be married for life, and no man was “to put asunder” their union. However, mankind, like was done in the Garden of Eden, has fallen from God's standard. Now divorce is frequent and often even among Christians. Let it be known, that Jesus' statement concerning “committing adultery” remains true today, and the only justifiable reason for “divorce” is “fornication”. However, Jesus has provided forgiveness for “adultery” and “fornication”, and those who yield their lives to Him as “Savior and Lord” will not only be forgiven but shall receive His blessing as they trust in His direction within their lives.
Next time Matthew shares how Jesus' disciples concluded, “if the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment