After Jesus continued telling the story about the unforgiving servant, Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus added to the story as the king asked, “Should not you also have had compassion on your fellow-servant, even as I had pity on you? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there”, and in chapter nineteen and verse three of his book, Matthew shares about the Pharisees asking Jesus, “is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” where we read:
The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him,
Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
The verse reads, “The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “the Pharisees” or “a sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to OT books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life. They sought for distinction and praise by outward observance of external rites and by outward forms of piety, and such as ceremonial washings, fasting, prayers, and alms giving; and, comparatively were negligent of genuine piety and prided themselves on their fancied good works” “also” which means “even so and indeed” “came unto him” or “arose and approached Jesus”, “tempting him” which means “attempting, trying and endeavoring to test Jesus”, “and saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”. Matthew shared how the Pharisees again approached Jesus with a desire to “test” Him as they asked the following question.
The verse continues, “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” Matthew added the words, “it is lawful” or “whether it is right according to the law” “for a man” which means “for a male human being” “to put away” or “to set free, dismiss, send away, release or divorce” “his wife” which means “the man's female spouse” “for every cause” or “on account of each, all, the whole and everyone of the reasons and accusations”. Matthew wrote how the Pharisees desired Jesus to answered whether it was right according to the law for a man to divorce His wife for whatever reason he desired.
When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how the Pharisees once again were attempting to trip Jesus up with some theological question, and when we think this through, how futile were their efforts to “trick” God? There were two ideas among the religious leaders in Jesus' day. The first were the “Hillel” group who declared that a man could divorce his wife for whatever reason he found such as “burning his eggs, not being as beautiful as another woman, not cleaning sufficiently or any other flaw he found in her” The other rabbinical group believed only “adultery or fornication” were sufficient reasons for divorce. Jesus answers this question in the next few verses, but let it suffice for now to know that God desires for people to get along with one another, and when “flaws” are discovered, forgiveness and restoration are to be the governing rules. Jesus came not only to share this idea but also demonstrate it as He forgives people over and over again.
Next time Matthew shares how Jesus began to answer the Pharisees question, “he which made them at the beginning made them male and female”, 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