1. Jesus is Questioned on Divorce Matthew 19:3-12

2. Testing Jesus Matthew 19:3-12 Focusing the issue: Focusing the issue: – Some brethren say Jesus was teaching Moses (Deut. 24:1) NO – Jesus taught on marriage while explaining why Moses allowed what was allowed under his law NO – Jesus taught on marriage while explaining why Moses allowed what was allowed under his law 2

3. Testing Jesus Matthew 19:3-12 Focusing the issue: Focusing the issue: – Some brethren conclude divorce is allowable if they intend never to remarry NO – This views “putting away” (19:9) only as a legal (court) action instead of as the sinful sundering that it is, Matt. 19:6 NO – This views “putting away” (19:9) only as a legal (court) action instead of as the sinful sundering that it is, Matt. 19:6 – Exception applied frees the innocent of sinful sundering, allowing him/her to remarry – Jesus forbids sending away spouse for other reasons, Matt. 5:32 (19:6) 3

4. Question #1 Matthew 19:3 Answer: “No, but not for the reason you expect. Marriage is not to be sundered.” Matt. 19:4-6 Answer: “No, but not for the reason you expect. Marriage is not to be sundered.” Matt. 19:4-6 Testing Jesus: Testing Jesus: – Dispute over causes for divorce; Not over whether God approved of divorce! – Pharisees assumed the right of divorce – they disputed its cause(s) Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? apoluo: Also translated – apoluo: Also translated – release, dismiss, send away, divorce 4

5. Question #1 Matthew 19:3 T HE D ISPUTE O VER C AUSE (Deut. 24:1) School of Shammai School of Shammai – Emphasized “uncleanness” and defined it as adultery – Overly strict, Deut. 22:22; Lev. 20:10 School of Hillel School of Hillel – Broadened “indecent” to any and every cause – Utterly lax, eliminating the restraint of Deut. 24:1 Is it lawful for a man to put away* his wife for every cause? * apoluo: Also translated – release, dismiss, send away, divorce 5

6. Question #1 Matthew 19:3 T HE D ISPUTE O VER C AUSE (Deut. 24:1) School of Shammai School of Shammai – Emphasized “uncleanness” and defined it as adultery – Overly strict, Deut. 22:22; Lev. 20:10 School of Hillel School of Hillel – Broadened “indecent” to any and every cause – Utterly lax, eliminating the restraint of Deut. 24:1 Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? Jesus will show both are wrong! Jesus will show both are wrong! They failed to understand God’s original aim of marriage They failed to understand God’s original aim of marriage 6

7. Answer #1 Matthew 19:4-5 Creation of male and female implies God designed marriage, 19:4; Gen. 1:27 Creation of male and female implies God designed marriage, 19:4; Gen. 1:27 – God instituted marriage by His creative will and act For this reason: God said what marriage really is, 19:5; Gen. 2:24 For this reason: God said what marriage really is, 19:5; Gen. 2:24 – One flesh relationship Primacy and permanency of marriage is recognized by the “one flesh” relation Primacy and permanency of marriage is recognized by the “one flesh” relation Marriage is a law from creation and lasts for life! 7

8. Answer #1 Matthew 19:6 Marriage is not to be put asunder, 19:6; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11 Marriage is not to be put asunder, 19:6; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11 – chorizo: Separate, “to separate oneself, depart” “To place room between”, cf. Rom. 8:35, 39 “To place room between”, cf. Rom. 8:35, 39 “The implication is that any man who divides what God has thus by his own creation united into one, flies in the face of God and his will.” (Lenski) “The implication is that any man who divides what God has thus by his own creation united into one, flies in the face of God and his will.” (Lenski) Conclusion: They are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. 8

9. Applications for Us Matthew 19:4-6 Marriage is for life, Rom. 7:2-3; 1 Cor. 7:39 Marriage is for life, Rom. 7:2-3; 1 Cor. 7:39 God’s will is not that people in scriptural marriages divorce God’s will is not that people in scriptural marriages divorce God’s will is that marriages He joins are not sundered God’s will is that marriages He joins are not sundered God does not approve of divorce for “any reason” God does not approve of divorce for “any reason” – Divorce (just don’t remarry), Matt. 19:6; 5:32; 1 Cor. 7:27 God hates divorce, Mal. 2:16 God hates divorce, Mal. 2:16 They are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. 9

10. Question #2 Matthew 19:7 Refer to Deut. 24:1-4 Refer to Deut. 24:1-4 False assumption: Moses commanded divorce False assumption: Moses commanded divorce “Even its substance dealt only with the legal procedure followed in the release of a wife; a divorce certificate had to be given.” (Lenski) “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 10

11. Answer #2 Matthew 19:8 Moses gave permission to put away wives within God-given parameters, Deut. 24:1-4 Moses gave permission to put away wives within God-given parameters, Deut. 24:1-4 – Limited the reason: “Some uncleanness in her”, 24:1 – “unseemly”, “indecency” – Offensiveness, shameful- ness, disgrace (Davidson) – OT use: Deut. 23:14; Lev. 18:6; Isa. 47:3; Ezek. 16:8 Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 11

12. Answer #2 Matthew 19:8 Moses gave permission to put away wives within God-given parameters, Deut. 24:1-4 Moses gave permission to put away wives within God-given parameters, Deut. 24:1-4 – Shameful immorality short of adultery, Deut. 22:22 – Other conditions, 24:2-4 Certificate of divorcement Certificate of divorcement Not allowed to return to 1 st Not allowed to return to 1 st – Why? Hardness of hearts Not so from the beginning Not so from the beginning Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 12

13. Answer #2 Matthew 19:8 Concession was made by Moses due to hard hearts Concession was made by Moses due to hard hearts God regulated its usage: God regulated its usage: – Restrained rampant divorce – Protection and provision for wives Jesus ended the concession Jesus ended the concession – Jesus did not preach Moses – He nailed the LOM to the cross Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 13

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15. Answer #2 Matthew 19:9 Fornication is the one reason Jesus allows for putting away your spouse Fornication is the one reason Jesus allows for putting away your spouse – Frees the innocent one to remarry without sin – All remarriages without this reason are adultery, Mk. 10:11-12; Rom. 7:2-3 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery. 15

16. Applications Matthew 19:7-9 Moses did NOT sanction many reasons to end a marriage Moses did NOT sanction many reasons to end a marriage Jesus did NOT sanction many reasons to end a marriage Jesus did NOT sanction many reasons to end a marriage Jesus does NOT command or permit divorce without remarriage Jesus does NOT command or permit divorce without remarriage And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery. 16

17. Apostles (#3) Matthew 19:10 Reluctant to give up the Jewish ease of ending a marriage Reluctant to give up the Jewish ease of ending a marriage – Appealed to emotions and earthly wisdom – “Celibacy is better than marriage!” Or… – “Immorality is better than marriage!” If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry. 17

18. Apostles (#3) Matthew 19:11-12 Truth is unchanged by our emotions or by the difficulty of obedience Truth is unchanged by our emotions or by the difficulty of obedience – This saying about marriage: Its origin, its permanency and its exception (19:4-9) Its origin, its permanency and its exception (19:4-9) There are eunuchs… There are eunuchs… – By birth – By others – By choice for the kingdom of heaven’s sake All cannot except this saying but only those to whom it has been given … He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.” 18

19. Apostles (#3) Matthew 19:11-12 Able to accept it Able to accept it – Willing to yield to God’s truth about marriage Marriage is for life Marriage is for life Do not sunder God-joined marriages Do not sunder God-joined marriages Make every sacrifice necessary to be in the kingdom of heaven Make every sacrifice necessary to be in the kingdom of heaven All cannot except this saying but only those to whom it has been given … He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.” 19

20. M ARRIAGE Jesus ELEVATED marriage: One flesh for life! Jesus ELEVATED marriage: One flesh for life! SUNDERING what God has joined together is a great sin, Matt. 19:6 SUNDERING what God has joined together is a great sin, Matt. 19:6 DO NOT look for ways to END your marriage DO NOT look for ways to END your marriage Use GOD’S WORD to enhance your marriage with unwavering commitment Use GOD’S WORD to enhance your marriage with unwavering commitment 20