by Stan Feldsine (www.tojesusbeallglory.com)
Matthew 19:1-2 - Jesus Visits Judea
Mat 19:1-2 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. (2) Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
Jesus was always moving around, having compassion on the people He encountered and healing their infirmities. Wherever He went the crowds followed him, and thus the Pharisees were always among the crowd looking to challenge Him.
Matthew 19:3-12 - Teaching About Divorce
Mat 19:3-12 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?" (4) "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' (5) and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? (6) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." (7) "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?" (8) Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. (9) I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." (10) The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry." (11) Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. (12) For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others--and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
The School of Shammai (conservative), and the school of Hillel (liberal).
Hillil - divorce for an indecency, leaves room for subjective interpretation.
Shammai - divorce for fornication, is specific and explicit.
The Pharisees confront Jesus once again. This time they are trying to trip Him up over the question of divorce. Their questions are dishonest, not really looking for an answer, but looking to discredit Him.
We can only wonder why this question was raised, since whatever answer He gave would appease half of the Pharisees. The question as asked favored the liberal view of Hillel.
The answer to this question is that Jesus was in the same Roman jurisdiction of Herod that John the Baptist was in when he called out Herodias and Phillip for their illegal marriage. The Pharisees asked Jesus this question in this territory in the hopes that Jesus's answer would cause anger on the part of Herodius and cause her to ask for Jesus's head on a plate as she had done with John.
Mat 14:3-8 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, (4) for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her." (5) Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet. (6) On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much (7) that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. (8) Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."
Jesus presented 5 points in His response:
God's original intent for marriage was that it be permanent (Mat 19:4-6).
Moses did not command divorce, he only permitted it due to hardness of heart (Mat 19:7, Mar 10:4-6).
Jesus opposed the one-sidedness of Jewish divorce law. Under Jewish Law, only the man could initiate a divorce, not the woman (Mat 19:9, Mar 10:11-12).
Jesus in the NT provides two grounds for divorce. The first is fornication (Mat 19:9, Mar 10:11-12), and the second is if two unbelievers marry and one become a believer, and on that basis the unbeliever wants a divorce, then the believer should not fight the unbelieving spouse (1Co 7:12-16). In either case, remarriage is permitted for the offended (innocent) party.
So Jesus sided with the conservative Shamai view.
The disciples question in Mat 19:10 (The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.") reveals that they didn't think much of marriage, which led to the last point Jesus made.
Singleness is a gift, and not everyone has it. Only those who have the gift of singleness should choose that option. Ideally, a person should remain single, for this allows them to devote their lives to the Lord's work.
Jesus notes 3 types of singleness. First are eunuchs (castrated man) born that way, the second are those who have been made that way by someone else, and third those that make themselves that way for the sake of serving the kingdom.
Matthew 19:13-15 - Let the Children Come
Mat 19:13-15 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. (14) Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (15) When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
So here is an interesting passage in which Jesus had spent considerable time (Matt 18.1-6) explaining to the disciples that children were the visible representation of the attitude that they themselves were to have. They were to be humble and dependent upon the Lord in order to be great in the kingdom.
So now some people bring some children to Jesus and the disciples response is to turn them away from a busy Jesus. Jesus has to remind them that He just finished using children as a metaphor for how adults were to think and behave, and that it was children who had it right. It was to them that the kingdom belonged.
The purpose of having the children come to Jesus was so that He might lay hands on them and they could be blessed.
Matthew 19:16-22 - The Rich Young Man
Mat 19:16-22 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" (17) "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments." (18) "Which ones?" he inquired. Jesus replied, "'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, (19) honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" (20) "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" (21) Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (22) When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Next we have a man coming up to Jesus with a serious question (Mar 10:17). We should not think that this young man was insincere. Luke identifies him as a "certain ruler", indicating that he may have been of the Sanhedrin or perhaps a leader of a local synagogue and he asked the question seriously.
This rich ruler is not unlike many today, who believe, but are insecure in their salvation. The ruler is looking for a practical action that he could take that would solidify his confidence in his salvation. Like many today, he feels something is lacking in the overall picture.
In His response, Jesus agrees with the implication of the ruler that He is indeed Messiah. He asks why the ruler would call Jesus "intrinsically good" if only God fits that description. The correct response from the ruler wold have been to tell Jesus that He was God.
Jesus responds to the rulers question by reciting those of the 10 commandments that deal with other persons, to which the ruler replied that he had kept them all.
Jesus replied by addressing the rulers heart, did he have belief, faith and love for God. Jesus put the ruler to the test by challenging the ruler to demonstrate his love for God by prioritizing his relationship with God over his riches. The thing that the ruler was lacking was a dependence upon his wealth rather than a dependence on God.
The ruler could demonstrate his faith in and love for God by selling everything he had and getting rid of his wealth, give to the poor, and follow Jesus. The ruler shows the difficulty the rich have in turning from dependence on riches to dependence on God by sadly walking away.
Matthew 19:23-30 - Jesus Teaches the Lesson of the Rich Young Man
Mat 19:23-30 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. (24) Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (25) When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" (26) Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (27) Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" (28) Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (29) And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (30) But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
Jesus then turns to his disciples and shows them that the problem with the rich ruler was not his wealth, but his trust in his wealth.
This problem of trusting in wealth is compounded in the society by the belief that riches were an indication of divine favor and eternal life. This made it much more difficult to turn from the wealth if the lack of wealth indicated a lack of divine favor.
The disciples statement regarding "who then can be saved" shows the depth of the Pharisaical teaching that wealth indicated eternal life. If wealth indicated eternal life, and Jesus was telling them that it was harder for the rich to get into the kingdom of heaven, impossible even, what chance did they have as poor men.
Jesus response is that with Him all things are possible. Salvation is not in riches, and riches are not a sign of eternal life, rather, dependence upon Jesus makes eternal life possible, even in a man who is rich. Riches are amoral, what matters is ones attitude towards the riches.
Peter tells Jesus that they, the disciples, have given everything and asks what benefit this will be for them. The first benefit is specifically to the disciples. The role that they will have in the Messianic Kingdom is co-rulership and judgment over the 12 tribes of Israel. Each of the 12 will have a throne and authority over one of the tribes.
Daniel foresaw this time:
Dan 7:13-14 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. (14) He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
The second benefit applies to all believers. It is a restoration of that which was lost.
Mar 10:29-30 "Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel (30) will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--along with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life.
Mat 6:19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
2Ti 2:11-12 Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; (12) if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;
The third benefit is everlasting life in the presence of God.
In Mat 19:30 Jesus makes the statement that the first shall be last and the last first. This statement is explained in the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard and will be covered there. It refers to rewards not being distributed on the basis of seniority.
Mat 20:12-13 'These who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' (13) "But he answered one of them, 'I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius?
Additionally, the idea of first being last and last being first can also refer to those who are first in this world, I.E. with riches and the favor of the world will be last in the Messianic Kingdom, and the last in favor with the world will be first in the Messianic Kingdom.
Note: The idea of a gate in Jerusalem that was small and required a camel to get on it's knees to pass through is folklore with no basis in fact. Such a gate never existed. Jesus's statement about the eye of a needle is hyperbole for the difficulty a rich man will have getting into the kingdom of heaven. It is impossible.
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