MATTHEW LESSON 38

     We will begin this lesson in Matthew 19:1 "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;" Matthew
19:2 "And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there."

     This was the last time Jesus would be in Galilee, until after His
resurrection. This was actually the very beginning of the last trip to
Jerusalem. It seems in this country area, away from the bigger towns,
there was less opposition. Just as today, the humble people can accept
the things of God much more readily than the more educated arrogant
people , who think they already know everything.

     Jesus had just been teaching the deeper things of God in chapter
18.  Here, we see He took time to heal those who had needs. Jesus'
ministry was versatile. He did not stay on just one subject and teach
it over and over. He taught how to live a well rounded life that would
be pleasing to God.  Jesus not only taught, He healed, He cast out
demons, He raised the dead, and He had compassion on the people for
even their physical needs. If they  were hungry, He fed them. This
tells me that God is interested in every facet of our lives.

     Matthew 19:3  "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?"

     This was a loaded question. These Pharisees were trouble makers. They
were continuously trying to catch Jesus napping, so they might accuse
Him of wrong doing. Instead of saying for any cause, they said "...for
every cause...".  You can see what a difference it makes when just one
word is changed.  Had they realized who Jesus was, they would have
realized that they could not trap Him.

     At the time this question was asked of Jesus, there was much
opposite opinion on the matter of divorce.  Herodias had John the
Baptist's head, removed, because John said Herod and she were living in
adultery.  This was a very touchy subject. The majority of the people
were like the people of our day.  They wanted permission to divorce
for just any little whimsical reason. Those devoted to God, said that
only for fornication, or adultery, could you get a divorce.  We will
see the Lord's answer in the next verses.

     Matthew 19:4 "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not
read, that he which made [them] at the beginning made them male and
female,"  Matthew 19:5 "And said, For this cause shall a man leave
father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall
be one flesh?" Matthew 19:6 "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one
flesh.  What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put
asunder."

     Just as we should do when we are confronted with questions today
by our church members: Jesus answered with Scripture. He said in
essence: God made a male and a female to be one, not a male and
several females . Definitely not a male and another male, or a female
and another female to mate. God's original plan was that one man and
one woman should come together and build a family.  So many troubles
in our society today are caused by multiple marriages. It is even
worse when children are involved. They hardly know who their true
parents are any more.

     Even worse in God's sight, is for two men to become mates, or two
women. God called it unnatural use.  This is an abomination in God's
sight, and we are seeing the repercussion in our society today (aids).
God's plans work. Man's plans fail.  Be sure and notice that the male
and the female become one flesh.  They are not one spirit. The flesh
is for use upon this earth.  There will be no marrying in heaven. We
will have heavenly bodies to house our spirits in for eternity. This
fleshly body, that we use here, will not go to heaven with us. It will
be changed. When God chooses you a mate, no mere man can tear the
union apart. The important thing is to be sure that our choice and
God's choice for our mate are the same.

     Matthew 19:7 "They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to
give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?"

     Here, these people were accusing Jesus of contradicting Moses. The
opposite is true. God's plans precede Moses'.  Moses did not command
this anyhow; He just told them that marriage was more serious, than how
their oriental neighbors were taking it. There were only two reasons
then, or now, that divorce is permissible. Adultery of the flesh or of
the spirit are the only grounds for divorce.

     Matthew 19:8 "He saith 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." Matthew 19:9 "And I say unto you, Whosoever
shall put away his wife, except [it be] for fornication, and shall
marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is
put away doth commit adultery."

     Jesus told them, here, that God's will was that they stay together
and be one, as He intended from the beginning. The only permissible
reason given was fornication.  Fornication covers all sex sin:
perversion, incest, homosexuality, and adultery; but this word in the
spiritual covers idolatry, as well.

     Most young couples believe that marriage has to do with the civil
law, and that alone. If you are truly married in the sight of God, it
pertains to God's law, and the civil law. Many people who say "I do"
are not married at all in God's sight.  For a marriage to be approved
by God, He must be the one we are saying our vows to, along with our
spouse. If we are not truly one, with God as the head, our marriage,
probably, won't last. True love has nothing to do with lust of the
flesh. Jesus was trying to make them understand that God wants a
husband and a wife to be one. A house divided against itself cannot
stand, Matthew 12:25.

     Matthew 19:10  "His disciples say unto him, If the case of the
man be so with [his] wife, it is not good to marry."

     Jesus, it seems, had further spoken to the disciples about
marriage.  They felt that, if marriage was such a permanent situation,
that maybe a person just shouldn't get married at all.

     Matthew 19:11 "But he said unto them, All [men] cannot receive
this saying, save [they] to whom it is given."  Matthew 19:12 "For
there are some eunuchs, which were so born from [their] mother's womb:
and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there
be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of
heaven's sake. He that is able to receive [it], let him receive [it]."

     Jesus would have no part of their argument about the reasons for
divorce, and just picked up with their statement of not marrying at all.
This first group spoken of here, either physically or emotionally,
have no desire to marry. They were born with no inclination toward
marriage.

     In some of the oriental countries that had harems, the practice
was to fix some of the men so they could not be husbands. This was a
cruel practice; treating men like animals.

     The third state, here, is when a man decides for the cause of God,
not to marry. He keeps himself unattached, so that he can give all of
his attention to the work God has for him to do.  Not everyone is
called to that special separated life. Some who have chosen that type
of life do not live up to it.  It is better not to enter into that
agreement with God, than it is to fall away after they have agreed.

     God actually made men and women to marry. There is no sin in
marriage, as long as it is according to the plan God has for all of us.
God does not have the same plan for each person. We must find the
pattern God has for our lives, and live the way He has chosen for us.
Jesus was not asking anyone to live without marriage. He was just
explaining that either marriage, or non-marriage, is okay, if done
unto God.

     Lesson 39 will begin in Matthew 19:13.















                         Matthew 38 Questions


1.  What miracle, in V-2, did Jesus do for the multitudes who followed
    Him?
2.  When would be the next time for Jesus to go to Galilee after this?
3.  Why do humble people accept Jesus more easily?
4.  Name five things Jesus did in His ministry?
5.  Who tried to tempt Jesus to take sides?
6.  What one word did they use to change the meaning of divorce?
7.  What sin had Herod committed?
8.  What had Herod done to please Herodias?
9.  When a man and woman are married, they are one what?
10. When we are confronted with questions about whether something is
    wrong or right, what should we do?
11. What causes much trouble in America today?
12. What does God call unnatural sex?
13. Who will be your husband or wife in heaven?
14. What did these Pharisees say that Moses commanded?
15. What two reasons are the only grounds for divorce in God's sight?
16. Why did Jesus say Moses had given this opportunity for divorce?
17. What does fornication cover?
18. Are love and lust the same?
19. What error did the disciples get from this?
20. What three different kinds of eunuchs are there?
21. Should a person try to be a eunuch, if God has not definitely
    called him to do this?
22. Is it a sin to marry?