|
Jesus, On Marriage
by Bob and Cheryl Moeller
Matthew 19 begins with Matthew telling us, "When Jesus had finished
saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of
Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and
he healed them there" (Matthew 19:1-2). It's important to remember
that this discussion of marriage is set in the context of Jesus' healing
ministry. Jesus was doing what He does so well-restoring broken lives, renewing hope, and performing miracles. In the middle of what was
undoubtedly an atmosphere of joy and amazement, the opponents of
Jesus suddenly show up.
It's clear they have prepared for this moment and even rehearsed their question, "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?'" (v. 3). The question itself betrays their true motives. Rather than asking Jesus how as religious leaders they could bring healing and help to hurting and damaged marriages in their villages and towns, they instead want to know if divorce is permissible for "any and every reason."
According to biblical scholars, the question the Pharisees asked was of more than academic or theological interest to them. They themselves were divorcing their wives for "any and every reason." Rather than defending the sacredness and permanence of marriage, they were actively involved in dismantling it. Their main objective in asking Jesus this question was to catch Him in an unguarded moment. If they could get Jesus to misspeak or stumble on the subject of divorce, they could publicly accuse Him of opposing the Law of Moses and use it to turn the people against Him.
But the Architect of marriage from the foundation of the world was
about to set His own trap. He looks them in the eye and exposes their desperately hardened hearts with this penetrating statement:
"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning theCreator 'made them male and female,' 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'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
You can only imagine how Jesus' detractors must have looked at
one another in astonishment. They had come for the express purpose of catching Jesus in some technicality of the Law. Yet He had no interest in an argument over fine print. His heart was to turn them to the grand design and purpose of marriage as revealed in the opening pages of Scripture.
While His opponents were hoping to find an easy way to justify getting rid of spouses to satisfy their own selfish desires, Jesus' focus was exactly the opposite. He explained that God never created men and women for divorce; He created them for a lifelong and unbreakable bond.
Article based on the book, The Marriage Miracle by Bob and Cheryl Moeller, published by Harvest House.
|
