Divorce, Hard-Heartedness, & Childlike Faith

Topic: Divorce

Passage: Matthew 19:1–15

May 25, 2022

Commentary

The religious leaders had tried on several occasions to trick Jesus with questions and had failed. Now we find them trying again with a very controversial issue. Is it ever right for a man to divorce his wife (vv. 1-3)? It is interesting how Jesus answers by saying, “Have you read the Bible?” (v. 4). The Jewish nation was divided over this issue. Followers of Hillel felt a man could divorce his wife for almost any reason. The followers of Shammai took a stricter view which said that no man could divorce his wife unless she was guilty of sexual sin. Jesus didn’t speak to this issue but reminded these religious leaders of God’s original purpose of marriage (Gen. 1:27). That being that God joins a man and woman together in an inseparable bond which is even a higher calling than the parent child relationship (vv. 5-6). For a man is to leave his father and mother and be joined in a one flesh relationship (Gen. 2:24). The issue is not what saith Hillel or Shammai but “What saith the Lord?” Marriage is not merely a social ceremony as many declare today. It is far more than a piece of paper. God joins a man and a woman into a single-family unit.

The Pharisee then asked why Moses commanded divorce for the people of his time (v. 7). They were interpreting Moses’ law as though it were a commandment. The Lord’s answer was that Moses gave this permission “because of the hardness of your hearts” (v. 8). Moses did not command divorce; He permitted it because of their sinful hearts. Those who heard His words then reasoned that if there were no grounds for divorce one would be better off never to marry (vv. 9-12).

It’s fitting that a lesson on marriage was followed by a lesson on children (vv. 13-15). Israelites customarily brought their children to be blessed by rabbis, but Jesus’s disciples were attempting to prevent the practice. Jesus welcomed the children because of their humility, dependance, need, trust, and vulnerability. These are the characteristics He is looking for in adult followers as well

Application

Childlike faith is what we need more then anything. Childlike faith is the opposite of hard-heartedness.

Matthew 19:1– 15 (NET)

¹ Now when Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

³ Then some Pharisees came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful to divorce a wife for any cause?” ⁴ He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female, ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with 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 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” ⁸ Jesus said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way. ⁹ Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.” ¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!” ¹¹ He said to them, “Not everyone can accept this statement, except those to whom it has been given. ¹² For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, and some who were made eunuchs by others, and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”

¹³ Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded those who brought them. ¹⁴ But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ And he placed his hands on them and went on his way.