The Motley Crew – September 1, 2010

Matthew 19:1-12

The Questions

Read Matthew 19:1-12

1. What is the significance of verse 2?

2. What two schools were they talking about?

3. What exactly did they stand for?

4. Do we have any of these “schools” around today?

5. Which one did Jesus say was acceptable?

6. Where is Jesus trying to take them and us?

7. So why did Moses let them get away with it?

8. Does this change God's intent?

9. True or False: Is it lawful to divorce for any and every reason Biblically?

10. True or False: It is lawful to divorce for marital unfaithfulness Biblically?

11. What do the Pharisees think about marriage?

12. What do the disciples think about marriage?

13. What does Jesus think?

The Motley Crew – September 1, 2010

Matthew 19:1-12

Some Suggested Answers

We opened with prayer.

One of our members noted that there were two new books out concerning Rev. Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Discipleship is a new translation of The Cost of Discipleship that more accurately reflects the tone of Bonhoeffer's writings (it is volume 4 of the 17-volume set, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works). The other book is Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas and Timothy J. Keller.

The reviewer from Publishers Weekly wrote, in part:

... Metaxas offers a comprehensive review of one of history's darkest eras, along with a fascinating exploration of the familial, cultural and religious influences that formed one of the world's greatest contemporary theologians. ... Tracing Bonhoeffer's developing call to be a Jeremiah-like prophet in his own time and a growing understanding that the church was called "to speak for those who could not speak," Metaxas details Bonhoeffer's role in religious resistance to Nazism, and provides a compelling account of the faith journey that eventually involved the Lutheran pastor in unsuccessful attempts to assassinate Hitler. Insightful and illuminating, this tome makes a powerful contribution to biography, history and theology.

Matthew 19 (New International Version)

Divorce

 1 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.

 3 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,' [a] 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' [b]? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not 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 marital unfaithfulness, 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 some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage [c] because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 19:4 Gen. 1:27

2. Matthew 19:5 Gen. 2:24

3. Matthew 19:12 Or have made themselves eunuchs

Parallel Text: Mark 10:1-12 (below)

1. What is the significance of verse 2?

Verse 2: “Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.”

Mark 10:1. “Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.”

Jesus continued to have an impact on the peoples of the regions that He visited. Wherever He went, He healed and He taught. Large crowds continued to follow Him, even though the Pharisees continued to pick at Him, and even though some of the disciples still don't get it.

This is His final farewell to Galilee, where He was born and spent most of His life. And although He was on His way to Jerusalem, and knows what is waiting for Him, He still wants to halt His journey to heal and to teach.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary.
When Christ departs, it is best for us to follow Him. They found Him as able and ready to help elsewhere, as He had been in Galilee; wherever the Sun of Righteousness arose, it was with healing in His wings.

2. What two schools were they talking about?

The School of Shammai and the School of Hillel, concerning the teaching of Deuteronomy 24:1-4

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 (NIV).

 1 If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 3 and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, 4 then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. [emphasis added]

Note that the Pharisees are attempting to put Jesus in the middle of a very contentious debate in Judaism. He will be unpopular with a large number of Jews, regardless of which school He supports. It was in this manner that the Pharisees wished to discredit Jesus.

3. What exactly did they stand for?

In short, the strict view verses the lax view.

The School of Shammai: No divorce unless there is something indecent.

The School of Hillel: Divorce for anything the husband doesn't like.

Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament.
For every cause (κατα πασαν αιτιαν). This clause is an allusion to the dispute between the two theological schools over the meaning of Deut. 24:1. The school of Shammai took the strict and unpopular view of divorce for unchastity alone while the school of Hillel took the liberal and popular view of easy divorce for any passing whim if the husband saw a prettier woman (modern enough surely) or burnt his biscuits for breakfast. It was a pretty dilemma and meant to do Jesus harm with the people.

Lenski, p. 727.
… Rabbi Akiba, referring especially to the expression, “that she find no favor in his eyes,” permitted her release when the husband found a better-looking woman.

Sounds like a “trophy wife” situation, which we often see today.

4. Do we have any of these “schools” around today?

Yes. Although they come under different names, these two schools exist today as they have existed in history.

During our discussion of this question, it was pointed out that divorce often causes significant pain to the parties, and does especial violence to the children. Although the wounds heal, the scar sometimes remains forever.

5. Which one did Jesus say was acceptable?

The Shammai School was acceptable, although not recommended.

Verse 9: “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” [emphasis added]

Note that the NIV translation is “marital unfaithfulness,” while the ESV translation is “sexual immorality.”

6. Where is Jesus trying to take them and us?

Creation.

Verse 8. Jesus replied, “ … But it was not this way from the beginning.”

Genesis 1:27 (New International Version)
So God created man in his own image,
       in the image of God he created him;
       male and female he created them.

Genesis 2:24 (New International Version)
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Exodus 20:12-16 (NIV) and Deuteronomy 5:16-20 ((NIV)
“You shall not commit adultery.”

7. So why did Moses let them get away with it?

Hard hearts.

Verse 8. Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard.”

Lenski, p. 731.
What Jesus says is that the command of Moses was only a permission and nothing more. Something had intervened since God, by creating man as he did, created marriage, namely sin, which wrought havoc also in the marriage relation.

8. Does this change God's intent?

No! God's intent is seen in the quotations from Genesis 1 & 2, Exodus and Deuteronomy, above.

Lenski, p. 731.
The regulation of Moses was nothing more than a concession to this evil condition and never went beyond this. It thus consisted of nothing but a legal form for dissolving marriage. It thus also bore testimony only to the hardness of so many hearts, and no man in his senses could conclude that by this Mosaic regulation God had altered His original intention concerning the permanency of marriage.

Mark 10:9 (NIV). “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

9. True or False: Is it lawful to divorce for any and every reason Biblically?

False. In today's society, many (most?) states allow divorce for any reason (often, “no fault” divorces). Therein lies the problem, since marriage includes vows to God and to each other. In addition, the sexual bonds between husband and wife are very powerful.

10. True or False: It is lawful to divorce for marital unfaithfulness Biblically?

True. They were letting the negativeness & legality of the Pharisees get the best of them. That's why we are going to settle this today. Marriage is too beautiful to do otherwise.

Deut. 24:1. “... because he finds something indecent about her ...”

11. What do the Pharisees think about marriage?

We can't tell from this text. However, because the Pharisees tended to favor the strict interpretation of the Torah, they would favor the Shammai School as a group, although individuals might favor either one or the other.

12. What do the disciples think about marriage?

Don't Do It!

Verse 10. “The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

13. What does Jesus think?

Marriage is a covenant, established by God. Unless you have the gift of celibacy, it is best that you marry and be happy together for the rest of your lives.

In Matthew 5:31-32, Jesus is recorded as saying:

“It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

In Matthew 19, our Lord affirms what He taught in Matthew 5, but goes beyond that teaching to add an additional point concerning celibacy:

Verses 9 & 11-12. “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” … "Not everyone can accept this word [“celibacy”], but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

Likewise, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:7-8 that some should stay unmarried, as he is. In addition:

“I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.”

We closed with prayer.

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you — guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

2 Timothy 1:13-14

Parallel Texts

No sermons by either Martin Luther or Harold Buls about any of these passages.

Divorce

Some Additional Resources

Online Resources

Book of Concord in PDF Format, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod <http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/LCMS/TrigBOC.pdf> (2MB file)

These texts are in the public domain and may be copied and distributed freely. The source of these translations is Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921).

A number of important Lutheran texts can be found in the Belief and Practice section of the website of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=112

John S. C. Abbott and Jacob Abbott, Illustrated New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/ain/

Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/bnn/

Harold F. Buls
http://www.pericope.org/buls-notes/index.html and
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-bul.html
Adapted from Exegetical Notes, Series A, Festival Season Sundays, Gospel Texts, by Harold H. Buls, Concordia Theological Seminary Press: Ft Wayne IN, 1980

The Adam Clarke Commentary
http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/

Burton Coffman, Commentary on the Whole Bible
http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/

John Darby, Synopsis of the Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/darby/matthew1.htm

The Greek Interlinear Bible,
http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Greek_Index.htm
Based on NA26/27. A word-by-word translation of the Greek New Testament.

David Guzik, Commentaries on the Bible
http://www.studylight.org/com/guz/

The Geneva Study Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/geneva/matthew1.htm

John Gill, Exposition of the Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/gill/matthew1.htm

Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mh/matthew1.htm

Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mhc/matthew1.htm

Jamieson, Faussett and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/jfb/matthew1.htm

B.W. Johnson, People's New Testament
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/johnson/matthew1.htm

John Lightfoot, Bible Commentary
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/light/matthew1.htm

Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians
http://www.studylight.org/com/mlg/

J. W. McGarvey, Original Commentary on Acts
http://www.studylight.org/com/oca/

J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, The Fourfold Gospel (also known as "Harmony Of the Four Gospels")
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/four/matthew1.htm

Alexander Maclaren's commentaries on the books of the Bible (various titles)
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/m#a2330

The NET Bible. <http://bible.org/netbible/> A completely new translation of the Bible with 60,932 translators’ notes. It was completed by more than 25 scholars – experts in the original biblical languages – who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Excellent notes, citing both the Greek and Hebrew, as needed. Greek and Hebrew fonts available without cost.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures of the New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/rwp/

C. I. Scofield, The Scofield Reference Notes (1917 Edition)
http://www.studylight.org/com/srn/

Charles H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David
http://www.studylight.org/com/tod/

R.A. Torrey, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
http://www.studylight.org/com/tsk/

W.E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
http://www.antioch.com.sg/bible/vines/

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/wesley/matthew1.htm

Other Additional Resources:
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/SPLC/Motley%20Crew%20Research%20Resources.html

Other Resources

Barker, Kenneth L., ed., TNIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006)

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Readers Edition. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006)

Davies, Benjamin, ed., Baker's Pocket Harmony of the Gospels (Baker Book House, 1975). Formerly printed as Harmony of the Four Gospels.

Goodrick, Edward W. and John R. Kohlenberger III, eds., The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999). This is the second edition, originally published as the Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It was originally published as The NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It should be distinguished from The NIV Complete Concordance by the same authors.

Green, Jay P., ed., The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. Vol. IV. Second Edition. (Hendrickson Publishers, 1985)

Halley, Henry H., Halley's Bible Handbook. New Revised Edition (24^th Edition). (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1965)

Hickie, W.J., Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977). This is a reprint of an older edition, originally published by Macmillan, August. 1893. A contemporary review described this as "A handy little volume, compiled on sound principles from trustworthy authorities." The 1911 edition is available online and for download at http://openlibrary.org/b/OL17866849M/Greek-English_lexicon_to_the_New_Testament

Hoerber, Robert G., ed., Concordia Self-Study Bible. NIV (Great Rapids, Zondervan: 1973, 1984).

Lenski, R.C.H., The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943, reprinted 1964)

The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009).

Nave, Orville J., ed., Nave's Topical Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1979)

New Bible Dictionary. Second Edition. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1962)

Nicoll, W. Robertson, The Greek Expositor's Testament. Vol. 1. Five Volumes. (New York: George H. Doran Co., ca. 1910). Excellent notes on the Greek text and summaries of commentators. Available at Google Books ( www.books.google.com ) and the Internet Archive ( www.archive.org - easier to find here than at Google Books).

NIV Archeological Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005)

Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (Text from Project Gutenberg)

Robertson, A.T., Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Holman Reference, 2000). This “Concise Edition” is derived from the six-volume work by Robertson published in 1933. Robertson was also the author of 45 books, including numerous commentaries, a Harmony of the Gospels, etc. Also available online

Rogers, Cleon L. Jr., and Cleon L. Rogers III, eds., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998). This is the second edition of the excellent work by Fritz Rienecker, A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, translated and edited by Cleon L. Rogers, Jr.

Strong, James, ed., The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990)

Vine, W.E., Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words: A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Original Greek Words with their Precise Meanings for English Readers (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, no date). Originally published circa 1940.