On Line Bible Study - For the week July 7 - 13, 2008

Lesson 343

Into Judea . . .

Matthew 16:21 says: From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

This is an indicator – a “marker”, if you will, that a new section of the Gospel has begun. It happens again in Matthew 17:22 - When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.

Jesus’ prediction of his death sets the tone for where this story is going. By the time we get to Matthew 19, we don’t need the prediction of the death anymore; the mere mention of “Judea” is enough to make the point. Jesus is heading into the lion’s den.

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.

Although the location is more treacherous, the work of his ministry takes up right where it left off. Recall in Matthew 12:15, we read: A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill.

In Matthew 19:2 we read: Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

Then, the “tests” begin again, but the anti is raised as Jesus is in closer proximity to Jerusalem. The first test – a question from the Pharisees - has to do with divorce. Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?

In last week’s lesson we spoke about the importance of community for Jesus. This week, the “test” brings it home. While the Hebrew Bible certainly upheld faithfulness in marriage, there were apparently a number of reasons why a marriage could be dissolved by divorce. It may be helpful to remember that divorce – and more broadly speaking, the relationship between husband and wife - was a hot topic. You might recall back in Matthew 14 reading about the trouble John the Baptist got into because he told Herod it was unlawful for him to have married Herodias. The issue for John was both divorce and a form of incest. But . . . recalling what happened to John, we now can appreciate the seriousness of the threat in this “testing” of Jesus!

Jesus appeals to Genesis – to the unity that exists, or that God means to exist, in a marriage. A man leaves his parents; he cleaves to his wife; the two become “one flesh”. Obviously there is a sexual connotation; but there is a larger social implication as well. This relationship between husband and wife is part of the creation plan. It has to do with the larger community – with children (“fruitfulness”); and “unity” is about more than sex. It is about commitment and covenant. The idea of dividing the two-become-one has a touch of violence to it – almost like an amputation.

And note this part of the test: “. . .for any and every reason . . .” Where does that come from? It comes from Deuteronomy 24:1-4, and an interpretation of that text that allows for great latitude in terms of the reasons for divorce. For Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, only sexual immorality is a cause for divorce. So amazing is this to the disciples that they say:

Matthew 19: 10 "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 because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

Marriage is what most people long for; but it should never be thought of as the “easy way out”!

Jesus passes the test; the Pharisees are silenced, at least for now. Next week Jesus encounters a rich man. Read Matthew 19:16-30 if you get the chance.