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* [19:2324] Riches are an obstacle to entering the kingdom that cannot be overcome by human power. It probably is also equivalent here to entering the kingdom of heaven (Mt 19:23) or the kingdom of God (Mt 19:24), but see notes on Mt 3:2; 4:17; 18:1 for the wider reference of the kingdom in Matthew. how is it that ye have no faith? The Liturgical Sense of the Scriptures Podcast, by Catholic Author and Theologian David L. Gray. With God, as nothing is impossible, so no one, small or great, is despised: all is seen and put in its just place; and grace, which rebukes creature pride, can afford to deal divinely with the smallest as with the greatest. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. What lack I yet?" What does Matthew 19:12 mean? | BibleRef.com Let none suppose that, in giving my own convictions, I have the presumptuous thought of putting these forward as if they were the sole motives in God's mind. Thus early we must note that it is not a law; it is a principle, which is a very different thing. In a sense, it was entirely the wrong question to ask. "The foxes," says He, "have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head." In the beginning this is not what God desired or planned. Let us now go on to see the high ideal of the married state which Jesus sets before those who are willing to accept his commands. That was all over for the moment through Israel's blind sin; He was going to suffer, not yet reign, at Jerusalem. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by othersand there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Because Matthew's object is the display of the change of dispensation through, or consequent on, the rejection of Jesus by the Jews. What an anticipation of the walk by faith, not by sight, in which the Gentiles, when called, ought to have glorified God, when the rejection of the Messiah by His own ancient people gave occasion to the Gentile call as a distinct thing! Much less may a husband put away his wife, betwixt whom, though not by nature, yet by divine appointment, the relation is nearer, and the bond of union stronger, than between parents and children; for that is in a great measure superseded by marriage, when a man must leave his parents, to cleave to his wife. There will be no occasion for divorces, if we forbear one another, and forgive one another, in love, as those that are, and hope to be, forgiven, and have found God not forward to put us away,Isaiah 50:1. Let not man put them asunder; not the husband himself, nor any one for him; not the magistrate, God never gave him authority to do it. (The text of the King James Version is in error here, as reference to any of the newer and more correct translations will show.) The Mission of the Twelve. This is meant of an unaptness for marriage, not in body (which some, through mistake of this scripture, have foolishly and wickedly brought upon themselves), but in mind. When the church first started, people were very excited about what was happening. 19:1-9 When Jesus had finished these words, he left Galilee, and came into the districts of Judaea which are on the far side of the Jordan. Marriage was not to be entered into carelessly or lightly. Anyone who can accept this teaching should do so. They are the commandments which govern our personal relationships, and our attitude to our fellow-men. We have here not only our Lord's ministry in the first parable, but in the second parable that which He does by His servants. . I am the Lord your God. And we see it today, the tremendous breakdown in our society, and the social order, because of the divided families and the children are always hurt, as a byproduct of this division.Now Jesus did give the one cause, and that one cause is fornication. The Christian ideal of marriage involves the prerequisite that the partners are Christian. He is the way to completeness. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible. 29 And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times as much, and also inherit eternal life. He may feel that he must accept some missionary call to a place where he cannot in conscience take a wife and beget children. That is to say that, while sex is a supremely important part of marriage, it is not the whole of it. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Simply to be a Christian means to have entered into a fellowship which goes out to the ends of the earth. Zabim, c. 2. sect. These events are recorded in church records and in other official documents. Because the twelve tribes basically rejected the Messiah. By the law of Moses adultery was punished with death, Deuteronomy 22:22. Life had been imparted to, the sleeping maid of Zion the blind men call on Him as the Son of David, and not in vain. Israel must give full testimony in the bright day of His coming. To the end the events are put together, just as in Matthew 8:1-34, without regard to the point of time when they occurred. In the very commandments which he cites Jesus is asking this young man what his attitude to his fellow-men and to his parents was, asking what his personal relationships were like. 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. [2.] (The NAB translation of the Hebrew br of Gn 2:24 as body rather than flesh obscures the reference of Matthew to that text.). Mat Mt). The nature of the marriage contract; it is a union of persons; They twain shall be one flesh, so that (Matthew 19:6; Matthew 19:6) they are no more twain, but one flesh. One can be the dominant partner to such an extent that nothing matters but his wishes and his convenience and his aims in life, while the other is totally subservient and exists only to serve the desires and the needs of the other. It is not for us surely to think this impossible. There comes a time when a man discovers that that is an illusion, that there are things which money cannot buy, and things from which money cannot save him. But only Matthew says that he was young ( Matthew 19:20); and only Luke says that he was a ruler ( Luke 18:18). God's delight is to pick out the hindmost for the first place, to the disparagement of the foremost in their own strength. Thus, whatever the peculiarity of the new blessings, the old thing could be taken up, though upon new grounds, and, of course, on the confession that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 2. r Philostrat. "Then," said the Lord, "are the children free. If his Christian decision has meant that he has had to give up friends, it ought also to mean that he has entered into a wider circle of friendship than ever he knew before. He is talking not about some little gate that you can, by a lot of effort, and grunts and groans squeeze and get through. He "went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." And thus He, whose glory was so forgotten by His disciples Jesus, Himself thinks of that very disciple, and says, "For me and thee.". Questions about divorce (Matthew 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12; Luke 16:18). 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'In truth I tell you, it is hard for someone rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus was certainly no grim ascetic, if the children loved him. For those so gifted by God it is better not to marry. What feelings at such a time! When did this take place, if we enquire into it merely as a matter of historical fact? Peter answers, "Of strangers." For though it is impossible with men, with God all things are possible. Physical mutilation of the flesh is not discussed, and Paul forbids such rigorous asceticism (Colossians 2:20-23). The old people and work then closed in principle, and a new work of God in the kingdom of heaven was disclosed. For Christ has already declared, that God gives it to whom he chooses; and, a little afterwards, we shall find him maintaining, that it is folly in any man to choose to live unmarried, when he has not received this special gift. It is enough to meet a difficulty which many feel by the simple plea that the reason assigned is in my judgment a valid explanation, and in itself a sufficient solution of the apparent discrepancy. There are some eunuchs, which were so born. (Compare Mark 3:13-19, andMark 6:7-11; Mark 6:7-11; Luke 6:1-49; Luke 9:1-62) The mission of the apostles did not take place till afterwards. Matthew 19:12 - Teachings about Divorce - Bible Hub It is true, we have only one in Mark, as in Luke; whereas in our gospel we have two. She was lovely and charming and beloved by all. These passages show that he could well have done that, and still have legally claimed to have obeyed the commandments. It is more particularly sin, viewed as guilt, and consequently as that which absolutely breaks and destroys all power in the soul towards both God and man. Jesus means that a life of continence is to be chosen only by those who are called to it for the sake of the kingdom of God. You are a new race of people in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord shows that such unbelief justly and necessarily excludes itself, but not others, from blessing. (ii) The passage finishes with a very puzzling verse about eunuchs. We have the natural tie here brought into prominence; and this was a claim that Christ slighted not. The Lord works in delivering power; but withal the power of Satan fills and carries away the unclean to their own destruction. Their question is, Whether a man may put away his wife for every cause. There are those who, through some physical imperfection or deformity, can never be capable of sexual intercourse. Now, says Jesus, these two are the pattern and the symbol of all who were to come. On the other hand, the school of Hillel interpreted this matter of indecency in the widest possible way. that take and give unto them for me and thee." Those who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heavens sake. 2 Large crowds followed him and he healed them there. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it., For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others--and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. But our Lord with dignity demands of Peter, "What thinkest thou, Simon?" Particular epochs in Luke are noted with great care; but, speaking now of the general course of the Lord's life, a little attention will discover, from the immensely greater preponderance paid to the consideration of time in the second gospel, that there we have events from first to last given to us in their consecutive order. He was not taken by surprise; He knew it from the beginning Man's implacable hatred is brought about most manifestly in the ways and spirit of His rejectors. p. 8. Such action is to be condemned as pagan, mechanical, and foreign to New Testament teaching. And remember that. After this our Lord sees great multitudes following Him, and gives commandment to go to the other side. I believe our Lord here alludes to the case of the ESSENES, one of the most holy and pure sects among the Jews. 79. For St. Paul says, (1 . Yebamot, c. 8. sect. This story teaches one of the deepest of all lessons for it has within it the whole basis of the difference between the right and the wrong idea of what religion is. God has made the two of you one, now don't let a man break that by writing out a divorcement for his wife.Now. Jerusalem's proud, traditional hypocrisy is exposed, and grace fully blesses the tried Gentile. Is it not most sweet to see, that He who proves His divine glory at once associates us with Himself? ', 17 Jesus said to him, 'Why do you ask me about what is good? There is none good but God". Evidently it is the change of dispensation that is in question and at hand, the cutting off of the fleshly seed for their unbelief, and the bringing in of numerous believers in the name of the Lord from among the Gentiles. Someone once said to his mother, "When everyone is in love with you, and when you could have anyone you liked, how can you remain faithful to that ugly little man you married?" Such a man is saved from hell because he has expiated his sins on earth! READINGS: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19, Romans 8:26-27, and Matthew 13:24-43. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. They have not seized the aim of each gospel. And Jesus is beginning to point out the way. The courts might put pressure on a man to divorce his wife, in the case, for instance, of refusal to consummate the marriage, of impotence, or of proved inability to support her properly. MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE ( Matthew 19:10-12 continued). It was necessary to complete the picture. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Such is His grace, such His wisdom. 10 The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry." 11 But he said to them, "Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. lo, many of thy brethren, sons of Abraham, are clad in filth, dying of hunger, and thine house is full of many good things, and, nought at an goeth out of it unto them.'". He did not give him the first four commandments: Thou shalt have no other God's before me. He was the kind of person children loved. All turns on that which was suitable to such a God, the giver of His own Son. The comparison with the impossibility of a camels passing through the eye of a needle should not be mitigated by such suppositions as that the eye of a needle means a low or narrow gate. He says, "The true eunuch is not he who cannot, but he who will not indulge in fleshly pleasures." In view of Matthews associating it with the following parable (Mt 20:115) and substantially repeating it (in reverse order) at the end of that parable (Mt 20:16), it may be that his meaning is that all who respond to the call of Jesus, at whatever time (first or last), will be the same in respect to inheriting the benefits of the kingdom, which is the gift of God. Matthew 19:12. No, by no means. * [19:21] If you wish to be perfect: to be perfect is demanded of all Christians; see Mt 5:48. (i) Riches encourage a false independence. Note, Corruptions that are crept into any ordinance of God must be purged out by having recourse to the primitive institution. Literally, it means rebirth or regeneration, and is used in Titus of spiritual rebirth through baptism. To me it is evident, from a careful comparison of them all, as I think it is capable of clear and adequate proof to an unprejudiced Christian mind, that neither Matthew nor Luke confines himself to such an order of events. However neither Jesus nor the apostles viewed celibacy as an intrinsically holier state than marriage (1 Timothy 4:1-3; Hebrews 13:4; cf. Clearly none of these relationships is the ideal. 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. The result is that when a man becomes wealthy, instead of having the impulse to give things away, he very often has the impulse to cling on to them. Here, too, these Pharisees question and reproach His grace, when they see the Lord sitting at ease in the presence of publicans and sinners, who came and sat down with Him in Matthew's house.