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Description

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?" (Matthew 19:3)

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The Pharisees were continually reluctant to believe in Jesus, this time attempting to test his knowledge of God's records. "Is it lawful?" is their question despite already being convinced that it is by saying that Moses allowed it. But Jesus shows them knowledge beyond the law itself (coz he wrote it) and explains why the laws are there in the first place!

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning." (Matthew 19:8)

The Pharisees were concerned with 'are we breaking the law?' (often taking loopholes where they could find them) whereas Jesus was concerned with 'are we doing what God likes?' / 'are we concerned with what God is concerned with?'

There is no mystery or doubt about it. God hates divorce and it is disgusting to him. Not in a 'how dare you get divorced, you sinner' kind of way, but more of a 'humanity is failing, people are betraying each other and it's extremely depressing' kind of way. He designed relationships as a way to unite people to love each other as themselves, as one flesh or one body, but we want to be separate and distinct and do everything we can to benefit ourselves despite the detriment we cause for others. The way we treat marriage is a reflection of how we treat other human beings. And the way God treats marriage is a reflection of how he treats us, and the way he instructs us to love (see Ephesians 5:22-33).

"So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Matthew 19:6)

Description

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?" (Matthew 19:3)

-

The Pharisees were continually reluctant to believe in Jesus, this time attempting to test his knowledge of God's records. "Is it lawful?" is their question despite already being convinced that it is by saying that Moses allowed it. But Jesus shows them knowledge beyond the law itself (coz he wrote it) and explains why the laws are there in the first place!

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning." (Matthew 19:8)

The Pharisees were concerned with 'are we breaking the law?' (often taking loopholes where they could find them) whereas Jesus was concerned with 'are we doing what God likes?' / 'are we concerned with what God is concerned with?'

There is no mystery or doubt about it. God hates divorce and it is disgusting to him. Not in a 'how dare you get divorced, you sinner' kind of way, but more of a 'humanity is failing, people are betraying each other and it's extremely depressing' kind of way. He designed relationships as a way to unite people to love each other as themselves, as one flesh or one body, but we want to be separate and distinct and do everything we can to benefit ourselves despite the detriment we cause for others. The way we treat marriage is a reflection of how we treat other human beings. And the way God treats marriage is a reflection of how he treats us, and the way he instructs us to love (see Ephesians 5:22-33).

"So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Matthew 19:6)