My Daily Journal:
The pharisees asked this question of Jesus to “test him”, i.e., to trap him.
Basically there were two camps, one that believed you could divorce for “any reason” and another that believed you could only divorce for “some reasons.” Either option He chose, alienated one of the camps.
But, I believe, the question itself is the trap. Let me put it another way.
This is the same as saying:
“Jesus, we have this beautiful, priceless and irreplaceable crystal vase. Is it better to break it by throwing it to the ground or is it better to break it by smashing it with a hammer?” Jesus, (with great tact), informs them they are num-nuts and what they should be focused on is protecting the vase so it does not get broken.
All of this focus on divorce misses the point entirely. Take care. Treat a marriage as what it is: something precious and valuable and irreplaceable. Something ordained by God.
But what about those with a broken vase? What about those who have divorce in their past? God meets us where we are. He doesn’t say to the lost sheep, find your way back to the flock and then we’ll talk. He goes and finds the sheep where it is, while it is still lost. In 1 Cor 6 Paul explained that some of the members of the church had been thieves, greedy, sexually immoral, drunkards… but you were washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord Jesus. Jesus didn’t say get your life in order first and then come to me. He said come to me and I will help transform your life.
My Answers:
6.
a.
He continued ch 18 theme of forgiveness: shouldn’t divorce. If divorce for any reason other than sexual immorality then any other relationship is adultery
b.
Any relationship after marriage is adultery (except in the death of a spouse)
c.
do not separate. If spouse is an unbeliever stay together, but if they decide to leave, let them go.
7.
a.
The man who hates and divorces his wife does violence to the one he should protect. He does not look on with favor or plea
b.
It is true – to teach a nation that was focused on itself
c.
Christ is the model. Love as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy. Husband and wife=1 body. care for spouse as you would your own body.
d.
The love He had for us, cleansing us in the water through the word, to prepare us to be holy and blameless
e.
God meets us where we are now, 1 Cor 6:8-11, thieve, greedy, sexually immoral, drunkards….that is what some of you were but you were washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; Matt 18:12, lost sheep=rejoice
The Notes are Good 