Slices
Prepare
As a new year dawns, praise God for his past faithfulness and commit to trust him for all that lies ahead.
Bible passage
Divorce
19 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,” 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”? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one 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 sexual immorality, 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 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. The one who can accept this should accept it.’
Explore
Reading the possible side effects of the medication you’ve been prescribed by your doctor may make you wonder if you’re better off not taking it at all! However, the fact that some people may experience a reaction doesn’t detract from the fact that it was originally formulated, tested, and given to patients with the intention of making them better. Doctors would not want the relatively rare possibility of medication causing serious side effects to cause us to lose sight of its proven and established capacity to heal. In the same way, Jesus will not allow the tragic possibility of divorce in a fallen world to negate the fact that God’s intention for marriage is that it is a lifelong, exclusive commitment (vs 4–6).
The Pharisees’ question (v 3) is essentially focused on how far a person might move from God, in regard to marriage, without going too far. Jesus’ response (vs 8,9) declares that the focus should be instead on how near a person might remain to God in working out their marital commitment. The reaction of the disciples to his teaching (v 10) was perhaps tongue-in-cheek, but Jesus uses it to make the serious – and countercultural – point that marriage isn’t for everyone (v 11). In doing so, he endorses a life of celibate singleness as no less a gift than marriage.
Respond
What might Jesus’ teaching about marriage mean for you personally, and for your support of others during this new year?
Deeper Bible study
Lord, bless married Christians with joy, love and faithfulness to one another and to you. We pray for single Christians to be able to serve you wholeheartedly.
The question Jesus is asked is not random. Although Deuteronomy 24:1 was agreed to be the key text on divorce, it was interpreted variously. Hillel Pharisees allowed for a man to divorce his wife for almost any reason. The Shammai group limited divorce to sexual infidelity. Jesus was being asked whose side he was on.
In Matthew's version, Jesus aligns with the Shammai group but goes further, implying what Mark 10:1–12 makes explicit. Referring to creation texts,1 Jesus describes faithful, monogamous marriage between a man and woman as an ideal that is etched into God’s desires for humankind. He explains that divorce was permitted because of ‘hardness of heart’ but allows remarriage on the grounds of sexual immorality. This verse and 1 Corinthians 7:12–15 show that some early Christians recognised that remarriage was sometimes permitted. Jesus doesn’t really answer his disciples’ question concerning whether it is better not to marry. Instead, he speaks of eunuchs and of 'those who voluntarily accept a celibate lifestyle' for God.2 Overall, Jesus endorses marriage and makes it clear that the ideal for societies is long and faithful marriages. Yet, he envisages some remaining single and serving God faithfully (like Paul). As with married Christians, they are to renounce objectifying others sexually3 and are to maintain celibacy.
Are these impossible ideals, as some in society argue? They are clearly not, though we cannot take them for granted. My wife Emma and I have been blessed with 35 years of marriage. Jesus and Paul show that it is possible for a single person to be celibate and serve God faithfully.
For married readers: commit yourselves afresh to God and do something special for your spouse. For the single: renew your commitment to purity, celibacy and God’s service.
1 Gen 1:27; 2:24 2 Craig L Blomberg, The New American Commentary: Matthew, Broadman & Holman, 1992, p294 3 See Matt 5:27–30
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Genesis 1,2; Matthew 1
Pray for Scripture Union
As we enter this new year, pray for Scripture Union as we seek to refine the Revealing Jesus mission framework based on lessons learned to date. Pray that we’ll be able to embed it deeper into all that the movement is and does, and begin to apply it to the hybrid online/offline world in which children and young people live.
