Scripture Study: Matthew 19

From: Scripture Study

From: Young Christian: Volume 4, 1914

• 6 min. read • grade level: 7

Matthew 19.AT 19{

Matt. 19:1-2¹And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan; ²And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there. (Matthew 19:1‑2). The Lord is in Judea again, continuing His gracious work upon the multitude that followed Him.

Matt. 19:3-9³The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? ⁴And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, ⁵And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? ⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ⁷They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? ⁸He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. ⁹And 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. (Matthew 19:3‑9). He teaches here that what is instituted for man, Judaism cannot put aside, and Christianity must uphold it. The Pharisees tempting Him, say, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" The Lord leads them back to God's original institution, That abides, one man and one woman were to unite in marriage; they are one in the sight of God. "What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so. 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 that is put away, committeth adultery." It is man's lust that sets aside God's institution, "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Heb. 13:4⁴Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4). The Lord's authority "I SAY unto you," establishes this. The only case where separation is allowed, is where the bond has been already broken by sin.

The converted Gentiles had to be taught to respect this tie as a necessary thing. (Acts 15:20, 29²⁰But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. (Acts 15:20)
²⁹That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. (Acts 15:29); 1 Thess. 4:3-7³For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: ⁴That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; ⁵Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: ⁶That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. ⁷For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. (1 Thessalonians 4:3‑7).) Christianity, by Christ's authority, puts marriage in its place as a divine institution for man.

Matt. 19:10-12¹⁰His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. ¹¹But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. ¹²For 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. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. (Matthew 19:10‑12). Here another principle is brought in. Some were not able to receive what He said, only those to whom it was given. Some were unfitted for marriage naturally, some were unfitted by men, but there were others, such as the apostle Paul, who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the gift of God, gave himself entirely up to the Lord's service. (1 Cor. 7:7, 37⁷For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. (1 Corinthians 7:7)
³⁷Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. (1 Corinthians 7:37).) If a man in the power of the Holy Spirit has the gift from the Lord to do this, and be entirely heavenly, so much the better, yet it would be evil to condemn or speak against the relationship which God originally instituted. (1 Cor. 7:7⁷For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. (1 Corinthians 7:7).)

Matt. 19:13-15¹³Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. ¹⁵And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. (Matthew 19:13‑15). The Lord shows His affection for the children. It is human nature again in its simple, lonely, confiding character before being outwardly defiled by practice of sin. In Matt. 18, the child illustrated the spirit suited to the kingdom. How encouraging to parents to see the Lord receiving the children; laying His hands on them, and rebuking His disciples who rebuked those who brought them, by saying. "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." He knew the value of a child. He laid His hands on them. What encouragement to parents. What will we ask of Him for our children?

"I ask no worldly portion for my child;

I seek not of Thee gold, or rank, or fame;

Save it from sin; from human passions wild;

An interest in Thy love is all I claim.

Lord, make it Thine-Thine only-is my plea,

To love, and serve, and live alone for Thee.”

-J. G. D.

Matt. 19:16-22¹⁶And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? ¹⁷And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. ¹⁸He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, ¹⁹Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. ²⁰The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? ²¹Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. ²²But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:16‑22). In the young man we see one in nature outwardly good and amiable, but the evil in him leads him to turn his back on the Lord and go away from Him. He shows desire to learn the right way, and he admires the Lord's goodness, and he wanted to have eternal life. He had not learned himself. He says, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" He thought he was good, and could do good. The Lord answered, "Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, God; but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Notice the Lord leaves "eternal" out, for the law was for life on earth, for living by, not to gain heaven by. But the young man thinks he can and had kept the commandments from his youth up, and asks further, "What lack I yet?" Jesus said unto him, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow Me." Will he do it? Alas! possessions are his god, the true God is shut out. The Lord exposed his covetous heart, and he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." (Ex. 20:3³Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3).) "The rich He sends empty away." Irreproachable in his behavior, the Lord tries his heart; he loves earthly things, and God is left out, he clings to his possessions. What he desired to possess is not esteemed. Man at his best estate is altogether vanity, his heart is away from God. Possessions, which in the Jew's mind, were a mark of divine favor, are seen here holding the heart away from God, and spiritual blessing is not esteemed.

Matt. 19:23, 24²³Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Matthew 19:23‑24). "Then said Jesus unto His disciples, verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." What a complete change to the disciples' minds this was. "Who, then can be saved?" Impossible with men, but with God all things are possible: The rich cannot save himself, but God can reduce him to nothing but a sinner in his own eyes, and then will save him. (1 Sam. 2:6-8⁶The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. ⁷The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. ⁸He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. (1 Samuel 2:6‑8); Luke 1:53⁵³He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. (Luke 1:53).) The Lord knows how to humble the rich spirit, and to make it poor before Him. He knows how to make a Saul of Tarsus, to feel that his righteousness is filthy rags, and that he is the very chief of sinners. The disciples had to learn that all of self and earth was worthless for salvation in the sight of God, but that God could find the way of salvation for the humbled soul.

Matt. 19:27-29²⁷Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? ²⁸And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:27‑29). "Then answered Peter, and said unto Him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed Thee! what shall we have therefore?" and Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life." The regeneration means, the renewed world, what we speak of as the millennium or reign of Christ. The disciples are to have the center places in the kingdom to reign over and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who had left all that by nature they loved, for Christ's name, would have an hundred fold (heavenly comforts for the soul, but with persecutions, see Mark) in this life. What we lose now for Christ, is heavenly gain now in realizing our possessions in Christ. We realize now what eternal life is, and shall enter into its fullness at the end.