Matthew

Chapter 19
{Verses 1-9 - Exposure of the façade of the Pharisees - 4 phony fronts}
19:1~~Now when Jesus finished these sayings,
He left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River
  {Purea, the country on the other side of the Jordan, today called
  Trans-Jordania}.

{Jesus presents his 'credit card' as Messiah once again}
19:2~~Large crowds followed Him,
and He {Jesus} healed them there.

{Phony question 1 - either way Jesus answers they can attack him}
19:3~~Then some Pharisees came to Him {Jesus} . . .
testing Him
  {to find good or evil - looking for a weak spot in Jesus}
they asked, "Is it permitted by a specific law for a man
to put away/divorce his wife for any reason?"
  {idiom - is the criterion for divorce anything}

{Note: The Pharisees were brilliant men and used to discrediting men. Two barrels of the gun: 1) If Jesus answers that one can divorce for any reason of incompatibility or dissatisfaction the Pharisees will contend that Jesus abuses the law. 2) If Jesus answers by restricting divorce the Pharisees will accuse Him of disregarding the law. This passage is built around Deuteronomy. 24:1-4 and how they twisted ceremonial uncleanness into moral uncleanness. Divorce had become common in Israel because of the 'uncleanness gimmick'.}

{Jesus dissertation on Divine Institution #2 Marriage}
19:4~~He {Jesus} answered,
"Have you not read that from the beginning
the Creator 'made them male and female {Genesis 1:27}.' "

{Note: Jesus is skipping Deuteronomy 24 by going back to the garden and the creation of the divine institution of marriage.}

{Leave the parents behind in Marriage -new couple has to live their own life}
19:5~~"And {Jesus} said,
'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother
and will be united with his wife, and the two will be one flesh {Genesis 2:24}'? "

{Note: Remember there were NO In-laws when Genesis 2:24 was written about Adam and Eve. In-law problems are a big cause for problems in a marriage.}

19:6~~{Jesus Continues}
"So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
So then, what God has joined together,
let not man put asunder
  {no one is to separate - use it but not abuse it}."

{Note: Jesus has simply given the concept of Divine Institution # 2 - marriage . . . without stating any exceptions to the rule. The uncleanness in Deuteronomy was put in the proper place by this statement - physical uncleanness not ceremonial uncleanness. Jesus just said 'No divorce' and the Pharisees now jump.}

19:7~~They {Pharisees thought they had Him trapped and}
said to Him, "Why then did Moses command us 'to give a legal document and to divorce' {Deuteronomy 24:1}?"

{Note: Funny thing is Moses GOT this from Jesus! The Pharisees think Jesus is a mere man! The saw the calling card of the Messiah but they still reject Him.}

19:8~~Jesus said to them,
"Moses permitted you to divorce your wives
because your frontal lobes {hearts}
were so hard
  {negative mental attitude - no mental attitude love for their
  spouse},
but from the beginning it was not this way."

{Note: Jesus just blows away these Pharisees! That is why he quoted Genesis. From the beginning was MARRIAGE. Divorce came much later and is necessary and legitimate in certain circumstances.}

19:9~~"Now I {Jesus}
say to you that whoever divorces his wife
(except for fornication)
and marries another commits adultery."
  {end of sentence -rest was not in the original}

{Note: Fornication isn't the only exception, but the only exception found in Deuteronomy 24:1, the basis for their question. What is the cause of fornication? Hardness of heart! Negative volition in the marriage. Click here for more on sex.}

{Disciples draw erroneous conclusion on marriage}
19:10~~The disciples said to Him {after the Pharisees had departed}, "If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not {not profitable} to marry!"

{Review of Single Status by Jesus - Verses 11:12}
19:11~~He {Jesus} said to them, "Not everyone can receive/accept this word {doctrine/saying}, except they to whom it has been given."

{3 types of people who do not need to get married}
19:12~~"For there are some eunuchs {with no or little sexual libido} who were that way from birth . . . and some who were made eunuchs {from castration} by others, and some who became eunuchs {by choosing celibacy} for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it."

{Note: Three reasons that marriage would not be profitable:

  1) Congenital eunuch - no normal sex drive,

  2) Castrated males,

  3) Spiritual gift of celibacy - Apostle Paul great example.}

{Jesus and Little Children - Principal of Child Evangelism}
19:13~~Then little children were brought to Him {Jesus}, for the purpose that He would lay His hands on them and pray. His disciples criticized them {the people who brought in the children} sharply {for bothering Jesus with these little kids}.

19:14~~But Jesus said, "Relax the little children {an order - RMA so the children with also relax} and stop hindering them from coming unto Me, for as such category {all believers} belongs the kingdom of heaven."

19:15~~And He {Jesus} placed His hands {as an identification of blessing} on them and went on His way from one place to another.

{The Facade of the Rich Young Ruler - Religious, self-righteous are the hardest to reach for salvation. Add in the arrogance of the Rich and you have an insufferable combination}

19:16~~Then one {rich young ruler} came to Him {Jesus} and said, "Good {good of intrinsic value} master/teacher {is an unbeliever - did not use 'Lord'}, what good things {his concept of salvation - human good/works} must I do to gain eternal life {rejecting the salvation work of the Lord on the cross}?"

{Note: The rich young ruler thinks he is already saved because he has kept the Mosaic Law and does 'good deeds' and wants Jesus to let everyone know he has worked sufficiently for salvation.}

19:17~~He {Jesus} said to Him {rich young ruler}, "Why do you call Me 'good of intrinsic value'? Only One is good of intrinsic value. {You used the word - do you mean it?} If you want to enter into {eternal} life - assuming you do - keep the commandments {if you reject Me as Lord, then lets look at the commandments - a trap . . . just what this 'worker' wanted to hear}."

{Note: Jesus first is trying to direct his attention to whether or not the young ruler accepts Him as God. Next Jesus lays a trap for the rich young ruler. Jesus already knows this man believes keeping the law is salvation and this is wrong (Romans3:20 and 28; Galations.2:16), so this is a trap. Jesus takes this man's position and shows it has holes in it.}

{Jesus gets the Rich Young Ruler's Head nodding in agreement . . . then gets shook a bit}
19:18-19~~"Which ones?" he {rich young ruler} asked. Jesus alleged {reported information calmly}, "'Do not murder {correctly translated in KJV this time 'murder' instead of 'kill'}, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not commit perjury, 19:19~~ keep on honoring your father and mother' {probably guilty of the korban gimmick in Matthew 15:1-9} and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

19:20~~The young man said to him {Jesus}, "I have kept all these things since youth/accountability {really a lie}. What do I still lack?"

{Note: Very tight with his money and so does not love his neighbors AS he loves himself and probably holding out on his parents.}

19:21~~Jesus said to him, "If you will {want to} be perfect, go sell your possessions and give it to the poor . . . and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come {this represents a call to faith (Matthew11: 28)} . . . follow Me {in regeneration see verse 19:28}."

19:22~~When the young ruler heard this he went away grieved, for he had many possessions.

19:23~~Then Jesus said to His disciples, "A point of truth/doctrine, it is difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven {the rich tend to want to depend on their wealth - 'buy their way into
heaven . . . and religious want to rely on their works - this man was both!}."

19:24~~"Again I {Jesus} say, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God."

{Note: The eye of the needle was a small door in the city gate that people had to use once night came and the gate had been closed. Rich people DO go to heaven, but they hardly think about the gospel and they keep on being busy with their earthly things and they never get around to accept Christ.}

19:25~~The disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, "Then who can be saved?"

19:26~~Jesus looked at them and said, "This {salvation by works} is impossible with mankind, but with God all things are possible."

{Blind Arrogance - Chapter 19:27 through Chapter 20 . . . Starts with Peter - Arrogant Apostle}
27~~Then Peter, having replied, said to Him, "We have abandoned/forsaken/given up all things and followed You. What therefore shall we have?"

{Note: Blind arrogance always emphasizes the person himself. THIS is what I have done for You Lord, now what do I get? Peter has lost the perspective of GRACE! What the Lord has already done for HIM!}

28-29~~And Jesus said unto them {Peter was the talker but ALL the Apostles were in on this thought}, "Verily I say unto you {point of doctrine}, that you who have followed Me in regeneration . . . (when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel 29~~and every one that has 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 {maximum reward}) . . . even you . . . shall inherit everlasting life."

{Note: There is a separate thought thrown in by Jesus here in a separate parenthetical clause. Right now all the Apostles have done is had faith in Christ and have everlasting life. There will be rewards later for most of these men (not Judas) but definitely for the others. Paul will replace Judas as the 12th Apostle of the Church Age . . . all twelve were given the spiritual gift of Apostleship by Christ.}

30~~"But many FIRST {in time for example} shall be LAST {in blessing and reward}. And many LAST {come later - like in Church Age and Tribulation - also includes the 12th and last Apostle - Paul} shall be FIRST {in blessing and reward}."

{Note: This sets up the parable to follow. But, this is also a prophecy that the Last Apostle chosen - Paul - shall be the first in greatness among all the Apostles.}

************************************************

This page is sponsored by Kenneth Sidley, CPA, an Orange County California CPA (949) 706-3133. Please call Ken for high quality, low cost CPA services in Orange County California. This includes audit, review, compilation, tax returns, Quickbooks, and business consulting services.

This page is sponsored by Moxxor For Pain Free Living. Moxxor is a highly concentrated Omega 3 product that has reduced inflammation in this writer. Please go to this website to read more about Moxxor.