 Previous Chapter |
 Return to Outline |
 Ask Questions |
 Next Chapter |
Its amazing how little information is available on this scripture. Little is found in the commentaries. Here we have, as we did in the last lesson, an explanation of the true intent of the Law as God revealed it to Moses long ago. Adultery and divorce are two very timely subjects in today's society. The seventh commandment says, "Thou shall not commit adultery." Basically, it is a law against uncleanliness.
In the last lesson, the 6th. Commandment, "Thou shall not kill", was extended to include "tongue murder". This time adultery is extended to include "heart or mental adultery. Lets look how Christ, in His interpretation, extended this Law.
Besides the obvious, adultery was extended to define that action of anyone who looks at another "lustfully". Mental adultery is here described as adulterous thoughts which never proceed to the actual act. Notice that regardless of the translation, marriage is not mentioned, thus making fornication and adultery equally evil. So even our thoughts are under the scrutiny of God.
Today's permissiveness is justified on the grounds that it is "natural". Here Christ tells us that if our natural appetites cause us to sin, remove it. If your eye causes you to have evil thoughts, remove it. Better that you loose one of your members than that you loose your whole body in hell. How can we who believe in the eternal security of the believer, explain the above statement? Christians and non-christians, sin. The difference is in the "attitude" towards sin. The Christian does not desire to sin, but does anyway. We must, therefore, seek God's forgiveness through confession. We also have the power and strength of the Holy Spirit to aid us in over powering temptation.
Now to the subject of divorce. Divorce was not uncommon at the time of Christ, but they certainly were not in the proportions that they are today, running from 40 to 50% of all marriages. Under Jewish Law, divorce was allowed similar to today. A legal document was required, a waiting period was required to prevent hasty decisions. Here Christ declares that the only grounds for divorce is adultery. Paul later allowed divorce in the case where one of the parties was an unbeliever, though he always urged the believer to remain in the marriage in hopes of saving the other spouse.
Christ went further and declared that anyone who married a divorced person, committed adultery. There is no way that we can explain away this statement. Even Matthew Henry, who was probably the "liberal" of his day, the early 1700s, accepts it as being self explanatory, and makes no further comment. The indictment is clear, those of us to whom the "shoe fits", must seek the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Previous Chapter |
Return to Outline |
Ask Questions |
Next Chapter |