October 20, 2019
Matthew 5: 31-32
My thesis for the study:
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus teaches us how to live in the world. Jesus gives actual instruction and formation. More than rules or law, the SOM is a set of convictions about moral truth.
Where? Summary: Since all of Jesus actions and teachings show us that he is not interested in mere rule-keeping righteousness, we find that he is working for restoration, and that he places high demands upon those who follow him.
INTRODUCTION
1. Interesting quote to start
2. Welcome: Hi Pals, this is Blaine Hill with the Simply Stated Podcast for the Journey Sunday School class at Lake Murray Presbyterian Church in Chapin, SC. This season of the podcast is on Jesus sermon on the mount, in Matthew chapters 5 through 7. Last week we talked about self-indulgent lust. Today we are reading Matthew 5:31-32, about divorce, and so marriage as well.
We are using a four part framework to understand different sections of the Sermon on the mount
1. Person: What do Jesus words reveals about who he is?
2. Theology: What theological idea can we draw from this teaching?
3. Ethics: What ethical teaching or guide can we take from this teaching?
4. Eternity: How does this teaching link our everyday life and eternity?
3. But first let’s read the passage and try to get the basic pieces simply stated.
4. Read 5:21-26
We don’t have the vivid imagery like of the last two passages—buring garbage, severed hands and plucked eye.
But the words are very abrupt, bracing, upsetting, startling.
A BLOCK
5. Stating things Simply
a. Start with my illustrations of covenant
b. It was also said—
· 3rd in a series of six sayings where Jesus contrasts regumular religious teaching with his fulfillment of the law.
· Jesus subject is the male desire to get rid on an unpleasing woman, which men often hold as very important. This is his topic, more than divorce.
· Not as simple as commenting on or even fulfilling one of the ten commandments like do not murder or do not commit adultery. Jesus is commenting on regular practice of the ancient world. Practice:If a man kicks his wife out of the household, he should provide proper documentation. that is solidified in Deuteronomy 24. “Suppose a man marries …then divorces….”
c. Jesus view was shocking in his day.
d. Divorce was really a male insititution. Ie women could not initiate divorce or survice with out it
e. Without those divorces papers, the woman is reduced to prostitution and even that misery could taken from here. She would be unable to re-marry. Here we might long to hear Jesus say, “Blessed are the powerless…”
f. But I say…Jesus seems to be taking a side in debate of his day about divorce….
g. Unchastity
· Curious old fashioned word
· Greek word a little helpful: porneia, which gives us the English word pornography. Sexual infidelity
· Finds out she had sex before the marriage? That seems unlikely
· Maybe paraphrase as corrupting breach of marriage?
· Would domestic violence count as such breach of marriage?
h. Can you make someone else and adulterer? Bruner “drives her to adultery” as fact of lack of way to live decently
i. Divorce is public, unlike private disagreements and anger.
j. Hyperbole? He did not intend the hand cutting or eye plucking literally, should we take this literally?
6. Probably need another passage: 19:5, which takes us to Genesis 2:24
7. Can we compare this to the necceisty of the church in parts of Africa resolving how to accept men into membership who are already married to more than one woman. [too complicating]
a.
8.
B BLOCK
9. Jesus introduces himself as the key to scripture
a. Person
· Teaches that the goal of marriage is to be a life long union.
· Is this the same Jesus we saw as wry if not humor, suddenly turned starkly serious? Or is he dealing in the same absurdity’s?
· His cousing, John the Baptist, was beheaded for criticizing the marriage of the king
b. Theology
· Clarifies the intent and meaning of maariage if we take in Mt 19:5
· Justification as decent enough is rejected
c. Ethics (Bruner’s little steps; Willard’s dikaiosune –how is a good person to live?)
· Martin luther taught to forgive and occasion of infidelity, but not ongoing sin that takes mercy for granted. So found that Christians could divorce.
· Raises hard questions: can disciples of Jesus divorce? Remarry? The answer seems yes. Blessed are the poor in spirit.
· Jesus rejects doing wrong if proper protocol is followed
· Disciples have KoH resources of reconciliation
· Christians divorcing is not unlike medical triage. To save some people or things, someone else—the marriage—dies.
· Jesus is not teaching a set of rules—always stay married—any more than allow divorce as long as the proper form is followed
· Breaking covenant bonds is damaging, and Jesus wants to prevent that hurt to people.
10. Eternity.
· Marriage is a covenant, so is meant to endure.
· Divorce disrupts created order, even though it also saves people from destructive and corrosive wickedness like betrayal and violence.
· Remember that Jesus begins with grace based benediction
11. Since all of Jesus actions and teachings show us that he is not interested in mere rule-keeping righteousness, we find thathe is working for restoration, and that he places high demands upon those who follow him.
CLOSING
Extra
12. Least and greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Bounus: Tragedy as conflict of two virtues in a character.