biblestudy: Matthew (Part 17)
Matthew 19 God’s Ideal in Marriage; Conditions for Divorce / Children and Rich young man
John W. Ritenbaugh
Given 16-Jun-82; Sermon #BS-MA17; 89 minutes
Description: (hide)
In this seventeenth installment expounding the book of Matthew, John Ritenbaugh reminds us that when our brother offends us, the door to forgiveness should always be open. In comparison to what God has forgiven us (our very death penalty), any offenses against us (like insults against our ego) are miniscule. Our forgiveness from God is conditional upon our willingness to forgive as well as the mercy we have extended others. At the beginning of chapter 19, Jesus punctures the false dilemma posed by the factions of the Pharisees (followers of Shamei or Hillel) concerning spurious conditions for divorce, condemning the hardness of heart (uncleanness of heart stemming from lack of conversion) that created the problem in the first place. God’s ideal in marriage can only be attained by those unions in which both partners have and use God’s Holy Spirit. In the section highlighting Jesus' blessing of the children, He emphasized the teachable, moldable qualities of little children as part of God’s ideal of conversion, as a prelude to exposing the hidden attitudes of the rich young man- who, though ostensibly kept the law of God nevertheless lacked this childlike trust in God, mandating that we generously use our blessings to serve others. As we sacrifice for Christ, we increase our eternal inheritance. [ NB: This series of Bible Studies from 1981-82 is incomplete.]
Topics: (show)
Admiration of men Bill of divorce Child-like attitude Conversion, lack of Dealing with an offending brother Disfellowship Divorce Eunuchs Forgiveness Fraud Fullness of God’s forgiveness Gerald Waterhouse God’s ideal in marriage Hillel Hypocrites Insults Hyperbole Jewish attitude toward women Judgment mercy and faith Mercy Pharisees’ stratagems Playing games with God Proselyte Protection of society Shamei Unequally yoked Wealth Women proselytes Women’s rights
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