Some Pharisees came and tried to trap [Jesus] with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
Key Thought
To trick Jesus, the religious leaders tried to get him to debate the legalistic elements of their law. What is powerful about this exchange is not just what Jesus said, but also how he said it. As we will see in the following verses (Matthew 19:4-9),
he refused to get caught up in their argument,
he moved from the debate over a specific passage to the deeper theological, core value of God in giving the command in the first place (Genesis 2:21-24), and
multiple times, he emphasized the key issue of husband and wife becoming one and staying together as one.
Yes, in a way Jesus did answer their question, but not before he corrected their assumptions and confronted their legalism. Jesus teaches us to obey God’s will, not just split hairs in debates over Scripture.
Today’s Prayer
Holy God, I want my heart to yearn for your will and my life to reflect your character. Please help me guard my heart from a legalistic mind that looks for ways to justify myself and ways to find loopholes for my weaknesses. Give me wisdom to focus on what is important and to be faithful even in those areas that are sometimes not considered to be important. I want to be yours totally — in word, thought, speech, and behavior. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
Matthew 23:23-24Matthew 22:34-39Matthew 5:38-39Ⓒ 1996-2021 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.