Easter PreThoughts #3

Maybe Monday before Palm Sunday…

Jesus was on His last journey to Jerusalem where He was confronted by Pharisees who mocked Him and He countered with two parables.  The Pharisees understood that He had put them in the “reject pile” so they came back with a question about divorce wanting to trap Him and turn the crowds of people going to Passover against Him.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” (Matthew 19:2-3).

Jesus’ answer was short and to the point (the same answer to our question about divorce).  He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate,” (19:4-6).

Like us, the Pharisees had exceptions and wanted His approval.  They brought up a passage from Moses thinking it gave them rights to divorce and remarriage.  Jesus agreed with neither side and told them they had hard hearts and warned them about adultery which was grievous to them.  His followers understood Him to reject both divorce positions and suggested it was best not to marry, which Jesus said missed the point.

As the Pharisees pulled back, mothers brought forward their children seeking His blessing.  His disciples attempted to stop them but Jesus stopped the disciples.  Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 19:13-15). It is interesting that on the heels of Jesus correcting, even stopping the divorce argument, that the value of children comes into view.  This implies that bonded homes are powerful in the lives of children and homes torn by divorce are detrimental to children.  May we bless children by taking Jesus’ position on divorce and also expressing His love for children!

[Note: “of such is the kingdom of heaven”.  Those who are truly His are as little children meaning they don’t come to Him with their wealth, their reasons, their successes, their plans or proclaiming their heritage – they come with nothing!  However, they do COME!

In Matthew 18 Jesus called a little child to Him and said, “Unless you are converted and become as little children you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  “As” is a comparison word.  The little child came with nothing which is a picture of how any man is to approach Jesus for salvation.]

Matthew 19:15, And He departed from there.  As night fell, I am going to speculate that He slipped aside to be with His own and away from the crowds and Pharisees.  Let me suggest that He possibly went to the very spot where God (He) cared for Elijah when being hunted by Ahab (I Kings 17:5).  You remember – the little stream of water and the daily food brought by ravens.  It seems likely that He would have retreated to such a place to spend a night on His way to Jerusalem.