G O S P E L
The Pharisees were the keepers of orthodoxy, or so they thought, and they condemned any rabbi (teacher) who did not conform to what they thought and believed. We see them here testing Jesus, trying to trap Him to contradict what Moses had taught. In the Old Testament, Moses allowed a man to divorce his wife but Jesus shows this was not God’s plan. Rather, God wants a husband and wife to remain faithful to each other for life. Even though this is hard for us as sinners, God will always give us the grace we need.
Matthew 19:3-12
3 Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” 4 He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ 5 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’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” 7 They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss [her]?” 8 He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” 10 [His] disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. 12 Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
Reflections
T h i n k : God wants a husband and wife to remain faithful to each other for life.
