Chapter 19
Matthew 19:1-2
1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished
these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea
beyond Jordan;
2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed
them there.
As Jesus left Galilee to go
back into Judea, and a large crowd followed him. The Bible tells us that He
healed them.
The sick are looking for a
Healer. But, what the sick need is a
Savior!
Many speak against “faith”
healing, but if we truly follow Christ, both physical and spiritual healing
will be evident.
Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him,
tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife
for every cause?
The Pharisees also came unto
Jesus tempting Him again. They were
there to debate, not to discuss and learn.
They asked, “Is it lawful for
a man to divorce his wife for every (Gr. pasan-pasan) cause?”
The question is interesting,
because they already knew it was “lawful” most of the time under Moses’ ritual
law. They also knew it was not always
right.
Matthew 19:4-6
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not
read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause
shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they
twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Jesus responded, “Haven’t you
read that He that made man and wife, at the beginning made them male and
female. And He said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave
father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one
(Heb. echad) flesh’”?
Homosexual relations are
immoral and have been so from the creation of mankind!
Jesus continued, “Because of
that they are no longer two separate people, but have become one, united. What
God has united, man may not divide.”
Matthew 19:7 They say unto him,
Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her
away?
They became agitated at
Jesus’ response and asked, “So, why did Moses permit a writing of divorcement
to put a wife away?”
Matthew 19:8 He saith unto
them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away
your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
Jesus bluntly told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your
wives! However, it was not that way in
the beginning!”
Truth makes some people very
uncomfortable.
Matthew 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever
shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another,
committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth
her which is put away doth commit adultery.
Furthermore, Jesus told them,
“I say (Gr. legoo-legw) unto you, whoever divorces his wife, except for the
act of fornication, and marries another, commits
adultery! And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery!”
Matthew 19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case
of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
As they heard that statement,
Jesus’ disciples say unto him, “If that is the case, isn’t it good to remain
unmarried?”
Matthew 19:11 But he said unto them, All men cannot
receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
But, Jesus told them, “All
men cannot receive this saying. Only
those to whom it has been given.”
Some are meant to remain
unmarried while others are not.
Matthew 19:12 For there are
some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some
eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made
themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive
it, let him receive it.
He continued His teaching,
“Because, there are some who are born as eunuchs, and there are some that have
been castrated. There are others that are eunuchs by choice for the sake of the
kingdom.”
“He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”
Matthew 19:13 Then were there
brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and
pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
Then, little children were
brought to Him so that Jesus could put his hands on them, and prayed. We are not told the exact prayer.
In their ignorance, the
disciples rebuked them.
Matthew 19:14-16
14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid
them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.
Jesus told His disciples,
“Allow little children, and do not forbid them to come unto me, because, the
Kingdom of Heaven is made up of such.”
Then, Jesus laid his hands on
them (blessing them), and left the area.
Matthew 19:16-17
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good
Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest
thou me good? there is none good but one, that is,
God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
As he left, a young man came
to Him and said, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have
eternal (Gr. aioonion-aiwnion), or everlasting life?”
Jesus responded, “Why do you
call me good? There is none good but one, that is, God (the Father). However, if you want to enter into life, keep
the commandments!”
Matthew 19:18-19
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not
commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy
mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself.
Then the person who came to
Jesus in verse 16 asked Him, Which (of the commandments)?
Jesus recited the last part
of the Ten.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit
adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false
witness.
Honor your father and thy
mother.
Love you neighbor as you love
yourself (Not included in the Ten, but covered in #10).
You will notice that Jesus
did not refer to the first four commandments.
How do you love your neighbor?
Do you show love by giving
Him all the physical possessions he may desire and allowing Him to go into the
Lake of Fire with great physical wealth?
Or, do you show love by
telling him about salvation in Christ?
Matthew 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth
up: what lack I yet?
The young man replied, “I
have kept all those since I was a child.
What else must I do?”
What else must I do? We DO nothing! Everlasting life is a gift
from God in Christ!
Could it be that Jesus knew
that the young man had not
kept the first four commandments and was setting the stage for what follows?
Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If
thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Jesus answered, “If you want
to be perfect (Gr. teleios-teleioV) or mature, go and
sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you
shall have treasure in heaven: then come and follow Me!”
Follow Me (Gr. akolouthei-akolouqei) is an imperative, a command!
Following Christ is not an
option!
Matthew 19:22 But when the
young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great
possessions.
Apparently that was not acceptable,
a valid option for that young man. He
left feeling very “sorrowful,” because he had “great possessions.”
Having “great possessions”
does not make one happy or successful!
Matthew 19:23-24
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto
you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the
kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It
is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to
enter into the kingdom of God.
At this point, Jesus told His
disciples, “Truthfully, it is very difficult for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of heaven. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
Much has been said about the
city gate being the “eye of a needle,” and how a camel must bend down to enter,
but the story here focuses on a person who places great value on his/her
personal possessions.
Unfortunately, that story,
although is has been taught for many years, is a
complete fabrication. That false
interpretation was first pushed onto unsuspecting Christians in the 11th
century by Theophylact, the Archbishop of Achrida.
The facts are that Theophylact never went to Jerusalem, and there was no “eye
of the needle” gate in Jerusalem. The
words of Christ are idiomatic meaning that it is virtually impossible for a
person who trusts in worldly riches to enter heaven.
Where is your focus?
Matthew 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were
exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
The disciples had not grasped
the truth. They said, “Who then can be saved?”
The teaching of grace had not been given.
They still held the “the rich
are blessed” theory. According to their
theology at that time, Wall Street would be the most blessed place on earth.
Matthew 19:25 also seems to
validate the concept of “free” will, but actually that concept is voided in the
next verse!
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto
them, With men this is impossible; but with God all
things are possible.
Within man, salvation is
impossible, but with God all things are possible!
Jesus told them, “With men it
is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Do you believe that?
Not long ago, I heard
somebody proclaim, “All things are possible!”
That proclamation is a
lie! It is only with God that all things become possible.
Paul’s conversion is the best
example of God’s will overriding man’s will!
On that day along the
Damascus Road, God intervened and His will prevailed!
Paul did not become the
Apostle of grace due to his own will!
You did not choose Christ, He
chose you!
Matthew 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him,
Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
Then Peter spoke up, “We have
forsaken all, and followed you. What shall we have?”
Are you looking for what YOU shall have?
He was asking, “What’s in
this for us?”
Matthew 19:28-30
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the
Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or
brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for
my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and
shall inherit everlasting life.
30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last
shall be first.
Jesus told them, “In the
Regeneration (Gr. palingenesia- palingenesia), when the Son of
man shall sit on the throne of His glory, you shall sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And, all (Gr. pas-paV) those that have given up
their homes and families for my sake, shall receive a hundred times that, and
shall also inherit everlasting (Gr. aioonion-aiwnion) life. But many that
are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”
What is the
“Regeneration?” It is a Messianic
restoration when all creation shall be restored to its sinless state. At that time, death and sin will cease to
exist (Revelation 21:4-5, 22:3).