Marriage and Divorce in Matthew Essay

Obviously, Jesus feels that the impact of divorce is hardest upon children within the church because he proceeds from his preaching on marriage and divorce to blessing little children. Certainly, one can not think of anyone who is hurt more in divorce than children. They are the most devastated by divorce and therefore require his special attention and blessing. In Matthew 19:14 it says: "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of [to] such is [as these, belongs] the kingdom of heaven (ibid.)."

What about in other verses in the Gospels? The doctrine laid down by Jesus in Matthew 19 is also laid down in Matthew 5, Luke 16 and in Mark 10. The reason for this doctrine being more strict than that laid down by Moses was due to the hard hearts of the children of Israel. Moses allowed a husband to put away his wife with a certificate of divorce due to the "hardness" of Israel's hearts.The divorce procedure gave the people of that time a release from marriage and a way to continue on without committing adultery which would have ended up in a death penalty. This had been an allowance and an act of mercy. Jesus was speaking to the people of his time who now were expected to be more advanced than the former slaves who had just left Egypt. They had lived under God's law form more than a thousand years and with uplifted souls could be expected to fulfill the higher precepts of what the law was initially meant to be-union once and for all for good ("Jesus Discusses Marriage,," ).

References

"Jesus Discusses Marriage, Divorce, and Adultery." RMS Bible Engineering.

http://www.rmsbibleengineering.com/Page2/MarriageDivorce/Page1_JesusDivorce.html

(accessed March 26, 2012).

"Matthew 19: Divorce, Rich Man, Disciples' Reward." 888c.com. http://www.888c.com/zMat19.htm

(accessed….....