Jesus left Capernaum to go to Judea. This was a place past the Jordan River. Judea was on the west side of the Jordan River. This was an area where Jews lived. Matthew wrote about the area east of the Jordan river when he wrote the words, beyond the Jordan River. This was a place where Gentiles lived.
Matthew wrote that the Pharisees tested Jesus. That is, they wanted to get him to say something that made people angry. It would make certain people angry if Jesus said people could not get divorced. It would make certain other people angry if Jesus said that people could get divorced.
Moses taught about divorce in the Law of Moses. The Pharisees thought that Moses said a man could divorce his wife. However, they did not think that a woman could divorce her husband. Some Pharisees taught that a man could only divorce his wife if she committed adultery or did evil things. Other Pharisees taught that any man could divorce his wife if he wanted to, even if she did not do anything wrong.
When a man wrote his wife a “certificate of divorce,” he sent her away with a certificate saying that she no longer belonged to the man as his wife. This would help her to marry another man.
Jesus told the Pharisees what the Law of Moses actually said. Moses did not want people to get divorced because God did not want people to get divorced. Instead, Moses knew that some people had hard hearts. That is, they did not want to listen to God’s will about divorce. Moses allowed people to be divorced because of this. However, a certificate of divorce must be written.
Jesus told them about the marriage between Adam and Eve (see: Genesis 1:27; 2:24). A husband and wife became one flesh. That is, it was never God’s desire or intention for a married couple to divorce. Jesus only allowed for divorce when there was sexual immorality.
See: Divorce; Pharisees; Law of Moses; Sin; Will of God
Jesus said that it was not good to marry. Some scholars think the disciples were asking Jesus about not marrying again after being divorced. Other scholars think the disciples wanted to know from Jesus if it was good to marry at all, because they served Jesus.
Jesus said, “not everyone can accept this teaching.” Some scholars think Jesus was talking about his teaching in verses four through nine. Other scholars think he wanted to say that only certain people will understand the things he taught in this verse.
A eunuch was a man who was incapable of producing children. However, Jesus spoke about different types of eunuchs. Some men are born with a damaged penis and they are not able to have sex. Other men were made eunuchs. In ancient times, a king may have cut off a man’s penis if he put this man in charge of caring for his many wives. Other people made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God. This was a metaphor. They chose not to marry so they could better serve Jesus.
The people brought their children to have Jesus touch them. They thought that if they did this, Jesus would bless the children. He did this by putting his hands on them and saying a blessing.
The disciples rebuked the people for bringing their children to have Jesus touch them. Scholars think the disciples thought Jesus needed to be doing other things. Perhaps they thought that Jesus should be teaching adults instead.
Jesus told the disciples they were wrong for rebuking these people. Jesus wanted the little children to come to him. This was because many adults rejected Jesus. They thought they knew more about the Messiah than they did. However, the children were willing to learn and did not reject Jesus.
After this, Jesus taught the disciples about the kingdom of God. If people wanted to have the kingdom of God, they needed to believe in Jesus the same way children believed in Jesus. Children often trusted someone completely, but adults often only trusted someone who had earned it.
When Jesus spoke about someone who was good, he was speaking about someone who is always does the right thing. Only God is good in this way. Scholars think Jesus said that he is God. The man did not understand what it meant to be “good” and to obey God perfectly.
Someone who bore false witness lied about someone. They said someone did something they did not do or did not do something that they did. It also meant to give a false report in a court of law.
Jesus knew that the man loved money more than anything else. He did not truly trust in God or that Jesus was the messiah. He trusted in the things he had. Because of this, Jesus wanted him to sell all he had in order to follow him.
All people do not need to sell everything they have to be Chrsitians. This was not a command for all people in order for them to follow Jesus. Jesus knew the man’s money kept him from completely trusting in him.
Some scholars think it was hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God because the people who were rich held onto their money and valuable things too tightly. That is, they trusted in their possession more than they trusted God.
Jesus used the metaphor of a camel. A camel would never fit through the eye of a needle, which is less than one millimeter. However, Jesus wanted the disciples to know that though things might seem impossible to men, all things are possible for God.
Jesus wanted to teach his disciples that there was only one way to have peace with God and to enter into his kingdom. People need to trust in Jesus. People should not trust in anything or anyone else.
Some scholars think Jesus spoke about the many homes that would be opened for the servants of God. The brothers and sisters were those who believed in Jesus and became brothers and sisters in Christ. Other scholars think Jesus spoke about spiritual blessings that replaced the homes and families that were left behind. The blessings might be considered “a hundred times” better than what they left behind.
See: Family of God; Spirit (Spiritual); Bless (Blessing); Reward
Jesus said that the disciples will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. They will judge Israel in some way. However, he did not say when or how they would do this.
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