Should Women Be Ordained? - Part 5

This is part five in a series on what the Bible says in regards to the ordination of women in the church. Again, instead of rewriting what I believe has already been well laid out, I am sharing Dr. Jim Feeney’s writings on the subject for your edification. You may disagree, and that is your right, but please be able to point to the Bible for your reasons and not the culture.

Argument #5: “Modern Christian women need to be ‘liberated’ from past gender restrictions, since the New Testament says, ‘There is neither male nor female’ (Galatians 3:28). Therefore we can surely have women pastors and elders, and even women apostles and prophets. The former inequalities are gone, and now there is neither male nor female.”

A Biblical Response: We have a problem here. Either (1) we have a clear contradiction in the Bible, or (2) ordained women ministers and their supporters are misinterpreting this key verse in Galatians. Of course, the only biblical choice can be number two (that is, they are misinterpreting), because Jesus Himself unequivocally said, “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’?" (Matthew 19:4). So how do we resolve Galatians 3:28’s apparent conflict with Jesus’ words? Simply reading the full context of the Galatians verse things clear up immediately.

Galatians 3:28   There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

•• Are there Jew and Greeks? Of course. Were there at that time slaves and free? Certainly. Male and female? Jesus said that there were. The key to the entire verse is “...in Christ Jesus”. In our earthly relationships to each other, of course there are Jews and Greeks, slaves and free, male and female. But in our relationship directly to Jesus Christ, those distinctions are irrelevant. So the key to understanding this often-misinterpreted verse is to read the “in Christ” context.

• “There is neither ... male nor female ... in Christ Jesus”.

• But in our relationships with one another — for example, in marriage — it is quite obvious, as Jesus said, that “God made them male and female ... a man ... [and] his wife” (Mark 10:6-7).

• “In Christ”, in our direct relationship one-on-one with Him, the gender distinctions are irrelevant.

• But on earth, in our relationships with each other, God has not blurred the gender distinctions. So an erroneous feminist view of Galatians 3:28 must not be permitted to do violence to the clear statement of the New Testament that “I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man” (1 Timothy 2:12) in the ongoing functioning of the churches.

Matthew - Love Your Enemies

In today's study, we look at Matthew 5:33-48 to see that in order for us to be like our Father in Heaven, we must love our enemies.

Oaths

vv.33-37 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:  (34)  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:  (35)  Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.  (36)  Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.  (37)  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. According to the law, they were not to forswear themselves. To forswear means to swear falsely to perjure onseself.

Why not by Heaven?  It’s God’s throne! Why not by earth?  It’s God’s footstool! Why not by Jerusalem?  It’s the city of the Great King! Why not by your own head?  God made it, not you!

Conclusion of the Admonition 

The bottom line is that swearing shouldn’t be necessary if your “yea” is “yea” and your “nay” is “nay.” No expletives or oaths should be necessary to confirm or strengthen what you say. Just be a person of your word and you will not have to swear!

Retribution

vv.38-42 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:  (39)  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  (40)  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.  (41)  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.  (42)   Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. These verses speak of retribution. “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” was a judicial retribution against harmful actions.

So, the Lord told his disciples to go beyond just the judicial demands of the law. He told them to give more than what the law demanded:

Compassion
vv.43-44Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  (44)  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; This was not a command for them or us to become passive doormats to be abused by others. Instead, it was a command to view their enemies with the same compassion that Jesus had for them. Yes, Jesus loved even his and our enemies so much that he died for them.

Children of the Father

v.45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. That is to say to the Jews, that by doing good to others, the world will know that you are My children. That same applies to us as Christians.

Love Your Enemies

vv.46-47 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  (47)  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? It was not enough to just love and salute those that love and salute you. The word salute refers to a gesture of respect, homage, or polite recognition of another. Anybody can do that.  The heathen can say “hello”! In order to be like our our Father in heaven, we must love our enemies. After all, Jesus loved us when we were His enemies.

Rom 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Thus, leaving us an example of how we should love others who don’t love us.

1Pe 2:19-24  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.  20  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:  22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:  23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:  24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Jesus loved us when we were his enemies and he expects us to do the same for ours!

Perfect

v.48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. If a man could live the way Jesus has told us to in this chapter, he would truly be perfect. He would never hate, slander or speak evil of another person. He would never lust in his heart or mind, and not covet anything. He would never make a false oath, and always be completely truthful. He would let God defend his personal rights, and not take it upon himself to defend those rights. He would always love his neighbors, and even his enemies. No, we will probably not reach that kind of perfection in this life, but it is no excuse for not trying!

Should Women Be Ordained? - Part 4

This is part four in a series on what the Bible says in regards to the ordination of women in the church. Again, instead of rewriting what I believe has already been well laid out, I am sharing Dr. Jim Feeney’s writings on the subject for your edification. You may disagree, and that is your right, but please be able to point to the Bible for your reasons and not the culture.

Argument #4: “Well, we know that the Bible was written in a time of male-dominated cultures. So the spiritual language of the times was male-dominant.”

A Biblical Response: The premise itself is disputable. Some embracing a feminist position have objected to God being called “Our Father” and angels being identified by male names, attributing this simply to the biases of male-dominated cultures. But the historical record of ancient spirituality does not permit this argument. The ancient world, along with its male deities, had a superabundance of female deities. Goddesses seemed to be almost universal in ancient cultures. A short list of examples would include Asherah in Canaan, Ishtar in Babylon and Assyria, Aphrodite among the Greeks, the Egyptian goddess Isis, and the famous Roman goddess Venus. There is no support for modern feminist declarations of a domineering ancient male bias in spiritual things. To the contrary, history shows a spiritual pantheon of goddesses in the ancient nations and the cultures in and surrounding Israel.

But the more important rebuttal of this false argument is from the Bible itself. Again, we are assuming a high view of Scripture, agreeing that the Bible is the inspired Word of God in its entirety. Without this mutual agreement, we have no common ground upon which to discuss the ordination of women and their exercising leadership in the New Testament Church. The Bible is inerrant, it transcends cultures, and it is intended to shape cultures, not to be shaped by them. So from the standpoint of biblical inerrancy, I take note of the fact that in His Bible:

•• God revealed Himself as “God the Father” (John 6:27, et al.), as “Our Father”(Matthew 6:9, et al.).

•• Jesus is repeatedly called “the Son of God” (Mark 1:1, et al.).

•• In the Creation, “Adam was formed first, then Eve” (1 Timothy 2:13). And the man Adam exercised dominion in the earth before the woman Eve was created (Genesis 2:19-22).

•• The priests, Israel’s spiritual leaders and teachers under God’s Old Covenant, were all males (Exodus 28:1, et al.).

•• Moses appointed seventy men as elders of Israel (Numbers 11:24).

••The apostles whom Jesus chose to lead His early Church under God’s New Covenant were all males (Matthew 10:2-4).

•• In sum, God the Father and His Son Jesus were revealed in male names. And God’s spiritual leadership on earth, both before and after the Cross, was comprised of males.

•• A concluding thought — God, who has given us His Bible, is not affected by cultures and biases!

Let me repeat the erroneous Argument #4 — “Well, we know that the Bible was written in a time of male-dominated cultures. So the spiritual language of the times was male-dominant.” A corollary to this incorrect line of reasoning often states something like this: "Women in ancient times were generally uneducated and were not prominent in their societies compared to men. This is no longer true in our modern times." The bible itself consistently disproves this false notion about the ancient cultures in which bible characters moved and lived. Contrary to the assertion that women were subjugated to male dominance in bible days, the Scriptures give numerous examples of notable, prominent, influential women in the nations and cultures of bible times. For example:

•• The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31:10-31. In addition to managing her household admirably, she:

• deals in real estate (16)

• has her own earnings (16)

• makes further investments with those earnings (16)

• is a successful businesswoman, involved in trade with other merchants (18, 24)

•• Luke 8:3b   These women were helping to support them out of their own means.   Some of Jesus' followers in Israel were "women of means".

•• Acts 13:50   "...women of high standing" were mentioned when Paul preached in Antioch of Pisidia.

•• Paul's preaching in Thessalonica was favorably received by "not a few prominent women" (Acts 17:4).

•• In Berea, the new Christian converts included "a number of prominent Greek women"(Acts 17:12).

•• Over an entire millennium (from Proverbs to Acts), and in a variety of ancient nations including Israel, the bible gives illustrations of the widespread presence of entrepreneurialwomen, women of means, women of high standing, prominent women. And yet, in compliance with the clear teachings of the New Testament Scriptures, we see not one clear instance under the New Covenant of a woman in the God-ordained ministry role of an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher (Ephesians 4:11), nor do we see a single instance in the New Testament of a woman elder in the churches.

Should Women Be Ordained? - Part 3

This is part three in a series on what the Bible says in regards to the ordination of women in the church. Again, instead of rewriting what I believe has already been well laid out, I am sharing Dr. Jim Feeney’s writings on the subject for your edification. You may disagree, and that is your right, but please be able to point to the Bible for your reasons and not the culture.

Argument #3: “We believe that particular Scripture [in First Timothy or in First Corinthians (see below)] is just 'situational' or simply a local cultural instruction.”

A Biblical Response: If the direct context and surrounding verses make it plain that a verse is related to a unique situation, then that is an understandable argument. A good illustration of this would be the prophet Nathan’s exposure of King David’s adultery (“Thou art the man!” — 2 Samuel 12:1-7). That is clearly a unique situation; it is certainly not an indictment of everyman.

However, the Bible as a whole was given as timeless truths and universal principles. In the absence of clear proof, it is a dangerous precedent to isolate verses and declare them “situational” or “cultural” and then to proceed in a direction contrary to the clear statements of those verses. There are two main Scripture portions (1 Corinthians 14:33b-37 and 1 Timothy 2:11-14) that, without situational or cultural reinterpretations, clearly prohibit women from leading or teaching men in the churches.

•• 1 Corinthians 14:33b-37   As in all the congregations of the saints, [34] women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. [35] If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. [36] Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? [37] If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.

• The command that women not speak in the churches is not situational or cultural. It was the inspired apostle’s teaching to apply to all cultures — “As in all the congregations of the saints ... women ... are not allowed to speak.” Many modern Western minds, having been beaten down for several decades by the secular Feminist Movement, react in horror at a statement like this. But it is urgently important that we hold to the Bible and not let our modern culture shape the Church and its practices. God wants His Church, by contrast, to influence the culture in the right ways of God.

• “As in all the congregations ... women should remain silent in the churches ... [KJV] as also saith the Law.” The apostle Paul wrote these verses to Corinthian Greeks and told them that “the Law” said the same thing. The Jewish Law had the same precepts that Paul wrote to the entirely different Corinthian Greek culture 1,500 years later. These were different cultures a millennium and a half apart. Yet Paul gave the Corinthians a cross-cultural, cross-millennial message concerning male leadership and speaking ministries in the Church. Significantly, under the Law the Jewish priests were all men. The apostle Paul’s carefulness in prohibiting the women from usurping men’s leadership roles in the church was entirely consistent with Mosaic Judaism’s teaching on this same subject (“as also saith the Law”).

• Some who have pushed for women’s leadership and pulpit roles in today’s Church have proclaimed that Paul was a male chauvinist. That is, pure and simple, an assault on the reliability and fully inspired nature of the Bible and deserves no further comment among Christians with a high view of Scripture.

• Others in trying to find a loophole in these verses in order to “liberate” women have suggested that, while not a male chauvinist, Paul must have been influenced by the biases of his culture or his personal maleness. Again, the simple, in-context reply to that false assumption is the text itself (vs. 37) — “What I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.” It was not Paul’s bias; it was the Lord’s command.

•• 1 Timothy 2:11-14   A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. [12] I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. [13] For Adam was formed first, then Eve. [14] And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.

• The statements here are so clear that it is understandable how those influenced by a feminist philosophy would wish to reinterpret them to be understood as merely situational and/or cultural. But they cannot be relegated to isolated, specific “situations” that are not revealed in the text. What is revealed in the text is that Paul intended these prohibitions for the Lord’s Church and was not just addressing local customs, practices, or marriage relationships (as some maintain). To the contrary, the apostle states, “I am writing you these instructions so that ... you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14-15). These are instructions for the Lord’s Church, not to correct local or cultural problems. As 1 Corinthians 14:37 says of Paul’s similar teachings there, “What I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.” It is not situational, cultural, chauvinistic, or biased. It is for the entire Church Age the Word of God, “the Lord’s command”.

• 1 Timothy 3:15 asserts that these teachings reserve to men the roles of church leadership and pulpit ministry “in God’s household, which is the church”. Likewise, 1 Corinthians 14:34 teaches that “women should remain silent in the churches”. I can find nothing in these verses that prohibit capable women from leadership in the secular realm — for example, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in my opinion, a very capable leader of her country. No, these are commands for the Church.

• The apostle Paul wrote, “I do not permit a woman to ... have authority over a man... [13] For Adam was formed first, then Eve.” Genesis chapter two enables us to understand this reasoning. We see there that the man Adam was created by God and exercised dominion over the creation before Eve was even created. Based on that original design of God, Paul delivered the inspired Scriptural principle that women are not to have authority over men in the Lord’s work, because in the Garden of Eden God established the man in authority over the creation, then created the woman to be a “help meet” to the man (see Genesis 2:18, KJV, with 1 Corinthians 11:9).

• Also note that immediately after Paul forbade women having authority over men in the church (1 Timothy 2:12), the apostle then listed the qualifications of a church leader/overseer in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. These prerequisites for leadership roles included (vs. 2) that the leader is to be “the husband of but one wife”. Church leaders are to be male, not female.

• The apostle also wrote, “I do not permit a woman to teach ... a man ... For ... Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived...” Referring again to Genesis (chapter 3:1-6, 13), Paul forbade women to teach men. Again, Paul’s reasoning was not simply his own, but it was the inspired Word of God. And the reason God in His Word told the women of the church not to teach men was their susceptibility to deception, as revealed especially in Genesis 3:13, where, after she had eaten the forbidden fruit, Eve said, “the serpent deceived me”. It cannot be reinterpreted out of the text that the reason Paul listed for women not teaching men was the deceptibility factor seen first in Eve and still a relevant factor thousands of years later at the time God inspired Paul to write this.

• Someone might ask, “What about women teaching women on doctrinal issues?” I do not know that the Bible makes a clear statement on that. On the one hand, it is clear that older women are to teach younger women on womanly subjects (Titus 2:4-5 — “Then [the older women, vs. 3] can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands...”). But in this same chapter (vs. 1), Paul writes to Titus, the recognized spiritual leader, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.” It was the male leader who was commanded to teach and establish sound doctrine. This fact — coupled with the Genesis 3:13 and 1 Timothy 2:14 references to the woman’s susceptibility to deception — leads me to recommend that the teaching of main doctrinal subjects in the churches be done by the male pastors, elders, and other male ministers.

• Let us for a moment hypothetically assume (as some assert) that Paul was writing to Timothy about some unnamed situational problem in the Ephesian church that Timothy led. Even if so, that would change nothing. Paul’s reply must still be seen as “scripture ... given by inspiration of God, and ... profitable for ... correction” of erroneous conduct “in God’s household, which is the church of the living God”(2 Timothy 3:16, KJV; 1 Timothy 3:15). There is no proof whatsoever in the First Timothy text that it was a situational issue. But even if it were, God spoke through Paul the heaven-inspired Scriptural principle that applied to that church and to all churches — that is, men are to lead and teach in the assembled congregation. Situational or otherwise, God established the principle of male leadership and male teaching roles in the assembled church.

Should Women Be Ordained? - Part 2

This is part two in a series on what the Bible says in regards to the ordination of women in the church. Again, instead of rewriting what I believe has already been well laid out, I am sharing Dr. Jim Feeney’s writings on the subject for your edification. You may disagree, and that is your right, but please be able to point to the Bible for your reasons and not the culture.

Argument #2: “Sister ___ is not usurping authority over men by preaching to the assembled church, because the church’s pastor has delegated authority to her to do this.”

A Biblical Response: That is exactly what the apostle Paul told Pastor Timothy NOT to do! The precise biblical prohibition reads: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority overa man.” (1 Timothy 2:12) I pastored two local churches, one in New York and one in Oregon, for 22 years. In my pastoral role, I feared God too much to say, “Well, Lord, I’m going to delegate authority to this woman to preach on Sunday, even though you had the apostle Paul write that this is something women are not permitted to do.” Any pastor who has used that rationale, I would suggest, is standing on thin ice biblically. How can pastors or elders authorize women to dowhat the Bible tells women not to do?

•• It is commonly understood that the seven letters in Revelation 2-3 were written to the individual “angelos”, the senior minister of each of those seven churches. Of great relevance to this pastoral-delegation argument is the letter in Revelation 2:20, KJV to the leader of the church in Thyatira — “I have a few things against thee [singular, the pastor], because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication...”

• Jesus rebuked the pastor of the church in Thyatira because that pastor “...[permitted] that woman Jezebel ... to teach” the church and through her teaching to lead them into sin. Pastors and elders are to safeguard the church. The Thyatiran pastor failed to do so, and was rebuked, because against the command of Scripture he had permitted this woman Jezebel to have a teaching influence upon the congregation. Pastors, please! ... obey the word of God and do not facilitate the antibiblical practice of women teaching men and leading men in the churches.

Should Women Be Ordained? - Part 1

I have been asked many times about what the Bible says in regards to the ordination of women. Instead of rewriting what I believe has already been well laid out, I am sharing Dr. Jim Feeney’s writings on the subject for your edification. You may disagree, and that is your right, but please be able to point to the Bible for your reasons and not the culture.

In large segments of the Christian Church today, there has developed the practice of ordaining women as ministers and placing them in positions to lead, teach, and preach to assembled congregations of both men and women. The ordination of women pastors has become increasingly commonplace. And the ordination of women as prophets and even as apostles, although not yet common, is far from being rare. In contexts ranging from local churches to large Christian conventions, ordained women ministers routinely teach and preach to mixed congregations of men and women.

The New Testament reveals a wide variety of spiritual gifts and ministries for Christian women. There are two primary ministry areas in the church that the Lord has specifically reserved for men: that is, (1) teaching men, and (2) leading or having authority over men. This is unequivocally stated by the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:11-12 — "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."

The context of that divine instruction from the apostle Paul was the ministry in and leadership of the Christian church, as the apostle in the very next chapter wrote: “...I am writing you these instructions so that ... you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God...” (1 Timothy 3:14-15).

Below, are some contemporary arguments that are being set forth for the practice of ordaining women ministers and having them lead, teach, and preach to men. My hope is that this bible study will help serious inquirers to draw their conclusions on this much-debated subject from the clarity of Scripture, rather the trends of modern society or from pragmatic analysis based on anecdotal results rather than on Scripture.

Argument #1: “We must recognize giftedness — those God-given spiritual abilities that God has given women.”

A Biblical Response: Of course we should! We ought to thank God for all cases of His Holy Spirit’s enabling of us. However, discerning that God has given spiritual gifts to a woman does not lead to the conclusion that we should, therefore, ordain her to an Ephesians 4:11 “fivefold” ministry or to eldership in the local church. God’s Word has declared, “Your sons and daughters will prophesy” (Acts 2:17). But the same Word of God, the Bible, declares, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man” (1 Timothy 2:12). Spiritual giftedness in a Christian woman does not confer upon her authority to lead and teach men.

•• Acts 21:8-11 records an excellent illustration of this. The apostle Paul was staying at the home of Philip the evangelist (vs. 8), who “had four unmarried daughters who prophesied” (vs. 9). This spiritual giftedness did not make them Ephesians 4:11 prophets.In fact, God wanted to speak a major prophetic word to Paul in that very home. Bypassing the daughters who had the gift of prophecy, God brought up from Judea “a prophet named Agabus” (vs. 10), who proceeded to speak a major revelation concerning the apostle’s future.

•• Giftedness must not be confused with authorization. Allow me to use myself for a natural illustration of this point. I hold a commercial pilot’s license with multi-engine and instrument ratings. However, when I board a commercial airliner, what I do not do is turn left into the cockpit and say, “Move over, my friend; I am capable of flying this plane.” No! I may have the “giftedness”, but I do not have the authorization.• My having the giftedness, the ability, to fly a plane does not give me the authority to take over the authorized pilot’s or copilot’s roles. Likewise, a Christian woman’s spiritual gifts and abilities are not an authorization to teach and lead men contrary to 1 Timothy 2:11-12 and other verses that we will examine. In sum, being capable of doing something is not the same as being authorized to do it. God has given a wide variety of spiritual gifts to women of faith. But none of those spiritual gifts grants permission to violate the clear statements of Scripture that the roles of leading men and teaching men are reserved biblically for men.•• I have extensively read or listened to bible studies and sermons by men favoring the ordination of women. A common denominator in these messages has been a lengthy listing of the many gifted, spiritual women of the New Testament. To that, I would say a hearty ‘amen’. There is no question that the New Testament names a considerable number of spiritual women. However, many of those same writers and preachers then, without Scriptural support, leap forward to the antibiblical conclusion that gifted women must then necessarily be qualified to be ordained ministers. However, there are no New Testament verses which support that conclusion, but many which place men only in those ordained ministry roles of New Testament leadership, preaching, and teaching to the entire congregation. 

Matthew - Oaths, Retribution, and Compassion

In today's study from Matthew 5:33-45, we discuss our Lord's instructions in regards to oaths, retribution, and compassion.

Additional Areas of the Law

In the last part of Matthew 5, Jesus enhances three additional areas of the law: oaths; retribution; and neighborly love. 

Oaths

vv.33-37 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:  (34)  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:  (35)  Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.  (36)  Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.  (37)  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. According to the law, they were not to forswear themselves. To forswear means to swear falsely to perjure. Lev 19:12 “And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.” As a matter of fact, James’ instruction was to swear not at all. Jas 5:12  But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

He goes on in this text in Matthew to say that specifically we are not to swear by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or even our own heads.

Heaven

Why not by Heaven?  It’s God’s throne!

I often hear people slip up and say things like, “For Heaven’s sake!” and “Thank heavens!” That’s swearing by Heaven; God’s throne! The dictionary says that it is a euphemism that expresses frustration. Leave God’s Heaven out of it!

Earth

Why not by earth?  It’s God’s footstool! I often hear people say, “my lands!” or “land’s sakes!”  That’s swearing by Earth; God’s footstool!

Jerusalem

Why not by Jerusalem?  It’s the city of the Great King! Psa 48:1-2  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.  2  Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

Head

Why not by your own head?  God made it, not you! Ps 139:15-16 “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  (16)  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” I often hear people say, “As sure as I live”; “As sure as I’m breathing.” Then they’ll even swear and say, “I’ll be damned!”

Conclusion of the Admonition 

The bottom line is that swearing shouldn’t be necessary if your “yea” is “yea” and your “nay” is “nay.” No expletives or oaths should be necessary to confirm or strengthen what you say. Just be a person of your word and you will not have to swear!

Retribution

vv.38-42 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:  (39)  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  (40)  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.  (41)  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.  (42)   Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. These verses speak of retribution. “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” was a judicial retribution against harmful actions. Ex 21:24-25 “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” Deut 19:21 “Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” So, the Lord told his disciples to go beyond just the judicial demands of the law. He told them to give more than what the law demanded:

Clarification: It is wrong to think Jesus means evil should never be resisted. Jesus demonstrated with His life that evil should and must be resisted, such as when He turned tables in the temple. It is wrong to think that Jesus means a physical attack cannot be resisted or defended against. When Jesus speaks of a slap on your right cheek: that was culturally understood as a deep insult, not a physical attack. Jesus does not mean that if someone hits across the right side of our head with a baseball bat, we should allow them to then hit the left side as well!

Further Clarification: It is also wrong to think Jesus means that there is no place for punishment or retribution in society. Jesus here speaks to personal relationships, and not to the proper functions of government in restraining evil. I must turn my cheek when I am personally insulted, but the government has a responsibility to restrain evil.

Compassion

vv.43-44Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  (44)  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; This was not a command for them or us to become passive doormats to be abused by others. Instead, it was a command to view their enemies with the same compassion that Jesus had for them. Yes, Jesus loved even his and our enemies so much that he died for them. Jesus said in Luke 23:34 “…Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Stephen said in Acts 7:60 “…Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” Paul told us in Rom 12:14, 20 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.  20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

What the Bible Says about Divorce, Part 1

Today, we are going to take just a bit of a detour to discuss in detail what the Bible says about divorce.

Mat 19:1-9 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.  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?  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.  7  They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?  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.  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.

The Pharisees had a convenient misunderstanding of a passage in the Old Testament. Deu 24:1-4 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.  2  And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.  3  And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;  4  Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

The main point of Deut. 24 is not divorce. The main point is remarriage after a divorce has occurred. So, the passage is not condoning divorce in any way like the Pharisees assumed. It is merely acknowledging that divorce does happen.

The passage is not about adultery either. Adultery was a capital offense and there were no rules ever given for how an adulterer was to get remarried. As a matter of fact, there was no remarriage, for the guilty partner, because they were put to death. Deu 22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

If you look at the text in Deuteronomy 24, it is actually speaking of divorces that occurred as the result of some “indecency” or “uncleanness”. Some have said that the “indecency”  or “uncleanness” is referred to in Deu 23:14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. However, it’s pretty clear from the context that it is referring to the proper way to go to the toilet and not marriage, let alone divorce. However, over the years the Pharisees had come up with their own definition of “indecency” or “uncleanness” and it included everything from burning the beans to an ugly mother-in-law.

Old Testament Conclusion

Conclusion, the Old Testament never condoned divorce except for adultery which always led to death for the guilty. And, of course, the innocent remaining partner was free to remarry.

Divorce in the New Testament

Now, we turn to the New Testament and the text at hand. Jesus is not condoning divorce here in this passage or any other. Instead, he is merely quoted the Old Testament passages on the issue. Mat 5:31-32  It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:  32  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Again, Jesus is merely quoting the Old Testament. He is saying that any divorce, other than for adultery is not recognized by God. God views on the issue have never changed. Mal 2:16 "For I hate divorce," says the LORD, the God of Israel, "and him who covers his garment with wrong," says the LORD of hosts. "So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously." That’s pretty direct.

In the end, under Old Testament Mosaic Law, God does not recognize any divorce except for the reasons of adultery. No one can argue with that then or today.

The Question of the Day

But, what about today? Can you get a divorce, remarry, and still be in the will of God? I believe that the answer is yes as long as there are scriptural reasons. I believe that there are three clear reasons given in the New Testament for a justifiable divorce: they are Adultery, Desertion and Death. We will discuss these next time. 

Matthew - Adultery

In today's study from Matthew 5:27-32, we take a look at the seventh commandment in regards to what constitutes adultery and why it happens.

The Seventh Commandment

vv.27-32 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:  (28)  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  (29)  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  (30)  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  (31)  It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:  (32)  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

The seventh commandment is, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” It just means that married people are not to have relationships outside of marriage. However, the Lord here in Matthew describes adultery as more than marital infidelity: it’s a sin of the heart and the eyes. Now before, I even proceed on the issue of adultery we must interpret the text in its context. Our Lord is warning the House of Israel against playing the adulteress like they did in the Old Testament and God had to send them away into captivity. However, the Bible does have a few things to say to the Church in regards to adultery.

1. Adultery is committed by looking (v.28). 

It all starts with a look. 2Sa 11:2 “And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.”

2. Adultery is committed by lusting. 

It’s something that we all struggle with. 1Jn 2:15-17  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Yes, we all struggle with lust, but that does not excuse us from acting on it.

3. Adultery is fueled by the Flesh.

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. Gal 5:16-17 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

4. Adultery is committed in the heart. 

Mk 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man.

5. Adultery is controlled by mortifying the flesh (vv.29-30). 

The point is that if you had to choose between destroying a part of your body that was causing you to sin and spending eternity in hell, you’d be better off destroying the part of your body that was causing the sin. We must mortify the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit. Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. This is the self-control that Paul practiced. 1 Cor 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.