Matthew 15:1-20 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Tradition and the Heart

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
TRADITION AND THE HEART, GIVING CRUMBS TO PUPPIES,
FEEDING 4000

[“The Mouth and the Heart”]
(Key Word: Traditions)

Matthew 15:1-20 – Tradition and the Heart

|| Mark 7:1-23

MT15:1 Now scribes[1] and Pharisees from Jerusalem[2] approached Jesus, saying, “Why do your disciples[3] transgress the traditions of the Ancients?[4] MT15:2 For they do not wash their hands[5] when eating bread.” MT15:3 Jesus responded to them, asking, MT15:4 “For The God said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’[6] [Exodus 20:12] And also, ‘Let the person who says a bad word against[7] father or mother be put to death.’ [Leviticus 20:9] MT15:5 But you teach, ‘Whatever I have to help[8] my father or mother is a Temple-offering consecrated to God’[9] – MT15:6 such a person does not honor[10] father at all. You have invalidated the Word[11] of The God by your own tradition. MT15:7 Hypocrites, Isaiah gave a good prophecy[12] about you when he said, MT15:8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips but their heart is distant. MT15:9 Their worship is worthless[13] because they teach human commandments as doctrine.’” [Isaiah 29:13] MT15:10 Now Jesus called the crowd to gather close, telling them, “Listen carefully and understand:[14] MT15:11 Not what enters the mouth defiles a person,[15] but what pours out of the mouth defiles a person.” MT15:12 Now the disciples approached Jesus, telling him, “Do you know you offended the Pharisees[16] by what they heard you say?” MT15:13 Jesus answered them, “Every plant[17] not planted by my Father will be pulled out by the roots. MT15:14 Leave them alone.[18] They are blind guides.[19] So, if someone blind guides another blind person, they will both fall into a pit.” MT15:15 Peter responded to Jesus, “Make the parable clear to us.” MT15:16 Jesus told them, “Are you still without understanding?[20] MT15:17 Are you unaware that everything entering the mouth passes through the belly[21] and is expelled into a sewer?[22] MT15:18 But the words pouring out of the mouth originate from the heart.[23] Those are the things which defile a person. MT15:19 For it is from the heart these originate:[24] evil dialogue,[25] murders, adulteries,[26] fornications,[27] thieveries,[28] perjuries and slander,[29] abusive speech.[30] MT15:20 These are the things defiling a person. Eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”

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[1] Scribes: BECK: Bible scholars.

[2] From Jerusalem: Over 100 miles.

[3] Your disciples: They do not accuse Jesus. Had these Jews witnessed some habit of the disciples not to ceremonial wash their hands before eating? Or, is this a rumor?

[4] Transgress the traditions of the Ancients: Or, GDSP: break the rules handed down by our ancestors; KJV: elders.

[5] Wash their hands: Or, AMP: for they do not practice [ceremonially] washing. Compare 2 Kings 3:11. “The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands up to the elbow.” (Mark 7:2-5) The Babylonian Talmud (Sotah 4b) places eating with unwashed hands equal to intercourse with a prostitute.

[6] Honor your father and mother: From the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12; 21:17). Paul also quotes the “first commandment with a promise.” (Ephesians 6:2) The English word “honor” is from the Greek TIMA from which the name Timothy comes.

[7] Says a bad word against: Or, KJV: curseth; ASV: speaketh evil of; NWT: reviles. Jesus quotes Leviticus 20:9. Compare Leviticus 20:9; Deuteronomy 27:16.

[8] Whatever I have to help: ASV: that wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me; RIEU: all the support you might have; RSV: what you would have gained from me; GDSP: anything of mine that might have been of use to you.

[9] Is a Temple-offering consecrated to God: ASV: is given to God; RIEU: temple-offering. The New Jerusalem Bible footnote explains: “Property thus made over by vow assumes a sacred character.… Such a vow in fact was only a legal fiction.… Though the rabbis acknowledged its impiety they sustained its validity.”

[10] Does not honor: Jesus infers this “honor” is of a material kind not a mere matter of respect. The children who do not care for elderly parents dishonor them and violate the commandment. Compare 1 Timothy 5:4, 8. The Greek word TIME means honor, esteem, value, or preciousness. The verb TIMAO also means “set a price on” (Matthew 27:9); the noun TIME caries the sense of price or value (Matthew 27:6; Acts 4:34); and the adjective TIMIOS means esteemed, dear, or valuable (Acts 5:34; 20:24; 1 Corinthians 3:12).

[11] You have invalidated the Word: Or, MOF: you have repealed the law of God; GDSP: you have nullified what God has said; PME: empties the commandment.

[12] Isaiah gave a good prophecy: The quote is of Isaiah 29:13. The context in Isaiah is also referenced by Romans 11:9; Colossians 2:22; 1 Corinthians 1:19. Or, KJV: well did Esaias prophesy; MOF: it was indeed of you that Isaiah prophesied; PME: Isaiah described you beautifully; RIEU: how right Isaiah was.

[13] Their worship is worthless: Or, WMS: their worship of me is an empty show.

[14] Listen carefully and understand: Or, KNX: listen to this, and grasp what it means.

[15] Defiles a person: Or, PME: makes him common or unclean.

[16] You offended the Pharisees: Or, ME: are deeply offended; GDSP: were shocked to hear you. The disciples seem concerned by Jesus did not come to please everyone. The Greek word here is ESCANDALISTHESAN: they thought what he said scandalous.

[17] Every plant: He infers the scribes and Pharisees.

[18] Leave them alone: Or, KNX: let them say what they will.

[19] Blind guides: Or, KJV: blind leaders. Knowing what he has already said was offensive, the Nazarene comes back with an even more direct inference.

[20] Are you still without understanding: Or, RHM: without discernment; GDSP: have even you no understanding; BAS: are you, like them, still without wisdom; RIEU: You too? Still so dull? Jesus is not caring one twit whose toes he steps on: either the clergy or his own disciples. Raised to respect the clergy, it is possible the disciples do not yet discern the gulf which exists between Jesus and the religious hierarchy.

[21] Passes through the belly: Or, WEY: stomach; NWT: intestines.

[22] Expelled into a sewer: WEY: afterwards ejected from the body; NWT: discharged into the sewer.

[23] Originate from the heart: NEB: has its origins in the heart; PME: comes from his heart and mind. Compare James 1:14, 15.

[24] These originate: Mark 7:20, 21 adds several characteristics: “injurious reasonings issue forth: fornications, thieveries, murders, adulteries, covetings, acts of wickedness, deceit, loose conduct, an envious eye, blasphemy, haughtiness, unreasonableness.” (NWT)

[25] Evil dialogue: The Greek is DIALOGISMOI PONEROI. Or, KJV: evil thoughts; KNX: wicked designs.

[26] Adulteries: Or, BAS: broken faith between the married.

[27] Fornications: The Greek is PORNEIAI and is drawn from “prostitution.” Or, MOF: sexual vice; GDSP: immorality; BAS: unclean desires of the flesh.

[28] Thieveries: MOF: stealing.

[29] Perjuries and slander: Or, KJV: false witness; NWT: false testimonies.

[30] Abusive speech: The Greek is BLASPHEMIAI. Or, KJV: blasphemies; ASV: railings; RHM: profane speaking; WEY: slander.

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Preceding

Matthew 14:35-36 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: If They Might Just Touch Him

Matthew 15 An argument with the Scribes – Teachers and traditions

Matthew 15 Calvin’s view

Matthew 15 Spurgeon’s view

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Related

1. Matthew 15, defilement from within, the faith of the Caananite woman, Jesus feeds the four thousand.
2. When What to Eat is More Important Than What to Say
3. Matthew 15丨C. H. Spurgeon
4. “Why do your disciples play fast and loose with the rules?” ~Religious scholars to Jesus
5. unclean
6. Out of The Mouth
7. “Frauds!” ~Jesus
8. Doctrine vs. Tradition
9. Hypocrisy — Its Expression through Insincere Motives
10. Hypocrisy — What happens when my deeds do not match my words?
11. False Doctrine — Is it of human origin and not from Jesus the Messiah?
12. Questions for Reflection and Discussion Matthew 15 1-9
13. Bible Study Notes on Matthew 15:1-28 – 20180117
14. “Are you being willfully stupid?” ~Jesus
15. Class: Matthew 15
16. Prayer for Difficult Conversations based on Matthew 15.11
17. Detox it’s the New Thing
18. How Church Should Be (Matthew 15:10–28)
19. Matthew 15:10-20: Blessed & Blessing

Beware that you do not fall or be carried away by false teachings

Having looked at what false teachers may do, we must be very conscious about what for teachings we want to follow.

Let the one who thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall.—1 Cor. 10:12.

Jehovah gives us His powerful holy Spirit, which can strengthen us and help us to resist temptation. God also forewarns us through his Word and the congregation about situations that we must avoid, such as spending excessive time, money, and energy on non-essential material things.

When looking at this world we may see that lots of people are carried away by the false stories of this world. Lots of people also present themselves differently than they are, on Facebook or other social media and let themselves being carried away by those social media. Lots of people spend a lot of time at such media and reduce their time reading the Bible.

Lots of people are afraid when they would join a small church or a small community of believers they would loose possibilities. Lots of people do think they do need theologians or those main churches, instead of trusting in God Himself.

The apostle Paul acknowledged that he had not been entirely without help. He trusted that Jehovah would fortify him to endure his present trials and any future difficulties that might arise. In fact, he immediately went on to say:

“The Lord will rescue me from every wicked work.” (2 Tim. 4:18)

The Apostle Paul (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yes, Paul had learned that even when human assistance is limited, the help that Jehovah and his Son provide is real!

Today there are a lot of false teachers who try to get real followers of Christ on their track, for worshipping a three-headed god. Those who do not worship their god Jesus they make afraid with stories of eternal torture by hellfire.

We must be aware that the adversary of God loves to use traps. They are: (1) uncontrolled speech, (2) giving in to fear and pressure, and (3) feeling too much guilt. But there are also two other traps they bring to the general public. They are materialism and the temptation to commit adultery.

In one of his illustrations, Jesus spoke about seed sown in between thorny plants. He explained that someone may hear the Kingdom message,

“but the anxiety of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22)

Materialism is a trap that our enemy ‘Satan’ uses. The audiovisual media tries to bring a picture of a better world which supposedly we would not be able to have without all those material gadgets. But it can well be that people are also made too afraid about the possibilities to live. The worries about making a living can make us not spending enough time reading the Word of God. Lots of people got blinded by people who promise richness. The Bible says that “money is for a protection.” (Ecclesiastes 7:12) This means that money can help us to have the things we need. But it is not wise to try to become rich. Many people have learned that the harder they work to become rich, the more they get caught in the trap of materialism. Some even become slaves of their possessions.—Matthew 6:24.

Problem with man is that he seems never satisfied. We are always looking for the next-best thing. False teachers tell the world we need to progress and have the newest modern things to make our life easy. By the advertisements in the magazines and on television our eyes are taken away from the biblical hope of that precious world of God.  Instead of concentrating on that what is needed for the day we often are seeking more, but not in the good sense.  We should be seeking to be satisfied by what Jehovah God offers us.  We’ve all read that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God (Mark 10:25), and verse 9 of Proverbs 30 reinforces that someone who is “full” is quick to deny the Most High God.

Proverbs 30: 8-9:  8 Remove untruth and lies far from me.+ Give me neither poverty nor riches. Just let me consume my portion of food,+ 9 So that I do not become satisfied and deny you and say, “Who is Jehovah?”+ Nor let me become poor and steal and dishonor* the name of my God.

All the false teachings we should put away. We should concentrate on what the Bible has to tell us. Also we should try to become happy with what we receive, or what is allowed by God that we have.

And that brings us to an other aspect of happiness. Namely our sex life or our relationship with others. False teachers want  us to believe we should just enjoy life and feel free, because Jesus brought  salvation to us and we do not have to worry any-more what we do because we do not need any works any more to bring us into heavenly places. some people may tell you that it does not harm to have a romantic relationship with someone to whom you are not married.

An improper romantic relationship could start with someone at your workplace or even with with someone in the congregation. There are many ways Christians could be in danger of committing adultery, by seeing how loose others goon with their relationships and with ‘enjoying life’ having sex with more than one person. In the media many series and new coverage wants to give the impression nothing is wrong with having sex with the same gender or with having sex just for fun with as many people as you like.

To avoid adultery, you need to think deeply about what it means to be loyal to your marriage mate. Jesus said:

“What God has yoked together let no man put apart.” (Matthew 19:6)

You should never think that your work in the congregation is more important than your marriage mate. If you are away from your mate for unnecessary reasons, your marriage may become weak. You or your mate could be tempted to commit adultery. for those working in the congregation they always should remember that you cannot be a good husband when work and earning money gets priority. Also does it not make sense to help the brothers and sisters in the congregation as elder and to neglect your wife at home. That would put your marriage in danger. Daniel says,

‘You should never be so busy caring for responsibilities that you neglect your own family.’

At work and in the group of friends there may be people who say just a flirt does not harm. If you are tempted to start an improper romantic relationship, think about the damage caused by fornication and adultery. (Proverbs 7:22, 23; Galatians 6:7) People who commit immorality do not please Jehovah. They hurt their marriage mate and themselves. (Read Malachi 2:13, 14.) Instead, think about the benefits you will get if you keep your conduct chaste, or clean. You have the hope of living forever, and you also enjoy the best life now, including a clean conscience. — Read Proverbs 3:1, 2.

The many people who try to get you looking at God His Will as something which we should not bother too much, you should avoid.

The apostle Paul warned of a falling away from genuine Christianity. He said that after his death, “oppressive wolves” from among professed Christians would

“speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:29, 30)

They would “publicly declare they know God,” but in reality they would “disown him by their works.” (Titus 1:16)

The apostle Peter likewise warned that false teachers would

“quietly bring in destructive sects and [would] disown even the owner that bought them.”

Their bad conduct, he said, would cause people to speak “abusively” about “the way of the truth.” (2 Peter 2:1, 2) To disown Christ in this way, says Greek scholar W. E. Vine, means to

“deny the Father and the Son, by apostatizing and by disseminating pernicious teachings.”

How would Jesus react if professed disciples deliberately failed to “remain in [his] word” and to meet other requirements that he set out? He warned:

“Whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my Father who is in the heavens.” (Matthew 10:33)

Of course, Jesus does not disown someone who makes a mistake despite his earnest desire to be faithful. For example, although the apostle Peter denied Jesus three times, Peter repented and was forgiven. (Matthew 26:69-75) However, Jesus disowns individuals or institutions that turn out to be wolves in sheep’s clothing — pretending to follow Christ but willfully and persistently rejecting his teachings. Of such false teachers, Jesus said:

“By their fruits you will recognize those men.” — Matthew 7:15-20.

Please therefore be always on the lookout. See what teachers do and compare it with what they say. Compare always the sayings of those teachers or preachers with what is really written in the Bible. do not allow differences like “son of God” and “god the son” to be equal. They are totally different. Also is it very different to have “the sent one from God” and “God having come to earth”. That are both totally different things. so pleas come to see what is really written in the Bible and compare that with what a preacher tells you.

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Preceding articles

Man enticed to long for more

A look at materialism

The Nazarene master teacher learning people how they should behave

Matthew 5:38-42 – 5. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Exodus 21:24

Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 5 Matthew 6: 24-34: e) Anxiety and neighbor love

Matthew 7:13-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #1 The Narrow Gate and the way to destruction

Matthew 7:15-20 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #2 False prophets and fruitage

Matthew 7:13-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #3 Matthew 7:21-23 The ones Jesus never knew

Paul’s warning about false stories and his call to quit touching the unclean thing

False teachers and false prophets still around

Good or bad preacher

Teachings, prophets, wolves in sheep’s covering and a narrow gate

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Additional reading

1. Just be yourself…
2. The Cares of Life
3. Less for more
4. Material wealth, Submission and Heaven on earth
5. Materialism, would be life, and aspirations
6. Looking at a conservative review of Shop Class As Soul Craft
7. Message of Pope Francis I for the 48th World Communications Day
8. The Proper Place of Excess
9. Heaven and hell still high on the believers list showing a religion gender gap
10. Engagement in an actual two-way conversation with your deities
11. How to Find the Meaning of Life and Reach a State of Peace
12. The World framed by the Word of God
13. With the gift of Jesus comes an awesome responsibility
14. Reflect on how much idolizing happens
15. Looking to the East and the West for Truth
16. Four Pressing Needs in Rural Communities, and How the Church Should Respond
17. Preparing for the Kingdom
18. A way to prepare for the Kingdom

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Further related reading

1. The Internet Is Having a Hilarious Time With These iPhone 8 vs. iPhone X Memes
2. Eta : Keeps You Connected to Those Who Matter The Most
3. It’s not the “gold” that makes a gold digger. It’s the “digging”
4. The beat vs. the meaning…
5. Money Matters
6. Serious Money
7. The Big List of Existing Things
8. Don’t worry
9. Telling the Truth
10. Your Wants Are Out of Control
11. Still Seeking the Next Big Thing?

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• TODD STARNES: Teacher: Dear parents, tell your kids to stop talking about God
• Jesus battles the Buddha in fighting game hellbent on offending
• Daily Mass: Compassion, Mercy and Forgiveness. Catholic Inspiration
• His revelation now comes through a person’s life
• Congregations team up to offer sanctuary to undocumented immigrants
• Occult Paris Revealed – Artists, Mystics & the Revival of the Arcane Tradition: An Interview with Tobias Churton

Matthew 5:31-32 – 3. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Deuteronomy 24:1

Matthew 5:31-32 – 3. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Deuteronomy 24:1

MT5:31 “But, it was said: ‘Whoever releases his woman, let him give her a divorce certificate.’[1] [Deuteronomy 24:1] MT5:32 But, I tell you: Any man who divorces his woman[2] except on account of fornication[3] causes her to commit adultery. Any who marry the divorced woman commit adultery.

[1] Give her a divorce certificate: For the second time the context deals with women and the attitude of men toward them. This is a revolutionary idea (Matthew 2:14-16; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18; 1 Corinthians 7:10, 11). Much of the Nazarene’s teachings lead to the emancipation of women. In Mark’s account (Mark 10:12) women are included in this matter of divorce. Female divorce was not covered in the Law of Moses nor in most legislation of nations. Compare the response of the male disciples of the Nazarene at Matthew 19:3-12 where they suggest its better not to marry at all if the only grounds for divorce was adultery. Note Paul’s encouragement of celibacy without condemning marriage (1 Corinthians ch 7).

[2] Woman: The Greek is GYNAIKA and like many languages there is no word for “wife” and the married woman is implied by the context.

[3] Fornication: This is the Greek PORNEIAS which is rooted in “to buy” and first implies prostitution but later includes all forms of sexual improprieties which one might “buy” from a harlot. In the Law of Moses engaged couples who had intercourse were not stoned to death, but the male had to marry the girl, pay a price to her father, and give up his rights of divorce. PORNEIA is the root of “pornography.” The word occurs three times in Matthew (Matthew 5:32, 15:19, 19:9) and occurs once in Mark 7:21. The Apostolic Body warns the Non-Jews of it at Acts 15:20, 29. Paul uses the word most often in seven of his letters. The glorified Christ warns of it in his letters to the “angels” at Revelation 2:14, 20. Revelation 21:8 and 22:15 may infer “fornication” occurs during the 1,000 years, outside of the New Jerusalem. The Nazarene teaches that “fornication” is one of those things which ‘defile’ a person (Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:21). “Fornication” may include unnatural sexual practices as shown by Jude 6, 7.

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Preceding:

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:27-30 – 2. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Exodus 20:14

Object of first woe

Hebraic Roots Bible 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee fornication and be joined to our Master

Next: Matthew 5:33-37 – 4. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Numbers 30:3

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Additional reading

1. Being religious has benefits even in this life
2. The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #3 With his partner
3. Marriage of Jesus 3 Listening women
4. Marriage of Jesus 8 Wife of Yahweh
5. What Does The Bible Say About….Fornication?
6. Relationships and Sexuality Awareness Day
7. Manifests for believers #2 Changing celibacy requirement
8. Different assessment criteria and a new language to be found for communicating the faith
9. Bible Guidelines for a happy marriage
10. Youngsters, parents and the search to root in life
11. Forced marriage and Islam
12. Parenting in changing times
13. Two synods and life in the church community
14. A Synod to speak freely and to listen without reservations
15. 72 Synod Fathers on the topic “The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world”
16. The Catholic synod on the family and abortion
17. In marriage not wounding each other

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Object of first woe

From the old writings by the Melbourne Bible Students we like to quote:

Fornication in Delirium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The object of the first woe, as well as of the second, is stated in Revelation 9: 20, 21, to have been the punishment of the professed Christian Church for idolatry, murders, sorceries, fornication, and thefts. Without endorsing either the doctrine of predestination or fatalism which made God could and did use them to check the hypocrisy and sin of His professed people. In this connection it is worthy of note that when one nation is used to punish another it is not necessarily the better of the two; for the conquering nation itself is usually afterwards dealt with in its turn because it does not repent of its own evil practices and false religious conceptions.

“20 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not {1} worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: {1) See marginal note on Re 3:9} 21 and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” (Revelation 9:20-21 ASV)

– The New Covenant Advocate, August, 1915

God sanctifies by sending the Spirit and the truth, by corrective discipline (Heb. 12), and by giving us the association of brethren likewise under His care and instruction. – But, if we do not cooperate, the sanctification is interfered with. For example, one of the greatest evils in the world is drunkenness. If we have been delivered from that fault, and then continue to make boon companions of those who drink to excess, we can expect nothing less than that we should fall again into the sin from which we were once delivered. Similarly with other evils mentioned in Scripture— fornication, idolatry, covetousness, hatred, envy, etc, etc. Our own safety requires us to co-operate in our own sanctification by keeping away from people and places which have a retarding effect upon our growth in grace and holiness.

Separated from people and places of evil—so far, so good. We have still need to be kept from indulging the evil in our own dispositions. This too is accomplished by the influence of the spirit and the word of Truth; and in this also we must co-operate earnestly if we desire the sanctification to proceed satisfactorily.
Cleanse yourselves, says the apostle —

“Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1 ASV)

– The New Covenant Advocate, June 1917

Our Lord further expounded the higher view of marriage than that embodied in the Jewish Law, “by saying—

“And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, {1} except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: {2} and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery. {1) Some ancient authorities read [saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress] as in Mt 5:32. 2) The following words, to the end of the verse, are omitted by some ancient authorities.}” (Matthew 19:9 ASV)

The Sinaitic MS. omits the words “and whoso” to “adultery.” The same thought is, however, expressed in Luke 16: 18, according to the Sinaitic as well as other ancient MSS.
In Mark 10:- 11, the adultery committed in such a case is said to be against the wife put away. The wife is definitely wronged by being put away, and still more definitely wronged if her former husband marries another.
In Mark 10: 12 the same principle is enunciated in regard to a woman who puts away her husband and marries another, though there was, so far as we have found, no provision in the Jewish law sanctioning the putting away of the husband by the wife.
But it is likely it was practised nevertheless, since at times the whole nation fell into a state of apostasy and idolatry, and in morals sank to the level of the heathen round about them.

– The New Covenant Advocate, December 1919

The sap, or spirit, nourishing the vine of the earth, is “earthly, sensual, devilish.” It produces “confusion and every evil work.” (James 3: 15, 16.) Says the apostle Paul (Galatians 5) —

“19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, {1} parties, {1) Gr [heresies]} 21 envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I {1} forewarn you, even as I did {1} forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. {1) Or [tell you plainly]}” (Galatians 5:19-21 ASV)

All this vile fruit is the production of the spirit of the present evil world surging through the vine of the earth. Says another apostle (1 John 2) —

“15 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 vain glory 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.” (1 John 2:15-17 ASV)

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 ASV)

– The New Covenant Advocate,January 1939

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Preceding articles:

Hebraic Roots Bible 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee fornication and be joined to our Master

Nazarene Commentary 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee from Immorality

Gainsayers In Apostolic Days

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Additional reading:

1. Subcutaneous power for humanity 2 1950-2010 Post war generations
2. No time for immorality
3. Disscusion Questions
4. Stronger than anything that wants to destroy
5. To be chained by love for another one

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Related articles

• Fornication, Hell and the Bible (courageouspriest.com)
  We live in times in which many call good or “no big deal” what God calls sinful. This is especially true in the area of sexuality, where whole sectors of our society not only tolerate but even celebrate sexual practices that the Scriptures call gravely sinful, and which will lead to Hell if not repented of. Acts of fornication (pre-marital sex) and homosexual acts cannot be considered acceptable by any Catholic or by any person who sincerely accepts the Scripture as the Word of God. And even for those who do not share our faith, acts of fornication and homosexual acts can be plainly seen to cause great harm in the manner in which they spread serious disease, harm marriage and family, lead to abortion, and for the children who do survive abortion, subject them to having single mothers, absent fathers, and a lack of the best environment which they are due.
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  The Flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh; the two are directly opposed. This is why you do not do what your will intends. If you are guided by the spirit you are not under the law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, bickering jealousy, outbursts of rage, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I have warned you before: those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God! (Galatians 5:16-21)
• Premarital Sex is a Mortal Sin – Of this we must be clear and insist on repentance as the… (freerepublic.com)
  Can you not realize that the unholy will not fall heir to the Kingdom of God? Do not deceive yourselves: no fornicators, idolaters, or adulterers, no sodomites, thieves, misers, or drunkards, no slanderers or robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you have been washed, consecrated, justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. Do you not see that your bodies are member of Christ? Would you have me take Christ’s members and make them members of a prostitute? God forbid! Can you not see that the man who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? Scripture says, “The two shall become one flesh.” But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun Lewd conduct. Every other sin a man commits is outside of his body, but the fornicator sins against his own body. You must know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is within – the Spirit you have received from God. You are not your own. You have been purchased at a price. So glorify God in your body. (I Cor. 6:9-11, 15-20)
• The Fall Of Babylon (whatshotn.wordpress.com)
  The worldwide movement and conspiracy of the last days will involve a multitude of organizations, the super rich in many countries, but it will not be the product of mere human ingenuity, but of satanic agency.
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  “Of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” is a reference to the world ideologies of Babylon, which will prostitute the divine institutions God has establish for man’s protection like: volition, freedom, marriage and the family, and nationalism. Some of these intoxicant agents are humanism, the unisex idea promoted so strongly even today by the ERA movement (strongly represented by the National Organization for Women), the New Age movement, internationalism, commercialism, multinational corporations, demon worship, gross immorality, and idolatry (cf. Rev. 9:20-21; 13:5-6, 16-17).
• Homosexuality and the Body of Christ (davidchristian.hubpages.com)
  The attitude of secular civil society which says that sodomy is acceptable has spread into the church of Jesus Christ. Some denominations have already normalizedthe appointment of clerics who are openly homosexual. The excuse seems to lie in the idea that Christ was tolerant, and that thereshould be a place in his church for people of all kinds.Traditionalists attack this attitude, if course, with vehemence and intransigent rejection of what is to them an abominable promotion of an abominable practice. At the same time, avant-garde promoters of inclusiveness bend over backwards to convince the uninformed that God’s word in no place even mentions homosexuality, let alone condemns it.There is nothing odd about this, as attempting to distort the word of God to deceive others, and to mislead them into doing that which God condemns, is a method that God’s enemies employ in connection to a wide variety of issues. The apostle Peter mentioned that the existence this practice was already seen almost 2,000 years ago. In chapter three of the second letter that bears his name, Peter warned of the consequences to those who distort God’s word,
• What Every Christian Needs To Know About Homosexuality (shoebat.com)
  when Israel was in a state of anarchy, they did that “which was right in their own eyes” and thus had a repeat of the Sodom and Gomorrah situation in Judges 19:22-30. This resulted in civil war in the house of Israel between the tribe of Benjamin (the guilty party) and the tribe of Judah and the rest of the othertribes of Israel in Judges 20 and 21. A solemn warning to the West which has inherited the blessings and teachings of the God of Israel!Notice the following verses as a sign of not only the anarchy that was going on Israel, especially under godless kings, but more specifically, howsodomites/homosexualswere linked to this state of anarchy who thus hadto be dealt with by more righteous kings.I Kings 14:24: “And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.”

  I Kings 15:12: “And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.” [This verse is talking about King Asa of Judah, who was more righteous than his father, Abijam, and was willing to make amends before God by getting rid of the sodomites and idolatry in Judah]

  I Kings 22:46: “And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.” [This is talking about righteous king, Jehoshaphat, who succeeded his father, Asa, and also did something about the sodomites too].

  II Kings 23:7: “And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.” [This is describing the actions of another righteous king, Josiah, who destroyed the sodomite dens which were blasphemously put alongside the Temple].

  The Talmud also makes this statement regarding the sin of sodomy since the days of Noah and how Noahides (righteous non-Jews/Gentiles) behaved:

  Talmud Bavli, Chulin 92a–b:

  עולא אמר אלו שלשים מצות שקבלו עליהם בני נח ואין מקיימין אלא שלשה אחת שאין כותבין כתובה לזכרים ואחת שאין שוקלין בשר המת במקולין ואחת שמכבדין את התורה

  “Said Ulla: There were thirty commandments that Noahides accepted, but they keep only three: not to write a ketuba for males; not to weigh dead human flesh in the market; and to show respect for the Torah.”

• Madea reveals he’s having a child out of Wedlock (exministries.tv)
  Just because people fail the standard (Bible), it doesn’t mean that the standard (Bible) failed. God’s grace is not just about cutting man some slack. It’s about bringing man’s sins to bear on his life, to cause man to recognize the goodness of the Lord, and to get it right. Grace gives man a chance to get it straight with God. Favor demands you get it straight before it is too late. Romans 6:1 says, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer in it (sin)?”
• Who Are the Overcomers? (whatshotn.wordpress.com)
  The New Testament clearly teaches us, as does life itself, that we are in a conflict, indeed, a holy war, with specific adversaries. Even after salvation, the conflict still rages in and against the life of the Christian. This is everywhere evident in Scripture and so obvious in life that one has to deny reality to ignore or disclaim it. Two key passages that illustrate the nature of our conflict with evil are Ephesians 2:1-2 and 6:12:
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  We are to put no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3). We do not overcome by our works, by the energy of the flesh, or by our sincerity, or by our effort, or by our will power because we are powerless. Nevertheless, victory requires our cooperation with God’s operation. It means discipline, diligence, commitment to draw near to God and to act on His promises and provision by faith. Note also 1 Corinthians 15:10; Philippians 2:12-13.
• The Blame Game (sparrowsingsweetly.wordpress.com)
  Corrupted human nature predisposes all of us to the  temptation to become preoccupied with the way  someone else has transgressed the standards of even a generic  set of  operating procedures.
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  if the focus does not move swiftly from identification of a sinful behavior to  recognition of the informing attitude, the effort to conquer the foul action will most likely resemble the attempt to eradicate an obnoxiously pervasive weed with a lawn mower.  It can be successfully hacked down so no one notices it…but the ugly blemish will most certainly resurface later.
• The Miscreants behind the Pulput… (audacityandsupposition.com)
  The carnage of modern Christian doctrines is the work of spiritual deception, poured through the willing carnality of the clergy. This fact is dramatically illustrated by Mr. Helmut Koester. Writing in the July/August 1995 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Mr. Koester said, “It is a simple historical fact that Jesus was an Israelite from Galilee, and that he understood himself to be nothing else but a prophet in Israel and for Israel- a venerable tradition.”
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  The Christian seminaries long ago sorted the scriptures into categories to support canned denominational doctrines. As students at these institutions, future pastors do not study the Bible, they study “doctrines.” They learn how to explain the entire Bible from prescribed denominational perspectives. Their thinking is trained to see a packaged point of view. They are taught to repeat the denominational liturgy. Their opinions are formed to fit the mold or they don’t graduate. And no pastor is given a position in any church unless he agrees to perpetuate the party line. Seminary training removes inspiration, revelation, individual conscience, and God, from the ministry. Helmut Koester provides a startling example: “It is impossible to know for certain what Israelites or Jews, or for that matter Christians, could or could not believe in the first century C.E. [AD], before both Judaism and Christianity established boundaries for their beliefs at the end of the second century.”
• The Final Judgment Part One (supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com)
  Having sand in my eyes reminds me that we are dust and to dust we shall return. But, on the Last Day, when Christ returns as King in victory over the world and satan, we shall be raised up in our bodies. Our bodies join us forever in heaven or hell.

Gainsayers In Apostolic Days

When people talk or think about fornication, they mostly only think about the physical act and forget that there is also a spiritual fornication.
About the spiritual fornication we do like to present an old article from the Australian Bible Students, from the previous century:

Already in the Apostles’ Day, some bad arisen in the Church to begin the age-long fulfilment of the prophetic “sign” of “the gainsaying of Korah“; on account of whom it was needful for Jude to write to the Christians and exhort them that they contend earnestly “for he faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

Local Market Place, Norwich, Gentleman’s Walk because of the French Market. People concerned about the things of the world which they can buy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

These “ungodly sinners” are vigorously described in Jude’s Epistle and in 2 Peter 2, much of the language being almost identical. The ungodly ones, “crept in unawares,” “with feigned words.” They denied “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4, R.V. I “These dreamers speak evil of dignities.” (Jude 8.) And to show that not subordinate “dignities” are here meant, but that the Highest over the Church — even our Lord Jesus Christ — is here particularly designated, we are told that these “murmurers, complainers, “ungodly sinners,” shall be convicted of all their hard speeches, which they, with “great swelling words,” “have spoken Against Him.”—Jude 15.

Primitive Christians had been forewarned of this Antichrist disposition that was to manifest itself among them.

“Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18 ASV)

The spiritual cancer was already eating its way (2 Timothy 2: 17), and it made the greater progress because some were weak and sickly, through neglect of their spiritual health. — 1 Cor. 11: 30-32.

“and their word will {1} eat as doth a gangrene: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; {1) Or [spread]}” (2 Timothy 2:17 ASV)

“30 For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. 31 But if we {1} discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. {1) Gr [discriminated]} 32 But {1} when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. {1) Or [when we are judged of the Lord, we are chastened]}” (1 Corinthians 11:30-32 ASV)

In post-apostolic times, the disease made great strides, and after some centuries it shaped up as the Papacy, whose “great swelling words” were matters of prophetic prediction and have become matters of historic fulfilment. All of these have spoken “hard speech-“against “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ,” and in various ways they have spoken evil of His dignity.

Some of them have not hesitated to go in the evil way of Cain; many of them have run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, seducing God’s people into spiritual “fornication” (mixing of Church and world), as the ancient Balaam literally led astray fleshly Israel; some have particularly imitated the ways of Korah. But all of “these dreamers” have been “raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame,” yet they have been so lacking in spiritual perception that they have one and all gloried in their shame.

-From the Biblestudents magazine “The New Covenant Advocate” August, 1910

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Preceding articles:

Hebraic Roots Bible 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee fornication and be joined to our Master

Nazarene Commentary 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee from Immorality

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Read also:

No time for immorality

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Related articles

• What is Holy Tradition? (silouanthompson.net)
  Holy Tradition is the teaching of the Church, given by God with a living voice, a portion of which was later written down. Like Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition also contains holy revelation, and is therefore fundamental for our salvation. Holy Tradition is the life of the Church in the Holy Spirit; and, in concord with the enduring life of the Church, it is a wellspring of holy revelation, and thus it possesses the same authority as Holy Scripture.According to the old chronologies, 3,678 years passed from the time of Adam to Abraham; if we add 430 years of the Israelites’ time in Egypt, we have 4,108 years. Throughout this period of time Holy Scripture did not exist, nor was the Sabbath observed among the people. For thousands of years the faithful and chosen people were guided on the path of salvation by Holy Tradition alone—namely, from the teachings about God which they received from a living voice. Only during the 1,400 years from the time of Moses until the advent of Christ were they guided by the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament.
• Church, the Theater of Hypocrisy (planksandnails.hubpages.com)
  It is unfortunate that the church mind is so adamant that they are right in their ideology that they frown upon and judge those who contend against it without weighing and testing the Word of God first to find the truth for themselves. The Ekklesia who have left the trappings of organized religion have come to understand the compromise and apostasy within the churches of men. They have allowed the Holy Spirit to lead them to truth, rather than allowing the salaried-to-serve class to dispense their religious name brand agenda upon their pulpits.
• What we get wrong about church discipline (bloggingtheologically.com)
  habitual, unrepentant sin in all its forms should not associated with the people of God. Whether someone is a perpetual gossip, slanderer, malcontent, fornicator or adulterer, these things should not be known of among us, at least, not if we are to be people who are above reproach.
• What Every Christian Needs To Know About Homosexuality (shoebat.com)
  The foundations of both Judaism and Christianity find their source in the Tenach/Old Testament. Hence, it is important that we start there first:Genesis 13:13: “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.”What is the nature of their wickedness? Jehovah as the One Who personally visits Abraham along with the other 2 men, (an indication of the Trinity since Abraham addresses them in the singular: “My lord“,rather than plural), tells Abraham that the reason He is going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah is for this reason:Genesis 18:20: “And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;”
• Hell & What the Bible Says About It (salvationlinks.com)
  If there is not an eternal Hell, why get excited about the salvation of the soul? But on the other hand, if there is an eternal Hell of endless horror awaiting all who do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, salvation instantly becomes the most vital and important issue a human being can ever face, one that should be settled immediately. As another expressed it, “If there is no place like Hell, then to alarm people with such an idea is wrong. But if there is actually a place like Hell, then to keep silent and fail to warn people about it is worse than neglect of duty. It Is Criminal!”
• Contend Earnestly For The Faith (jasonbiblechurchmember.com)
  to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints
• The Nature of Spiritual Deception (endtimesprophecyreport.wordpress.com)
   “Deception is everywhere” is a statement with which the regular reader of End Times Prophecy Report is well acquainted.  The question has come up: Well, what exactly is this “deception” about which we’re being warned?
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  Every piece of “literature” is deception and contributes to the interlocking series of lies by which we are surrounded. If an author is not a member-in-good-standing of the mystery of iniquity, they will not get published nor will they be promoted by the world.
• Concluding Revelations And Exhortations (whatshotn.wordpress.com)
  In contrast to the many human viewpoint foundations or cunningly devised fables upon which men try to build their lives stands the faithful and true Word from God. Man’s viewpoint without the Bible must be built upon speculation, human reason, and experience, all of which are very unreliable due to man’s condition in sin, his short life span, his deductive thinking, his constant tendency to interpret facts with his presuppositions, his limited experience and the amount of knowledge he can retain and use, and of course, due to the unseen and demonic forces which deceive and warp his viewpoint. All of this makes man’s human viewpoint ideas about as reliable as a lily pad for a foundation, especially in spiritual matters.
• Sinners or Saints? (lhim.org)
  We find the first reference to sinners in Sodom where it says “the men of Sodomwere wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD” (Gen 13.13). In the time of Samuel God told Saul to “utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites” (1 Sam 15.18). Throughout the books of poetry, we see the righteous encouraged not to “stand in the path of sinners” (Psa 1.1), that sinners will not stand in the assembly of the righteous (Psa 1.5). After all, one sinner destroys much good (Ecc 9.18). Solomon taught his son notto be enticed by sinners (Prov 1.10), since they will get what they deserve (Prov 11.31). Wickedness, adversity, and the adulteress subvert the sinner (Prov 13.6, 21;Ecc 7.26) and his wealthis stored up for the righteous (Prov 13.22;Ecc 2.26). Even if they live a long time, you should not allow your heart to envy sinners (Ecc 8.12; Prov 23.17). Rather, like David, we should seek to convert sinners to God’s path (Psa 51.13). We hear the Psalmist begging, “do not take my soul away along with sinners” (Psa 26.9) since theywill be consumed from the earth (Psa 104.35; Isaiah 1.28; 13.9; Amos 9.10). In the end they too shall die (Ecc 9.2), or perchance if they live to see it, the day of the LORD will terrify them (Isaiah 33.14).In the Gospels, we find sinners often mentioned with tax collectors. These were the people that Jesus was calling to repentance—the people with whom the Pharisees and scribes did not want to have anything to do (Mat 9.10-13; Mark 2.15-17; Luke 5.30-32; 19.7).