Today's reading is devoted to two themes: the theme of divorce and the theme of children taking part in Jesus' conversations. In the first case it is interesting to note how Jesus interprets the norms of Old Testament law. He evidently separates in them what...
Today's reading is devoted to two themes: the theme of divorce and the theme of children taking part in Jesus' conversations. In the first case it is interesting to note how Jesus interprets the norms of Old Testament law. He evidently separates in them what has been revealed by God as a commandment to be followed from what God permits a person, condescending to human weakness. Divorce is indeed permissible from the point of view of Old Testament law: it would have been impossible and meaningless to demand from sinful humanity the fullness of family and married life that was given to people before the fall and was later lost.
Then it becomes clear that marriage and family life are God's gift, and that fidelity in married life is a commandment given for all times. The possibility of divorce, however, is not God's gift at all, and certainly not a commandment; it is only a concession to human weakness, a forced concession that cannot exist in the Kingdom of God, where the fullness of life no longer requires any concessions. Jesus sets the bar as high as possible, but His demands cannot be any lower, because He offers them with the understanding that they are made of those who live not according to the laws of this world, but according to the laws of the Kingdom of God, where these demands turn out not to be excessive at all, but entirely ordinary.
The same applies to the presence of children: in a world that lives by the laws familiar to us, any appearance of children can only interrupt a serious conversation and get in the way. But in the Kingdom of God, where the depth of a person's participation in communion apparently depends less on age, the presence of even a small child at an "adult" conversation may not only fail to interfere, but may even enliven the conversation. That is how different the laws of the world we know and are used to are from those by which the Kingdom of God lives.
3
3:16 All scripture is inspired of God - The Spirit of God not only once inspired those who wrote it, but continually inspires, supernaturally assists, those that read it with earnest prayer. Hence it is so profitable for doctrine, for instruction of the ignorant, for the reproof or conviction of them that are in error or sin, for the correction or amendment of whatever is amiss, and for instructing or training up the children of God in all righteousness.
3:17 That the man of God - He that is united to and approved of God. May be perfect - Blameless himself, and throughly furnished - By the scripture, either to teach, reprove, correct, or train up others.
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4:1 I charge thee therefore - This is deduced from the whole preceding chapter. At his appearing and his kingdom - That is, at his appearing in the kingdom of glory.
4:2 Be instant - Insist on, urge these things in season, out of season - That is, continually, at all times and places. It might be translated, with and without opportunity - Not only when a fair occasion is given: even when there is none, one must be made.
4:3 For they will heap up teachers - Therefore thou hast need of "all longsuffering." According to their own desires - Smooth as they can wish. Having itching ears - Fond of noveltyand variety, which the number of new teachers, as well as their empty, soft, or philosophical discourses, pleased. Such teachers, and such hearers, seldom are much concerned with what is strict or to the purpose. Heap to themselves - Not enduring sound doctrine, they will reject the sound preachers, and gather together all that suit their own taste. Probably they send out one another as teachers, and so are never at a loss for numbers.