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Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?"
Verse Takeaways
1
A Question with a Trap
Commentators unanimously agree that the Pharisees' question was not a sincere inquiry but a malicious trap. They were "tempting" Jesus, trying to force him into a no-win situation. Their goal was to damage his reputation by making him either contradict the Law of Moses or alienate a large portion of the population, no matter how he answered.
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Matthew
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9
18th Century
Presbyterian
The Pharisees also came. (See Barnes' Notes on Matthew 3:7).
Tempting him. This means, to get him, if possible, to express…
Pharisees tempting him (Φαρισαιο πειραζοντες αυτον). They "could not ask a question of Jesus without sinister motives" (Bruce). Se…
19th Century
Anglican
Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason? (See the note on Matthew 5:32). The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount…
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Baptist
Here are these vipers again! What perseverance in malice! Little did they care for instruction, yet they assumed the air of inquirers. In truth, th…
This first section on divorce, always a burning issue in church and society, has produced much discussion among commentators.
Pharisees are o…
16th Century
Protestant
And the Pharisees came to him, tempting him. Though the Pharisees lay snares for Christ and cunningly endeavor to deceive him, yet their m…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
The Pharisees also came unto him Either from the places round about, or from Jerusalem: these came unto him, not for…
The Pharisees were eager to draw something from Jesus that they could portray as contrary to the law of Moses. Cases about marriage have been numer…
13th Century
Catholic
In this passage, it was shown how one comes to eternal life by the common way. Here, He teaches how one comes by the way of perfection. This way of…
