Christian Quest
Study 27
Jesus Leaves the Galilee - Instruction on marriage

Reading:
Matthew 19:1-12
Mark 10:1-12
Luke 18:1-14

Commentary

We come now in our study of Jesus' life from the Gospels when Jesus in his final journey to Jerusalem leaves the Galilee, departing to the region of Judea that lay on the other side of the Jordan River. Reflecting on the text recorded at Luke 13:31-33, we see that life for Jesus in the Galilee had become dangerous. Even Pharisees warned Jesus to leave for Herod "wants to kill you" they told him. Jesus knew his time was short, and that it would not be fulfillment of His mission to die outside of Jerusalem, for he had responded to the Pharisees concerning their warning to him about Pharaoh: ". . . I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day - for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!" (Luke 13:33) Just as in the case with John the Baptist, his popularity with crowds of people drew suspicious attention from Herod Antipas (successor of Herod the Great) who lived in Tiberius and feared such following of a charismatic person might spark a political uprising in his tetrarchy. Jesus, seeing that the hour of his death was approaching and His work in Galilee was finished, soon departed.

In the region beyond the Jordan, Jesus entered the provincial jurisdiction of Philip. Thus region was populated by a tribe of Babylonian Jews from Ecbatane who enjoyed good standing with the tetrarch Philip. Once again Jesus' popularity flourished as people flocked to Hi. Now outside of Herod's territory, He no longer was obliged to avoid the gathering of enthusiastic crowds as He had during the last few months in Galilee. For a little while another fruitful period of His ministry followed without opposition.

There was a Roman road through this territory--traces of which are in existence today--which led up to the Golan Heights. The season of the departure from Galilee appears to have been in winter, according to the Gospel John, after the Feast of Dedication (Hanukah) in Jerusalem. Following this road led to a rather autonomous region known as Batanea. While Pharisees were active in Batanea, it is believed that Essene influence was dominant. One issue of contention between the Pharisees and the Essenes in this region was that of marriage. Pharisees permitted divorce by a husband writing a letter of divorce according to Moses' permission, whereas the Essenes believed in strict monogamy with no allowance for a second marriage. Considering His rising popularity as a teach among the people in the region, it is quite natural that the Pharisees would be curious as to Jesus position in the matter of marriage and divorce. When they asked, Jesus reminded them that in God's original plan, marriage brought a man and woman into a unified relationship of becoming one, as if being of one flesh, joined by God.

Synopsis

Matthew 19:1-2; Mark 10:1 - Jesus leaves Galilee for the region beyond the Jordan in his final journey to Jerusalem.
Matthew 19:3-12; Mark 10:2-12 - Jesus instructs on Marriage. (See also Luke 16:18)

More parables from Luke:
Luke 18:1-8 - Parable of the woman and the judge.
Luke 18:9-14 - Parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.

Optional research:

• What are some of the things marriage symbolizes in the Bible in prophecy and metaphor?
• What is the Jewish celebration of the Feast of Dedication about?

Review questions:

• What are two reasons why Jesus left Galilee?
• Why did the Pharisees say Jesus should leave?
• Where was Jesus headed and why?
• What time of year was it likely when Jesus left Galilee, and according to which Gospel?
• What course did Jesus take in leaving Galilee?
• Why did Jesus not avoid crowds in this region as he had in the previous months in Galilee?
• What two Jewish religious groups appear to have been prominent in the region of Batanea?
• Explain the difference between the two groups regarding the institution of marriage.
• Which group did Jesus most agree with and why?
• What was the point of Jesus parable about the woman and the judge and how might we apply it to our lives.
• What was the point in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector?
• What was the most interesting thing you learned from this lesson?

Optional discussion:

Can one ever truly sever the relationship to one with whom they have produced children?
Can children divorce parents?