BIBLE STUDY LESSON 14
SERIES S --- THE SON OF YHVH
TO WORSHIP YHVH
THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR
From Matthew 19:1-15; Mark 10:1-16; Luke 18:1-17
Yeshua told the disciples a story one day to show how they must continue to pray without losing hope that YHVH would answer. [A judge in a certain city had no respect for YHVH or man,] Yeshua told them. [But a widow in that city kept coming to that judge, begging him to help protect her from someone. At first, the judge ignored her, but the woman persisted, so the judge finally decided, ‘I have no respect for YHVH or man, but I will help this woman so that she will stop bothering me, for otherwise she will wear me out.’ Now if the unrighteous judge said that, think how YHVH, the righteous Judge, will bring justice for His people who plead with him day and night? Certainly, He will answer their prayers without delay. However, when I return, how many will I find persistently praying?] Yeshua told another parable to illustrate people who think themselves righteous, and look at others with scorn. [Two men went into the temple to pray,] He said. [One was a Pharisee, who thought himself quite righteous. He prayed to himself, ‘YHVH, I thank You that I am not a robber, a cheat, an adulterer or a sinner like that tax collector over there. I fast twice each week and pay tithes of everything I receive.’ The other man was a tax collector, who had probably cheated people. He stood to one side and beat on his chest in repentance and cried out, ‘YHVH have mercy on me, a sinner.’ This cheating, but repentant, tax collector was so ashamed of his sin that he would not even look toward heaven as he prayed, but he, and not the Pharisee, returned home forgiven! Whoever tries to lift himself up in pride shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be lifted up in honour.] Leaving Galilee, Yeshua went toward Judea, crossing first to the east of the Jordan River. Crowds swarmed around Him as usual and He taught them. Some Pharisees joined the crowds and tried to trap Yeshua with a question about divorce. [Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?] they asked. [Don’t you remember what the Scriptures say about marriage?] Yeshua asked. [It tells us that YHVH made man and woman, and when a man leaves father and mother to marry, he and his wife become one flesh, so they are no longer two, but are one. Man must not separate what YHVH has joined.] [Then why did Moses permit divorce by giving a certificate to a wife and sending her away?] they asked. [Moses did this because of the hardness of hearts,] Yeshua answered. [But it was not YHVH’s plan in the beginning. I tell you also that whoever divorces husband or wife, except for unfaithfulness, and then marries another, commits adultery.] The disciples asked Yeshua about this when they were alone in a house. [If that is the way things are, isn’t it better for people not to marry?] they asked. [Not everyone can accept this,] Yeshua replied. [Only those to whom it is given. Some are born without the ability to unite with a mate, others were made that way by people, and still others refrain from the marriage relationship so they may serve YHVH. Whoever can accept this, let him do it.]
COMMENTARY
WIDOWS
Jewish Law required that people show mercy to a woman whose husband had died. In that way, the Israelites were not like their neighbours, who made no special allowances for widows. Since a woman was totally dependent on her husband for her possessions, food and shelter, Jewish law spelled out very clearly what was to be done for a widow. If the widow had sons, she became their responsibility. If she had none, she could return to her parents, stay with other members of her family, or remain with her husband’s family. She could remarry. Under certain circumstances, she could marry her husband’s brother or his closest male relative; the son of such a union, called a levirate marriage, was considered the dead man’s child. The widow who had little or no income was protected from starvation by Jewish Law. Reapers were commanded to leave grain standing in the corners and edges of the field for the widow to take. A portion of olives and grapes was also left in the orchards and vineyards for her. Every third year, some of the Israelites’ tithe was set aside for the needs of widows. It was forbidden to take a widow’s mourning clothes as security for a loan. Nor could her last ox be taken as payment. But in spite of the Law’s Commandments, the people of Israel did not always show mercy to widows. Often even before her husband was buried, creditors threatened to take away almost everything she owned. If she did not have enough money to pay back her husband’s debts, her house or land could be claimed as payment. If she was so poor that she had nothing, the creditors would take her children as slaves. The Old Testament prophets warned the disobedient Israelites of YHVH’s judgment for their sins, including the bad treatment of widows. Yeshua, too, spoke about the dishonest judge who would not defend the widow until she wore him down with her pleas.