Matthew 19:1-12 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

The Question of Divorce (Mark 10:1-12 *). In Matthew 19:2 healed replaces Mk.'s taught. Mt. makes Jesus give His own opinion, based on Gen., at once, and it is the Pharisees who bring the Deuteronomic modification into the debate.

Matthew 19:3. for every cause: peculiar to Mt. Mk. makes the questions as to divorce absolute; Mt. gives it a Jewish and more likely form, having in mind the difference between the view of Shammai that a man could put his wife away for serious misconduct only, and that of Hillel that he could do so for any reason, e.g. a spoiled dinner or a physical defect. Jesus lifts the subject out of these quibbles to an ideal plane. Note how (Matthew 19:8) He changes the Pharisees-' word Moses commanded into Moses suffered, i.e. allowed.

Matthew 19:9. except for fornication: i.e. unchastity peculiar to Mt. Perhaps (Allen, p. 203) the addition is due to a Jewish-Christian editor bringing Christ's teaching into line with that of the Rabbis (cf. Matthew 5:17-20), yet he may have been rightly interpreting it. The last clause of this verse takes the place of Mark 10:12 (cf. also Luke 16:18; Matthew 5:31 f.*).

Matthew 19:10 ff. Peculiar to Mt. The disciples suggest that if the marriage tie is so strict as Jesus suggests, it had better not be formed. Jesus agrees, but says (Moffatt's tr.): This truth is not practicable (or everyone, it is only for those who have the gift (? of spiritual insight). He shifts the ground of the objection. This comparative depreciation of marriage, continued and unfolded in Matthew 19:12, stands in contrast with Matthew 19:1-9, which sanctifies it. We must probably interpret the praise of celibacy (there is no need to take the words made themselves eunuchs literally, as Origen did) in Matthew 19:12 as having an eschatological background. If the Kingdom was imminent, the best thing was to forego ordinary relationships and be ready for it. The saying and the fact that Jesus Himself was celibate have led to the unhappy view in some quarters that celibacy is always and everywhere the superior condition. Cf. 1 Corinthians 7, Revelation 14:4. Montefiore refers to Baron von Hü gel's Mystic Element of Religion, ii. 126- 129. Jesus, like Paul, recognises the case of weaker brethren: Let anyone practise it for whom it is practicable. Perhaps Matthew 19:12 is really a detached saying which Mt. here connects with the discussion on divorce by Matthew 19:10 f., which may well have belonged originally to the more rigorous Marcan account. This saying (Matthew 19:11) may be the disciples-' remark in Matthew 19:10, or Christ's teaching of the permanency of the marriage tie (Matthew 19:4-8), or possibly His words in Matthew 19:12.

Related Commentaries of Matthew 19:1

Matthew 19:1-12

1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;

2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

4 And he answered and said unto them,Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

5 And said,For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

8 He saith unto them,Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

11 But he said unto them,All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.