Marriage And Divorce In The New Age (19:3-12). . Having in chapter 18 laid down the principles on which His new congregation was to run Jesus will now begin to lay down the foundations of life in the new age in relation to marriage, divorce, and celibacy, humility as a basis for life, and attitudes towards wealth and family. He commences with the question of the basis of true marriage. read more
A Period of Testing - Jesus Prepares For The New World Order - Journey to Jerusalem - Triumphal Entry - Jesus Is Lord (19:3-22). Having entered Judaea on the way to Jerusalem for His final visit, Jesus enters into a period of testing as to His status as a Prophet, a process which comes to completion in Matthew 22:46. This commences with a visit by the Pharisees to test Him on His views on divorce (Matthew 19:3 ff). In reply to this He reveals that marriage is not something to be treated... read more
Analysis Of The Section Matthew 19:3 to Matthew 22:46 . This whole Section may be analysed as follows: a Jesus’ testing commences with a question about divorce. b Jesus questions the Pharisees about what the Scriptures say. Scripture has demonstrated that God is the Creator and Lord over all, and that man cannot change what God has in His sovereignty declared, that a man and woman are to cleave together and become one flesh, which no man is to put asunder. Their relationship is unique.... read more
‘And he answered and said, “Have you not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, ‘Have you not read?’ Jesus then turned their attention to what the Scriptures did say, and that was that God had made man ‘male and female’. The two were to be seen as one. Genesis 1:27 says, ‘God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.’ In other words God’s image was reflected and revealed among other ways (e.g. their... read more
“And said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?’ ” Indeed that was the only ground on which it was right for a man to leave his father and mother. It was so that he might cleave to his wife with the result that the two became one flesh, united and indivisible. Even filial obedience and family unity, which were so important in Israel, were nevertheless subservient to the fact of the uniting of a male and a... read more
“So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” And once the two have been joined in this way they are ‘one flesh’. They thereby reflect the image of God, the image of God’s own unity. Thus what God has joined together man must not try to separate. To break such a unity would thus be to sin grievously against God. This is not ‘just another sin’. It is to offend God drastically. It is to destroy His purpose in creation. It is to... read more
Matthew 19:1-2 Kings : . The Question of Divorce ( Mark 10:1-2 Kings : *).— 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... read more
Mark, Mark 10:2-9, giveth us the same history of this discourse, differing a little in the order of the words, but nothing as to the substance of his discourse. Our Saviour answereth neither Yea nor Nay to their discourse, but gives them a fair occasion to answer themselves, and tacitly charges them with ignorance and corruption of the law of God. He refers them to the first institution of marriage, and for that to the book of Genesis, Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:24. It is as much as if our Lord... read more
CRITICAL NOTESMatthew 19:1. He departed from Galilee.—This marks a very solemn period in our Lord’s public ministry. It was His farewell to Galilee (Brown). Came into the coasts of Judæa beyond Jordan.—From the parallel passage in Mark (Mark 10:1) we learn that this means: Came into Judæa by the trans-Jordanic route through Peræa. It does not mean that any portion of Judæa lay beyond Jordan (Carr). St. Matthew here omits various particulars, of which some are to be supplied from Luke 9:51 to... read more
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Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:3-6
The Testing Of Jesus Begins. The Pharisees Challenge Jesus About Divorce (19:3-6). Jesus is now approaching Jerusalem through Judaea, and whatever route we see Him as taking Matthew’s emphasis is on the fact that He has left Galilee and has entered Judaea (Matthew 19:1). Furthermore it is made clear that He is doing so accompanied by Messianic signs (Matthew 11:5). The crowds follow Him and He heals them (Matthew 19:2). But the inevitable result of His public entry into Judaea, headed for... read more