10 His G846 disciples G3101 say G3004 unto him, G846 If G1487 the case G156 of the man G444 be G2076 so G3779 with G3326 his wife, G1135 it is G4851 not G3756 good G4851 to marry. G1060
Drink H8354 waters H4325 out of thine own cistern, H953 and running waters H5140 out of H8432 thine own well. H875 Let thy fountains H4599 be dispersed H6327 abroad, H2351 and rivers H6388 of waters H4325 in the streets. H7339 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' H2114 with thee. Let thy fountain H4726 be blessed: H1288 and rejoice H8055 with the wife H802 of thy youth. H5271 Let her be as the loving H158 hind H365 and pleasant H2580 roe; H3280 let her breasts H1717 satisfy H7301 thee at all times; H6256 and be thou ravished H7686 always H8548 with her love. H160
A foolish H3684 son H1121 is the calamity H1942 of his father: H1 and the contentions H4079 of a wife H802 are a continual H2956 dropping. H1812 House H1004 and riches H1952 are the inheritance H5159 of fathers: H1 and a prudent H7919 wife H802 is from the LORD. H3068
Now G1161 concerning G4012 the things whereof G3739 ye wrote G1125 unto me: G3427 It is good G2570 for a man G444 not G3361 to touch G680 a woman. G1135 Nevertheless, G1223 G1161 to avoid fornication, G4202 let G2192 every man G1538 have G2192 his own G1438 wife, G1135 and G2532 let G2192 every woman G1538 have G2192 her own G2398 husband. G435
I suppose G3543 therefore G3767 that this G5124 is G5225 good G2570 for G1223 the present G1764 distress, G318 I say, that G3754 it is good G2570 for a man G444 so G3779 to be. G1511 Art thou bound G1210 unto a wife? G1135 seek G2212 not G3361 to be loosed. G3080 Art thou loosed G3089 from G575 a wife? G1135 seek G2212 not G3361 a wife. G1135 But G1161 and G2532 if G1437 thou marry, G1060 thou hast G264 not G3756 sinned; G264 and G2532 if G1437 a virgin G3933 marry, G1060 she hath G264 not G3756 sinned. G264 Nevertheless G1161 such G5108 shall have G2192 trouble G2347 in the flesh: G4561 but G1161 I G1473 spare G5339 you. G5216
But G1161 I would have G1511 G2309 you G5209 without carefulness. G275 He that is unmarried G22 careth G3309 for the things that belong to G3588 the Lord, G2962 how G4459 he may please G700 the Lord: G2962 But G1161 he that is married G1060 careth G3309 for the things that are G3588 of the world, G2889 how G4459 he may please G700 his wife. G1135 There is difference also between G3307 a wife G1135 and G2532 a virgin. G3933 The unmarried woman G22 careth for G3309 the things G3588 of the Lord, G2962 that G2443 she may be G5600 holy G40 both G2532 in body G4983 and G2532 in spirit: G4151 but G1161 she that is married G1060 careth G3309 for the things G3588 of the world, G2889 how G4459 she may please G700 her husband. G435 And G1161 this G5124 I speak G3004 for G4314 your G5216 own G846 profit; G4851 not G3756 that G2443 I may cast G1911 a snare G1029 upon you, G5213 but G235 for that which G4314 is comely, G2158 and G2532 that ye may attend upon G2145 the Lord G2962 without distraction. G563
The wife G1135 is bound G1210 by the law G3551 G1909 as long G5550 as G3745 her G846 husband G435 liveth; G2198 but G1161 if G1437 her G846 husband G435 be dead, G2837 she is G2076 at liberty G1658 to be married G1060 to whom G3739 she will; G2309 only G3440 in G1722 the Lord. G2962 But G1161 she is G2076 happier G3107 if G1437 she G3306 so G3779 abide, G3306 after G2596 my G1699 judgment: G1106 and G1161 I think G1380 also G2504 that I have G2192 the Spirit G4151 of God. G2316
But G1161 the younger G3501 widows G5503 refuse: G3868 for G1063 when G3752 they have begun to wax wanton against G2691 Christ, G5547 they will G2309 marry; G1060 Having G2192 damnation, G2917 because G3754 they have cast off G114 their first G4413 faith. G4102 And G1161 G2532 withal G260 they learn G3129 to be idle, G692 wandering about G4022 from house to house; G3614 and G1161 not G3756 only G3440 idle, G692 but G235 tattlers G5397 also G2532 and G2532 busybodies, G4021 speaking G2980 things which G3588 they ought G1163 not. G3361 I will G1014 therefore G3767 that the younger women G3501 marry, G1060 bear children, G5041 guide the house, G3616 give G1325 none G3367 occasion G874 to the adversary G480 to G5484 speak reproachfully. G3059 For G1063 some G5100 are G1624 already G2235 turned aside G1624 after G3694 Satan. G4567
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Matthew 19
Commentary on Matthew 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
Mt 19:1-12. Final Departure from Galilee—Divorce. ( = Mr 10:1-12; Lu 9:51).
Farewell to Galilee (Mt 19:1, 2).
1. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee—This marks a very solemn period in our Lord's public ministry. So slightly is it touched here, and in the corresponding passage of Mark (Mr 10:1), that few readers probably note it as the Redeemer's Farewell to Galilee, which however it was. See on the sublime statement of Luke (Lu 9:51), which relates to the same transition stage in the progress of our Lord's work.
and came into the coasts—or, boundaries
of Judea beyond Jordan—that is, to the further, or east side of the Jordan, into Perea, the dominions of Herod Antipas. But though one might conclude from our Evangelist that our Lord went straight from the one region to the other, we know from the other Gospels that a considerable time elapsed between the departure from the one and the arrival at the other, during which many of the most important events in our Lord's public life occurred—probably a large part of what is recorded in Lu 9:51, onward to Lu 18:15, and part of Joh 7:2-11:54.
2. And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there—Mark says further (Mr 10:1), that "as He was wont, He taught them there." What we now have on the subject of divorce is some of that teaching.
Divorce (Mt 19:3-12).
3. Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?—Two rival schools (as we saw on Mt 5:31) were divided on this question—a delicate one, as De Wette pertinently remarks, in the dominions of Herod Antipas.
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—or better, perhaps, "He that made them made them from the beginning a male and a female."
5. And said, For this cause—to follow out this divine appointment.
shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?—Jesus here sends them back to the original constitution of man as one pair, a male and a female; to their marriage, as such, by divine appointment; and to the purpose of God, expressed by the sacred historian, that in all time one man and one woman should by marriage become one flesh—so to continue as long as both are in the flesh. This being God's constitution, let not man break it up by causeless divorces.
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—as a civil lawgiver.
because of—or "having respect to."
the hardness of your hearts—looking to your low moral state, and your inability to endure the strictness of the original law.
suffered you to put away your wives—tolerated a relaxation of the strictness of the marriage bond—not as approving of it, but to prevent still greater evils.
But from the beginning it was not so—This is repeated, in order to impress upon His audience the temporary and purely civil character of this Mosaic relaxation.
9. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except, &c.—See on Mt 5:32.
10. His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry—that is, "In this view of marriage, surely it must prove a snare rather than a blessing, and had better be avoided altogether."
11. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given—that is, "That the unmarried state is better, is a saying not for everyone, and indeed only for such as it is divinely intended for." But who are these? they would naturally ask; and this our Lord proceeds to tell them in three particulars.
12. For there are some eunuchs which were so born from their mother's womb—persons constitutionally either incapable of or indisposed to marriage.
and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs of men—persons rendered incapable by others.
and there be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake—persons who, to do God's work better, deliberately choose this state. Such was Paul (1Co 7:7).
He that is able to receive it, let him receive it—"He who feels this to be his proper vocation, let him embrace it"; which, of course, is as much as to say—"he only." Thus, all are left free in this matter.
Mt 19:13-15. Little Children Brought to Christ. ( = Mr 10:13-16; Lu 18:15-17).
For the exposition, see on Lu 18:15-17.
Mt 19:16-30. The Rich Young Ruler. ( = Mr 10:17-31; Lu 18:18-30).
For the exposition, see on Lu 18:18-30.