12 For G1063 there are G1526 some eunuchs, G2135 which G3748 were so G3779 born G1080 from G1537 their mother's G3384 womb: G2836 and G2532 there are G1526 some eunuchs, G2135 which G3748 were made eunuchs G2134 of G5259 men: G444 and G2532 there be G1526 eunuchs, G2135 which G3748 have made G2134 themselves G1438 eunuchs G2134 for G1223 the kingdom G932 of heaven's sake. G3772 He that is able G1410 to receive G5562 it, let him receive G5562 it.
Neither let the son H1121 of the stranger, H5236 that hath joined H3867 himself to the LORD, H3068 speak, H559 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 hath utterly H914 separated H914 me from his people: H5971 neither let the eunuch H5631 say, H559 Behold, I am a dry H3002 tree. H6086 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 unto the eunuchs H5631 that keep H8104 my sabbaths, H7676 and choose H977 the things that please H2654 me, and take hold H2388 of my covenant; H1285
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 But G1161 if any man G1536 think G3543 that he behaveth himself uncomely G807 toward G1909 his G846 virgin, G3933 if G1437 she pass the flower of her age, G5230 G5600 and G2532 need G3784 so G3779 require, G1096 let him do G4160 what G3739 he will, G2309 he sinneth G264 not: G3756 let them marry. G1060 Nevertheless G1161 he G3739 that standeth G2476 stedfast G1476 in G1722 his heart, G2588 having G2192 no G3361 necessity, G318 but G1161 hath G2192 power G1849 over G4012 his own G2398 will, G2307 and G2532 hath G2919 so G5124 decreed G2919 in G1722 his G846 heart G2588 that he will keep G5083 his G1438 virgin, G3933 doeth G4160 well. G2573 So G5620 then G2532 he that giveth her in marriage G1547 doeth G4160 well; G2573 but G1161 he that giveth her G1547 not G3361 in marriage G1547 doeth G4160 better. G2908
But G1161 I G1473 have used G5530 none G3762 of these things: G5130 G1161 neither G3756 have I written G1125 these things, G5023 that G2443 it should be G1096 so G3779 done G1096 unto G1722 me: G1698 for G1063 it were better G3123 for me G3427 to die, G599 G2570 than G2228 that G2443 any man G5100 should make G2758 my G3450 glorying G2745 void. G2758
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.