Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Matthew » Chapter 19 » Verse 16-24

Matthew 19:16-24 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

16 And, G2532 behold, G2400 one G1520 came G4334 and said G2036 unto him, G846 Good G18 Master, G1320 what G5101 good thing G18 shall I do, G4160 that G2443 I may have G2192 eternal G166 life? G2222

17 And G1161 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Why G5101 callest thou G3004 me G3165 good? G18 there is none G3762 good G18 but G1508 one, G1520 that is, God: G2316 but G1161 if G1487 thou wilt G2309 enter G1525 into G1519 life, G2222 keep G5083 the commandments. G1785

18 He saith G3004 unto him, G846 Which? G4169 G1161 Jesus G2424 said, G2036 Thou shalt do G5407 no G3756 murder, G5407 Thou shalt G3431 not G3756 commit adultery, G3431 Thou shalt G2813 not G3756 steal, G2813 Thou shalt G5576 not G3756 bear false witness, G5576

19 Honour G5091 thy G4675 father G3962 and G2532 thy mother: G3384 and, G2532 Thou shalt love G25 thy G4675 neighbour G4139 as G5613 thyself. G4572

20 The young man G3495 saith G3004 unto him, G846 All G3956 these things G5023 have I kept G5442 from G1537 my G3450 youth up: G3503 what G5101 lack G5302 I yet? G2089

21 Jesus G2424 said G5346 unto him, G846 If G1487 thou wilt G2309 be G1511 perfect, G5046 go G5217 and sell G4453 that thou G4675 hast, G5224 and G2532 give G1325 to the poor, G4434 and G2532 thou shalt have G2192 treasure G2344 in G1722 heaven: G3772 and G2532 come G1204 and follow G190 me. G3427

22 But G1161 when the young man G3495 heard G191 that saying, G3056 he went away G565 sorrowful: G3076 for G1063 he had G2192 G2258 great G4183 possessions. G2933

23 Then G1161 said G2036 Jesus G2424 unto his G846 disciples, G3101 Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 a rich man G4145 shall hardly G1423 enter G1525 into G1519 the kingdom G932 of heaven. G3772

24 And G1161 again G3825 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 It is G2076 easier G2123 for a camel G2574 to go G1330 through G1223 the eye G5169 of a needle, G4476 than G2228 for a rich man G4145 to enter G1525 into G1519 the kingdom G932 of God. G2316

Commentary on Matthew 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 19

Mt 19:1-12. Final Departure from GalileeDivorce. ( = 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.