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
And G1161 he answered G611 and said G2036 unto him, G846 Master, G1320 all G3956 these G5023 have I observed G5442 from G1537 my G3450 youth. G3503 Then G1161 Jesus G2424 beholding G1689 him G846 loved G25 him, G846 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 One thing G1520 thou G4671 lackest: G5302 go thy way, G5217 sell G4453 whatsoever G3745 thou hast, G2192 and G2532 give G1325 to the poor, G4434 and G2532 thou shalt have G2192 treasure G2344 in G1722 heaven: G3772 and G2532 come, G1204 take up G142 the cross, G4716 and follow G190 me. G3427
The Pharisee G5330 stood G2476 and prayed G4336 thus G5023 with G4314 himself, G1438 God, G2316 I thank G2168 thee, G4671 that G3754 I am G1510 not G3756 as G5618 other G3062 men G444 are, extortioners, G727 unjust, G94 adulterers, G3432 or G2228 even G2532 as G5613 this G3778 publican. G5057 I fast G3522 twice G1364 in the week, G4521 I give tithes G586 of all G3956 that G3745 I possess. G2932
And G1161 he said, G2036 All G3956 these G5023 have I kept G5442 from G1537 my G3450 youth G3503 up. Now G1161 when Jesus G2424 heard G191 these things, G5023 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Yet G2089 lackest G3007 thou G4671 one G1520 thing: sell G4453 all G3956 that G3745 thou hast, G2192 and G2532 distribute G1239 unto the poor, G4434 and G2532 thou shalt have G2192 treasure G2344 in G1722 heaven: G3772 and G2532 come, G1204 follow G190 me. G3427
Now G1161 we know G1492 that G3754 what things soever G3745 the law G3551 saith, G3004 it saith G2980 to them who are under G1722 the law: G3551 that G2443 every G3956 mouth G4750 may be stopped, G5420 and G2532 all G3956 the world G2889 may become G1096 guilty G5267 before God. G2316 Therefore G1360 by G1537 the deeds G2041 of the law G3551 there shall G1344 no G3956 G3756 flesh G4561 be justified G1344 in his G846 sight: G1799 for G1063 by G1223 the law G3551 is the knowledge G1922 of sin. G266 But G1161 now G3570 the righteousness G1343 of God G2316 without G5565 the law G3551 is manifested, G5319 being witnessed G3140 by G5259 the law G3551 and G2532 the prophets; G4396 Even G1161 the righteousness G1343 of God G2316 which is by G1223 faith G4102 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 unto G1519 all G3956 and G2532 upon G1909 all G3956 them that believe: G4100 for G1063 there is G2076 no G3756 difference: G1293 For G1063 all G3956 have sinned, G264 and G2532 come short G5302 of the glory G1391 of God; G2316
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.