ESV Study Bible | English Standard Version
Matthew 19
Teaching About Divorce
19 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from n Galilee and o entered p the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And q large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 And Pharisees came up to him and r tested him by asking, s “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, t “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, u ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and v the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. w What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to him, x “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your y hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 z And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” [1]
10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, a “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only b those to c whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs d for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”
Let the Children Come to Me
13 e Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples f rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, g “Let the little children h come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.
The Rich Young Man
16 i And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to j have k eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. l If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, m “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, n You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, o “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be p perfect, go, q sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have r treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 s When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, t only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 u Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter v the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus w looked at them and said, x “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, y we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, [2] z when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me a will also sit on twelve thrones, b judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 c And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold [3] and will d inherit eternal life. 30 But e many who are f first will be last, and the last first.
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Matt. 18:1–20:34 The Community of the Messiah Revealed. This is the fourth of Jesus' five major discourses in Matthew's Gospel (see Introduction: Key Themes; Literary Features). As his earthly ministry draws to a close, Jesus has spent considerable time clarifying his identity and mission (chs. 14–17). He instructs his disciples on the nature of his covenant community, explaining the kingdom community's characteristics (18:1–35), its implications for the sanctity of marriage (19:1–12), and its value (19:13–20:34).
Matt. 19:1–20:34 Valuing the Kingdom Community. The great Galilean ministry has now ended, and Jesus and his disciples begin the momentous journey to Jerusalem. Jesus explains the sanctity of marriage (19:3–12) and reveals the tragedy of the rich young man (19:16–22), in contrast to the gracious reward awaiting those who follow him (19:23–30). This leads to the parable of the vineyard workers (20:1–16). Jesus then gives his third prediction of his death (20:17–19) and sets an example for community sacrifice, suffering, and service (20:20–28). As he and his disciples begin their ascent to Jerusalem, Jesus mercifully heals two blind men in Jericho (20:29–34).
Matt. 19:1 Judea beyond the Jordan. Most likely Perea, the area just east of the Jordan River between Samaria and the Decapolis, whose population was largely Jewish (see map).
Matt. 19:2 large crowds followed him. Jesus' fame has quickly spread, due to his healing ministry in Galilee.
Matt. 19:3 Pharisees . . . tested him. See note on 3:7. The religious leaders try to get Jesus to incriminate himself through misinterpreting the law. divorce. There was a significant debate between Pharisaical parties on the correct interpretation of Moses' divorce regulations (Deut. 24:1), as noted in this excerpt from the Mishnah, Gittin 9.10: “The school of Shammai says: A man may not divorce his wife unless he has found unchastity in her. . . . And the school of Hillel says: [He may divorce her] even if she spoiled a dish for him. . . . Rabbi Akiba says, [he may divorce her] even if he found another fairer than she” (see Mishnah, Gittin 9 for an example of a Jewish certificate of divorce and the terms required for remarriage; see also Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 4.253 for the phrase “whatsoever cause”).
Matt. 19:4–5 He who created them . . . said is a strong affirmation of the divine inspiration of the OT Scriptures, because Jesus goes on to quote words from Genesis that are not attributed to any speaker (“Therefore a man . . .” cf. Gen. 2:24) and attributes those words to God.
Matt. 19:6 What . . . God has joined together implies that marriage is not merely a human agreement but a relationship in which God changes the status of a man and a woman from being single (they are no longer two) to being married (one flesh). From the moment they are married, they are unified in a mysterious way that belongs to no other human relationship, having all the God-given rights and responsibilities of marriage that they did not have before. Being “one flesh” includes the sexual union of a husband and wife (see Gen. 2:24), but it is more than that because it means that they have left their parents' household (“a man shall leave his father and his mother,” Gen. 2:24) and have established a new family, such that their primary human loyalty is now to each other, before anyone else. let not man separate. Jesus avoids the Pharisaic argument about reasons for divorce and goes back to the beginning of creation to demonstrate God's intention for the institution of marriage. It is to be a permanent bond between a man and a woman that joins them into one new union that is consecrated by physical intercourse (Gen. 2:24).
Matt. 19:8 Because of your hardness of heart should not be understood to mean that only “hard-hearted” people would ever initiate a divorce. Rather, it means, “because there was hard-hearted rebellion against God among you, leading to serious defilement of marriages.” The presence of sin in the community meant that some marriages would be seriously defiled and irretrievably damaged, and God therefore provided divorce as a solution in those cases. Moses allowed you to divorce. The Pharisees had asked why Moses commanded divorce (v. 7), but Jesus corrects them, showing that divorce is not what God intended from the beginning, and that even when it is allowed, it is permitted only on very specific grounds but never required. See note on Deut. 24:1–4. From the beginning it was not so points back to God's original intent that marriage would be lifelong.
Matt. 19:9 Every phrase in this verse is important for understanding Jesus' teaching on divorce. whoever divorces his wife. “Divorces” is Greek apoluō, which always means “divorce” in contexts concerning marriage. Some commentators have claimed that apoluō means “separates from, sends away” in this verse (implying separation but not divorce), but this is not persuasive because (a) this word has not been shown to include the sense of “separate” in any other contexts concerning marriage and (b) the same word clearly means “divorce” in the Pharisees' question in v. 3 (the current dispute among Jewish rabbis was about divorce, not separation), and therefore it should be understood to have the same meaning in Jesus' response to their question in vv. 8 and 9. except for sexual immorality (Gk. porneia). (1) This implies that divorce and remarriage on the grounds of sexual immorality are not prohibited and thus do not constitute adultery. This is the one exception Jesus makes to the requirement that marriage be lifelong, for sexual immorality grievously defiles and indeed corrupts the “one flesh” union (v. 5). (2) The parallel passages in Mark 10:11–12 and Luke 16:18 omit “except for sexual immorality,” but that was probably because everyone, whatever their position in Jewish disputes over divorce (see note on Matt. 19:3), assumed that divorce was allowed in the case of adultery (i.e., the question of divorce because of adultery was not at issue in the immediate context in Mark 10 and Luke 16). But Matthew includes this fuller account of Jesus' words, with the exception clause, perhaps to prevent any possible misunderstanding in other contexts, and perhaps to explicitly situate Jesus' teaching within the context of the Jewish debates, for the benefit of his Jewish-Christian audience. (Also note that Matthew sometimes includes clarifying exceptions not included by Mark and Luke; e.g., Mark 8:12 quotes Jesus saying “no sign will be given to this generation,” whereas Matt. 16:4 says “no sign will be given to [this generation] except the sign of Jonah.”) (3) Some have claimed that porneia in this context refers to a very narrow, specific kind of sexual immorality, either sexual relations among close relatives or sexual immorality discovered during the betrothal period. Those who hold this position then argue that divorce in any other case is always prohibited, or else if divorce is allowed, remarriage is never allowed. But porneia had a broader range of meaning in ordinary usage, referring to any sexual intercourse that was contrary to the moral standards of Scripture, and nothing in this context would indicate that this should be understood in such a restricted sense (see note on 5:31–32). and marries another, commits adultery. (1) If a divorce is obtained for any reason other than (“except for”) sexual immorality, then the second marriage begins with adultery. Jesus is prohibiting divorce for the many trivial reasons that were used so frequently in the first century, leading to widespread injustice, especially for women whose husbands suddenly divorced them. (2) “And marries another” implies that the second marriage, though it begins with adultery, is still a marriage. Once a second marriage has occurred, it would be further sin to break it up. The second marriage should not be thought of as continually living in adultery, for the man and woman are now married to each other, not to anyone else. (3) If the exception (“sexual immorality”) occurs, then the implication is that remarriage to “another” does not constitute adultery and is therefore permissible. (4) Divorce, it must be remembered, is permitted but not required in the case of sexual immorality. Since God's intention is that marriage should be for life (19:4–8), this provides good reason to make every reasonable effort to achieve restoration and forgiveness in marriage before taking steps to dissolve a marriage through divorce. This makes Jesus' teaching fundamentally different from all of first-century Judaism, which required divorce in the case of adultery. (On the question of divorce and desertion, see 1 Cor. 7:15 and note.)
Matt. 19:10–12 After hearing Jesus nullify most of the currently popular grounds for divorce, the disciples overreact and say, it is better not to marry (than to run the risk of a lifelong unhappy marriage). This saying is best understood as referring to that statement (“it is better not to marry”). Jesus explains that what they have said is true, but only for those to whom it is given, namely, for eunuchs. This would include those without the capacity for sexual relations, either through a birth defect, castration, or a voluntary life of abstinence. Celibacy is an acceptable alternative to marriage (cf. 1 Cor. 7:6–9; and note on 1 Cor. 7:6–7).
Matt. 19:13 lay his hands on them. A traditional manner of blessing children in Israel, especially when passing on a blessing from one generation to the next (cf. Gen. 48:14; Num. 27:18).
Matt. 19:14 to such belongs the kingdom of heaven. See notes on 18:2–4; 18:5–6. Children serve as a metaphor of the humility necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
Matt. 19:16 a man came up to him. Verses 16–22 have been called the story of the “rich young ruler” since he is rich (v. 22), young (v. 20), and a ruler (cf. Luke 18:18). He may have been a religious lay leader, quite possibly a Pharisee (because of the diligence he displays in following the law). After addressing Jesus as Teacher, a title of respect, he asks what good deed he must do to have eternal life. “Eternal life” is virtually synonymous with expressions such as “entering the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20) and being “saved” (19:25–26); it is the first occurrence of this expression in Matthew (cf. v. 29; 25:46). In the parallel accounts (Mark 10:17–22; Luke 18:18–23), the wording of the question and answer differs somewhat, but there is no contradiction, and it seems to be a case of different Gospels reporting different parts of the same conversation.
Matt. 19:17 There is only one who is good. Only in understanding God as infinitely good can the young man discover that human good deeds cannot earn eternal life. keep the commandments. Jesus is not teaching that good works can earn eternal life, for in vv. 21–22 he will show the man how far short he falls of keeping the first commandment (cf. Ex. 20:3) and the first of the two greatest commandments (cf. Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:36–40). But obedience to the law is also an expression of belief in the truly good God who is the source of all good, including eternal life. Scripture elsewhere clearly affirms that salvation is a gift of God's grace received through faith, and not by works (see notes on Eph. 2:8; 2:9–10).
Matt. 19:18–19 Which ones? Jesus gives a representative list of laws, including five commandments from the second half of the Decalogue (cf. Ex. 20:1–17; Deut. 5:7–21), and the second of the two greatest commandments (Lev. 19:18; cf. Matt. 22:36–40).
Matt. 19:20 All these I have kept. The man implies he has kept not only these, but the entire law, which they represent. He views his obedience to the law as complete, but he still senses that something is lacking.
Matt. 19:21 If you would be perfect. Jesus knows the man's wealth has become his means to personal identity, power, and a sense of meaning in life—that it has become the idolatrous god of his life (cf. note on v. 17). Jesus' strategy is to turn this man from focusing on external conformity to the law to examining his heart, revealing his ruling god. give to the poor. The man had no doubt given some money to the poor, as the giving of alms was considered a pious duty, especially among the Pharisees. But Jesus calls him to give everything away, exchanging the god of wealth for the eternal treasure found in following Jesus as the one true God. Jesus' ultimate answer to the question posed in v. 16 (“What . . . must I do to have eternal life?”) is to follow him.
Matt. 19:22 went away sorrowful. Even though he wants “eternal life” (v. 16), the young man cannot bring himself to cease worshiping the ruling force in his life, his great possessions.
Matt. 19:23 only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Wealth is both deceptive and intoxicating: it fools a person into thinking that he or she is self-sufficient apart from God; and the rich person wants desperately to hold on to that supposed self-sufficiency. The general attributes of the “rich” are the opposite of those of a “child” (cf. 18:1–5; 19:13–15).
Matt. 19:24 camel. The largest land animal in Palestine. the eye of a needle. The smallest opening found in the home. Jesus paints a picture of something impossible in order to illustrate that even the seemingly impossible is possible with God. There is no evidence for the popular interpretation that there was a gate in Jerusalem called “the eye of the needle,” which camels had to stoop to their knees to enter. Such an interpretation would miss the point: it is not merely difficult for the wealthy to be saved; without God's grace it is impossible (cf. v. 26).
Matt. 19:25 astonished. Wealth was often equated with God's favor and blessing (cf. Deut. 28:1–14).
Matt. 19:26 For the wealthy to shift their primary allegiance to God is humanly impossible, but with God all things are possible, as evidenced by the conversions of rich men like Joseph of Arimathea (27:57) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:9–10).
Matt. 19:27 we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? In response to Peter's self-seeking and perhaps self-pity, Jesus acknowledges the rewards that his disciples will receive. But his parable in 20:1–15 will be a subtle rebuke.
Matt. 19:28 the new world (Gk. palingenesia, lit., “renewal” or “regeneration”). The term occurs in the NT only here and in Titus 3:5. In Titus it refers to present, individual regeneration, but here it looks forward to the future end-time renewal of the world (cf. 2 Pet. 3:10–13; Revelation 21–22). judging. In this new world, the twelve apostles (except for Judas, see Acts 1:12–26) will participate in the final establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth.
Matt. 19:29 receive a hundredfold. Cf. 13:8. Those who have given up the god of their lives to follow Jesus will receive abundant reward (the other Synoptics add “in this time”; cf. Mark 10:29–30 and note; Luke 18:30) and will inherit eternal life. Eternal life (which is a gift) is an inheritance, not an earned reward.
Matt. 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. See note on 20:16.
