3 “And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:3–6 (ESV)
Returning to our study in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus traveled into Judea from the northern region of Galilee (Matt. 19:1-2). His Galilean Ministry was completed. It is in this extended discourse (Matt.19:3-20:16) that Matthew recorded Jesus’ various encounters with people and teaching opportunities. Large crowds followed Him. He also healed many individuals.
The first teachable moment occurred with the subject of divorce and remarriage (Matt. 19:3-12). The discussion began when the Pharisees came up to Jesus to test Him, as they often did ((Matt. 12:1–14; 15:1–20). To test (πειράζω; periazo) means to explore or to prove. The Pharisees did not want biblical answers to their questions. Rather, they wanted to trap Jesus in His biblical responses to their questions.
Their question was, ““Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” The phrase “is it lawful” (ἔξεστιν; exestin) means to have authorization or permission. The Pharisees repeatedly asked Jesus if there was authorization for a man to divorce his wife for any and all reasons, charges and accusations? For example, there were some who taught that if a wife broke a dish, a husband would have sufficient grounds to divorce her.
“A hotly debated difference of opinion existed between the rabbis Shammai and Hillel (both near-contemporaries of Christ). The Shammaites interpreted the law rigidly, and permitted a man to divorce his wife only if she was guilty of sexual immorality. The Hillelites took a wholly pragmatic approach, and permitted a man to divorce his wife indiscriminately,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.
However, a wife was not permitted to divorce her husband for even biblical reasons. She could not initiate divorce proceedings. This reveals a discriminatory and hypocritical culture existing at this time.
Jesus’ answer was both biblical and direct. “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female.” Jesus quoted from Genesis 1:27. This not only indicates Jesus recognition the Old Testament was biblical authority, but also that is was relevant in addressing social and moral issues. Jesus also affirmed the validity of heterosexual marriage to be solely between a binary male and a binary female. The Old Testament remains relevant today.
Jesus also said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? This biblical reference is from Genesis 2:24.
Jesus then said, “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” To separate (χωρίζω; chorizo) means to divide what was previously joined or coupled.
“The marital relationship was established as the first human institution. The responsibility to honor one’s parents (Ex. 20:12) does not cease with leaving and the union of husband with wife (Matt. 19:5; Mark 10:7, 8; 1 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 5:31), but does represent the inauguration of a new and primary responsibility. “Hold fast” carries the sense of a permanent or indissoluble union, so that divorce was not considered (cf. Gen. 3:16). “One flesh” speaks of a complete unity of parts making a whole, e.g., one cluster, many grapes (Num. 13:23) or one God in three persons (Deut. 6:4); thus this marital union was complete and whole with two people. This also implies their sexual completeness. One man and one woman constitute the pair to reproduce. The “one flesh” is primarily seen in the child born of that union, the one perfect result of the union of two. Cf. uses of this verse in Matt. 19:5, 6; Mark 10:8; 1 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 5:31. Permanent monogamy was and continues to be God’s design and law for marriage,” states Dr. MacArthur.
Jesus set forth the biblical ideal. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman, until death. This is the biblical standard all Christian couples must keep in mind when difficult issues in marriage occur.
Soli deo Gloria!
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