The Gospel of Matthew: Hardness of Heart.

⁷ “They said to him, “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 hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. (Matthew 19:7–8 (ESV)

“It is one thing to say to a man, ‘If you don’t like your wife, go right ahead and divorce her.’ It is an entirely different matter to say, ‘If you are convinced that you have a good reason to reject your wife, you must at least provide her with a bill of divorce.’ Besides, you better carefully consider what you are about to do; for if you subsequently regret what you have done it may very well be impossible for you to regain what you have lost.” – Dr. William Hendriksen

The Pharisees’ question to Jesus concerning divorce did not cease with His initial answer (Matt. 19:3-6). They did not respond with silence, but rather with a follow-up question. “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?”

The Pharisees referred to Deuteronomy 24:1-4. As usual, they did not properly interpret the Old Testament text. Jesus responded by saying, ““Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”  

Jesus made an important observation. Moses did not command people to get a divorce for any and all reasons. Rather, he allowed them to do so within specific guidelines within the Law of God. The word allowed (ἐπιτρέπω; epitrepo) means to permit or to give permission.

The only reason Jesu gave for this permission was because of the hardness of the people’s heart; their thinking, emotions and will. Hardness of heart (σκληροκαρδία; sklerokardia) means to be completely unyielding and stubborn. This supports the fact that divorce is only a last resort response to hard-heartedness between couples.

“Moses had done everything in his power to discourage divorce. It was only because of the stubbornness of the people that Moses had made a concession! In this concession of Deut. 24 the Pharisees are far more interested than in the institution of Gen. 1:27; 2:24. So Jesus points back once more to the original marriage ordinance, that is, to the way it had been “from the beginning,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

Malachi 2:13–16 (NASB95) says, ¹³ “This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. ¹⁴ “Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. ¹⁵ “But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And what did that one do while he was seeking a godly offspring? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth. ¹⁶ “For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong,” says the Lord of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit that you do not deal treacherously.”

Let all of us who have understanding apply God’s Word in our minds, emotions and wills. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!