Matthew 19:6-10
Mat 19:6 (KJB)
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined
together, let not man put asunder.
Jesus now confirms the fact that after marriage the couple is one flesh. They
are in union both spiritually and physically. They are to walk in the same
direction. Their bodies belong to each other. (1 Cor 7:4 KJV) The wife hath
not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath
not power of his own body, but the wife. However, being married does not
negate the fact that a person is an individual and may have different ideas than
their spouse. Marriage is the most deepest and intimate of all human
relationships. Then Jesus goes beyond the human aspect of marriage and states
that it was God who joined Adam and Eve, and in every marriage, there is a
God-joined aspect. Even where marriage seems to be out of God’s will, that is
still a marriage in the sight of God. Then the phrase “let not man put asunder.”
The word “asunder” in the Greek carries with it the idea of “separate, divide,
or divorce.” The words “let” and “asunder” are one word in the Greek and that
word is in the Imperative Mood making it a command. In other words, the command
of God is not to divorce, it is not a suggestion. If man divorces his wife, then
he violates the command of God and adulterates the marriage.
Mat 19:7 (KJB)
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement,
and to put her away?
The Pharisees then quote Deuteronomy 24:1. (Deu 24:1 KJV) When a man hath
taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in
his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her
a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
The word “uncleanness” in Deut. 24:1 does not specifically signify adultery but
can also be understood to be “shame.” The Pharisees had used a multitude of
excuses to grant a divorce such as inability to bear children, any type of wrong
behavior, talking with a man that was not her husband, inability to cook, etc.
Divorce had become an issue in the time of Moses and by the time of Christ, 1450
years later, it had become a common practice to divorce for any reason a man saw
fit. Moses gave the wife a writ of divorce as a protection for her and it
allowed her to remarry. The real point here is that the Pharisees wanted to see
if Jesus would somehow usurp the authority of Moses on this issue.
Mat 19:8 (KJB)
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to
put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
One of the reasons that Moses allowed divorce was because if there would have
been marriages that were broken up and there was no official divorce, then both
spouses would become guilty of adultery by going to be with someone else and
adultery carried with it the death penalty. So Moses allowed a writ of divorce
to be given to the wife so people would know that the matter had been
adjudicated and was brought before Moses. The other reason that Moses allowed
divorce was because of the hardness of their hearts. There would be an
unforgiving spirit among the people resulting in their hearts being hardened in
sin. Then eventually God Himself would divorce Israel itself and this situation
was the precursor to that event. (Jer 3:8 KJV) And I saw, when for all the
causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and
given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but
went and played the harlot also. Then Jesus confirms the fact that from the
beginning, that is, from the time of Adam and Eve, divorce was not the way of
dealing with problems in marriage and it is still not the way today but because
of easy no fault divorces, couples can be divorced by noon and in the bars by
nine.
Mat 19:9 (KJB)
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for
fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth
her which is put away doth commit adultery.
The word for “fornication” is the Greek word “porneia” which carries a very wide
range of meaning. In fact anything from sexual sin to idolatry to political
fornication. (Rev 19:2 KJV) For true and righteous are his judgments: for he
hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication,
and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. If you remember,
the Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus and they asked Him about divorce for
“every cause.” Porneia carries with it a wide meaning and can be applied to
almost every situation in a marriage where fidelity comes into question. If a
woman talks with another man, she could be accused of porneia, if she laughs
with friends and there is a man present, she could be accused of porneia. It
could be applied to many situations and this is why Jesus gave that exception
clause because that exception clause completely refutes and negates the
Pharisees’ belief of divorce for every cause. Then Jesus places a very important
principle on the end of this verse and that is if a person divorces their wife
and then marries another commits adultery and remember under mosaic law,
adultery is met by stoning. Jesus also states that if a man marries a woman who
is divorced, then whether she has a writ of divorce or not, it is considered
adultery in the eyes of God. In the time Jesus walked the earth, just like
today, divorce and remarriage was rampant and Jesus is telling them that it is
adultery to marry a person whose spouse is still living. Moses allowed remarriage but Jesus is stating that it is adultery.
Mat 19:10 (KJB)
His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is
not good to marry.
Since the disciples were raised under this type of teaching, it was hard for
them to digest the reality that it was truly difficult to dissolve that heavy
yoke of marriage and that a man should think very seriously about marriage and
its tenets before they get married and not after. Then the disciples said if the
situation is like this, then it is good not to marry.