Matthew 19:3-6
And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 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’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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These Pharisees weren't just asking a question; they were setting a trap by using the loophole in the Law (Deuteronomy 24:1) that allowed divorce for "any cause." They wanted to force Jesus into either contradicting Moses or condoning the lax divorce practices of the day.
The Pharisees, ever eager to trap Jesus, approach him with a loaded question about divorce. This wasn't just an abstract theological debate; it touched on a deeply divisive issue among Jewish scholars, with two main schools of thought offering very different interpretations of the Law. By asking if divorce was permissible "for any cause," they hoped Jesus would either contradict Moses' Law or alienate one of the prominent rabbinical factions.
The Pharisees corner Jesus with a question that seems simple but is designed to ensnare Him. They were hoping to catch Him in a contradiction.
The Pharisees approached Jesus with a loaded question: "Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?" This wasn't a genuine inquiry for understanding. Instead, it was a deliberate attempt to 'test' or 'tempt' Him.
A Divided House
At this time, Jewish society was split between two main rabbinical schools of thought on divorce:
The Pharisees knew Jesus had likely spoken on this before, and they aimed to put Him on the spot. If He sided with Hillel, He'd be seen as morally lax. If He sided with Shammai, they could accuse Him of contradicting the Law of Moses (as they interpreted it). Their goal was to find fault and discredit Him, not to seek truth.
Jesus doesn't just give a ruling; He goes back to the very beginning of creation to reveal God's intention for marriage.
Jesus masterfully sidesteps the Pharisees' trap by taking them all the way back to the foundation of all things: creation itself. He doesn't immediately engage with their interpretation of Moses' law but instead grounds His answer in God's original design.
From Creation's Blueprint
Jesus points to:
Understand the original words
Pharisaioi · Greek Noun
A religious and political party in first-century Judaism known for their strict adherence to the oral and written Law and their opposition to Jesus. They often sought to entrap Jesus with theological questions.
peirazontes · Greek Verb
To put to the test, examine, or tempt, often with the intention of exposing a flaw or entrapping someone in their speech or actions.
exestin · Greek Verb
Permitted or authorized by the Law of God (Torah). In this context, the Pharisees are questioning if a particular practice aligns with the scriptural commands given by God.
apolysai · Greek Verb
The legal dissolution of a marriage. Biblically, it is viewed as a consequence of the hardness of the human heart, contrasting with God's original intent for marriage.
This encounter highlights the intense debate within Jewish society regarding divorce, with the Pharisees attempting to corner Jesus by presenting him with a question that had divided their own leading scholars.
c. 20 BC - AD 10
Rise of Hillel and Shammai Schools
Two major rabbinical schools, led by Hillel and Shammai, emerge, holding differing views on the permissibility of divorce. The Hillel school allowed divorce for almost any reason, while the Shammai school restricted it to cases of adultery.
c. AD 28
Jesus Teaches Sermon on the Mount
Jesus teaches on divorce in Galilee, stating that divorcing a wife except for sexual immorality and marrying another causes adultery (Matthew 5:32). This establishes his initial stance on the matter.
c. AD 29
Jesus Debates Pharisees on Divorce (Perea)
While in Perea, Jesus again discusses divorce with the Pharisees, reiterating his earlier teaching and emphasizing God's original design for marriage as a lifelong union.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Pharisees Question Jesus in Jerusalem
Pharisees, likely sent from Jerusalem, approach Jesus with the question of whether divorce is permissible 'for any cause,' aiming to trap him by his previous teachings and the Law of Moses.
This passage lays the foundation for marriage as God's original design, establishing the union of male and female as the basis for Jesus's teaching against divorce.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4This Old Testament passage is the primary text the Pharisees used to justify divorce, and Jesus addresses its purpose and limitations in His response.
Malachi 2:13-16This prophetic passage condemns the betrayal of one's wife and the practice of divorce, echoing Jesus's emphasis on faithfulness within marriage.
Matthew 5:31-32Jesus addresses the issue of divorce directly in the Sermon on the Mount, reiterating His stricter stance and the sinfulness of casual divorce.
1 Corinthians 7:10-16Paul further elaborates on the principles of marriage and separation, building on Jesus's teachings and addressing the practicalities for believers in mixed marriages.
vincentMatthew 19:3: "The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?"
TemptingSee on Matthew 6:13.For every causeThe temptation turned upon the dispute dividing the two great Rabbinical schools, the one of which (that of Hillel) held that a man might divorce his wife for any reason which rendered her distasteful to him; and the other (that of Shammai) that divorce was allowable only in case of unchastity. The querists w…
calvinMatthew 19:3-9: "The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?"
- And the Pharisees came to him, tempting him, and saying to him, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever? 4. Who answering said to them, Have you not read, that he who made them at first, [593] made them male and female? 5. And he said, Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they…
These Pharisees weren't just asking a question; they were setting a trap by using the loophole in the Law (Deuteronomy 24:1) that allowed divorce for "any cause." They wanted to force Jesus into either contradicting Moses or condoning the lax divorce practices of the day.
The Pharisees, ever eager to trap Jesus, approach him with a loaded question about divorce. This wasn't just an abstract theological debate; it touched on a deeply divisive issue among Jewish scholars, with two main schools of thought offering very different interpretations of the Law. By asking if divorce was permissible "for any cause," they hoped Jesus would either contradict Moses' Law or alienate one of the prominent rabbinical factions.
The Pharisees, ever eager to trap Jesus, approach him with a loaded question about divorce. This wasn't just an abstract theological debate; it touched on a deeply divisive issue among Jewish scholars, with two main schools of thought offering very different interpretations of the Law. By asking if divorce was permissible "for any cause," they hoped Jesus would either contradict Moses' Law or alienate one of the prominent rabbinical factions.
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By invoking creation, Jesus establishes marriage as a divine institution, intended to be a permanent, unified 'one flesh' union. This isn't just a human agreement; it's a sacred covenant ordained by God.
The Pharisees bring up Moses' law about divorce, but Jesus reveals it wasn't God's ideal, but a concession.
The Pharisees, seeing Jesus appeal to creation, quickly countered with a practical question about the Law of Moses: "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?" (Matthew 19:7).
A Concession, Not a Commandment
Jesus’ answer is crucial: 'Moses, because of your hardness of heart, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.' (Matthew 19:8).
This reveals a vital distinction:
Jesus clarifies that divorce wasn't something God wanted but something Moses allowed to prevent worse outcomes in a fallen world. This reframes the Mosaic provision not as a green light for divorce, but as a regulated release valve for a hard-hearted people.
ktisas · Greek Verb
The act of bringing something into existence out of nothing, specifically referring to God's creative work at the beginning of time.
arsen kai thēly · Greek Noun/Adjective phrase
The fundamental, God-ordained binary distinction of human gender as established by the Creator, carrying equal dignity and distinct roles under God's design.
proskollēthēsetai · Greek Verb
To stick, cling, or glue together. It denotes a permanent, committed bond of love and loyalty in a covenantal relationship, especially in marriage.
sarka mian · Greek Noun/Adjective phrase
A biblical metaphor for the radical unity of two individuals in marriage, where they cease to be two separate entities and become a single, unified whole before God.
sarx · Greek Noun
Used in Genesis and here to describe the marriage union, it signifies a profound, ontological unity between a man and a woman that transcends mere physical attraction or legal contract, creating a singular entity in God’s sight.
synezeuxen · Greek Verb
Refers to a legal or divine bond or yoking. In this context, it emphasizes that marriage is an institution established and sanctioned by God, rather than a purely human invention.
chorizeto · Greek Verb
To divide, dissolve, or break apart. Jesus uses this word to forbid human interference in the permanent bond that God has established in marriage.
"And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man sh…" — These Pharisees weren't just asking a question; they were setting a trap by using the loophole in the Law (Deuteronomy 24:1) that allowed divorce for "any cause." They wanted to force Jesus into eith…
