Matthew 19:4-5
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’?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus points them back to the very start of creation, not to a specific law, but to the foundational design God established. This emphasizes that the original, perfect intention for marriage was a complete, lifelong union of one man and one woman.
The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus by asking if it's lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus responds by directly challenging their understanding, turning their attention to the very beginning of creation to reveal God's original design for marriage. He grounds his teaching not in human laws or traditions, but in the foundational act of God creating humanity as male and female for an intended lifelong union.
When the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus with tricky questions about divorce, He didn't dig into complex legal arguments. Instead, He pointed them to the very beginning.
Jesus redirects the conversation from human laws and traditions back to the foundational purpose of marriage as established by God.
The Creation Mandate
Jesus quotes from Genesis, highlighting God's intentional creation of humanity as male and female. This wasn't an accidental arrangement, but the blueprint for human relationships and procreation.
Purpose Over Permission
The Pharisees were focused on what was permitted under the Law of Moses (divorce). Jesus redirects them to what was intended from the start. The original design reveals God's ideal for marriage, not just the concessions made for human failing.
Have you ever noticed how Jesus often answered complex questions with simple, yet profound, truths? When faced with a debate about divorce, His answer went straight to the heart of the matter.
Jesus' approach here shows a powerful strategy for addressing difficult issues:
Prioritize the Original Intent
Instead of getting lost in the weeds of legalistic interpretations or cultural norms, Jesus goes back to the source. He reminds the Pharisees that God's original design for marriage, established at creation, is the ultimate standard.
Unpacking the 'Why'
By referencing creation, Jesus isn't just stating a fact; He's revealing the why behind marriage. It was designed by God for companionship, unity ('one flesh'), and the continuation of humanity. This foundational purpose informs how we should approach all questions about marriage, including divorce.
Understand the original words
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.
Jesus’ answer wasn’t just about marriage; it was a radical re-centering of life back to God’s original, perfect design, pushing against the cultural and legal compromises that had crept into Jewish society.
c. 1500 BC - 400 BC
Development of Jewish Divorce Laws
During the Second Temple period, Jewish society saw varying interpretations and practices regarding divorce, influenced by different rabbinic schools like Hillel and Shammai. This legal and social context is where Jesus' teaching on divorce was situated.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Teaching on Marriage and Divorce
Jesus directly addresses the Pharisees' question about the lawfulness of divorce, referencing the creation account to establish marriage as a lifelong, indissoluble union ordained by God from the beginning. This is the event the verse directly relates to.
c. 50 AD
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal moment where early Christian leaders, including Peter and Paul, decided that Gentile converts did not need to follow all Mosaic laws, including certain purity regulations. This context shows how the early church navigated the relationship between Old Testament law and Christian practice.
c. 60-65 AD
Paul's Letter to the Corinthians
This passage directly states God's creation of humanity as male and female, echoing Jesus' foundational argument in Matthew 19:4.
Genesis 2:24Following the creation account, this verse describes the union of male and female into 'one flesh,' reinforcing the concept of marriage as an intended, inseparable bond that Jesus references.
Malachi 2:15This prophetic passage also points back to God creating 'one man and one woman,' highlighting marriage as a sacred covenant and questioning those who would break it.
Romans 1:26-27Paul discusses unnatural desires and practices, contrasting them with the created order where men and women are designed for each other, aligning with the natural design Jesus emphasizes.
1 Corinthians 6:16This verse again uses the 'one flesh' concept from Genesis, underscoring the profound unity of marriage that Jesus is invoking against the Pharisees' questions about divorce.
barnesMatthew 19:4: "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,"
And he answered and said ... - Instead of referring to the opinions of either party, Jesus called their attention to the original design of marriage, to the authority of Moses an authority acknowledged by them both. Have ye not read? - Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:21-22. "And said, For this cause," etc., Genesis 2:24. That is, God, at the beginning, made but one m…
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…
Jesus points them back to the very start of creation, not to a specific law, but to the foundational design God established. This emphasizes that the original, perfect intention for marriage was a complete, lifelong union of one man and one woman.
The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus by asking if it's lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus responds by directly challenging their understanding, turning their attention to the very beginning of creation to reveal God's original design for marriage. He grounds his teaching not in human laws or traditions, but in the foundational act of God creating humanity as male and female for an intended lifelong union.
The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus by asking if it's lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus responds by directly challenging their understanding, turning their attention to the very beginning of creation to reveal God's original design for marriage. He grounds his teaching not in human laws or traditions, but in the foundational act of God creating humanity as male and female for an intended lifelong union.
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In his letter, Paul addresses practical matters of Christian living, including marriage and divorce, reiterating Jesus' teachings and providing further guidance on enduring hardship within marriage and the implications of divorce for believers.
"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’?" — Jesus points them back to the very start of creation, not to a specific law, but to the foundational design God established. This emphasizes that the original, perfect intention for marriage was a co…
