Matthew 19:4-5
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus doesn't just quote Genesis; He points to its very first declaration about humanity. By highlighting "He who created them from the beginning made them male and female," Jesus is showing that the original design, not later human customs or even parts of the Law, is the ultimate standard for marriage. This establishes that true marital union is foundational, not a social construct open to constant redefinition.
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)
The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus by asking if it's lawful to divorce one's wife for any reason, a question debated by Jewish rabbis at the time. Jesus doesn't directly answer their question about divorce laws but instead appeals to the original creation account in Genesis, reminding them of God's initial design for marriage. He's redirecting them from human interpretations and allowances back to God's foundational intention.
When facing difficult questions, Jesus didn't look to popular opinion or even the Law of Moses alone. He pointed back to the ultimate authority: the very beginning.
The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus with a question about divorce, asking if it was permissible for any cause. Jesus, however, sidesteps their legalistic debate by going straight to the foundational purpose of marriage as established by God at creation.
The First Marriage
Jesus reminds them (and us) of Genesis 1:27: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." This wasn't just about procreation; it was about a unique, foundational unity.
Beyond Human Opinion
By appealing to creation, Jesus shows that marriage isn't a human invention that can be redefined by shifting cultural norms or legal loopholes. It's a divine institution with an original intent. This principle means we must always go back to God's Word to understand His design for relationships, not to popular trends or differing interpretations.
Jesus' simple phrase 'male and female' carries profound weight. It wasn't just a biological description; it was a declaration of God's intended order.
The Pharisees were grappling with the permissibility of divorce, and Jesus grounds his response in the foundational truth of creation. The fact that God created humanity as male and female isn't accidental; it points to the intended structure of marriage.
Ask a follow-up
Divine Complementarity
This pairing highlights a divine complementarity, a unity designed for lifelong partnership. It’s the bedrock upon which the 'one flesh' reality is built. Jesus uses this truth to push back against the idea that marriage is easily dissolvable.
A Foundation, Not a Limitation
Jesus isn't just stating a biological fact; he's declaring God's intention for the marital union. This 'male and female' design is the blueprint for a relationship characterized by exclusivity and permanence, established from the very start.
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.
By appealing to the creation account in Genesis, Jesus draws His listeners back to God's original, perfect intention for marriage, countering the common practice and rabbinic debates of His day that allowed for easy divorce.
c. 4000 BC
Creation of Adam and Eve
God creates the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve, establishing the foundational model for marriage as a union between one male and one female. This event sets the divine standard for marital union.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt and Law given
The Israelites are led out of Egypt. Later, Moses receives the Law, which includes regulations concerning divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-4), a concession made by God due to the 'hardness of their hearts'.
c. 20 BC - AD 20
Rabbinic Debates on Divorce
During Jesus' time, there were intense debates among Jewish rabbis, primarily between the schools of Hillel and Shammai, regarding the grounds for divorce. This controversy created a climate where the question posed to Jesus would be highly relevant and contentious.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Teaching on Divorce
Jesus directly addresses the Pharisees' question about divorce, grounding his answer in the Genesis creation account. He asserts that marriage is a permanent union intended by God from the beginning, challenging the prevailing lenient views on divorce.
This is the foundational creation account that Jesus directly references, establishing God's original design for humanity as male and female, intended for unity.
Genesis 2:24This passage expands on the creation account, explaining the 'one flesh' union that Jesus uses to argue against divorce, emphasizing the deep, God-ordained bond of marriage.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4This is the Mosaic Law that the Pharisees were referencing. Jesus addresses it by explaining it was a concession for 'hardness of heart,' not God's original perfect will established in Genesis.
Malachi 2:15-16This prophetic passage speaks against divorce and polygamy, echoing Jesus' emphasis on God's desire for faithfulness and unity in marriage, which is contrary to dissolving the union.
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 doesn't just quote Genesis; He points to its very first declaration about humanity. By highlighting "He who created them from the beginning made them male and female," Jesus is showing that the original design, not later human customs or even parts of the Law, is the ultimate standard for marriage. This establishes that true marital union is foundational, not a social construct open to constant redefinition.
The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus by asking if it's lawful to divorce one's wife for any reason, a question debated by Jewish rabbis at the time. Jesus doesn't directly answer their question about divorce laws but instead appeals to the original creation account in Genesis, reminding them of God's initial design for marriage. He's redirecting them from human interpretations and allowances back to God's foundational intention.
The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus by asking if it's lawful to divorce one's wife for any reason, a question debated by Jewish rabbis at the time. Jesus doesn't directly answer their question about divorce laws but instead appeals to the original creation account in Genesis, reminding them of God's initial design for marriage. He's redirecting them from human interpretations and allowances back to God's foundational intention.
"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 doesn't just quote Genesis; He points to its very first declaration about humanity. By highlighting "He who created them from the beginning made them male and female," Jesus is showing that t…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
