Matthew 19:5
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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The verse highlights that the marital bond is not just important, but actually stronger than family ties, because it’s the foundation upon which new families are built. This "one flesh" union supersedes even the natural, God-given bond between parents and children, signaling a radical reordering of loyalties.
The Pharisees, trying to trap Jesus, ask if it's lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus responds by taking them back to the very beginning of creation, reminding them of God's original design for marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman. He quotes Genesis, emphasizing that this foundational truth is the basis for why a husband and wife become the most intimate of bonds, surpassing even familial ties.
Jesus digs deep into the very foundation of marriage, pointing to a primal command. What does it truly mean for a man to 'leave' his family and 'cleave' to his wife?
When Jesus quotes Genesis 2:24 in Matthew 19:5, he's not just talking about practical arrangements. He's revealing the divine design for marriage: a radical re-ordering of loyalties.
A New Primary Bond
This 'leaving and cleaving' establishes the marriage as a distinct, new unit, built on a commitment that forms the very core of the couple's existence.
Jesus declares, 'the two shall become one flesh.' What does this profound union signify beyond the physical?
The phrase 'one flesh' is the heart of Jesus' argument for marriage's indissolubility. It's a declaration of shared identity and destiny.
More Than Just Companionship
Understand the original words
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' teaching on marriage in Matthew 19:5 directly challenges the lax divorce practices prevalent in His day by returning to the foundational, divine ordinance established at creation, highlighting God's perfect design versus human sinfulness.
~4000 BC
Creation and First Marriage
God establishes marriage as a foundational institution, uniting Adam and Eve as 'one flesh' in the Garden of Eden. This sets the original divine standard for marital union.
c. 1440 BC
Mosaic Law and Divorce
During the Exodus and wilderness wandering, Moses institutes regulations for divorce, including a 'certificate of divorcement.' This was a concession to human sinfulness, not an endorsement of divorce for any cause.
c. 5th century BC
Development of Divorce Schools
During the Second Temple period, differing interpretations of the Mosaic law led to schools of thought (like Hillel and Shammai) on what constituted valid grounds for divorce, with some allowing it for almost any reason.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Confronts Pharisees on Divorce
Pharisees question Jesus about the lawfulness of divorce, attempting to trap Him. Jesus directly answers by appealing to the creation ordinance, emphasizing God's original design for marriage.
This is the foundational passage Jesus quotes, establishing the original design of marriage as a man leaving his parents and becoming 'one flesh' with his wife.
Malachi 2:15This prophet speaks of God desiring godly offspring and warns against acting treacherously against one's wife, implying the sanctity of the marital union that Jesus is upholding.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11Paul echoes Jesus' teaching on divorce, emphasizing that a wife is not to separate from her husband, and if she does, she should remain unmarried, underscoring the permanence of the marriage bond.
Ephesians 5:31-32Paul explicitly links the 'one flesh' concept from Genesis to the profound mystery of Christ and the Church, illustrating the deep, sacrificial, and unified nature of marriage.
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…
henryMatthew 19:3-12: "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?"
19:3-12 The Pharisees were desirous of drawing something from Jesus which they might represent as contrary to the law of Moses. Cases about marriage have been numerous, and sometimes perplexed; made so, not by the law of God, but by the lusts and follies of men; and often people fix what they will do, before they ask for advice. Jesus replied by as…
The verse highlights that the marital bond is not just important, but actually stronger than family ties, because it’s the foundation upon which new families are built. This "one flesh" union supersedes even the natural, God-given bond between parents and children, signaling a radical reordering of loyalties.
The Pharisees, trying to trap Jesus, ask if it's lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus responds by taking them back to the very beginning of creation, reminding them of God's original design for marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman. He quotes Genesis, emphasizing that this foundational truth is the basis for why a husband and wife become the most intimate of bonds, surpassing even familial ties.
The Pharisees, trying to trap Jesus, ask if it's lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus responds by taking them back to the very beginning of creation, reminding them of God's original design for marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman. He quotes Genesis, emphasizing that this foundational truth is the basis for why a husband and wife become the most intimate of bonds, surpassing even familial ties.
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This concept underscores that marriage is not merely a social contract but a deep, ontological merging ordained by God.
c. AD 60-70
Paul's Epistles Address Marriage
The Apostle Paul writes letters addressing Christian conduct, including marriage and divorce, reinforcing Jesus' teaching on the indissolubility of marriage except for severe offenses, and providing guidance for believers in mixed marriages.
"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’?" — The verse highlights that the marital bond is not just important, but actually stronger than family ties, because it’s the foundation upon which new families are built. This "one flesh" union super…
