Matthew 19:5-6
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus doesn't just quote Genesis; he elevates it, showing that the unique bond of marriage is actually stronger than the natural tie to parents. The phrase "leave his father and mother" isn't about abandoning family, but about this new, profound union becoming the primary relationship, becoming "one flesh" in a way that even familial ties don't reach.
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)
The Pharisees are testing Jesus by asking if divorce is permissible for any reason, hoping to trap him between Mosaic Law and his teachings. Jesus responds by quoting Genesis, establishing God's original design for marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman, which is more binding than even familial ties. This foundational principle directly challenges the Pharisees' interpretation and sets the stage for Jesus' further teaching on the sanctity and indissolubility of marriage.
Jesus doesn't just talk about marriage; he points to its origin. It wasn't an idea that humans came up with, but a design from God himself.
When the Pharisees challenge Jesus about divorce, he immediately takes them back to the very beginning of creation. He quotes Genesis 2:24, not as a suggestion, but as God's foundational law for marriage.
The Order of Creation
Jesus declares, 'For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This wasn't a cultural norm that evolved; it was God's original design.
The 'One Flesh' Union
This 'one flesh' concept signifies a profound, unbreakable union. It means two distinct individuals are joined together at the deepest level – physically, emotionally, and spiritually – becoming a single unit. This union is so fundamental that it's meant to supersede even the ties of one's parents.
In a world of shifting loyalties, Jesus anchors marriage as the ultimate human bond, even stronger than the ties of family. How does this reframe our understanding of commitment?
Jesus emphasizes the unique strength and priority of the marital bond. He states that a man shall leave his father and mother to cleave to his wife. This isn't about abandoning family, but about establishing a new, primary unit.
Ask a follow-up
The Priority of the Spouse
The relationship with a spouse is designed to become the closest, most significant connection in a person's life. While honoring parents remains a commandment, the marital union creates a new entity where the husband and wife's commitment to each other takes precedence.
An Unbreakable Union
The phrase 'hold fast' or 'cleave' (in the original language, it's like being glued) speaks to an intense, inseparable bond. This 'one flesh' reality means that the union is meant to be permanent, a joining that 'man shall not separate.' It's a commitment that, by divine design, is intended to last a lifetime.
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.
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.
c. 2000 BC
Early Traditions of Marriage
The creation account in Genesis, which Jesus references, describes the foundational principles of marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman.
c. 1400 BC
Mosaic Law on Divorce
The Law of Moses, specifically Deuteronomy 24:1-4, addresses divorce by permitting a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce under certain circumstances. This was a concession due to human hardness of heart, not an ideal.
c. 5th Century BC
Rabbinic Debates on Divorce
Jewish rabbis developed differing schools of thought on divorce, with the more lenient Hillel allowing divorce for almost any reason, while the stricter Shammai restricted it to cases of unfaithfulness. This created a context of legal and social debate.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Teaching on Divorce
Jesus directly confronts the Pharisees' questions about divorce, reasserting the creation ideal of marriage as a permanent union and challenging the prevailing lenient interpretations of the Law.
This is the foundational passage Jesus quotes, establishing the original design for marriage as a profound, unified bond where a man leaves his parental ties to cleave to his wife, becoming one flesh.
Mark 10:6-8This parallel account in Mark directly echoes Jesus' words from Matthew 19, reinforcing the Genesis creation account as the basis for marriage and emphasizing the 'one flesh' union as God's design from the beginning.
1 Corinthians 6:16Paul uses the 'one flesh' concept here in relation to sexual immorality, underscoring the deep intimacy and unity that marriage establishes, making any deviation a profound violation of that singular bond.
Ephesians 5:31-32Paul directly quotes Genesis 2:24 in the context of marriage, explicitly linking the union of husband and wife to the greater mystery of Christ and the Church, highlighting the sacred 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…
Jesus doesn't just quote Genesis; he elevates it, showing that the unique bond of marriage is actually stronger than the natural tie to parents. The phrase "leave his father and mother" isn't about abandoning family, but about this new, profound union becoming the primary relationship, becoming "one flesh" in a way that even familial ties don't reach.
The Pharisees are testing Jesus by asking if divorce is permissible for any reason, hoping to trap him between Mosaic Law and his teachings. Jesus responds by quoting Genesis, establishing God's original design for marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman, which is more binding than even familial ties. This foundational principle directly challenges the Pharisees' interpretation and sets the stage for Jesus' further teaching on the sanctity and indissolubility of marriage.
The Pharisees are testing Jesus by asking if divorce is permissible for any reason, hoping to trap him between Mosaic Law and his teachings. Jesus responds by quoting Genesis, establishing God's original design for marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman, which is more binding than even familial ties. This foundational principle directly challenges the Pharisees' interpretation and sets the stage for Jesus' further teaching on the sanctity and indissolubility of marriage.
"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.”" — Jesus doesn't just quote Genesis; he elevates it, showing that the unique bond of marriage is actually stronger than the natural tie to parents. The phrase "leave his father and mother" isn't about…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
