3 And the Pharisees came near to him, tempting him, and saying to him, 'Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?' 4 And he answering said to them, 'Did ye not read, that He who made 'them', from the beginning a male and a female made them, 5 and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall be—the two—for one flesh? 6 so that they are no more two, but one flesh; what therefore God did join together, let no man put asunder.' 7 They say to him, 'Why then did Moses command to give a roll of divorce, and to put her away?' 8 He saith to them—'Moses for your stiffness of heart did suffer you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it hath not been so. 9 'And I say to you, that, whoever may put away his wife, if not for whoredom, and may marry another, doth commit adultery; and he who did marry her that hath been put away, doth commit adultery.' 10 His disciples say to him, 'If the case of the man with the woman is so, it is not good to marry.' 11 And he said to them, 'All do not receive this word, but those to whom it hath been given; 12 for there are eunuchs who from the mother's womb were so born; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who kept themselves eunuchs because of the reign of the heavens: he who is able to receive 'it'—let him receive.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 19:3-12
Commentary on Matthew 19:3-12
(Read Matthew 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 asking whether they had not read the account of the creation, and the first example of marriage; thus pointing out that every departure therefrom was wrong. That condition is best for us, and to be chosen and kept to accordingly, which is best for our souls, and tends most to prepare us for, and preserve us to, the kingdom of heaven. When the gospel is really embraced, it makes men kind relatives and faithful friends; it teaches them to bear the burdens, and to bear with the infirmities of those with whom they are connected, to consider their peace and happiness more than their own. As to ungodly persons, it is proper that they should be restrained by laws, from breaking the peace of society. And we learn that the married state should be entered upon with great seriousness and earnest prayer.