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Teachings about Divorce
…7“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”8Jesus replied,“Mosespermittedyouto divorceyourwivesbecause ofyourhardness of heart;butit wasnotthis wayfromthe beginning.9Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman, commits adultery.”…

Treasury of Scripture

He said to them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

because.

Psalm 95:8
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation,and asin the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Zechariah 7:12
Yea, they made their heartsas an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 2:13,14
And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receivethit with good will at your hand…

suffered.

Matthew 3:15
And Jesus answering said unto him, Sufferit to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Matthew 8:31
So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

1 Corinthians 7:6
But I speak this by permission,and not of commandment.

but.

Genesis 2:24
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Genesis 7:7
And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

Jeremiah 6:16
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, whereis the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walktherein.

AllowedBeginningConsiderationDivorceFirstHardHardnessHeartHeartsJesusMosesNaturePermittedStiffnessSufferSufferedViewWayWivesAllowedBeginningConsiderationDivorceFirstHardHardnessHeartHeartsJesusMosesNaturePermittedStiffnessSufferSufferedViewWayWives1.Jesus heals the sick;
3.answers the Pharisees concerning divorce;
10.shows when marriage is necessary;
13.receives the little children;
16.instructs the young man how to attain eternal life;
20.and how to be perfect;
23.tells his disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God;
27.and promises reward to those who forsake all to follow him.

Jesus replied
In this passage, Jesus is responding to a question posed by the Pharisees regarding the legality of divorce. His reply is authoritative, indicating His role as a teacher and interpreter of the Law. This interaction highlights Jesus' wisdom and understanding of the Scriptures, as well as His ability to address complex issues with clarity.

Moses permitted you to divorce your wives
Here, Jesus refers toDeuteronomy 24:1-4, where Moses provided regulations concerning divorce. This was a concession to human weakness rather than an endorsement of divorce. The cultural context of the time allowed for divorce, but it was not God's ideal. Moses' allowance was a way to manage the consequences of sin in a fallen world, ensuring some protection for women in a patriarchal society.

because of your hardness of heart
The phrase "hardness of heart" indicates a spiritual and moral stubbornness. In biblical terms, a hard heart is resistant to God's will and guidance. This condition is often associated with sin and rebellion against God. Jesus points out that the allowance for divorce was a response to human sinfulness, not a reflection of God's perfect will.

But it was not this way from the beginning
Jesus refers back to the creation narrative in Genesis, where God established marriage as a lifelong union between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24). This statement underscores the original divine intention for marriage, which is rooted in permanence and unity. By pointing to the beginning, Jesus emphasizes the sanctity and indissolubility of marriage as God intended it before the fall of humanity.

1.Jesus
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is responding to a question about divorce posed by the Pharisees. He emphasizes the original intent of marriage as designed by God.

2.Moses
A key figure in the Old Testament, Moses is mentioned here as the one who permitted divorce due to the hardness of people's hearts. This refers to the Mosaic Law, which allowed for divorce under certain conditions.

3.Pharisees
A religious group in Judaism known for their strict adherence to the Law. They approached Jesus with a question about divorce to test Him.

4.Marriage
The institution being discussed, originally established by God as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman.

5.Divorce
The act of legally dissolving a marriage, which Jesus addresses in this passage, highlighting the difference between God's original design and the allowances made due to human sinfulness.Understanding God's Original Design for Marriage
Marriage is intended to be a lifelong covenant, reflecting God's unchanging nature and His commitment to His people.

The Consequence of Hardness of Heart
Human sinfulness and hardness of heart can lead to deviations from God's perfect plan, such as the allowance for divorce.

The Importance of Forgiveness and Reconciliation
In marriage, as in all relationships, forgiveness and reconciliation should be pursued to align with God's original intent.

The Role of the Law in Addressing Human Weakness
The Mosaic Law provided guidelines to manage human sinfulness, but it was not the ideal. Jesus calls us to strive for the ideal in our relationships.

Reflecting Christ in Marriage
Christian marriages should reflect the love, sacrifice, and commitment of Christ to His Church, serving as a testimony to the world.1.What is the meaning of Matthew 19:8?

2.How does Matthew 19:8 address the hardness of human hearts regarding divorce?

3.What does Matthew 19:8 reveal about God's original design for marriage?

4.How can we align our marriages with God's intent described in Matthew 19:8?

5.How does Matthew 19:8 connect with Genesis 2:24 on marriage permanence?

6.In what ways can churches support couples to prevent divorce, per Matthew 19:8?

7.Why did Moses permit divorce if it was not God's original intention in Matthew 19:8?

8.How does Matthew 19:8 challenge the permanence of marriage in today's society?

9.What does Matthew 19:8 reveal about God's view on human hardness of heart?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 19?

11.Does God disapprove of divorce?

12.Is remarriage after divorce permissible according to the Bible?

13.What are the biblical grounds for divorce?

14.Is a second marriage considered adultery?Jesus replied

“Have you not read,” Jesus has just reminded the Pharisees that “from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ ” (Matthew 19:4).

• He grounds every answer in the written Word, never in changing cultural sentiment (Matthew 4:4).

• The reply comes after their question about lawful grounds for divorce (Matthew 19:3), showing that Scripture, not tradition, decides the issue (Mark 7:8-13).

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Moses permitted you to divorce your wives

“Moses permitted” does not equal “Moses commanded” (Deuteronomy 24:1-4).

• The certificate of divorce was a concession, not a celebration.

• God’s moral standard inMalachi 2:16—“I hate divorce”—remained unchanged.

• Jesus affirms that even Mosaic allowances sit beneath God’s higher, original design (Galatians 3:19).

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Because of your hardness of heart

Hard-heartedness is willful resistance to God’s voice (Exodus 32:9;Hebrews 3:7-13).

• Divorce arose because people refused to repent, not because God’s design failed.

• Sinful hearts ruin what God joined together (Genesis 2:24), prompting the civil regulation that protected the innocent party, especially the woman.

• Jesus exposes the root problem: internal rebellion, not external circumstances (Matthew 15:19).

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But it was not this way from the beginning

• “From the beginning” reaches back to Eden, affirming the literal historical creation account (Genesis 1–2).

• God’s first word on marriage—one man, one woman, lifelong union—still governs every later discussion (Genesis 2:24;Matthew 19:6).

• Jesus re-sets the baseline: redemption in Him restores the original blueprint, overcoming hardness of heart (Ezekiel 36:26;2 Corinthians 5:17).

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summary

Matthew 19:8 teaches that divorce is a temporary concession granted to restrain sin, never part of God’s perfect design. Jesus points past Moses to creation itself, reaffirming that God joins husband and wife in a permanent covenant. The real issue is the human heart; when hearts are softened by God’s grace, the original, lifelong marriage plan can be lived out as He intended.

(8)Moses because of the hardness of your hearts.--The force of the answer lies (1) in emphasized substitution of "suffered" for "commanded." The scribes of the school of Hillel had almost turned divorce into a duty, even when there was no ground for it but incompatibility of temper or other lesser fault, as ifDeuteronomy 24:1 had enjoined the writing of divorcement in such cases. (2) In the grounds assigned for the permission. Our Lord's position in the controversy between the two schools was analogous to that in which those who are true at once to principles and facts not seldom find themselves. He agreed, as we have seen, with the ideal of marriage maintained by the followers of Shammai. He accepted as a legitimate interpretation of the Law that of the followers of Hillel. But He proclaimed, with an authority greater than that of Moses, that his legislation on this point was a step backwards when compared with the primary law of nature, which had been "from the beginning," and only so far a step forward because the people had fallen into a yet lower state, in which the observance of the higher law was practically impossible. But for the possibility of divorce the wife would have been the victim of the husband's tyranny; and law, which has to deal with facts, was compelled to choose the least of two evils. Two important consequences, it will be obvious, flow from the reasoning thus enforced: (1) that the "hardness of heart" which made this concession necessary may be admitted as at least a partial explanation of whatever else in the Law of Moses strikes us as deviating from the standard of eternal righteousness embodied in the law of Christ--as,e.g., the tolerance of polygamy and slavery, and the severity of punishment for seeming trivial faults; (2) that the principle is one of wider application than the particular instance, and that where a nation calling itself Christian has sunk so low as to exhibit the "hardness of heart" of Jews or heathens, there also a concessive legislation may be forced upon the State even while the churches assert their witness of the higher truth.

Verse 8. -Moses because of (πρὸς,with a view to, to meet)the hardness of your hearts; your obstinacy, perverseness. You were not honest and pure enough to obey the primitive law. There was danger that you would ill treat your wives in order to get rid of them, or even murder them. The lesser evil was regular divorce. But the enactment is really a shame and reproach to you, and was occasioned by grave defects in your character and conduct. And it is not true to say that Mosescommanded; he onlysuffered you to put away your wives. This was a temporary permission to meet your then circumstances. Divorce had been practised commonly and long; it was traditional; it was seen among all other Oriental peoples. Moses could not hope at once to eradicate the inveterate evil; he could only modify, mitigate, and regulate its practice. The rules which he introduced were intended, not to facilitate divorce, but to lead men better to realize the proper idea of marriage. And Christ was introducing a better law, a higher morality, for which Mosaic legislation paved the way (comp.Romans 5:20;Romans 8:3;Hebrews 9:10).From the beginning. The original institution of marriage contained no idea of divorce; it was no mere civil contract, made by man and dissoluble by man, but a union of God's own formation, with which no human power could interfere. However novel this view might seem, it was God's own design from the first. The first instance of polygamy occurs inGenesis 4:19, and is connected with murder and revenge.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Jesus answered,
Λέγει(Legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004:(a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“[It was] because of
πρὸς(pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314:To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

your
ὑμῶν(hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

hardness of heart
σκληροκαρδίαν(sklērokardian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4641:Feminine of a compound of skleros and kardia; hard-heartedness, i.e., destitution of perception.

[that] Moses
Μωϋσῆς(Mōusēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3475:Or Moses, or Mouses of Hebrew origin; Moseus, Moses, or Mouses, the Hebrew lawgiver.

permitted
ἐπέτρεψεν(epetrepsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2010:To turn to, commit, entrust; I allow, yield, permit. From epi and the base of trope; to turn over, i.e. Allow.

you
ὑμῖν(hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

to divorce
ἀπολῦσαι(apolysai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 630:From apo and luo; to free fully, i.e. relieve, release, dismiss, or let die, pardon or divorce.

your
ὑμῶν(hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

wives;
γυναῖκας(gynaikas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1135:A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.

but
δὲ(de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161:A primary particle; but, and, etc.

[it] was
γέγονεν(gegonen)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1096:A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

not
οὐ(ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756:No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

this way
οὕτως(houtōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3779:Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).

from
ἀπ’(ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575:From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

[the] beginning.
ἀρχῆς(archēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 746:From archomai; a commencement, or chief.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 19:8 He said to them Moses because (Matt. Mat Mt)