Matthew 19:10

"I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.”"

Key Reflection

In first-century Jewish society, divorce was relatively common and often initiated by the husband for any reason, as long as he provided a written bill of divorcement to his wife (Deuteronomy 24:1). The statement in Matthew 19:10 challenges this practice by elevating the sanctity of marriage. Jesus asserts that only sexual immorality justifies divorce; otherwise, both the one who divorces and remarrying, as well as the one who marries a divorced woman, are guilty of adultery. This teaching would have been particularly shocking to his audience, as it reversed traditional norms and emphasized the permanence and sacredness of marital vows.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 10. His disciples say, etc. The disciples were full of Jewish notions. They thought that the privilege of divorcing a wife when there was a quarrelsome disposition, or anything else that rendered the marriage unhappy, was a great privilege; and that in such cases to be always bound to live with a wife was a great calamity. They said, therefore, that if such was the case in such the condition on which men married--it was better not to marry. {g} "to marry" Pro 19:13; 31:9,19 __________________________________________________________________

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