Matthew 19:7 kjv
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
Matthew 19:7 nkjv
They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"
Matthew 19:7 niv
"Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
Matthew 19:7 esv
They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?"
Matthew 19:7 nlt
"Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?" they asked.
Matthew 19 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:27 | So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. | Divine creation of male and female. |
| Gen 2:24 | Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. | The foundational truth of "one flesh." |
| Deut 24:1-4 | When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her...then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. | The Mosaic regulation concerning divorce. |
| Matt 5:31-32 | It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery... | Jesus' earlier teaching on divorce. |
| Mark 10:2 | And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. | Parallel account of the divorce question. |
| Mark 10:5-9 | And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept...what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. | Jesus clarifies Moses' allowance due to hard hearts. |
| Luke 16:18 | Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. | Jesus' strong teaching on divorce and remarriage. |
| Mal 2:14-16 | For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment... | God's strong displeasure with divorce. |
| 1 Cor 7:10-11 | And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband... | Paul reiterates Christ's command on divorce. |
| 1 Cor 7:15 | But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases... | The "desertion" clause. |
| Ezra 10:3 | Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them... | Special historical case of commanded divorces for covenant purity. |
| Jer 3:8 | And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. | God divorcing Israel metaphorically. |
| Isa 50:1 | Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? | Metaphorical reference to Israel's divorce. |
| Deut 5:28-29 | And the LORD heard the voice of your words...Oh that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me... | Implied longing for faithful hearts. |
| Num 32:13 | And the LORD's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. | Example of God's patience with stubborn hearts. |
| Heb 13:4 | Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. | Importance of maintaining marriage integrity. |
| Rom 7:2-3 | For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress... | The lifelong bond of marriage. |
| Eph 5:31-33 | For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. | Marriage as a picture of Christ and the Church. |
| Gen 6:5 | And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. | The origin of hard-heartedness leading to concessions. |
| Hos 1:2 | ...for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. | God's metaphorical use of divorce in Hosea as a result of Israel's unfaithfulness. |
Matthew 19 verses
Matthew 19 7 Meaning
Matthew 19:7 presents the Pharisees' challenge to Jesus concerning His teaching on the indissolubility of marriage, as they assert Moses' commandment for divorce. Their question stems from a misinterpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1-4, viewing it as a direct instruction to divorce rather than a regulation intended to manage the consequences of an already broken marital union and provide protection for the dismissed woman, given human fallenness. This verse encapsulates the tension between God's original design for marriage and humanity's propensity for divorce due to hard-heartedness, setting the stage for Jesus' clarification.
Matthew 19 7 Context
Matthew 19:7 is nestled within Jesus' explicit teaching on marriage and divorce. Prior to this verse, the Pharisees, attempting to trap Jesus between conflicting rabbinic schools (the stricter School of Shammai and the more lenient School of Hillel, who allowed divorce for "any cause"), ask if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause (Matt 19:3). Jesus counters their legalistic question by appealing directly to God's original creation intent for marriage, stating that God made them male and female and that the two become "one flesh," concluding, "What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate" (Matt 19:4-6). The Pharisees' question in verse 7 is their direct rebuttal, positing Moses' law as a contradiction to Jesus' teaching. This highlights the first-century Jewish challenge of interpreting the Law in light of different traditions and prepares for Jesus' definitive clarification in the subsequent verses (Matt 19:8-9) that Moses' provision was a concession due to their "hardness of heart," not a divine command for divorce.
Matthew 19 7 Word analysis
- They say unto him (λέγουσιν αὐτῷ - legousin autō): Denotes the Pharisees, specifically. This active verbal construction indicates their direct challenge to Jesus, as if pointing out a flaw in His reasoning.
- Why then (τί οὖν - ti oun): "Why" (τί) expresses inquiry, but the addition of "then" or "therefore" (οὖν) indicates a logical conclusion or a rebuttal based on a previous statement. It frames their question as a perceived inconsistency between Jesus' teaching and Moses' law.
- Moses (Μωϋσῆς - Mōysēs): Refers to the prophet and law-giver, the figure through whom the Law was given to Israel. Invoking Moses elevates their question to one of divine authority.
- command (ἐνετείλατο - eneteilato): From the verb ἐντέλλω (entellō), meaning to order, instruct, or command. The Pharisees assert Moses gave an explicit instruction to divorce, implying it was a positive precept or obligation rather than a permission or regulation of an existing practice. This is the crucial point Jesus will address: Moses "allowed" (Mark 10:5), he did not "command" divorce.
- to give (δοῦναι - dounai): From δίδωμι (didōmi), to grant, allow, provide. In context with "writing of divorcement," it signifies the act of providing the legal document.
- a writing of divorcement (βιβλίον ἀποστασίου - biblion apostasiou): Literally "a scroll of sending away" or "book of separation." This refers to the legal document (get in Hebrew) prescribed in Deut 24:1. Its primary function was not to facilitate divorce but to formally end the marriage and, crucially, to protect the divorced woman, allowing her to remarry without being considered an adulteress, and preventing the former husband from reclaiming her. The Pharisees elevate the presence of this document as proof of a positive command for divorce.
- and to put her away (καὶ ἀπολῦσαι - kai apolysai): From ἀπολύω (apolyō), meaning to send away, dismiss, release, or divorce. This phrase denotes the act of separation itself. The "writing" is the means, and "putting away" is the outcome.
Matthew 19 7 Bonus section
The "bill of divorcement" was a Jewish legal innovation intended to regulate and provide protection in a society where a husband held unilateral power to dismiss his wife. Without it, a woman could be cast out and left without recourse or the ability to remarry without being accused of adultery or concubinage. While Moses' allowance served as a concession to human sinfulness ("hardness of heart"), it also demonstrated a form of legal mercy, placing limitations on unchecked male power and providing a measure of security for the woman. This provision indirectly hints at God's concern for justice and the vulnerable even within the context of a practice He ultimately abhors (Mal 2:16). The rabbinic schools, especially the Hillelite school, stretched this "allowance" beyond its protective intent, using the phrase "some uncleanness" (Deut 24:1) as justification for divorce on trivial grounds. This historical context illuminates the specific "why did Moses then command" question as an appeal to convenience disguised as scriptural authority.
Matthew 19 7 Commentary
Matthew 19:7 represents a critical moment in the Pharisees' attempt to corner Jesus on the contentious issue of divorce. Their query, "Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?", is not an honest search for truth but a trap. By framing Moses' law (Deut 24:1) as a direct "command" to divorce, they highlight what they see as a contradiction with Jesus' emphasis on God's original, indissoluble design for marriage from creation (Gen 1:27, 2:24). This misrepresentation of Mosaic law by the Pharisees reflects their legalistic approach, which often prioritized the letter of the law over its spirit or original intent. Jesus' subsequent response (Matt 19:8) masterfully addresses this by clarifying that Moses permitted, rather than commanded, divorce due to the "hardness of your heart," thereby correcting their misinterpretation and reaffirming the divine ideal of marriage as a lifelong, sacred covenant, disrupted only by the introduction of sin.