Matthew 19 8

Matthew 19:8 kjv

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

Matthew 19:8 nkjv

He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Matthew 19:8 niv

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.

Matthew 19:8 esv

He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Matthew 19:8 nlt

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.

Matthew 19 verses

Matthew 19 8 Meaning

In Matthew 19:8, Jesus addresses the Pharisees' question about divorce, stating that Moses permitted it due to the Israelite's hardened hearts, but from the very beginning of creation, a lifelong, indissoluble union between a man and a woman was God's original and intended design. Jesus clarifies that the Mosaic allowance was a concession to human sinfulness and rebellion, not a reflection of God's perfect will for marriage.

Matthew 19 8 Context

This verse is part of a direct challenge from the Pharisees to Jesus in Matthew 19. They question His authority and understanding of the Law, specifically on the legality of divorce, which was a debated topic among rabbinical schools. Jesus counters their legalistic interpretation by moving beyond the Mosaic concession (Deut 24:1-4) to God's original, pre-Fall intent for marriage as established in Genesis 1 and 2. The discussion shifts from "Is it lawful?" to "What was God's ideal?" Jesus points out that the Mosaic allowance for divorce was not a divine endorsement of it, but rather a temporary accommodation for humanity's profound sinfulness—their persistent inability or refusal to adhere to God's perfect will for enduring covenantal unions.

Matthew 19 8 Word analysis

• He said: Refers to Jesus. This is a direct, authoritative pronouncement from the Son of God, not merely a rabbinic interpretation.
• to them: Primarily the Pharisees who were testing Him (Matt 19:3), and also the disciples who later inquired further (Matt 19:10).
• Moses (Μωϋσῆς, Mōysēs): The esteemed lawgiver of Israel. Jesus attributes the allowance to Moses, acting under divine permission but in response to human condition, differentiating it from a divine command of ultimate ideal.
• because of (πρὸς, pros): This preposition indicates a relational "towards" or "with regard to," signifying that Moses permitted divorce in concession to or due to a particular human failing, not as an expression of divine preference or primary will.
• the hardness of your hearts (τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν, tēn sklērokardian hymōn): This crucial phrase signifies spiritual stubbornness, recalcitrance, insensitivity to God's will, obstinacy, and a refusal to repent or conform to righteousness. It is a moral, spiritual indictment of humanity's sinful state, specifically their unwillingness to live according to God's covenant and love. "Your" (plural) applies to the specific audience of the Pharisees and also more broadly to the fallen human condition throughout generations.
• permitted (ἐπέτρεψεν, epetrepsen): This Greek verb means "to allow," "to concede," or "to tolerate." It stands in clear contrast to "commanded" (ἐντελλεσθαι, entellestai) or "established." This distinction is key: it was an allowance due to a fallen reality, not a directive from God's perfect standard.
• you: Refers to the men who sought to put away their wives. The allowance for divorce primarily favored men in Jewish custom.
• to divorce (ἀπολῦσαι, apolysai): To dismiss, release, send away, or sever the bond.
• your wives: The object of the divorce.
• but (ἀλλ᾿, all): A strong adversative conjunction indicating a sharp contrast or contradiction to what was previously stated. It signals a turning point in Jesus' argument, introducing the divine ideal.
• from the beginning (ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς, ap' archēs): Emphatically points to the pristine, pre-Fall state of creation as described in Genesis 1-2. It establishes a divine standard that precedes and transcends the Mosaic Law. It signifies God's original intention and perfect will.
• it was not so: It was not the original state or divine intent for marriage to be easily dissolvable or for men to put away their wives. From creation, the intention was a permanent, unbreakable bond.

Words-group analysis:

• "Moses... permitted you to divorce your wives": This highlights the legal aspect and the specific party given the permission. The permission was limited to men putting away their wives and was established by Moses.
• "because of the hardness of your hearts": This phrase functions as the reason or justification for Moses' permission. It explains a deviation from the ideal by attributing it to human moral failing rather than divine decree of optimal behavior. It clarifies the conditional and concessional nature of the Mosaic law.
• "but from the beginning it was not so": This emphatic statement immediately contrasts the Mosaic allowance with God's foundational, eternal standard. It re-establishes God's timeless, unwavering intention for marriage before sin entered the world, thus placing the creational design above any later concession.

Matthew 19 8 Bonus section

• The concept of "hardness of heart" is pervasive throughout the Old Testament, describing Israel's chronic spiritual rebellion against God (e.g., in the wilderness, during the period of the kings). It represents an entrenched resistance to God's truth and commands, revealing an unyielded will.
• Jesus, by citing "from the beginning," validates the creation accounts in Genesis as authoritative and foundational for understanding God's will for humanity and marriage, superseding later accommodations in the Mosaic Law.
• This verse illustrates a key principle in Jesus' teaching: distinguishing between God's perfect and revealed will (principia) and His permissible or accommodating will (pragmatic adjustments) in a fallen world.
• While divorce was "permitted," it was never commanded by God in the Mosaic Law; rather, the law regulated a practice that already existed due to sin.
• The re-emphasis on the "one flesh" union (Matt 19:5-6, quoted from Gen 2:24) highlights marriage's spiritual, relational, and physical dimensions as divinely ordained and interconnected, making its dissolution unnatural to God's design.

Matthew 19 8 Commentary

Matthew 19:8 is pivotal to understanding Jesus' teaching on marriage and divorce. It exposes a profound truth about God's dealings with fallen humanity: While He accommodates sin-marred realities through certain allowances (like the Mosaic divorce provision), He never compromises or alters His original, perfect design. The "hardness of hearts" signifies humanity's rebellious and unrepentant spirit, unwilling to live by God's creational ideal of an enduring, exclusive union. Moses' concession was a protective measure, preventing potentially worse societal abuses in a broken world rather than endorsing casual divorce.

Jesus asserts His authority as the ultimate interpreter of Scripture, going beyond legal precedent to unveil the divine purpose. He redirects the conversation from human custom or a distorted application of the law back to God's timeless, unwavering blueprint for male and female union. This passage is a strong polemic against the lenient divorce practices prevalent in His time, which largely disregarded the sanctity of the marital bond and often victimized women. It calls believers to strive for God's original ideal, seeking grace to overcome the "hardness of heart" and live in covenant fidelity.