What does "Moses permitted" reveal about the hardness of human hearts in Matthew 19:7? Setting the Scene 7 “They asked Him, ‘Why then did Moses command a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?’” 8 “Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts; but it was not this way from the beginning.’” What “Moses Permitted” Actually Means • “Permitted” (ἐπέτρεψεν) signals a divine concession, not an endorsement. • The certificate of divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1–4 was a legal safeguard for the wronged woman, limiting the damage a hard-hearted husband could inflict. • Jesus contrasts the concession (“Moses permitted”) with God’s original design (“from the beginning”), showing that allowance is never the same as approval. Hardness of Heart Unmasked • Hardened hearts resist God’s original intention for lifelong, one-flesh marriage (Genesis 2:24). • Instead of repenting and reconciling, sinners look for loopholes, proving that rebellion runs deep (Jeremiah 17:9). • The Pharisees quote the law as though it were a license; Jesus exposes their misuse (Mark 10:5). • Hardness shows itself in: – Self-centeredness: putting personal comfort above covenant faithfulness. – Callousness: treating a spouse as disposable property. – Spiritual blindness: ignoring that the law points to sin and the need for a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). Why God Allowed a Concession • To restrain greater evil—unregulated, impulsive abandonment would have left women destitute. • To expose sin—every certificate of divorce was a written testimony that something had gone terribly wrong. • To point forward—only Christ can supply the tender heart needed to fulfill God’s ideal (Romans 8:3–4). Lessons for Today • God’s ideal has never changed; marriage is a lifelong covenant meant to mirror Christ’s unwavering love for His church (Ephesians 5:31–32). • Legal permissions never override moral imperatives; we are called to aim for God’s original blueprint, not settle for concessions. • When hardness surfaces—whether in marriage or any relationship—we must run to Christ for the heart transplant only He can give (2 Corinthians 5:17). |
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