What is the meaning of Matthew 19:9? Now I tell you Jesus begins with “Now I tell you,” underscoring His divine authority to clarify God’s design for marriage. Earlier, He quoted Genesis 2:24 to show that marriage is God-made, not man-made. By prefacing His statement this way, He steps above the rabbinic debates of the day and speaks as the One who authored marriage (see Matthew 7:28-29 for His unique authority). Key thoughts: • Jesus’ words carry the same weight as any Old Testament command (John 12:48-50). • He is not merely offering advice; He is issuing a kingdom decree that binds the conscience of every disciple. whoever divorces his wife “Whoever” widens the scope to every husband, regardless of culture or circumstance. Divorce is not a private contract but a public act with spiritual consequences (Malachi 2:14-16). Jesus speaks to husbands here, but Mark 10:11-12 makes clear the principle applies equally to wives. Remember: • Marriage vows form a covenant that God Himself witnesses (Proverbs 2:17). • God’s ideal remains lifelong faithfulness; divorce shatters a union He joined (Matthew 19:6). except for sexual immorality This clause introduces the lone ground Jesus permits for breaking the marital covenant. The bond can be severed only when one spouse violates it through sexual sin (1 Corinthians 6:15-18). Implications: • The exception is limited, not a blanket permission for “irreconcilable differences.” • Even in cases of immorality, forgiveness and reconciliation mirror God’s heart (Hosea 3:1-3). • Apart from this cause, divorce remains outside God’s revealed will (Luke 16:18). and marries another woman Remarriage is where the moral question turns. If a man divorces without the biblical cause and then enters a new union, that second marriage does not erase the guilt of the first breach (Romans 7:2-3). Note: • Marriage after an illegitimate divorce compounds the wrong, turning it from covenant breaking into ongoing sin. • Legitimate remarriage becomes possible only when the first marriage is biblically dissolved—by death (1 Corinthians 7:39) or by the sexual-immorality exception Jesus names. commits adultery Jesus labels the act plainly: “commits adultery.” What society may call a fresh start, God calls sin (Exodus 20:14). The verb is present tense—indicating a continuing state, not merely a past mistake. Takeaways: • Adultery violates both God’s command and the former spouse (James 2:10-11). • Repentance involves acknowledging the sin, seeking forgiveness, and ordering one’s life under Christ’s lordship (1 John 1:9). summary Matthew 19:9 stands as Jesus’ definitive word on divorce and remarriage. He affirms lifelong, covenant marriage, permits breakage only for sexual immorality, and warns that remarriage after an unlawful divorce equals adultery. These clear boundaries uphold God’s holiness while protecting the purity and permanence of the marital bond. |
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