Matthew 19:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Even though it was not within their rights to challenge Him, but rather for Him to speak to them, He chose not to confront them, nor did He declare His innocence. Instead, He addressed their objections. If He had been opposed to the ancient precepts, He would not have engaged in the debate concerning Moses; nor would He have upheld what was established from the beginning. Rather, He would have sought to demonstrate that His teachings aligned with the ancient precepts. Yet, Moses had instituted various other commandments, including those regarding food and the Sabbath. Why did they not mention these laws in their accusations? Because they aimed to turn the people against Him. Divorce was prevalent among the Jews, and many exploited it. Thus, among all the commandments given on the mount, this was the only one they remembered at that moment. However, the unfathomable Wisdom also defends this commandment, stating, ‘Moses, because of your hard-heartedness’ (Matthew 19:8), established this law.

The Pharisees, recognizing that the Lord had silenced their arguments, felt compelled to mention Moses, who appeared to be at odds with Christ's teachings. They questioned, How did Moses command to issue a certificate of divorce and send her away?

They unveil the scorn directed toward the Lord that had been orchestrated against Him. Nevertheless, it is evident that the Lord did not impose His judgment but merely reflected the occurrences from the people's past and the divine commandments given by God.

However, it might be questioned how Moses was allowed to instruct the giving of a certificate of divorce and the separation from one's spouse. It is important to note that this objection is presented by a Jew, distinguishing him from a Christian perspective. This objection mirrors one posed to the Lord Himself, to which He replied that it was due to your hardness of heart that Moses permitted you to issue a certificate of divorce and separate from your wives; but that was not the original intent (Matt. 19:8). Here, it is clear that Moses permitted such actions, but it was not a command from God. The divine law established from the beginning states that a man shall leave his father and mother and join with his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5; Mk. 10:7-8; Eph.

They asked Him why Moses instructed to provide a certificate of divorce and to send her away, seeking clarification on the reasoning and manner of it. This certificate of divorce is referred to as a letter of dissolution, as mentioned in chapter five.

“Behold the profound wisdom of the Lord,” as St. Chrysostom remarks. When questioned, “Is it lawful?” He refrained from a direct denial at first to avoid causing offense. Instead, He first clarified that this directive originates from His Father and that He instituted it in harmony with Moses. Notice how He supports His statements not only by referring to God’s creation of male and female but also by the command He issued following that creation. He did not merely say that God made one man and one woman, but rather that He commanded them to be united, bonded eternally, never to be parted. After such a response, what could the questioners have done? St. John Chrysostom asks this rhetorically. Should they not have remained silent and honored what was proclaimed?

In His discourse regarding marriage, divorce, and consecrated life, Jesus responded to the inquiries of the Pharisees and later addressed the questions posed by His disciples. His teachings emphasized the permanence of marriage and the nature of celibacy. The enduring nature of marriage is affirmed, while the allowance for divorce as a result of marital unfaithfulness is discussed, as previously noted in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:31-32).

What did Moses instruct regarding the issuance of a certificate of divorce to free her? It is accurate that Moses directed that when a man divorced his wife, he was to provide her with a written document; however, the interpretation that he commanded such a separation stems from the Pharisees' reading of his words, as he did not explicitly say so himself (Deuteronomy 21:1ff.).

The Lord's instruction regarding the permanence of marriage appeared to conflict with the Mosaic Law, which permitted husbands to divorce their wives (Deuteronomy 24:1). The Pharisees challenged the Lord’s message by referencing the law of Moses. Their argument implied that since Moses' law permits divorce, it cannot contradict divine law, as God provided that law through Moses, and God cannot be at odds with Himself. Matthew 19:8-9.