Matthew 19:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Having stopped their mouths, He now set forth the Law with authority, saying, But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and marrieth another, committeth adultery.

But I,’ the Lord says, ‘declare unto you that it is justifiable to release only a spouse who has engaged in adultery; however, if someone dismisses a spouse who is innocent, he bears the responsibility if she turns to infidelity. Additionally, reflect on this: ‘He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit with the Lord’ (1 Cor. 6:17). Herein lies a special union between the believer and Christ, for we are united as one body with Him and constitute members of Christ. Therefore, no one possesses the authority to sever this bond, as Paul states, ‘Who shall separate us from the love of God?’ For what God has brought together, ‘neither man, nor any other creature, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,’ as Paul affirms, cannot be divided.

For a reunion of the wedlock, even after actual commission of adultery, is neither shameful nor difficult, where there is an undoubted remission of sin through the keys of the kingdom of heaven; not that after being divorced from her husband an adulteress should be called back again, but that after her union with Christ she should no longer be called an adulteress.

According to Matthew 5:32, it is unlawful for someone who has divorced their wife to take another spouse, nor can anyone marry a woman who has been divorced by her husband. As stated in Matthew 19:9, “I say unto you, Whosoever shall divorce his wife not for adultery, and marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her that is divorced committeth adultery.”

While the law permits divorce for various reasons, Christ provides a different perspective, allowing separation solely in the case of adultery. He instructs that other issues should be dealt with wisely and advocates for the excommunication of the adulteress due to the harm she brings to the community. In all other matters, let us practice patience and discernment, especially those who have committed themselves to the bonds of marriage.

It is fornication alone which destroys the relationship of the wife; for when she has divided one flesh into two, and has separated herself by fornication from her husband, she is not to be retained, lest she should bring her husband also under the curse, which Scripture has spoken, He that keepeth an adulteress is a fool and wicked. (Prov. 18:23.)

Regardless of whether he weds a single woman or one who has been divorced, he is engaging in infidelity. In the Gospel of Mark (Mark 10:10, 11), it is noted that this teaching was first directed to the Pharisees and subsequently conveyed to the disciples in a private setting. This topic is also addressed in the fifth chapter, where further clarification can be found. He instructed that only the fornicator or adulteress should be expelled due to the mingling of progeny and the ambiguous status of the unborn child; all other transgressions can be remedied, yet this particular one offers no chance for redemption. (These words may be applied to the virgin).

Perhaps some one will say, that Jesus in thus speaking, suffered wives to be put away for the same cause that Moses suffered them, which He says was for the hardness of the hearts of the Jews. But to this it is to be answered, that if by the Law an adulteress is stoned, that sin is not to be understood as the shameful thing for which Moses suffers a writing of divorcement; (Deut. 24:1.) for in a cause of adultery it was not lawful to give a writing of divorcement. But Moses perhaps calls every sin in a woman a shameful thing, which if it be found in her, a bill of divorcement is written against her.

There is then but one carnal cause why a wife should be put away, that is, fornication, and but one spiritual, that is, the fear of God. But there is no cause why while she who has been put away is alive, another should be married.

To neglect living with one's spouse is considered a form of infidelity. The individual who abandons their wife is, in essence, not residing with her. Thus, this person engages in adultery concerning a new spouse brought into the home, in addition to the one with whom they are inherently united, should that new partner discard her husband. How is it then that the commandment, which states, "Thou shalt not commit adultery" (Ex. 20:13), seems at odds with the Lord's pronouncements? We recognize that the commandment prohibited explicit adultery when a third party entices someone's mate. However, the Savior allows for the expulsion from the Church of those who have not openly confessed and are not regarded as covenantally joined, while also not being condemned for their actions. This is especially true for those who have committed acts of fornication, which violates the sanctity of natural marriage, particularly when the husband bears no blame.

Adultery leads to destruction through the very factors that precipitate it. Marriage is formed not through mere physical union but through the commitment of the heart; thus, it does not dissolve merely because of physical separation but rather from a fracture of intent. A man who releases his wife without taking another still remains her husband, for although they are apart in body, their intentions have not diverged. However, if he marries another woman, he has wholly renounced his first wife. Therefore, it is not the husband who releases his wife who is guilty of adultery, but the one who takes another spouse. Just as a husband who dismisses a virtuous wife acts with cruelty and injustice, so too does a man who retains a wanton woman act with foolishness and unfairness.

I assure you that the sanctity of the marriage covenant is such that it cannot be annulled. Therefore, anyone who divorces his wife without the foundation of love on her part—since that very sin rends the marriage bond—and marries another, those who have truly loved; likewise, the individual who takes a divorced woman in marriage under similar circumstances, due to her husband’s capriciousness, prefaces the act; for according to both divine law and natural order, she remains bound to her first husband despite any formal severance made on paper. The Lord pronounced His judgment on this matter with utmost clarity, boldly and without mercy, though He refrained from naming Herod explicitly, while simultaneously laying bare His Divine doctrine on marriage in its entirety.

Jesus’ teachings on the topics of marriage, divorce, and celibacy, also referred to as virginity, arose from inquiries posed by the Pharisees, as well as follow-up questions from His disciples. These queries prompted Jesus to provide insights into the permanence of marriage and the nature of celibacy. He highlighted the unbreakable bond of marriage in general and addressed the question of divorce due to adultery, which is detailed in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:31-32).

Is the term not considered adulterous? When a husband dismisses a wife accused of infidelity and enters into another union, does he not also sever what God has united? Indeed, in such instances, the bond is more swiftly broken by an offense, which undermines the marriage more profoundly, particularly when the sanctity of the union as a divine ordinance is elevated (see Matthew 5:32).

The new lawgiver affirms the original intention of marriage, which is meant to serve as the foundation of His new kingdom, aligned with the eternal law of God. Only adultery, as a betrayal of the original covenant of marriage through the very act of marriage, can justify divorce. Thus, anyone who separates from their spouse without this reason and marries another engages in adultery, since the law binds him to his estranged wife. Similarly, a person who marries a divorced woman without this justification also commits adultery, as she remains legally tied to her previous husband, despite having been released by him. cf. Matt. 5:31-32.