Matthew 5:32

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 5:31-32

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 5:32

(For full notes, cf. Matthew 19:9 .) Parallel passages: Mark 10:12 ; Luke 16:18 ; apparently the context of Mark represents Matthew 19:1-8 , and the context of Luke rather represents Matthew 5:18 . Notice here: Their theory, indeed, sounds good, viz. that there should be perfect unity in the marriage state; but starting from this premiss they affirmed that if in any single respect the unity was not attained, divorce might follow. For examples, see Lightfoot ('Hor. Hebr.'). Our Lord... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 5:31-32

It hath been said ... - That is, by Moses, Deuteronomy 24:1-2. The husband was directed, if he put his wife away, to give her a bill of divorce, that is a certificate of the fact she had been his wife, and that he had dissolved the marriage. There was considerable difference of opinion among the Jews for what causes the husband was permitted to do this. One of their famous schools maintained that it might be done for any cause, however trivial. The other maintained that adultery only could... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 5:31-32

Matthew 5:31-32. Let him give her a writing of divorcement “The doctors of the school of Sammai affirmed, that, in the law concerning divorce, Deuteronomy 24:1, the words some uncleanness, were to be understood of adultery only; whereas, they of the school of Hillel interpreted them of any matter of dislike whatever. Hence the Pharisees asked Jesus, Matthew 19:3, if it was lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? The opinion of Hillel was generally espoused by the Jews, as... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:21-48

40. Legal obedience is not enough (Matthew 5:21-48; Luke 6:27-36; Luke 12:57-59)After his explanation concerning right and wrong attitudes to the law, Jesus gives a number of examples. He introduces these examples with statements such as ‘You have heard that it was said in the past’. This is not the same as ‘It is written’. Jesus is not quoting from the Old Testament but from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. He is not contradicting the law but the interpretations of the law that the... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 5:31-32

Matthew 5:31-32. It hath been said, &c.— The doctors of the school of Sammai affirmed, that in the law concerning divorce, Deu 24:1 the words some uncleanness were to be understood of adultery only; whereas they of the school of Hillel interpreted them of any manner of dislike whatever. Hence the Pharisees asked Jesus, ch. Mat 19:3 if it was lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? The opinion of Hillel was generally espoused by the Jews, as appears both from their practice... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 5:32

32. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery—that is, drives her into it in case she marries again. and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced—for anything short of conjugal infidelity. committeth adultery—for if the commandment is broken by the one party, it must be by the other also. But see on Matthew 5:1. Whether the innocent party, after a just divorce, may lawfully marry again, is not treated of... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 5:17-48

Righteousness and the Scriptures 5:17-48In His discussion of righteousness (character and conduct that conforms to the will of God), Jesus went back to the revelation of God’s will, namely, God’s Word, the Old Testament. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 5:31-32

God’s will concerning divorce 5:31-32Not only is lust the moral equivalent of adultery, but so is divorce. The connective de ("and," NASB) that begins Matthew 5:31 ties this section in very closely with the one that precedes (Matthew 5:27-30). In Israel a man divorced his wife simply by giving her a written statement indicating that he divorced her (cf. Deuteronomy 24:1-4). It was a domestic matter, not something that went through the courts, and it was quite common. In most cases a divorced... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 5:1-48

The Sermon on the MountJohn 5:1 to John 7:29. The Sermon on the Mount: see Luke 6:20. This sermon is so similar to the sermon reported by St. Luke (Luke 6:20), that it is best to regard them as identically the same. It is true that it has been plausibly suggested that our Lord during His preaching tours often repeated nearly the same sermon to different audiences, and that St. Matthew has given us the sermon as delivered at one place and St. Luke as delivered at another, but the resemblances... read more

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