Matthew 19

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:6

Verse 6 6.What God therefore hath joined. By this sentence Christ restrains the caprice of husbands, that they may not, by divorcing their wives, burst asunder the sacred knot. And as he declares that it is not in the power of the husband to dissolve the marriage, so likewise he forbids all others to confirm by their authority unlawful divorces; for the magistrate abuses his power when he grants permission to the husband to divorce his wife. But the object which Christ had directly in view was,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:7

Verse 7 7.Why then did Moses order? They had thought of this calumny, (597) if, which was more probable, Christ should demand a proper cause to be shown in cases of divorce; for it appears that whatever God permits by his law, whose will alone establishes the distinction between what is good or evil, is lawful. But Christ disarms the falsehood and slander by the appropriate reply, that Moses permitted it on account of their obstinacy, and not because he approved of it as lawful. And he confirms... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:9

Verse 9 9.But I say to you. Mark relates that this was spoken to the disciples apart, when they had come into the house; but Matthew, leaving out this circumstance, gives it as a part of the discourse, as the Evangelists frequently leave out some intermediate occurrence, because they reckon it enough to sum up the leading points. There is therefore no difference, except that the one explains the matter more distinctly than the other. The substance of it is: though the Law does not punish... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:10

Verse 10 10.His disciples say to him. As if it were a hard condition for husbands to be so bound to their wives, that, so long as they remain chaste, they are compelled to endure every thing rather than leave them, the disciples, roused by this answer of Christ, reply, that it is better to want wives than to submit to a knot of this kind. (603) But why do they not, on the other hand, consider how hard is the bondage of wives, (604) but because, devoted to themselves and their own convenience,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:11

Verse 11 11.All are not capable of receiving this saying. By this he means, that the choice is not placed in our hands, as if we were to deliberate on a matter submitted to us. If any man thinks it advantageous for him to want a wife, and, without making any inquiry, lays upon himself an obligation to celibacy, (606) he is widely mistaken. God, who has declared it to be good that a man should have a woman to be his helper, will punish the contempt of his own appointment; for mortals take too... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:12

Verse 12 12.For there are eunuchs Christ distinguishes three kinds of eunuchs Those who are so by nature, or who have been castrated by men, are debarred from marriage by this defect, for they are not men. He says that there are other eunuchs, who have castrated themselves, that they may be more at liberty to serve God; and these he exempts from the obligation to marry. Hence it follows, that all others who avoid marriage fight against God with sacrilegious hardihood, after the manner of the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:13

Verse 13 This narrative is highly useful; for it shows that Christ receives not only those who, moved by holy desire and faith, freely approach to him, but those who are not yet of age to know how much they need his grace. Those little children have not yet any understanding to desire his blessing; but when they are presented to him, he gently and kindly receives them, and dedicates them to the Father (611) by a solemn act of blessing. We must observe the intention of those who present the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:14

Verse 14 14.Suffer children. He declares that he wishes to receive children; and at length, taking them in his arms, he not only embraces, but blesses them by the laying on of hand; from which we infer that his grace is extended even to those who are of that age. And no wonder; for since the whole race of Adam is shut up under the sentence of death, all from the least even to the greatest must perish, except those who are rescued by the only Redeemer. To exclude from the grace of redemption... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:16

Verse 16 Matthew 19:16.And, lo, one. Luke says that he was a ruler, ( ἄρχων,) that is, a man of very high authority, not one of the common people. (616) And though riches procure respect, (617) yet he appears to be here represented to have been held in high estimation as a good man. For my own part, after weighing all the circumstances, I have no doubt that, though he is called a young man, he belonged to the class of those who upheld the integrity of the Elders, by a sober and regular life.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:17

Verse 17 17.Why callest thou me good? I do not understand this correction in so refined a sense as is given by a good part of interpreters, as if Christ intended to suggest his Divinity; for they imagine that these words mean, “If thou perceivest in me nothing more exalted than human nature, thou falsely appliest to me the epithet good, which belongs to God alone. ” I do acknowledge that, strictly speaking, men and even angels do not deserve so honorable a title; because they have not a drop of... read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:6

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:9

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:10

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:11

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:12

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:13

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:14

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:16

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 19:17

Verse of the Day

Daily Devotional

Group of Brands