Matthew 19

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 19

In this chapter, we have, I. Christ changing his quarters, leaving Galilee, and coming into the coasts of Judea, Matt. 19:1, 2. II. His dispute with the Pharisees about divorce, and his discourse with his disciples upon occasion of it, Matt. 19:3-12. III. The kind entertainment he gave to some little children which were brought to him, Matt. 19:13-15. IV. An account of what passed between Christ and a hopeful young gentleman that applied himself to him, Matt. 19:16-22. V. His discourse with... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 19:1-2

We have here an account of Christ's removal. Observe, 1. He left Galilee. There he had been brought up, and had spent the greatest part of his life in that remote despicable part of the country; it was only upon occasion of the feasts, that he came up to Jerusalem, and manifested himself there; and, we may suppose, that, having no constant residence there when he did come, his preaching and miracles were the more observable and acceptable. But it was an instance of his humiliation, and in... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 19:3-12

We have here the law of Christ in the case of divorce, occasioned, as some other declarations of his will, by a dispute with the Pharisees. So patiently did he endure the contradiction of sinners, that he turned it into instructions to his own disciples! Observe, here I. The case proposed by the Pharisees (Matt. 19:3); Isa. it lawful for a man to put away his wife? This they asked, tempting him, not desiring to be taught by him. Some time ago, he had, in Galilee, declared his mind in this... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 19:13-15

We have here the welcome which Christ gave to some little children that were brought to him. Observe, I. The faith of those that brought them. How many they were, that were brought, we are not told; but they were so little as to be taken up in arms, a year old, it may be, or two at most. The account here given of it, is, that there were brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray, Matt. 19:13. Probably they were their parents, guardians, or nurses, that... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 19:16-22

Here is an account of what passed between Christ and a hopeful young gentleman that addressed himself to him upon a serious errand; he said to be a young man (Matt. 19:20); and I called him a gentleman, not only because he had great possessions, but because he was a ruler (Luke 18:18), a magistrate, a justice of peace in his country; it is probable that he had abilities beyond his years, else his youth would have debarred him from the magistracy. Now concerning this young gentleman, we are... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 19:23-30

We have here Christ's discourse with his disciples upon occasion of the rich man's breaking with Christ. I. Christ took occasion from thence to show the difficulty of the salvation of the rich people, Matt. 19:23-26. 1. That it is a very hard thing for a rich man to get to heaven, such a rich man as this here. Note, From the harms and falls of others it is good for us to infer that which will be of caution to us. Now, (1.) This is vehemently asserted by our Saviour, Matt. 19:23, 24. He said... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 19:1-9

19:1-9 When Jesus had finished these words, he left Galilee, and came into the districts of Judaea which are on the far side of the Jordan. Many crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Pharisees came to him, trying to test him. "It is lawful," they said, "for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?" He answered, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and he said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 19:1-9

One of the great problems of Jewish divorce lies within the Mosaic enactment. That enactment states that a man may divorce his wife, "if she finds no favour in his eyes, because he has found some indecency in her." The question is--how is the phrase some indecency to be interpreted? On this point the Jewish Rabbis were violently divided, and it was here that Jesus' questioners wished to involve him. The school of Shammai were quite clear that a matter of indecency meant fornication, and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 19:1-9

In effect, the Pharisees were asking Jesus whether he favoured the strict view of Shammai or the laxer view of Hillel; and thereby seeking to involve him in controversy. Jesus' answer was to take things back to the very beginning, back to the ideal of creation. In the beginning, he said, God created Adam and Eve, man and woman. Inevitably, in the very circumstances of the creation story, Adam and Eve were created for each other and for no one else; their union was necessarily complete and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 19:1-9

Let us now go on to see the high ideal of the married state which Jesus sets before those who are willing to accept his commands. We will see that the Jewish ideal gives us the basis of the Christian ideal. The Jewish term for marriage was Kiddushin. Kiddushin meant sanctification or consecration. It was used to describe something which was dedicated to God as his exclusive and peculiar possession. Anything totally surrendered to God was kiddushin. This meant that in marriage the husband was... read more

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