§ 122. GOING FROM GALILEE THROUGH PEREA,a HE TEACHES CONCERNING DIVORCE

Perea

Mark 10:1-12Matt. 19:1-12
1 And he arose from thence, and
cometh into the borders of Judea
and beyond Jordan: and
multitudes come together unto him
again; and, as he was wont, he
taught them again.
2 And there came unto him
Pharisees, and asked him, Is it
lawful for a man to put away his
wife? tempting him. 3 And he
answered and said unto them,
What did Moses command you
[see Deut. 24:1]? 4 And they said,
Moses suffered to write a bill
of divorcement, and to put her
away. 5 But Jesus said unto them,
For your hardness of heart he
wrote you this commandment.
6 But from the beginning of the
creation, Male and female made
he them [see Gen. 1:27]. 7 For
this cause shall a man leave his
father and mother, 5and shall
cleave to his wife; 8 and the twain
shall become one flesh [see Gen.
2:24
]: so that they are no more
twain, but one flesh. 9 What
therefore God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder. 10 And in
the house the disciples asked him
again of this matter.
11 And he saith unto them,
Whosoever shall put away his wife,
and marry another, committeth
adultery against her: 12 and if she
herself shall put away her
husband, and marry another, she
committeth adultery.
1 And it came to pass when
Jesus had finished these words, he
departed from Galilee, and came
into the borders of Judea beyond
Jordan; 2 and great multitudes
followed him; and he healed them
there.
3 And there came unto him
1Pharisees, tempting him, and
saying, Is it lawful for a man to
put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said, Have
ye not read, that he which 2made
them from the beginning made
them male and female, 5 and said,
For this cause shall a man leave
his father and mother, and shall
cleave to his wife; and the twain
shall become one flesh? 6 So that
they are no more twain, but one
flesh. What therefore God hath
joined together, let not man put
asunder.
7 They say unto him,
Why then did Moses command
to give a bill of divorcement,
and to put her away? 8 He
saith unto them, Moses for your
hardness of heart suffered you
to put away your wives: but from
the beginning it hath not been so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever
shall put away his wife,
3except for fornication, and shall
marry another, committeth
adultery: 4and he that marrieth her
when she is put away committeth
adultery. 10 The disciples say unto
him, If the case of the man is so
with his wife, it is not expedient
to marry. 11 But he said unto them,
All men cannot receive this saying,
but they to whom it is given.
12 For there are eunuchs, which were
so born from their mother's womb:
and there are eunuchs, which were
made eunuchs by men: and there
are eunuchs, which made themselves
eunuchs for the kingdom of
heaven's sake. He that is able to
receive it, let him receive it.

1 Many authorities, some ancient, insert the.

2 Some ancient authorities read created.

3 Some ancient authorities read saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: as in ch. 5:32, [§ 54].

4 The following words, to the end of the verse, are omitted by some ancient authorities.

5 Some ancient authorities omit and shall cleave to his wife.

a Matthew expressly states that he went from Galilee through Perea, and soon afterwards carries him forward to Jericho and Jerusalem. (Comp. Mark also.) Yet he says that Jesus did this when he had finished the parable of the unforgiving servant, which we have placed nearly six months earlier ([§ 92]). Luke here presently agrees with Matthew and Mark, and they go on together to the end, while heretofore Matthew and Mark have given us nothing since Jesus went to the Feast of Tabernacles. In one way or another we must suppose quite a break in their narrative. See Broadus' commentary on Matthew 19:1, and compare [note 10] at end of Harmony.