Matthew 19:8 (WEB)
He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so.
Catechism · 6
The Sacrament of Matrimony
“Nevertheless, the law given to Moses aims at protecting the wife from arbitrary domination by the husband, even though according to the Lord's words it still carries traces of man's "hardness of heart" which was the reason Moses permitted men to divorce their wives.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 19:8; Deut 24:1.
“In his preaching Jesus unequivocally taught the original meaning of the union of man and woman as the Creator willed it from the beginning permission given by Moses to divorce one's wife was a concession to the hardness of hearts.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 19:8.
“It is he who gives them meaning and grants them the grace which is indispensable for living them out in conformity with his will.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 19:3-12.
The Ten Commandments
“observance of the Commandments, is joined to the call to poverty and chastity.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 19:6-12, 21, 23-29.
The Sixth Commandment
“"What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder."” — Catechism footnote: Mk 109; cf. Mt 19:1-12; 1 Cor 7: 10-11.
“The Lord Jesus insisted on the original intention of the Creator who willed that marriage be indissoluble.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 5:31-32; 19:3-9; Mk 10 9; Lk 16:18; 1 Cor 7:10-ll.
Fathers and councils · 43
Irenaeus of Lyons
“He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he permitted these things to you; but from the beginning it was not so;” thus exculpating Moses as a faithful servant, but acknowledging one God, who from the beginning made male and female, and reproving them as hard-hearted and disobedient.” — editor's note: Matt. xix. 7, 8.
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Augustine of Hippo
“Nay, but the times over which she presides are not all alike, because they are times.” — editor's note: The law of the development of revelation implied in the above passage is one to which Augustin frequently resorts in confutation of objections such as those to…
Read the whole comment“And so on, down to the words, “He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”” — editor's note: Matt. xix. 1–12.
Read the whole comment“In which matter there appears rather a rebuke, than an approval, of divorce.” — editor's note: Matt. xix. 8
Read the whole comment“But the instance pertains to ætiology, that, when Christ had forbidden a wife to be put away, save for the cause of fornication, and they, who asked Him, had alleged that Moses had granted permission after a writing of divorcement had been given, This, saith He, “Moses did because of the hardness of your heart.”” — editor's note: Matt. xix. 8
Read the whole comment“And accordingly the Lord Himself in another passage, when a question was asked Him as to this matter, gave this reply: “Moses did so because of the hardness of your hearts.”” — editor's note: Matt. xix. 8.
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John Chrysostom
“For that this was not a primarylaw, hear Him saying, “Moses wrote these things according to the hardness of your hearts,”that ye might not slay them in the house, but rather put them out.” — editor's note: Matt. xix. 8. [R.V. “for your hardness of heart.”—R.]
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Tertullian
“…prohibits, first because “from the beginning it was not so,” like plurality of marriage; secondly, because “What God hath conjoined, man shall not separate,”—for fear, namely, that he contravene the Lord: for He alone shall “separate” who has “conjoined” (separate, moreover, not through the harshness of divorce,…” — editor's note: See Matt. xix. 3–8, where, however, Tertullian’s order is reversed. Comp. with this chapter, c. v. above.
Read the whole comment“…respecting it: “Moses,” says He, “because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to give a bill of divorcement; but from the beginning it was not so”—for this reason, indeed, because He who had “made them male and female” had likewise said, “They twain shall become one flesh; what therefore God hath joined…” — editor's note: Matt. xix. 8.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Lord had before left Judaea because of their jealousy, but now He keeps Himself more to it, because His passion was near at hand. Yet does He not go up to Judaea itself, but into the borders of Judaea; whence it…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
Here then He begins to relate what He did, taught, or suffered in Judaea. At first beyond Jordan eastward, afterwards on this side Jordan when He came to Jericho, Bethphage, and Jerusalem; whence it follows, “And He…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
It should be known, that the whole territory of the Israelites was called Judaea, to distinguish it from other nations. But its southern portion, inhabited by the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, was called Judaea…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
They were conducting Him forth, as the young children of a father going on a far journey. And He setting forth as a father, left them as pledges of His love the healing of their diseases, as it is said, “And he…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
It should be also observed, that the Lord is not either ever delivering doctrine, or ever working miracles, but one while does this, and again turns to that; that by His miracles faith might be given to what He said,…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Lord healed the multitudes beyond Jordan, where baptism was given. For all are truly healed from spiritual sickness in baptism; and many follow Christ as did these multitudes, but not rising up as Matthew, who…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Also He cures the Galileans on the borders of Judaea, that He might admit the sins of the Gentiles to that pardon which was prepared for the Jews.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
For indeed Christ so healed men, as to do good both to themselves, and through them to many other. For these men’s healing was to others the occasion of their knowledge of God; but not to the Pharisees, who were only…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
That they might have Him as it were between the horns of a syllogism, so that, whatever answer He should make, it would lie open to cavil. Should He allow a wife to be put away for any cause, and the marriage of…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Observe their wickedness even in the way of putting their question. The Lord had above disputed concerning this law, but they now ask Him as though He had spoken nothing thereof, supposing He had forgot what He had…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
But, as when you see one much pursuing the acquaintance of physicians, you know that he is sick, so, when you see either man or woman enquiring concerning divorce, know that that man is lustful and that woman…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
Seeing the Lord thus tempted, let none of His disciples who is set to teach think it hard if he also be by some tempted. Howbeit, He replies to His tempters with the doctrines of piety.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
But He so frames His answer as to evade their snare. He brings in the testimony of Holy Writ, and the law of nature, and opposing God’s first sentence to this second, “He answered and said unto them, Have ye not…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
For by the wholesome design of God it was ordained that a man should have in the woman a part of his own body, and should not look upon as separate from himself that which he knew was formed out of himself.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
If then God created the male and female out of one, to this end that they should be one, why then henceforth were not they born man and wife at one birth, as it is with certain insects? Because God created male and…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
But not by the law of creation only, but also by the practice of the law, He shews that they ought to be joined one and one, and never put asunder; “And he said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and his…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
In like manner He says “his wife,” and not wives, and adds expressly, “and they twain shall be one flesh.” For it is the reward of marriage that one flesh, namely in the offspring, is made of two.
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, “one flesh,” that is in carnal connexion.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
If then because the wife is made of the man, and both one of one flesh, a man shall leave his father and his mother, then there should be yet greater affection between brothers and sisters, for these come of the same…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
See the wisdom of the Teacher. Being asked, “Is it lawful,” He said not straight, It is not lawful, lest they should be troubled, but establishes it through a proof. For God made them from the beginning male and…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Whereas Scripture witnesses that these words were said by the first man, and the Lord here declares that God spake them, hence we should understand that by reason of the ecstasy which had passed upon Adam, he was…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Apostle says [margin note: Eph 5:32] that this is a mystery in Christ and the Church; for the Lord Jesus Christ left His Father when He came down from heaven to earth; and He left His mother, that is, the…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
When He had brought forward the words and facts of the old law, He then interprets it with authority, and lays down a law, saying, “Therefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.” For as those who love one another…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
For they are called one, either from their union, or from the derivation of the woman, who was taken out of the side of the man.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
He brings in God yet again, saying, “What God has joined, let no man put asunder,” shewing that it is against both nature and God’s law to put away a wife; against nature, because one flesh is therein divided;…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
God has joined by making man and woman one flesh; this then man may not put asunder, but God only. Man puts asunder, when from desire of a second wife the first is put away; God puts asunder, who also had joined,…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Behold now out of the books of Moses it is proved to the Jews that a wife may not be put away. For they thought that they were doing according to the purport of Moses’ law when they did put them away. This also we…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
This sentence of chastity seemed hard to these adulterers; but they could not make answer to the argument. Howbeit, they will not submit to the truth, but betake themselves for shelter to Moses, as men having a bad…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Here they reveal the cavil which they had prepared; albeit the Lord had not given sentence of Himself, but had recalled to their minds ancient history, and the commands of God.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Had the Lord been opposed to the Old Testament, He would not thus have contended in Moses’ behalf, nor have gone about to shew that what was his was in agreement with the things of old. But the unspeakable wisdom of…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
For how great was that hardness? When not even the intervention of a bill of divorce, which gave room for just and prudent men to endeavour to dissuade, could move them to renew the conjugal affection. And with what…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
At last, because what He had said was severe, He goes back to the old law, saying, “From the beginning it was not so.”
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
What He says is to this purpose. Is it possible that God should so contradict Himself, as to command one thing at first, and after defeat His own ordinance by a new statute? Think not so; but, whereas Moses saw that…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Therefore said He well, Moses suffered, not commanded. For what we command, that we ever wish; but when we suffer, we yield against our will, because we have not the power to put full restraint upon the evil wills of…
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Cross-references · 16
Cited together in On Monogamy Chapter 9.
Cited together in Catechism §2382.
Cited together in On Monogamy Chapter 9.
Cited together in On Monogamy Chapter 9 and 1 other place.
Cited together in On Monogamy Chapter 9 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Catechism §2364 and 2 other places.
Cited together in Catechism §2364 and 2 other places.
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 19:2–8 (6) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 19:2–8 (4) (Catena Aurea) and 1 other place.
Cited together in On Monogamy Chapter 9.
Cited together in Catechism §1610 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Catechism §2382.
Cited together in Catechism §2382 and 1 other place.
Cited together in On Monogamy Chapter 9.
Cited together in On the Profit of Believing Chapter 6.
Cited together in On the Profit of Believing Chapter 6.