Matthew 19:4
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
Original Language Analysis
ὁ
he which
G3588
ὁ
he which
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 17
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἀποκριθεὶς
he answered
G611
ἀποκριθεὶς
he answered
Strong's:
G611
Word #:
3 of 17
to conclude for oneself, i.e., (by implication) to respond; by hebraism (compare h6030) to begin to speak (where an address is expected)
αὐτούς
them
G846
αὐτούς
them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
5 of 17
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ὅτι
that
G3754
ὅτι
that
Strong's:
G3754
Word #:
8 of 17
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
ὁ
he which
G3588
ὁ
he which
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
9 of 17
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἐποίησεν
made
G4160
ἐποίησεν
made
Strong's:
G4160
Word #:
10 of 17
to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
ἀπ'
them at
G575
ἀπ'
them at
Strong's:
G575
Word #:
11 of 17
"off," i.e., away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative)
ἀρχῆς
the beginning
G746
ἀρχῆς
the beginning
Strong's:
G746
Word #:
12 of 17
(properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank)
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
14 of 17
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
Cross References
Genesis 2:23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.Genesis 1:27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.Genesis 5:2Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.Malachi 2:15And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.Luke 10:26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?Genesis 2:18And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.Matthew 22:31But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,Matthew 12:3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
Historical Context
The Pharisees' question about divorce (19:3) was contentious, with rabbis debating grounds for divorce. The school of Shammai allowed divorce only for adultery; Hillel permitted it for any cause. Jesus bypasses this debate to establish marriage's original design. His appeal to 'the beginning' transcends Mosaic Law's accommodations to human hardness of heart (19:8).
Questions for Reflection
- How does grounding marriage in creation affect your view of its nature and permanence?
- What cultural marriage practices need evaluation against biblical creation design?
- How should Christians respond to society's redefinition of marriage?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Jesus answers the divorce question by appealing to creation: 'Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female?' This grounds marriage in God's creative design, not human custom or Mosaic concession. The phrase 'at the beginning' takes the discussion back to Genesis 1-2, before sin corrupted human relationships. Reformed theology sees here the foundational importance of creation ordinances—marriage between male and female is God's design from the beginning, not culturally constructed.