Matthew 19:5

and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’

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Other translations

WEBBE

and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’

BSB

and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?

KJV

And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

ASV

and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?

BBE

For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and the two will become one flesh?

Original Greek

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καὶ kai and G2532 εἶπεν eipen said G2036 ἕνεκα heneka On account of G1752 τούτου toutou this G3778 καταλείψει kataleipsei will leave G2641 ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos a man G444 τὸν ton the G3588 πατέρα patera father G3962 καὶ kai and G2532 τὴν tēn the G3588 μητέρα mētera mother G3384 καὶ kai and G2532 κολληθήσεται kollēthēsetai will be joined with G2853 τῇ tēa the G3588 γυναικὶ gunaiki wife G1135 αὐτοῦ autou of him G846 καὶ kai and G2532 ἔσονται esontai will become G1510 οἱ hoi the G3588 δύο duo two G1417 εἰς eis into G1519 σάρκα sarka flesh G4561 μίαν mian one G1520

The early church

All 9
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.
Jerome · d. 420Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Civ. Dei, xiv. 22.) 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.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Gen. ad lit. ix. 19.) 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 enabled to speak this as a prophecy.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
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 parents, but man and wife of different. But this is saying too much, because the ordinance of God is of more force than the law of nature. For God's precepts are not subject to the law of nature, but nature bends to the precepts of God. Also brethren are born of one, that they should seek out different roads; but the man and the wife are born of different persons, that they should coalesce in one. The order of nature also follows the appointment of God. For as is the sap in trees, so is affection in man. The sap ascends from the roots into the leaves, and passes forth into the seed. Therefore parents love their children, but are not so loved of them, for the desire of a man is not towards his parents, but towards the sons whom he has begot; and this is what is said, Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife.
Pseudo-Chrysostom · d. 500Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
The Apostle says that this is a mystery in Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:32.); for the Lord Jesus Christ left His Father when He came down from heaven to earth; and He left His mother, that is, the synagogue, because of its unbelief, and clave unto His wife, that is, the Holy Church, and they two are one flesh, that is, Christ and the Church are one body.
Remigius of Rheims · d. 533Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 3–12

The Pharisees were desirous of drawing something from Jesus which they might represent as contrary to the law of Moses. Cases about marriage have been numerous, and sometimes perplexed; made so, not by the law of God, but by the lusts and follies of men; and often people fix what they will do, before they ask for advice. Jesus replied by asking whether they had not read the account of the creation, and the first example of marriage; thus pointing out that every departure therefrom was wrong. That condition is best for us, and to be chosen and kept to accordingly, which is best for our souls, and tends most to prepare us for, and preserve us to, the kingdom of heaven. When the gospel is really embraced, it makes men kind relatives and faithful friends; it teaches them to bear the burdens, and to bear with the infirmities of those with whom they are connected, to consider their peace and happiness more than their own. As to ungodly persons, it is proper that they should be restrained by laws, from breaking the peace of society. And we learn that the married state should be entered upon with great seriousness and earnest prayer.

Read Matthew Henry on Matthew 19 →

Parallel passages

5

The same words or events elsewhere, including Old Testament passages quoted in the New.

Genesis 2:24Mark 10:7–8Mark 10:7–91 Corinthians 6:16Ephesians 5:31

Cross-references

17

Topics

PolygamyHusband

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.