Matthew 19 The Pharisees came to Jesus one day, trying to get the Master to trip over His words. “Does the law of Moses allow a man to divorce his wife for any reason?” asked one of the Pharisees. “Haven’t you read that God made men and women in the beginning, and commanded men to leave their father and mother to be unified with his wife?” asked Jesus. “In marriage, they are made one, no longer two separate people. What God has commanded to be joined together, let no man break apart.” “Well then,” asked the Pharisee triumphantly, “why did Moses command that you give a notice of divorce in writing?” The question implied that Moses had allowed for divorce, and therefore Jesus had spoken against the Law of Moses. “Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because of your inability to obey the higher law,” responded Jesus. “In the beginning, divorce was not allowed. I tell you, whoever divorces his wife (except in the case of an affair) and marries another woman commits adultery himself. And whoever marries the first wife who was left commits adultery also.”
