“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?”
My Notes
What Does Matthew 19:3 Mean?
"The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" The Pharisees approach Jesus with a TRAP question about divorce: is it lawful to divorce for ANY reason? The question isn't sincere. It's designed to force Jesus into one side of a rabbinic debate (the strict school of Shammai versus the lenient school of Hillel) and alienate whichever side He doesn't choose. The question is political, not theological.
The phrase "tempting him" (peirazontes auton — testing/tempting Him) reveals the MOTIVE: the Pharisees aren't seeking wisdom. They're setting a trap. The question is designed to produce a damaging answer regardless of which way Jesus responds. If He says 'yes, for any cause,' He contradicts Moses. If He says 'no,' He opposes popular practice. The trap is constructed before the question is asked.
The "for every cause" (kata pasan aitian — for every reason/cause) is the TRAP MECHANISM: the question isn't simply 'is divorce lawful?' (which Moses already answered). It's 'is divorce lawful for EVERY cause?' — meaning any reason at all, including trivial ones. The Hillel school said yes (even a burned dinner was grounds). The Shammai school said only for sexual immorality. The Pharisees want Jesus to pick a side and make enemies.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What trap question needs answering from a deeper foundation than the question itself provides?
- 2.What does Jesus bypassing the rabbinic debate to go back to Genesis teach about addressing contemporary controversies?
- 3.How does recognizing a question as a TRAP change how you respond to it?
- 4.What 'creation design' — what original intention — does your current debate need to return to?
Devotional
Is it lawful to divorce for ANY reason? The question is a trap — designed to force Jesus into a political corner, not to seek genuine understanding. The Pharisees aren't curious about marriage. They're trying to get Jesus to alienate half His audience by choosing sides in a rabbinic debate.
The 'tempting him' exposes the entire exchange: this isn't a sincere theological question. It's a TEST. The Pharisees have pre-calculated the damage either answer would cause. 'Yes, for any cause' would make Jesus seem morally lax. 'No, not for any cause' would put Him against popular practice and potentially against Herod (who divorced and remarried — the issue that got John the Baptist killed). Every answer is designed to produce a negative outcome.
The 'for every cause' is the loaded phrase: the question isn't about WHETHER divorce is permitted (Moses allowed it). It's about the SCOPE — can you divorce for ANYTHING? A ruined meal? A more attractive woman? Any dissatisfaction whatsoever? The 'every cause' pushes the question to its extreme, forcing Jesus to either endorse trivial divorce or appear to contradict Mosaic permission.
Jesus' response (verses 4-6) bypasses BOTH sides of the debate and goes back to CREATION: He doesn't choose Shammai or Hillel. He goes back to Genesis. 'Have ye not read?' He answers the divorce question with a MARRIAGE answer. The Pharisees asked about the conditions for ending a marriage. Jesus answers with the design for beginning one.
What 'trap question' in your life needs to be answered from a deeper foundation than the terms of the question allow?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
The Pharisees also came unto him,.... Either from the places round about, or from Jerusalem: these came unto him, not…
The Pharisees came - See the notes at Mat 3:7. Tempting him - This means, to get him, if possible, to express an opinion…
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Cross References
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