Twice in the Book of Matthew, Jesus reinforced the Bible’s teaching on divorce. Divorce was only justified in cases of adultery (Matthew 5:31-32 and 19:3-12). Attitudes towards divorce were so lax that a man could divorce his wife for any reason.
The restriction on divorce was a protection for the woman. In that culture, a divorced woman would struggle both economically and socially. This was not a new problem.
Four hundred years earlier God rebuked the men, “let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth. For I hate divorce” (Malachi 2:15). The disciples reflected the attitude of their day when they stated, “If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry” (Matthew 19:10).
Jesus gives an unusual response, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given” (Matthew 19:11). Jesus is saying that the laws of God were like His parables. They would only be understood, embraced and practiced only by those whose hearts were fully committed to God.
All will be judged by God’s laws - regardless their accepting or rejecting them. Next, Jesus states they are responding to his instruction as if He were asking them to become eunuchs! “For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:12). Jesus is indicating th.