Matthew 19:8 Meaning and Explanation
“He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus explains that Moses permitted divorce because of human hardness, not because it was God's original intent.
What Does Matthew 19:8 Mean?
Jesus answers the objection with precision. Moses did not command divorce; he "suffered" it, that is, permitted it, because of the hardness of human hearts. The provision was a concession to brokenness, regulating a painful reality rather than endorsing it. "From the beginning it was not so," He says, sending them back once more to creation.
Here Christ shows the difference between what God permits in a fallen world and what He purposed in a good one. Hardness of heart is the real problem, and law can restrain it but not heal it. The Savior who diagnoses the heart is also the One who came to soften and renew it. His aim is not merely to settle a legal point but to restore us to God's original goodness.
Matthew 19:8 in the Original Language
sklerokardia (σκληροκαρδία), 'hardness of heart' -- a stubborn, unyielding inner condition that resists God's purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 19:8
What does Matthew 19:8 mean?
Jesus explains that Moses permitted divorce because of human hardness, not because it was God's original intent.