Matthew 19

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Matthew 19 gathers three encounters on Jesus's way to Jerusalem that each turn on what a person is willing to give up. Pharisees test him on divorce, and he answers from creation: what God has joined, let no one separate. Disciples turn children away, and he calls them back, because the kingdom belongs to such as these. A wealthy young man asks what good thing he must do for eternal life, keeps every commandment he is asked about, and walks away sad when told to sell everything and follow. Jesus then tells his astonished disciples that salvation is impossible for man and possible with God, and promises a hundredfold to those who leave everything for his name.

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Matthew 19 puts three groups in front of Jesus on the road to Jerusalem, and each meeting asks what a person is holding onto. First the Pharisees, with a trap about divorce. Jesus does not enter their debate about Moses; he goes back to the beginning, to male and female and one flesh, and treats Moses's permission as a concession to hard hearts. The disciples find the standard so high that they suggest not marrying, and Jesus does not argue them out of it. Then children, whom the disciples try to send away and whom Jesus places at the center of the kingdom. Then the young man, rich and earnest, who wants to know what good thing he must do. He has kept the commandments; Jesus does not dispute it. He lacks one thing, and the one thing is everything he owns. He goes away sorrowful, the only person in the Gospels who is called and declines. Jesus turns to the disciples with the camel and the needle, and when they ask who can possibly be saved, he gives the answer the whole chapter has been building toward: with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Peter asks what the disciples will get for having left everything, and Jesus promises thrones, a hundredfold, and eternal life, then adds the line that keeps anyone from counting on their place in line: many who are first will be last.

Key passages

Matthew 19:3-9 Matthew 19:13-15 Matthew 19:16-22 Matthew 19:23-26 Genesis 2:24

Historical and literary context

The divorce question reflected a live debate between rabbinic schools over whether Deuteronomy 24 permitted divorce only for serious cause or "for any reason." Jesus sidesteps the debate by going behind Moses to Genesis. The scene is Judea beyond the Jordan, the territory of Herod Antipas, who had executed John the Baptist for criticizing his marriage, which gives the Pharisees' question a political edge. The rich young man's confidence that he had kept the commandments was not unusual for a devout Jew; Jesus's demand exposed the one commandment he could not keep.

How the chapter unfolds

Verses 1 to 12 concern marriage: the test question, Jesus's appeal to Genesis, the exception for sexual immorality, the disciples' dismay, and the saying about eunuchs for the kingdom. Verses 13 to 15 are the blessing of the children. Verses 16 to 22 are the rich young man, from his question to his sorrowful departure. Verses 23 to 26 give the camel and the needle and "with God all things are possible." Verses 27 to 30 answer Peter's "what will there be for us" with twelve thrones, a hundredfold, eternal life, and the reversal of first and last.

Why this chapter matters

Matthew 19 is the New Testament's central text on marriage, grounding it in creation rather than in law, and its most searching text on wealth. The rich young man is the only person in the Gospels recorded as walking away from a direct call to follow Jesus, and he does so with sorrow rather than defiance, which makes him the most relatable refusal in Scripture. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" answers the disciples' question "Who then can be saved?" and has become one of the Bible's best-known statements of grace. The chapter's welcome of children became the model for Christian teaching about faith as receiving rather than achieving.

Interpretive tension to watch

The rich young man is told to sell everything; Zacchaeus in Luke gives half; Joseph of Arimathea remains wealthy. Is the command universal, or aimed at the one thing this man served instead of God? And the "eye of the needle" has attracted a legend about a small Jerusalem gate that has no historical basis; the saying means impossibility, as the disciples' reaction and Jesus's answer confirm. How readers handle these questions shapes whether they soften the chapter or let it search them.

Questions for this chapter

  • Jesus answers a question about the law of divorce with the design of creation. What changes when marriage is read from Genesis rather than from Deuteronomy?
  • The young man kept the commandments and still lacked one thing. What is the one thing, and why could he not give it?
  • The disciples ask "Who then can be saved?" and Jesus answers "with God all things are possible." How does that exchange reframe the whole chapter?

Study with context

Use this as a chapter guide, then press deeper into the text itself. The goal is to slow down observation, notice structure, and ask better questions before jumping to conclusions.

Add to Notes
1 And it came to passe when Iesus had fynisshed those sayinges he gat him from Galile and came into the coostes of Iewry beyonde Iordan 2 and moche people folowed him and he healed them theare. 3 Then came vnto him the pharises temptinge him and sayinge to him: Ys it lawfull for a man to put awaye his wyfe for all maner of causes? 4 He answered and sayd vnto them: Have ye not redde how that he which made man at the beginninge made them man and woman 5 and sayde: for this thinge shall a man leve father and mother and cleve vnto his wyfe and they twayne shalbe one flesshe. 6 Wherfore now are they not twayne but one flesshe. Let not man therfore put a sunder that which God hath cuppled to gedder. 7 The sayde they to him: why did Moses commaunde to geve a testimoniall of divorsement and to put hyr awaye? 8 He sayde vnto them: Moses because of the hardnes of youre hertes suffred you to put awaye youre wyfes: But from the beginnynge it was not so. 9 I saye therfore vnto you whosoever putteth awaye his wyfe (except it be for fornicacion) and maryeth another breaketh wedlocke. And whosoever maryeth her which is divorsed doeth commyt advoutry. 10 Then sayde his disciples to him: yf the mater be so betwene man and wyfe then is it not good to mary? 11 He sayde vnto them: all me can not awaye with that sayinge save they to whom it is geven. 12 Ther are chaste which were so borne out of their mothers belly. And ther are chaste which be made of men. And ther be chaste which have made them selves chaste for the kyngdome of heves sake. He that can take it let him take it. 13 Then were brought to him yonge chyldre that he shuld put his hondes on them and praye And the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Iesus sayde: suffre the chyldren and forbid them not to come to me: for of suche is the kyngdome of heven. 15 And when he had put his hondes on them he departed thence. 16 And beholde one came and sayde vnto him: good master what good thinge shall I do that I maye have eternall lyfe? 17 He sayde vnto him: why callest thou me good? there is none good but one and that is God. But yf thou wylt entre in to lyfe kepe the commaundementes. 18 The other sayde to him Which? And Iesus sayde: breake no wedloke kill not steale not: beare not falce witnes: 19 honoure father and mother: and love thyne neighbour as thy sylfe. 20 And the younge man sayde vnto him: I have observed all these thingis from my youth what lacke I yet? 21 And Iesus sayde vnto him yf thou wylt be perfecte goo and sell that thou hast and geve it to the povre and thou shalt have treasure in heven and come and folowe me. 22 When the younge man hearde that sayinge he wet awaye mourninge. For he had greate possessions. 23 Then Iesus sayde vnto his disciples: Verely I saye vnto you: that is harde for a ryche man to enter into the kyngdome of heaven. 24 And moreover I saye vnto you: it is easier for a camell to go through the eye of a nedle then for a ryche man to enter into the kyngdome of God. 25 When his disciples hearde that they were excedingly amased sayinge: who then can be saved? 26 Iesus behelde the and sayde vnto them: with men this is vnpossible but with God all thinges are possible. 27 Then answered Peter and sayde to him: Beholde we have forsaken all and folowed the what shall we have? 28 Iesus sayde vnto them: verely I saye to you: when the sonne of man shall syt in the seate of his maieste ye which folowe me in the seconde generacion shall syt also vpon .xii. seates and iudge the .xii. tribes of Israel. 29 And whosoever forsaketh housses or brethren or systers other father or mother or wyfe or chyldren or landes for my names sake the same shall receave an hundred folde and shall inheret everlastynge lyfe. 30 Many that are fyrste shalbe laste and the laste shalbe fyrste.

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