Matthew 19

Translator Notes

1. The formula 'when Jesus had finished these words' (hote etelesen ho Iesous tous logous toutous) marks the end of the fourth discourse (chapter 18), paralleling the formula at the end of each major discourse in Matthew (7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1, 26:1). The phrase 'beyond the Jordan' (peran tou Iordanou) refers to Perea, the region east of the Jordan. This marks the beginning of Jesus's final journey toward Jerusalem.

Translator Notes

1. The summary statement of healing serves as a transition, indicating that Jesus's ministry continues even as the narrative shifts geographically toward Jerusalem. The crowds' following (ekoloutheesan) uses the verb that regularly describes discipleship.

Translator Notes

1. The participle peirazontes ('testing') marks hostile intent. The phrase kata pasan aitian ('for any reason') reflects the debate between the rabbinic schools of Hillel and Shammai. Hillel's school allowed divorce for virtually any cause (including a burnt meal); Shammai's school restricted it to sexual immorality. The Pharisees are asking Jesus to take a side in a live controversy.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase 'have you not read' (ouk anegnote) is a pointed challenge to biblical scholars — of course they have read it, but they have not understood it. Jesus appeals past the Mosaic legislation to the creation narrative (Genesis 1:27), establishing God's original design as the authoritative standard. The phrase ap' arches ('from the beginning') grounds the argument in the creation order.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Genesis 1:27. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus now quotes Genesis 2:24. The verb kollethesetai ('will be joined, will be united, will cling to') is a strong term suggesting permanent adhesion. The phrase 'one flesh' (sarka mian) describes a union that creates a new entity — not merely a legal arrangement but an ontological change. The logic builds toward the conclusion in verse 6.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Genesis 2:24 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. The verb synezeyxen ('joined together, yoked together') is a strong term — the same root as 'yoke' (zeugos). God himself is identified as the agent of the union, not merely the officiant. The prohibition 'let no person separate' (anthropos me chorizeto) places the onus on human beings: divorce is a human act that undoes what God has done. Jesus transcends the Hillel-Shammai debate by returning to creation theology.

Translator Notes

1. The Pharisees cite Deuteronomy 24:1-4 as a counterargument. Note their verb: they say Moses 'commanded' (eneteilato) divorce. Jesus will correct this in verse 8 — Moses did not command divorce; he permitted it. The biblion apostasiou ('certificate of divorce, document of separation') was a legal document that freed the woman to remarry. The Pharisees treat the Mosaic provision as normative; Jesus will treat it as a concession.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. Jesus makes two crucial corrections. First, Moses 'permitted' (epetrepsen), not 'commanded' — divorce is a concession, not an ideal. Second, the reason for the concession is 'hardness of heart' (sklerokardia, literally 'hard-heartedness'), a term used in the Old Testament for Israel's stubborn resistance to God's will (cf. Deuteronomy 10:16, Jeremiah 4:4). Jesus's phrase 'from the beginning' (ap' arches) reasserts the creation ideal as the standard by which all subsequent legislation must be measured.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Deuteronomy 10:16 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Jeremiah 4:4 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The 'exception clause' (me epi porneia, 'except for sexual immorality') is unique to Matthew (cf. 5:32). The Greek porneia is broader than moicheia ('adultery') and can encompass any serious sexual transgression — its exact scope here is heavily debated. Some scholars argue it refers specifically to incestuous marriages (as in Acts 15:20, 29), others to adultery, others to premarital unfaithfulness. The SBLGNT text does not include the final clause about marrying a divorced woman, which appears in some manuscripts and the KJV tradition (Textus Receptus).

Translator Notes

1. The disciples' reaction reveals how radical Jesus's teaching is — they conclude that if divorce is so restricted, marriage itself becomes too risky. The phrase ou sympherei gamesai ('it is not advantageous to marry') uses the language of practical calculation. Their response shows they understood Jesus to be significantly restricting the prevailing norms.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase ton logon touton ('this word') is ambiguous — does 'this word' refer to the disciples' suggestion about not marrying, or to Jesus's teaching about divorce? The context suggests the former: not everyone has the gift of celibacy. The passive 'it has been given' (dedotai) implies God as the giver — celibacy, like marriage, is a divine calling.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus identifies three categories of celibacy: congenital (born eunuchs), imposed (castrated by others, as was common for court officials), and voluntary (those who renounce marriage for the kingdom). The third category is metaphorical — Jesus is not advocating self-mutilation but describing those who voluntarily forgo marriage to devote themselves entirely to God's purposes. The closing invitation 'let the one who is able to accept this accept it' (ho dynamenos chorein choreito) acknowledges this is an extraordinary calling, not a universal requirement.

Translator Notes

1. The passive proseneechthesan ('were brought') indicates parents bringing their children. The purpose — laying on of hands and prayer — is a request for blessing, not healing. The disciples' rebuke (epetimesan) suggests they thought Jesus's time was too valuable for children. This echoes their misunderstanding of 'the greatest in the kingdom' from 18:1-5 — they still have not grasped the lesson.

Translator Notes

1. The double command — 'let' (aphete) and 'do not hinder' (me koluete) — corrects the disciples forcefully. The phrase ton toiouton ('of such as these') means 'people who are like these children' — those who come with the humility, dependence, and lack of status that characterize children. This reiterates the teaching of 18:3-4.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus does exactly what was requested — he lays hands on the children. The simple narrative detail contrasts with the disciples' attempted barrier. Matthew's account is briefer than Mark's (10:16), which adds that Jesus embraced the children.

Translator Notes

1. Matthew's version differs from Mark's ('Good Teacher'). Here the man asks 'what good thing' (ti agathon) rather than addressing Jesus as 'Good Teacher.' The question assumes that eternal life (zoe aionios) can be secured by performing a specific act. The man's approach is sincere — he is not testing Jesus — but his framework is transactional: what must I do to earn this?

Translator Notes

1. Matthew's version redirects the question: 'Why do you ask me about the good?' rather than Mark's 'Why do you call me good?' (Mark 10:18). The statement 'there is only one who is good' (heis estin ho agathos) points to God as the sole source of goodness. Jesus's answer — 'keep the commandments' (tereson tas entolas) — meets the man where he is: if you want to approach this through doing, then the commandments are the starting point.

Translator Notes

1. The man's follow-up question 'Which ones?' (poias) may reflect genuine uncertainty or a desire for a specific checklist. Jesus cites commandments from the second table of the Decalogue — those governing human relationships (sixth through ninth commandments). The absence of the first four commandments (duties toward God) is notable and may be deliberate, as the man's real deficiency involves his relationship with God, not his ethical conduct.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus adds the fifth commandment (honor parents) and Leviticus 19:18 ('love your neighbor as yourself'). The addition of the love command is significant — it summarizes the ethical intent of all the commandments Jesus has listed and signals that mere prohibition is insufficient; positive love is required.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Leviticus 19:18. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. Matthew identifies the man as neaniskos ('young man'), providing a detail the other Synoptics convey differently (Mark says Jesus loved him, Luke calls him a ruler). His claim to have kept all the commandments (panta tauta ephylaxa) is presented sincerely, not arrogantly. His question 'What do I still lack?' (ti eti hystero) reveals an awareness that commandment-keeping has not brought the assurance of eternal life he seeks.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The adjective teleios ('perfect, complete, mature') does not mean sinless perfection but wholeness — the young man's lack is not moral failure but incomplete devotion. The sequence of commands — go, sell, give, come, follow — dismantles the barrier between the man and full discipleship. 'Treasure in heaven' (thesauron en ouranois) contrasts with earthly treasure (cf. 6:19-21). The final imperative 'follow me' (akolouthei moi) is the definitive invitation to discipleship.

Translator Notes

1. The participle lypoumenos ('grieving, sorrowing') indicates that the departure was not callous but painful. He understood what Jesus was asking and could not bring himself to do it. The phrase 'many possessions' (ktemata polla) explains his grief — his wealth owned him more than he owned it. He is the only person in the Gospels who is explicitly called to follow Jesus and walks away.

Translator Notes

1. The adverb dyskolos ('with difficulty, hardly') indicates not impossibility but severe difficulty. The solemn introduction 'Truly I tell you' elevates this to authoritative teaching. In Jewish tradition, wealth was often viewed as a sign of divine blessing (cf. Deuteronomy 28:1-14), making Jesus's warning deeply counterintuitive.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Deuteronomy 28:1-14 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The image is deliberately absurd — a camel (kamelon), the largest animal in Palestine, through the eye of a needle (trypematos rhaphidos), the smallest opening imaginable. Medieval interpreters invented a small gate called 'the eye of the needle' in Jerusalem, but no such gate is historically attested. The hyperbole is the point: this is humanly impossible. Matthew uses 'kingdom of God' (basileia tou theou) here rather than his usual 'kingdom of heaven,' perhaps following his source.

Translator Notes

1. The verb exeplessonto ('were utterly astonished, were struck with amazement') is one of the strongest terms for shock in Greek. Their reasoning is clear: if even the rich — those who appear most blessed by God — cannot enter the kingdom, then who can? The question tis ara dynatai sotheenai ('Who then can be saved?') assumes what many first-century Jews assumed: wealth indicates divine favor. If God's favorites cannot be saved, salvation is impossible for everyone.

Translator Notes

1. The verb emblepsas ('looked directly at, fixed his gaze on') indicates an intentional, significant look. Jesus does not soften his teaching about wealth — he confirms it is humanly impossible. But he adds the decisive qualifier: para theo panta dynata ('with God all things are possible'), echoing Genesis 18:14 ('Is anything too hard for the LORD?'). Salvation is God's work, not a human achievement. This reframes the entire conversation from 'What must I do?' (v. 16) to 'What can God do?'
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Genesis 18:14. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. Peter's statement is factual — the disciples have left occupations, homes, and families (4:18-22). His question ti ara estai hemin ('What then will there be for us?') is characteristically blunt. It raises the issue of reward for sacrifice, which Jesus answers without rebuke, suggesting the question is legitimate even if the framing is self-interested.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The word palingenesia ('regeneration, renewal, rebirth') appears only here and in Titus 3:5 in the New Testament. In Stoic philosophy it referred to the cosmic renewal after periodic destruction. Here it refers to the eschatological restoration of all things — the new creation. 'His glorious throne' (thronou doxes autou) alludes to Daniel 7:9-14. The twelve thrones for the twelve apostles judging twelve tribes presents the reconstituted Israel under the authority of Jesus and his chosen leaders.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Daniel 7:9-14 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The promise extends beyond the twelve to 'everyone' (pas hostis) who sacrifices for Jesus. The list covers property (houses, fields) and family relationships — the full range of human attachment. The 'hundredfold' (hekatontaplasiona) return and 'eternal life' (zoen aionion) represent both present-age blessings (new community, new family in the church) and future-age consummation. The SBLGNT omits 'wife' (gynaika), which appears in some manuscripts.

Translator Notes

1. This saying reverses human expectations of status and reward — a theme running throughout this chapter (children over adults, poor over rich, servants over rulers). The reversal formula 'first/last, last/first' frames the parable of the workers in the vineyard that immediately follows (20:1-16), which also ends with this saying. The word 'many' (polloi) suggests the reversal is not absolute but widespread.