Matthew 19:7-12

⁷ They asked him, “Why then did Moses command the giving of a certificate of apostasy that makes the release final?”

⁸ He answered them, ” Moses responded to your hard-heartedness by allowing you to divorce your wives, but that was not what was intended from the beginning.

⁹ Instead I am telling you that whoever releases his wife – and marries again—commits adultery. The only exception is when she is found to have committed sexual sin.”

¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is how committed a man should be to his wife, it is better not to marry at all.”

¹¹ But he said to them, “Not everyone can accept what I just said, but only those to whom the gift has been given.

¹² Because there are eunuchs who have been like that from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by other people, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom from the sky. Let the one who is able to accept that statement accept it.”

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accepting the marriage gift

The Pharisees had found what thy thought was a loophole in the Mosaic Law that allowed any man the right to get out of a marriage that did not please him. If one is inclined to think that the marriage relationship was designed to give happiness to the couple, that make sense. Many a marriage has been dissolved by one or both parties insisting that they deserve to be happy, and that the other party never – or no longer – makes them happy.

But Jesus told the Pharisees that marriage was God’s idea, and that it was a gift from him. Those gifted with this gift would have the opportunity to demonstrate the glory of the divine unity with their relationship. But not everyone could handle that responsibility. Accepting the marriage gift meant agreeing to the responsibility that comes with it. Or else, refusing to enter the relationship is the only wise and righteous choice.

LORD, either give us courage to accept the marriage gift, or wisdom to never enter the relationship. Make us faithful to you, and your purpose for marriage.