Matthew 19:7-12: a reflection

7They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce and divorce her?” 8He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. 9I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.” 10His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.” 11But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given. 12For 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 eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

When Jesus is questioned about divorce, he points back past the later permission to God's design at the beginning. Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, he says, but from the beginning it has not been so. The permission was an accommodation to hardness of heart; but God's original design, from the beginning, was for faithful, lasting union. Jesus draws them back from what hardness of heart had allowed to God's good intent from the beginning, calling them to the faithfulness God designed rather than the concession hardness had won.

Notice the contrast Jesus draws: God's good design at the beginning, and the accommodation to hardness of heart. What Moses had permitted was not God's original intent, but a concession to the hardness of human hearts. God's design from the beginning was different, better, a faithful and lasting union. Jesus calls them back from the concession to the design, from what hardness of heart had won to what God had intended from the beginning. The hardness of heart had departed from God's good design; Jesus points back to the intent from which hardness had strayed, and calls for faithfulness to it.

That is worth taking to heart, for hardness of heart can lead us away from God's good design, and Jesus calls us back. In many areas, not only this one, hardness of heart can lead us to settle for less than God's good design, to justify concessions that fall short of his original intent; but Jesus points us back from what hardness has allowed to what God designed from the beginning. God's good intent, not the concessions of hardness, is the standard to which he calls us. Do not let hardness of heart lead you to settle for less than God's good design, justifying concessions that fall short of his intent; let Jesus draw you back to the good he designed from the beginning. Let Jesus draw you back from the hardness of heart that settles for less to God's good design from the beginning, as he pointed past the concession to the original intent; for hardness of heart leads us away from God's good design, and Jesus calls us back to the faithfulness and good he intended from the beginning.

Lord Jesus, when you are questioned about divorce, you point back past the later permission to God's design at the beginning. Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, you say, but from the beginning it has not been so. The permission was an accommodation to hardness of heart; but God's original design, from the beginning, was for faithful, lasting union. You draw them back from what hardness of heart had allowed to God's good intent from the beginning. Show me the contrast you draw: God's good design at the beginning, and the accommodation to hardness of heart. What Moses had permitted was not God's original intent, but a concession to the hardness of human hearts. God's design from the beginning was different, better. You call them back from the concession to the design, from what hardness of heart had won to what God had intended from the beginning. Take that to my heart, for hardness of heart can lead me away from God's good design, and you call me back. In many areas, not only this one, hardness of heart can lead me to settle for less than God's good design, to justify concessions that fall short of his intent; but you point me back to what God designed from the beginning. Keep me from letting hardness of heart lead me to settle for less than God's good design, justifying concessions that fall short of his intent; draw me back, Lord, to the good you designed from the beginning.