Matthew 19:7

7 "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her `a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"

Matthew 19:7 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 19:7

They say unto him
That is the Pharisees, who object the law of Moses to him, hoping hereby to ensnare him, and expose him to the resentment of the people, should he reject that, as they supposed he would;

why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and
put her away?
referring to ( Deuteronomy 24:1 ) which they thought to be a contradiction, and what they knew not how to reconcile to the doctrine Christ had delivered, concerning the original institution of marriage, and the close union there is between a man and his wife, by virtue of it, and which is not to be dissolved by men. Concerning a writing of divorcement and the form, and manner of it, (See Gill on Matthew 5:31)

Matthew 19:7 In-Context

5 and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be one'?

6 Thus they are no longer two, but `one'! What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."

7 "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her `a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"

8 "Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning.

9 And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery."