The Coming of the Son of Man[a]
The Ministry in Judea and Jerusalem
Chapter 19
Marriage and Celibacy.[b] 1 When Jesus had finished this discourse, he left Galilee and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Some Pharisees came forward and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason whatsoever?” 4 He replied, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ 5 and said: ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two become one flesh’? 6 And so they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 He replied, “It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. 9 Now I say to you: if a man divorces his wife for any reason except if the marriage was unlawful and marries another, he commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to him, “If that is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 He replied, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been made so from birth and eunuchs who were made so by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let those accept this who can do so.”[c]
13 Jesus Receives Little Children.[d] Then people brought children to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. For it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15 And after he had laid his hands on them he proceeded on his way.
16 The Rich Young Man.[e] Then a man came forward and asked him, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to achieve eternal life?” 17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said, “Which ones?” And Jesus answered, “You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. 19 Honor your father and your mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 The young man said to him, “I have observed all these. Is there anything more I must do?” 21 Jesus replied, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away grieving, for he possessed great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I say to you, it will be difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were astonished, and they asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
27 Reward for Following Jesus.[f] Then Peter said in reply, “We have given up everything to follow you. What then will there be for us?” 28 Jesus replied, “Amen, I say to you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
Footnotes
- Matthew 19:1 A new series of incidents, followed by a great discourse on the end of the world, make up the fifth part of the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus now goes to Judea, location of the official religion.
- Matthew 19:1 The interpreters of the Law thought up many subtle ways of making divorce easy; they lacked understanding of the essential point. Jesus’ purpose is to recover the purity of the original state and the will of the Creator himself for the human race. He could not allow the unity of the couple to be at the mercy of circumstances, since this unity had been asserted by God as a call inherent in the very condition of man and woman (see Gen 2:24).
Did the rule admit exceptions? The phrase in v. 9: “except if the marriage was unlawful,” has been the subject of much debate (on this point see what was said at Mt 5:32). In the Judaism of that age, not to marry seemed something repugnant and almost a crime; not to have a posterity seemed a punishment; however, some religious sects did practice voluntary continence. John and Jesus had renounced marriage in order to live solely for their mission of proclaiming the kingdom of God. - Matthew 19:12 The virginity recommended by Jesus manifests the new creation of the New Covenant and is the prelude to the kingdom (see Mt 22:30). However, the renunciation of marriage out of love for the kingdom is possible only through the medium of a charism, a special gift of God (see 1 Cor 7:7).
- Matthew 19:13 The Gospel has retained this spontaneous and true gesture because it is also a sign. To enter into the kingdom, i.e., into intimacy with God, one must be free of all pretense and become poor and little for humans are always weak and needy before God.
- Matthew 19:16 To follow Jesus means to be as poor and free as he is. But how can people detach themselves from what they are? Nothing would seem more impossible. Yet to be a Christian is to believe in the impossible things that God can accomplish in human beings.
- Matthew 19:27 Communion of life with Jesus is worth far more than all the things of the earth abandoned by the disciples, for they will reign with him in his eschatological kingdom.