Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 19:9

"And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery." — Matthew 19:9 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: Having stopped their mouths, He now set forth the Law with authority, saying, But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and marrieth another, committeth adultery.

Origen of Alexandria: Perhaps someone will say that Jesus, in speaking this way, allowed wives to be put away for the same reason that Moses allowed it, which He says was because of the hardness of their hearts. The answer to this is that if an adulteress is stoned according to the Law, then that sin is not to be understood as the “shameful thing” for which Moses allows a certificate of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1). For in a case of adultery, it was not lawful to give a certificate of divorce. But perhaps Moses calls any sin in a woman a “shameful thing,” and if it is found in her, a bill of divorce is written against her.

But we should inquire: if it is lawful to put away a wife only for the cause of fornication, what about a case where a woman is not an adulteress but has committed some other heinous crime, such as being a poisoner or murdering her children? The Lord explained this matter in another place, saying, Whoso putteth her away, except for the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery (Matthew 5:32), giving her an opportunity for a second marriage.

St. Jerome: It is fornication alone that destroys the marital relationship. For when she has divided one flesh into two and has separated herself from her husband by fornication, she is not to be retained, lest she also bring her husband under the curse spoken of in Scripture: He that keepeth an adulteress is a fool and wicked (Proverbs 18:23).

Pseudo-Chrysostom: For just as the man who puts away a chaste wife is cruel and unjust, so the man who keeps an unchaste one is a fool and unjust. For by hiding his wife’s guilt, he becomes an encourager of wickedness.

St. Augustine of Hippo: A reunion in marriage, even after the actual commission of adultery, is neither shameful nor difficult where there is an undeniable remission of sin through the keys of the kingdom of heaven. This does not mean that an adulteress should be called back to her husband after being divorced, but that after her union with Christ, she should no longer be called an adulteress.¹

Pseudo-Chrysostom: For everything is destroyed by the same causes that created it. It is not the physical bond but the will that creates the union; therefore, it is not the separation of bodies but the separation of wills that dissolves it. The man who puts away his wife and does not take another is still her husband, for though their bodies are not united, their wills are. But when he takes another wife, he then clearly puts his first wife away. This is why the Lord does not say, “Whoever puts away his wife,” but rather, Whoso marrieth another, committeth adultery.

Rabanus Maurus: There is, then, only one carnal reason for a wife to be put away—that is, fornication—and only one spiritual reason—that is, the fear of God. But there is no reason why another should be married while the one who was put away is still alive.

St. Jerome: For it could be that a man might falsely charge an innocent wife and, for the sake of another woman, fabricate an accusation against her. Therefore, it is commanded that the first wife be put away in such a manner that a second is not married while the first is still alive.

Furthermore, because it might happen that a wife would divorce her husband under the same law, it is also provided that she not take another husband. And because a woman who had become an adulteress would have no further fear of disgrace, it is commanded that she not marry another husband. But if she does marry another, she is guilty of adultery. This is why it follows, And whoso marrieth her that is put away, committeth adultery.

Glossa Ordinaria: He says this to frighten the man who would take her as his wife, for the adulteress would have no fear of disgrace.²

1. De Conjug. Adult., ii, 9
2. ord.