Leaving and Cleaving - Matthew 19:5

Matthew the apostle wrote how, “The Pharisees also came unto” Jesus” tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?And he answered and said unto them, Have you not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female”, and in chapter nineteen and verse five of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus talked about, “leaving and cleaving” where we read:

And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother,

and shall cleave to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh?

The verse reads, “And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “and said” or “and Jesus declared, uttered and proclaimed”, “for” which means “because, since and on account of” “this cause” or “this reason, account and sake” “shall a man” which refers to “will a male human being” “leave” or “forsake, leave behind and depart from” “father and mother” which refers to “the male and female ancestor, generator and progenitor”. Matthew shared how Jesus referred to scripture that speaks of a “man” leaving his parents.

The verse continues, “... and shall cleave to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh?” Matthew continued with the words, “and shall cleave” or “will be glued, joined closely and stuck” “to his wife” which means “to the man's female whom he married”: “and they two” or “and the man and his wife” “shall be one flesh” which means “will be as a single and human being”? Matthew wrote how Jesus declared when a man “leaves” his father and mother to be wedded to his wife, he is to “be glued” to her and the two of them become as “one” single entity.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus referred to scripture that preceded Moses' law. In Genesis chapter two and verse twenty-four we read, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh”, and Jesus employed this verse to answer the Pharisees question concerning divorce. Jesus said God made people “male and female”, and when a man leaves His father and mother to be married to his wife, he is “glued” to her and they become as one. There is no other description or alternative given beside that which Jesus gives, and when people realize the Creator of the Universe knows everything about marriage and relationships, they shall realize there is no greater relationship than the one established with Jesus Christ His Son.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus said, “wherefore they are no more two, but one flesh”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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