Matthew 19:1

Ch. Matthew 19:1-2 . Jesus goes to Judæa from Galilee Mark 10:1 1 . came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan ] From the parallel passage in Mark we learn that this means: Came into Judæa by the trans-Jordanic route through Peræa, thus avoiding Samaria. It does not mean that any portion of Judæa lay beyond Jordan. St Matthew here omits various particulars, of which some are to be supplied from Luke 9:51 to Luke 17:11 ; others from John—two visits to Jerusalem ( John 7:8-10 and John 10:22-39 ); the raising of Lazarus ( John 11:1-30 ); the retirement to Ephraim ( John 11:54 ).

Matthew 19:1-2 . When Jesus had finished these sayings — Had delivered the instructions contained in the preceding chapter, to his disciples at Capernaum; he departed from Galilee — Where he had long dwelt, and through which he had made repeated journeys, but in which, from henceforward, he walked no more; and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan — “Properly speaking, no part of Judea was on the farther side of Jordan; for though, after the Jews returned from the captivity, the whole of their land was called Judea, especially by foreigners who happened to mention their affairs, it is certain that in the gospels Judea is always spoken of as a particular division of the country. We may therefore reasonably suppose, that Matthew’s expression is elliptical; and may supply it from Mark 10:1 , thus, And came into the coasts of Judea, δια του περαν του Ιορδανου , through the country beyond Jordan. See John 10:40 . In this journey, our Lord passed through the country beyond Jordan, that the Jews living there might enjoy the benefit of his doctrine and miracles.

And great multitudes followed him — Namely, from Galilee into Perea, for his fame having become exceeding great, he was everywhere resorted to, and followed by the sick who wished to be healed; by their friends who attended them; by those whose curiosity prompted them to see and examine things so wonderful; by well-disposed persons, who found themselves greatly profited and pleased with his sermons; by enemies who watched all his words and actions with a design to expose him as a deceiver; lastly, by those who expected that he would set up the kingdom immediately: besides, at this time the multitude may have been greater than ordinary, because, as the passover was at hand, many, going thither, may have chosen to travel in our Lord’s train, expecting to see new miracles.” — Macknight.

CHAPTER 19 Mt 19:1-12. Final Departure from Galilee—Divorce. ( = Mr 10:1-12; Lu 9:51). Farewell to Galilee (Mt 19:1, 2). 1. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee—This marks a very solemn period in our Lord's public ministry. So slightly is it touched here, and in the corresponding passage of Mark (Mr 10:1), that few readers probably note it as the Redeemer's Farewell to Galilee, which however it was. See on the sublime statement of Luke (Lu 9:51), which relates to the same transition stage in the progress of our Lord's work. and came into the coasts—or, boundaries of Judea beyond Jordan—that is, to the further, or east side of the Jordan, into Perea, the dominions of Herod Antipas.

But though one might conclude from our Evangelist that our Lord went straight from the one region to the other, we know from the other Gospels that a considerable time elapsed between the departure from the one and the arrival at the other, during which many of the most important events in our Lord's public life occurred—probably a large part of what is recorded in Lu 9:51, onward to Lu 18:15, and part of Joh 7:2-11:54.Matthew 19:1-2 Christ healeth the sick,Matthew 19:3-12 answereth the question of the Pharisees concerningdivorce, and the objection of his disciples to theexpediency of marriage,Matthew 19:13-15 receiveth little children with tenderness,Matthew 19:16-22 instructs a young man how to attain eternal life, andhow to become perfect,Matthew 19:23-26 showeth how hard it is for a rich man to enter intothe kingdom of God,Matthew 19:27-30 and promises great rewards to his disciples, and toall who have forsaken aught to follow him. See Poole on "Matthew 19:2".

XIX. (1) He departed from Galilee.—The verse covers a considerable interval of time which the materials supplied by St. Luke and St. John enable us to fill up. From the former we get the outlines of what has been called, as being “beyond Jordan,” our Lord’s Peræan ministry, from Luke 9:51 to Luke 18:30; from the latter, according to the arrangement of the best harmonists, His visit to Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2), and again at that of the Dedication (John 10:22). To keep these facts in mind will throw some light on the narrative that follows here. The journey from Galilee to Peræa appears from Luke 17:11 to have led our Lord through Samaria.

Matthew 19:1 . Ἐτέλεσεν , κ . τ . λ ., finished , etc.) All the discourses addressed to the people in Galilee have a great connection with each other, and form a perfect course.[851]— ΜΕΤῆΡΕΝ , he departed [852]) having concluded His perambulation through Galilee.[853] [851] He was wont to break off nothing abruptly, but to bring all things to a complete conclusion; ch. Matthew 26:1 .—V. g. [852] “ Migravit .” Cf. Gnomon and footnotes on ch. Matthew 13:53 , where the same word occurs.—(I. B.) [853] We may reasonably infer, from this departure, that the events which are recorded, Luke 13:31 to Luke 18:14 (for Jesus was not wont to stay long in Samaria), occurred in the space of those three days, of which mention occurs in Luke 13:32 .— Harm. , p. 421.

Matthew 19:1 f. With his usual formula, κ . ἐγέν . ὅτε ἐτέλ ., κ . τ . λ . ( Matthew 7:28 , Matthew 11:1 , Matthew 13:53 ), Matthew here introduces the account of the closing stage in Christ’s ministry by mentioning His departure from Galilee to Judaea . It does not follow (comp. note on Matthew 16:21 ) that there may not have been previous visits to Judaea (in answer to Baur), but, in order to give to this journey, above all, the prominence due to its high significance, it was necessary that the Synoptists should confine their view to the Galilaean ministry until the time came for this final visit to the capital. The conversation concerning divorce and marriage is likewise given in Mark 10:1 ff., and, on the whole, in a more original shape. μετῆρεν ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλ .] Comp.

Matthew 17:22 ; Matthew 17:24 . πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου ] This expression cannot be intended to define the locale of εἰς τὰ ὄρια τῆς Ἰουδαίος , for the reader knew, as matter of course, that Peraea and Judaea ( Matthew 4:15 ; Matthew 4:25 ) meant different districts, although, according to Ptolem. v. 16. 9, several towns east of the Jordan might be reckoned as included in Judaea; neither can it belong to μετῆρεν ἀπὸ τ . Γαλ . (Fritzsche: “Movens a Galilaea transiit fluvium”), for κ . ἦλθεν εἰς τ . ὄρ . τ . Ἰουδ . is not of the nature of a parenthesis; rather is it to be regarded as indicating the route ( Mark 10:1 ) which Jesus took, thus defining ἦλθεν ( Mark 7:31 ) somewhat more precisely , lest it should be supposed that He was on this side Jordan, and therefore approached Judaea by going through Samaria, whereas, being on the farther side of the river, He went by Peraea , and reached the borders of Judaea by crossing over to the west side of the Jordan (somewhere in the neighbourhood of Jericho, Matthew 20:29 ). The expression is not awkward (Volkmar); nor, again, is it to be erroneously understood as showing that the Gospel was written in some district east of the Jordan.