Translation commentary on Matthew 19:3

Pharisees or “Some Pharisees” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, New International Version) may be said to represent the Greek text. Other Greek manuscripts have “The Pharisees” (see King James Version), but TC-GNT believes that the definite article “the” was supplied by later scribes, as was also done in some manuscripts in the parallel at Mark 10.2. If translators have translated Pharisees in a way that indicates they were a sect or some kind of group, then it will be natural here to say “some members of the Pharisees group.” See discussion at 3.7.

Came up to him may be “approached him” or “went up to him.” The text does not indicate whether the Pharisees had traveled far to talk to Jesus or were already there in the area.

Tested (Good News Translation “tried to trap”) translates a verb which is used in the same sense in 16.1 (see also 22.18, 35); it is also used in the temptation narrative (4.1, 3). As we indicated at 16.1, the use of tested in this kind of context shows that the Pharisees were trying to discredit Jesus. “Tried to trap” of Good News Translation indicates that, as does “came to him with what they intended to be a test question” of Barclay. “Tried to catch Jesus out” or “asked Jesus a trick question” may also convey the meaning, if these expressions are not too colloquial or considered slang in the receptor language.

Tested him by asking is more literally “tested him and saying.” But this is a typical Semitic expression in which “and” is deceptive. Here “and” is not used to link equal parts; rather it is used as a means of indicating that the first part of the construction (“tested”) is explained by the second part (“saying”). Fortunately the majority of modern translations are consistent in making this meaning evident.

Is it lawful (so also New English Bible) has the Mosaic Law as the point of reference; Good News Translation translates “Does our Law allow,” and New Jerusalem Bible is similar (“Is it against the Law”).

Divorce was previously discussed in the Sermon on the Mount (5.31-32); it is now brought up in the context of debate. Among the Jewish teachers of religion, this was a frequent matter of debate, and the focal point of discussion was always the phrase “something unbecoming” of Deuteronomy 24.1.

The formulation of the question, to divorce one’s wife, reflects accurately the historical situation, since among the Jews a woman could not divorce her husband. Many translators will find it more natural to use “a man … his wife” as Good News Translation does instead of one’s of the Revised Standard Version text.

For any cause (so also An American Translation) is translated “for whatever reason he wishes” by Good News Translation, an interpretation which is accepted by most other translations (Barclay “for any reason he likes,” New Jerusalem Bible “on any pretext whatever,” New English Bible “on any and every ground”). According to this interpretation, the legitimacy of divorce is assumed, and so the question deals with the grounds on which it may be carried out. However, the phrase may be understood as a question regarding the legitimacy of divorce, an interpretation represented by Phillips (“on any grounds whatever”) and by New English Bible‘s alternative wording (“Is there any ground on which it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”). If this second interpretation is accepted, then Matthew is not considerably different from Mark.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 19:3



Paragraph 19:3–9

19:3a

Then: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then is the connecting word that usually joins the next event to the previous one. Some English versions do not translate it here. They allow the context to suggest the connection.

Here is another way to translate it:

And (English Standard Version)

some Pharisees: Some Pharisees came to Jesus. Not all of them.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

some members of the Pharisee group

For help in translating the word Pharisees, see the note at 3:7a.

came: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as came means that they approached Jesus. There is no indication of where these Pharisees came from. It is good to keep this as a general statement. For example:

Pharisees approached him (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
some Pharisees came to Jesus

and tested Him: The word tested means “tried to trick/trap” him so that he fails. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to fail to answer the question well. They hoped that he would say something that was against the law of Moses. Then they could accuse him.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in order to test him (NET Bible)
-or-
and tried to trap him (Good News Translation)
-or-
and tried to trick him (New Century Version)
-or-
and tried to trick him ⌊to give a bad answer⌋

This same verb occurs in 16:1b. You should translate it here as you did there.

Him: The pronoun Him refers to Jesus. Since this sentence begins a new paragraph, it may be natural in some languages to use his name. For example:

and tested Jesus

by asking: In Greek, this phrase is more literally “and saying.” But the Pharisees’ trap for Jesus involved a question. So many English translations use the word “ask” here.

It is also possible to start a new sentence here. For example:

They asked (New International Version)

19:3b

Is it lawful: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Is it lawful is more literally “Is it permitted.” This means “Does God’s/Moses’ law permit (a man to divorce his wife)?”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

Does our Law allow a man (Good News Translation)
-or-
Is it permitted ⌊in the Law of Moses⌋ for a man

This same phrase occurs in 12:10c.

for a man to divorce his wife: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as divorce means “release,” “reject,” or “send away.” In this context, it refers to breaking the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

to send away his wife
-or-
to break the marriage vows

his wife: The English phrase his wife is a way to speak in general.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

one’s wife (English Standard Version)

for any reason: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as any reason can also be translated as “any cause.” For example:

for just any reason? (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
for any and every reason (New International Version)

-or-

for no matter what reason

Deuteronomy 24:1 says that a man could divorce his wife if he found something indecent about her. There were different ideas among the Pharisees themselves about how to interpret that verse. The Pharisees wanted to know what Jesus thought “something indecent” meant. Was it limited to just sexual unfaithfulness? Or could a man divorce his wife for anything he might be unhappy about? Whichever way he answered, some Pharisees would disagree with him.

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