ACC ~ Matthew 19 v4

GOD MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: “Male and female.” Not male and many females, so that a man is allowed to possess many wives, nor males and a female, so that one woman is allowed to have many husbands. No, he said male and female, so that a woman should think that no man has been made in the world except one, and a man should think that no woman has been made in the world except one. For it was not two or three ribs that he took from the side of man; and he did not make two or three women. When, therefore, a second or a third wife stands before your face, as then Eve stood before Adam, how could you say to them, “This is bone from my bones”? For even if that woman is truly a rib, it is still not yours. If you have not said this to her, you do not affirm that she is your wife; but if you have said it, you lie. HOMILY 32. [1]

[1] HE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST | MATTHEW 14:1-12

FROM THE BEGINNING

CHRYSOSTOM: Look carefully at the wisdom of the teacher. For being asked, “Is it allowed?” he does not immediately say, “It is not allowed,” lest they should be disturbed and break out in an uproar. Before Jesus made his own statement he made it clear through his opening remarks that what he had to say came from his Father’s commandment. In commanding this he was not in opposition to Moses but fully in agreement with him. Notice how he validates covenant sexuality not from the creation alone but from God’s commandment. For he did not say that God had made only one man and one woman but that God had also commanded that the one man should be joined to the one woman.

If God had wanted Adam to dismiss this wife and marry another, when he made one man, he would have made many women. But as it is, he shows both by the manner of her creation and the form of the commandment that one man must dwell with one woman continually and never break off from her. And see how he says, “He who made them at the beginning made them male and female,” that is, they sprang from one root and came together as one body, “or the two shall be one flesh.” THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 62.1. [1]

[1] PG 58:597; NPNF 1 10:382.

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