The Meaning of Matthew 19:4 Explained

Matthew 19:4

KJV: And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

YLT: And he answering said to them, 'Did ye not read, that He who made them, from the beginning a male and a female made them,

Darby: But he answering said to them, Have ye not read that he who made them, from the beginning made them male and female,

ASV: And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he answered  and said  unto them,  Have ye  not  read,  that  he which  made  [them] at  the beginning  made  them  male  and  female, 

What does Matthew 19:4 Mean?

Study Notes

Have ye not read
See, Genesis 1:27 ; Genesis 2:23 ; Genesis 2:24 . The passage is significant as Jesus' confirmation of the Genesis narrative of creation.

Context Summary

Matthew 19:1-12 - Jesus' View Of Marriage
Divorce was common among the Jews of that decadent age, being justified by Deuteronomy 24:1. Concerning this it should be remembered that this legislation, though in advance of the standards of its age, was a distinct concession to the state of morality which had then been reached. You can legislate only slightly ahead of the general maxims and practices of the people, else you discourage them and bring your laws into disuse.
The Lord takes us back to the original constitution of the family, where the one man was for the one woman. The only act that justifies divorce is the act which violates the marriage vow. Some are debarred from marriage by circumstances, but for such there is provided special grace, if they will seek it. Some refuse marriage in order to be more free for their life-work. Christ does not set these above others. He does not put special honor on celibacy: but in Matthew 19:13-14 places special emphasis on the beauty of family life. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 19

1  Jesus heals the sick;
3  answers the Pharisees concerning divorce;
10  shows when marriage is necessary;
13  receives the little children;
16  instructs the young man how to attain eternal life;
20  and how to be perfect;
23  tells his disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God;
27  and promises reward to those who forsake all to follow him

What do the individual words in Matthew 19:4 mean?

Which now answering He said Not have you read that the [One] having created from [the] beginning male and female made them
δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν Οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε ὅτι κτίσας ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς Ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτοὺς

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἀποκριθεὶς  answering 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
ἀνέγνωτε  have  you  read 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀναγινώσκω  
Sense: to distinguish between, to recognise, to know accurately, to acknowledge.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κτίσας  having  created 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κτίζω  
Sense: to make habitable, to people, a place, region, island.
ἀπ’  from  [the] 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἀπό 
Sense: of separation.
ἀρχῆς  beginning 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἀρχή  
Sense: beginning, origin.
Ἄρσεν  male 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἄρρην 
Sense: a male.
θῆλυ  female 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: θῆλυς  
Sense: of the female sex.
ἐποίησεν  made 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.