λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ· Εἰ οὕτως ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μετὰ τῆς γυναικός, οὐ συμφέρει γαμῆσαι
After Jesus’ strict teaching on divorce, the disciples respond with an almost stunned objection. Their words in Matthew 19:10 are brief but packed with realism—and their grammar reflects that intensity. This isn’t a question, it’s a conclusion. Their reaction reveals just how radical Jesus’ view of marriage sounded in a first-century context.
Grammatical Foundations
The verb λέγουσιν is present active indicative, 3rd person plural: “they say.” Combined with the dative pronoun αὐτῷ, it introduces direct speech to Jesus. The speakers are identified next: οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ—his disciples.
The quotation begins with a conditional clause: Εἰ οὕτως ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία—“If that’s the case.” The verb ἐστὶν is present indicative from εἰμί, showing a general, timeless condition. The word οὕτως (“thus” or “in this manner”) refers back to Jesus’ teaching in the preceding verses about the permanence of marriage and the consequences of divorce.
ἡ αἰτία means cause or situation, and it’s modified by a genitive construction: τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μετὰ τῆς γυναικός—“of the man with the woman,” describing the marital condition. This phrase has a colloquial tone: if marriage comes with that kind of restriction, they imply, maybe it’s not worth it.
The final clause οὐ συμφέρει γαμῆσαι is striking. συμφέρει is a present active indicative verb meaning “it is advantageous” or “it is profitable.” The negative οὐ negates it, so the meaning becomes: “it is not beneficial to marry.” The infinitive γαμῆσαι (to marry) is aorist active, often used for a specific act, emphasizing the decisiveness of marriage as an action.
Exegetical and Theological Implications
The disciples’ response is pragmatic, even cynical. Their reaction reveals how deeply embedded divorce and remarriage practices were, even among devout Jews. Jesus’ teaching didn’t just challenge the Pharisees—it shocked his own disciples. The grammar mirrors the logic: a clear condition (εἰ), a defined scenario (ἡ αἰτία), and a blunt consequence (οὐ συμφέρει γαμῆσαι).
What sounds like complaint actually serves to underscore the radical nature of Jesus’ call to faithfulness. By including this reaction, Matthew draws attention to the countercultural weight of kingdom ethics regarding marriage. It also opens the door for Jesus’ later words about celibacy “for the sake of the kingdom.”
Linguistic and Historical Perspectives
συμφέρει was often used in moral or legal reasoning in Greek literature. Here, the disciples apply it to marriage: “Is it even worth it?” The use of the infinitive γαμῆσαι (from γαμέω, to marry) in the aorist shows they’re thinking of the act of marriage as a one-time, decisive step.
In rabbinic debates of the time, marriage was assumed to be both normative and beneficial. That the disciples question this reveals how stringent Jesus’ teaching was perceived, especially in contrast to more lenient interpretations of divorce found in the schools of Hillel and Shammai.
Table: Verbal and Syntactical Features in Matthew 19:10
| Text | Greek Verb / Phrase | Form | Function / Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew 19:10 | λέγουσιν | Present active indicative, 3rd person plural | “They say”; introduces speech by the disciples |
| Matthew 19:10 | ἐστὶν | Present indicative of εἰμί, 3rd person singular | “It is”; used in conditional clause to describe situation |
| Matthew 19:10 | συμφέρει | Present active indicative, 3rd person singular | “It is beneficial”; used with infinitive to express consequence |
| Matthew 19:10 | γαμῆσαι | Aorist active infinitive | “To marry”; treated as a singular event or act |
The Verse as a Paradigm of Koine Greek Richness
Matthew 19:10 is concise but layered. Conditional syntax, strategic infinitives, and a sharp declarative create a moment of reaction that’s as much theological as emotional. The disciples speak plainly, but the Greek exposes the weight behind their words: marriage, as Jesus teaches it, is costly. And grammar becomes the stage where that cost is named out loud.
