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

MATTHEW 19:4KJV
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Matthew 19:4 (KJV)

What does Matthew 19:4 mean?

Matthew 19:4 records Jesus responding to a question by reminding his listeners that, according to Scripture, God created humans "male and female" from the very beginning. Jesus points his audience back to the creation story to ground his teaching about human relationships in God's original design.

In this scene, Jesus is answering a group of Pharisees who are questioning him about divorce. By referencing the creation account, Jesus emphasizes that marriage and human identity were established by God at the start of creation, not invented later by people. This sets the stage for his teaching about the purpose and seriousness of marriage.

The Greek behind Matthew 19:4

  • ἀρχῇ (archē) — "beginning": This word refers to the very start or origin of something. Here, it highlights that Jesus is appealing to the original creation, not later customs or traditions.
  • ἄρσεν (arsen) and θῆλυ (thēly) — "male" and "female": These are the Greek words for male and female, directly echoing the language of Genesis. Jesus deliberately uses these terms to stress the intentional creation of two distinct sexes.
  • ἐποίησεν (epoiēsen) — "made": This verb means "to make" or "to create." The use of this word underlines God's active role as Creator, not just a passive observer.

Why Matthew 19:4 matters

  • Matthew 19:4 clarifies that Jesus bases his understanding of marriage and gender on the creation account, not on later cultural practices or debates.
  • The verse sets up the argument that marriage is rooted in God's original intent, which is important for understanding the rest of Jesus' teaching in this passage.
  • By quoting Genesis, Jesus shows that his response is not a new teaching but a return to foundational truths recognized by his listeners.

Where else these words appear

“female” Greek G2338 · used in 5 verses

  • Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
  • Romans 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
  • Romans 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

“male” Greek G730 · used in 7 verses

  • Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
  • Romans 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
  • Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

“ye” Greek G314 · used in 30 verses

  • Matthew 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
  • Mark 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not,(let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
  • Acts 15:31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

“beginning” Greek G746 · used in 56 verses

  • Matthew 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
  • Acts 10:11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
  • Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;