Matthew 19:10

His disciples. Apparently it was after Jesus and His disciples had left the Pharisees and entered into a house that the disciples expressed themselves with regard to the matter under discussion (see Mark 10:10).

If the case. That is, if marriage binds a man so strictly as Jesus has just said. It would seem that the disciples had not clearly understood Jesus’ earlier statements with respect to marriage (see Matt. 5:31, 32; Luke 16:18), and that hence they were deeply perplexed by the interpretation Jesus had just given.

Not good to marry. Evidently the disciples reasoned that human nature being what it is, and there being so many circumstances under which husband and wife find themselves incompatible, would it not be better to forgo married life altogether? No doubt the standard Jesus proclaimed seemed at first too high even to the disciples, as it does sometimes to Christians today. What the disciples forgot, and what Christians today are prone to forget, is that Christ offers another solution to marital unhappiness. According to Christ’s formula, where dispositions and personalities are not congenial, the solution is to change dispositions and hearts and lives (see on Rom. 12:2), not partners in marriage.

The principles upon which this transformation may be accomplished are clearly set forth in the Sermon on the Mount (see on Matt. 5:38-48; 6:14, 15). If these principles are applied to difficult marital situations, they will effect the same miracles as when applied to other social relationships. There is no marital problem that cannot be solved to the satisfaction of both husband and wife where both are willing to follow the principles Christ laid down in the Sermon on the Mount. And where one is willing to do so, even though the other may not be, it is often possible to attain a tally remarkable degree of marital peace; and many times the final result will be the winning of the unwilling one. Such a reward is more than worth the patience and self-sacrifice it takes.