“Quibus respondens Jesus, ait : Ad duritiam cordis vestri scripsit vobis præceptum istud :”
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.”
“But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.”
“But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart, he wrote you this commandment.”
“But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.”
Because of the hardness of their hearts, and to prevent the excesses they would otherwise have committed with regard to their wives. (Bible de Vence)
(1.) That the reason why Moses, in his law, permitted divorce, was such, as that they ought not to make use of that permission; for it was only for the hardness of their hearts (v. 5), lest, if they were not permitted to divorce their wives, they should murder them; so that none must put away their wives but such as are willing to own that their hearts were so hard as to need this permission.
Verses 1-12 Wherever Jesus was, the people flocked after him in crowds, and he taught them. Preaching was Christ's constant practice. He here shows that the reason why Moses' law allowed divorce, was such that they ought not to use the permission; it was only for the hardness of their hearts. God himself joined man and wife together; he has fitted them to be comforts and helps for each other. The bond which God has tied, is not to be lightly untied. Let those who are for putting away their wives consider what would become of themselves, if God should deal with them in like manner.