Contradiction with Malachi 2:16
This verse states that God hates divorce, which contradicts the permissiveness towards divorce in Matthew 19:8 due to the hardness of hearts.
Malachi 2:16: For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for [one] covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. [that he...: or, if he hate her, put her away] [putting...: Heb. to put away]
Contradiction with 1 Corinthians 7:10-11
Paul instructs married couples not to divorce, which contradicts the concession made in Matthew 19:8 regarding divorce because of the hardness of hearts.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11: And unto the married I command, [yet] not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from [her] husband:
Contradiction with Mark 10:11-12
Jesus explicitly states that anyone who divorces and remarries commits adultery, which can be seen as a stricter stance compared to the allowance for divorce mentioned in Matthew 19:8 due to human hardness of heart.
Mark 10:11-12: And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
Contradiction with Luke 16:18
Similar to Mark 10:11-12, this verse describes remarrying after divorce as committing adultery, standing in contrast to Matthew 19:8 which acknowledges divorce because of human hardness.
Luke 16:18: Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.
Paradox #1
Matthew 19:8 might seem contradictory or inconsistent to some people because it addresses the issue of divorce. In the Old Testament, Moses allowed divorce, but in this verse, Jesus points out that it was a concession due to hard-heartedness and not God's original intention. Some people find this to be a conflict between the laws given in the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.
Paradox #2
There might be a perceived contradiction because, in this verse, Jesus acknowledges that Moses allowed divorce due to people's hard-heartedness, which suggests flexibility in the law based on human behavior. This can seem inconsistent with the overall biblical teaching on the sanctity and permanence of marriage. Some may find it contradictory compared to other scripture parts where marriage is seen as a lifelong commitment.
Paradox #3
The contradiction in Matthew 19:8 could be seen as the difference between the allowance of divorce by Moses due to people's hard-heartedness and the ideal of marriage being permanent as intended from the beginning. This creates a tension between accommodating human weakness and upholding moral ideals.