Mark 10:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter.

NIV: When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this.

NASB: And in the house the disciples again began questioning Him about this.

CSB: When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter.

NLT: Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again.

KJV: And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.

NKJV: In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.

As they often do, once Jesus and the disciples are away from the crowd, the disciples ask for clarification (Mark 4:10, 33–34). We don't know whose "house" this is. They are either in Judea or Perea which sits on the other side of the Jordan from Judea.

Matthew reveals that the disciples overhear the Pharisees specifically ask, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and send her away?" (Matthew 19:7). Either Matthew doesn't record the entire conversation, or those asking the question are missing the point. Moses never commanded that Israelites should divorce their wives. His command was that if they do divorce their wives, they give the women legal documentation to that effect. Without an official divorce, the husband could effectively banish his wife, but keep her dowry. The only time Jewish leadership commanded that men divorce their wives was as the Jews returned from exile in Babylon. As the Jews meet their fresh start, gathered again in Jerusalem, Ezra realizes that many of them married foreign women who would lead them right back into idolatry. The danger to their identity as God's chosen people was at danger, and they had to send away their wives (Ezra 10).

This causes much of the present difficulty: the disciples have completely bought into the cultural standard of divorce at will. They protest that if their choices are to remain in the marriage or divorce and remain single, it would be easier to just never marry (Matthew 19:10). The Jews, as a whole, strive to follow God's laws to the letter. They even added laws so they won't come close to breaking the commands of God (Matthew 23:4). But when it comes to marriage, they completely miss the mark. They hear Deuteronomy 24:1–4 on how to divorce their wives, but miss Malachi 2:13–16 on why divorcing their wives is a violence that causes God to reject their religious piety.

Mark 10:1–12 carries profound implications for marriage and sexuality. In Jesus' time, a man could divorce his wife for the slightest offense. Jesus' asserts people have corrupted God's definition for marriage: that one man and one woman become unified by a covenant made before God. Jesus then says that if a man can't handle that kind of lifelong commitment, he shouldn't get married (Matthew 19:10–12). As usual, God's law protects the powerless: in this case, women. Today, Jesus' words do the same, rebuking those who choose to harden their hearts against their spouse for selfish reasons. An expanded version of this account is in Matthew 19:1–12, and Luke 16:18 contains a portion of it, as well.

In this passage, Jesus again confronts the Pharisees by clarifying God's views on marriage and divorce. He reminds the disciples not to dismiss the spiritual perspective of children. This chapter also records Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler, who becomes an object lesson in why wealth makes it hard for people to rely on God. After this, Jesus deftly sets aside an arrogant request from James and John, and again predicts His impending death. Just prior to the triumphal entry of chapter 11, Jesus is sought out by Bartimaeus, whom He heals of blindness.

In between chapters 9 and 10, Jesus resumes His public teaching as He travels to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (Luke 9:57—18:14; John 7—10). We meet Him here across the Jordan in Perea and follow as He makes His way west again to Jericho. This chapter surrounds a third prophecy of Jesus' death (Mark 10:32–34) with lessons on His value for those others often dismiss: women (Mark 10:1–12), the powerless (Mark 10:13–16), those who value God more than the world (Mark 10:17–31), servant-hearted leaders (Mark 10:35–45), and those with bold faith (Mark 10:46–52). Next is the triumphal entry and the beginning of Passion Week.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.