Mark 10:3 - Printer Friendly

Jesus' reply about divorce is similar to the answer He'll give to the young man asking about inheriting eternal life: go back to the law (Mark 10:19) and go back to the heart of the law (Mark 10:21). In many cases, scribes felt that the Mosaic law wasn't specific enough, so they added to, argued over, and adapted the Law until some parts were unrecognizable. In the case of divorce, they added to the law to benefit men who wanted to marry someone else. Jesus says that the law simply needs to be understood and applied. It isn't enough to follow the letter of the law, and it certainly isn't appropriate to redefine the law to suit one's own wishes. David showed, in part, why he was a man after God's own heart when he said, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11).

Jesus asks the Pharisees what Moses "commanded" them to do. The Pharisees respond with what Moses "allowed" them to do (Mark 10:4). The Mosaic law does not command divorce for any circumstance. An unfaithful wife was to be executed, not divorced (Leviticus 20:10). Even then, however, God prefers reconciliation, as He showed with Hosea.

God established marriage for its own worth, but He also uses marriage as a metaphor for faithfulness to Him. Using brutal analogy, God talks about Israel as a bride (Isaiah 54:5) that goes whoring after other gods (Exodus 34:15–16). To drive the point home, God told the prophet Hosea to marry a woman they both knew would cheat. After Gomer left Hosea, God told him to buy her back (Hosea 3). In the remainder of the book, God shows Israel and Judah how they are like an unfaithful wife who seeks out foreign gods. God will punish them for their unfaithfulness, even as He loves them and pleas for them to return. It is this example of a loving husband that Jesus points to when He accuses the husbands around Him of hardened hearts (Mark 10:5).

The point of the Old Testament passage on divorce, Deuteronomy 24:1–4, isn't that the Law commands divorce. The only time the Israelites were commanded to divorce was upon their return from exile in Babylon when the men married foreign women (Ezra 9–10). The point of the passage in Deuteronomy is that if the husband does divorce his wife, he must do so by giving her a legal certificate. Without it, a woman of that era was legally married but homeless. She would not have her dowry, and she would not be allowed to remarry.

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.