Mark 10:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.

NIV: and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

NASB: AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.

CSB: and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

NLT: and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one,

KJV: And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

NKJV: and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.

The men of Israel had a very liberal view of divorce. The second century BC Jewish scribe Ben Sirach wrote, "If she does not accept your control, divorce her and send her away" (Ben Sira 25:26). The historian Josephus reflected the mores of Jesus' day when he wrote, "At this time I divorced my wife, not liking her behavior" (Life 426).

The Pharisees and the disciples (Matthew 19:10) are filtering a note in the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 24:1–4) through an interpretation established by a school of scribes who lived about one hundred years earlier. The Hillel school interpreted the law to mean husbands could divorce their wives for anything they find odious. They conveniently ignored the fact that the law doesn't describe grounds for divorce in detail. The passage in Deuteronomy merely mitigates the damage of the unfair cultural tradition by saying the man must formally release his wife so she can marry again. And if she does remarry, he can't have her back.

Jesus asks about what Moses commanded, and the Pharisees think they are clever by challenging Jesus with such a well-established traditional view of a caveat in the Mosaic law. But they forget that Moses also wrote Genesis. Jesus takes them even further back, to creation and God's original purpose of marriage. The only time in history a single human being has been split into two individuals is when God took Eve, literally, but with powerful symbolism in the form of a rib, out of Adam's side. When Adam awoke, God immediately put them back together again (Genesis 2:21–24). This is the origin of "one flesh." To be one flesh is to be unable to split into two. Divorce doesn't separate two people, it rips a single entity into two broken people.

We should never analyze God's commands to see what we can get away with. Nor should we settle for scraping by on the edges of His provisos. We should always consider His intent which is always in our best interests.

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.