Mark 10:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her,

NIV: He answered, 'Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.

NASB: And He *said to them, 'Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her;

CSB: He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.

NLT: He told them, 'Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her.

KJV: And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

NKJV: So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.

The Pharisees are trying to use Deuteronomy 24:1–4 to trick Jesus. They hope He will either admit that God allows divorce, or condemn divorce and remarriage and risk the wrath of Herod Antipas, as John the Baptist did (Mark 6:17–18). Jesus counters that, yes, the Mosaic law allows divorce for indecency in the wife. But if a man divorces his wife for anything less than her adultery (Matthew 5:32; Luke 16:18) and then marries another, he is committing adultery. The scribes teach that if a man so much as found another woman he was more attracted to, he could divorce his wife and marry the new woman. Jesus explains that is not the point of the law.

When Jesus brings the conversation from grounds for divorce to adultery, He swings the subject from scribal tradition to one of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:14). The situation is more serious than the Pharisees—and disciples—let themselves believe. It hadn't occurred to them that a man could commit adultery against his wife. That comment only seems strange to modern ears because of the teachings of Christ. In the Mosaic law, a man could only commit adultery against the husband of the woman he slept with, if she was married (Leviticus 20:10). In simple terms, per the Jewish worldview, only a man could be the victim of adultery. Jesus, as He does so often, raises the status of women to fully human (1 Corinthians 7:4).

As to remarriage and adultery, Paul affirms that if a couple divorce, they should either remarry each other or remain unmarried (1 Corinthians 7:11). However, if either does remarry after divorcing for a cause other than infidelity or abandonment (1 Corinthians 7:15), the act of getting remarried is the sin of adultery, not the state of being remarried. A remarried person should not divorce their current spouse (1 Corinthians 7:20). Whether this restricts a person's opportunity for ministry depends on the local church's interpretation of 1 Timothy 3:2, 12, and 5:9, and Titus 1:5–6.

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.