GOD’S WILL FOR MARRAGES AND CHILDREN

Mark 10:1-16 / Keywords 10:9

Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

 

10:1 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.

2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

3 “What did Moses command you?” he replied.

4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’[a] 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] 8 and the two will become one flesh.’[c] So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

The Little Children and Jesus

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Footnotes

a. Mark 10:6 Gen. 1:27

b. Mark 10:7 Some early manuscripts do not have and be united to his wife.

c. Mark 10:8 Gen. 2:24

1. Jesus had entered Judea and was teaching a large crowd when a group of Pharisees came to test him. They asked Jesus, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” A better and more sincere question would have been this: “Lord, how can we overcome the hardness of our hearts?” Moses permitted men to write a certificate of divorce for their wives and send them away. It wasn’t because he approved of divorce but rather to curb the rampant abuse that was taking place and to protect the women who were being left behind. There is a big difference between what is permitted and what is commanded. Jesus reminds us that God’s command for marriage goes all the way back to the time of Creation. From the very beginning, God declared that a male and female who are united in marriage have become one flesh, joined together by himself. No one is to separate them. Jesus told his disciples very plainly that a man or woman who divorces their spouse and marries another commits adultery.

 

2. People were bringing their little children to Jesus to be blessed by him. Jesus welcomed them and loved them. Those who belong to the kingdom of God have the heart and nature of children. God welcomes those who are humble, trusting, and dependent on him. “Children of God” is a wonderful description of our identity in Christ.

 

Prayer Lord Jesus, bless and heal our families.

One Word It was because your hearts were hard