"THE GOSPEL OF MARK"
Jesus On Divorce And Remarriage (10:1-12)
INTRODUCTION
1. A serious problem in the world today is that of divorce and
remarriage...
a. Its affect on children has been well documented by Judith
Wallerstein, author of Second Chance (Ticknor & Fields, 1988)
1) Almost half of children of divorces enter adulthood as worried,
underachieving, self-deprecating, and sometimes angry young men
and women
2) Half grew up in settings in which the parents were warring with
each other even after the divorce -- Reported in Time, 2/6/89
b. Parents who divorce are not left unhurt either
1) "A divorce is like an amputation: You survive, but there's less
of you." - Margaret Atwood (Marriage Partnership, Vol.7, No.4)
2) Average percentage change in a woman's standard of living the
year following a divorce: minus 73% - Daniel Evan Weiss, (The
Great Divide, Poseidon Press, 1991)
c. As described by God, divorce is a treacherous, violent act - Mal 2:16
2. Remarriage after divorce is not without it problems also...
a. It does not always heal the wounds inflicted by the divorce: "I'm
lucky my parents have stayed together. Unlike so many of my
friends, I've never had to cry on a holiday." - Tales Out of High
School, Marriage Partnership, Vol. 5, no. 6
b. Many remarriages are unlawful in God's eyes, constituting what
Jesus called "adultery"
4. While social and psychological effects of divorce and remarriage are
serious, it is the spiritual effects that concern me most...
a. Too many people are ignorant of what the Bible teaches on this
subject
b. Such ignorance leads to quick and easy divorces, and to adulterous
marriages that are unlawful
5. In Mk 10:1-12, we find Jesus discussing divorce and remarriage...
a. Jesus had left Capernaum as was teaching by the Jordan river in
the region of Judea
a. His teaching on divorce and remarriage was occasioned by a
challenge from the Pharisees
b. He used the opportunity to teach His disciples what people today
need to know!
[As we consider this passage carefully, we first read how...]
I. THE PHARISEES' QUESTION JESUS (2)
A. TO TEST HIM, NOT TO BE TAUGHT BY HIM...
1. Divorce was a touchy issue then, even as it is today
2. Divorce was not uncommon; e.g., King Herod - Mk 6:17-18
3. The scribes were divided over the proper grounds for divorce
a. The school of Hillel taught that a man could divorce for
just about any reason
b. The school of Shammai permitted divorce only in the case of
fornication
B. ANY ANSWER JESUS GAVE WOULD OFFEND SOMEONE...
1. If He took the popular lax view, the Pharisees could deride His
claim as a teacher of superior morality - cf. Mt 5:20
2. If He upheld the stricter view, He would be unpopular with the
majority (which the Pharisees could use against Him)
[Of course, Jesus was not concerned with what man thought, but in
pleasing His Father in heaven. This becomes evident as we next
consider...]
II. JESUS' RESPONSE TO THE PHARISEES (3-9)
A. HE ASKED WHAT MOSES TAUGHT...
1. "What did Moses command you?" - Mk 10:3
2. "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and
to dismiss her" - Mk 10:4
3. They understood Moses to permit divorce if a "certificate of
divorce" was given to the wife - Deut 24:1-4; cf. Mt 5:31
4. Yet a careful reading of that passage reveals:
a. Moses forbid remarrying of a spouse, even if her second
husband had died - Deut 24:4
b. The reason was the woman became "defiled" when she remarried
- Deut 24:4
c. The word "defiled" used elsewhere to describe adultery -
Lev 18:20; Num 5:13-14
d. She actually became an adulteress by remarriage (despite the
certificate!) - cf. Ro 7:1-3
5. While they appealed to this passage in divorce (and presumably,
remarriage), it actually described the treachery of divorce:
defilement of the spouse - cf. Mt 5:32
B. MOSES PERMITTED DIVORCE DUE TO THEIR HARD HEARTS...
1. "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this
precept" - Mk 10:5
2. The Jews at that time were a hardened people - cf. Deut 9:6;
31:27
3. Is this not a commentary on the state of one's heart when they
desire to divorce?
a. It takes a hardhearted person to want to divorce their
spouse
1) Either to divorce arbitrarily (for no scriptural grounds)
2) Or to divorce when the guilty person is pleading for
forgiveness and reconciliation
b. Of course, that is exactly the condition of those in the
world (or those in the church who are of the world) - cf.
Ep 4:17-19
C. IT WAS NOT WHAT GOD HAD IN MIND FROM THE BEGINNING...
1. The permission to divorce was only temporary - cf. Mt 19:8
2. "From the beginning it was not so" - note carefully:
a. The Law of Moses (which was temporary) considered the
hardness of men's hearts, and permitted hardhearted actions
b. The gospel of Christ (which replaces the Law) cures the
hardness of one's heart!
1) His grace removes the heart of stone, and replaces it
with a heart of love!
2) I.e., a heart able to abide by God's original design for
marriage
3. Paul made it clear that under normal conditions divorce is not
an option - 1Co 7:10-11
D. JESUS REMINDED THEM OF THEIR GENESIS...
1. "But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male
and female'" - Mk 10:6
2. It is helpful to keep in mind: Where we came from, who created
us, what we are
3. For our views on divorce and remarriage will be influenced by
our views of ourselves!
a. Are we simply animals, compelled by instinct?
1) Unable to control fleshly desires?
2) Then divorce and remarriage ought to be free and easy
b. Or God's highest creation, made in His image?
1) Able to control fleshly lusts to the glory of God?
2) Then divorce and remarriage ought to reflect God's desire
for man's holiness!
E. HE ATTRIBUTED THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE TO GOD, NOT MAN...
1. Notice, it was GOD who said "For this reason..." - Mk 10:7; cf.
Gen 2:24
2. Therefore questions about marriage (such as divorce and
remarriage) must be answered by God, not by man (nor by man's
laws)!
F. HE EMPHASIZED THAT IN MARRIAGE GOD CREATES A UNION...
1. The two become one flesh - Mk 10:8; cf. Gen 2:24
2. They are joined by none other than God Himself!
G. HIS CONCLUSION: LET NOT MAN SEPARATE WHAT GOD JOINED...
1. What GOD has joined together, let not MAN separate - Mt 19:6
2. Man has no right to separate what God Himself has joined
3. It is clear that God's intention is that marriage is to be for
life
[According to Mark's gospel, the disciples later asked Jesus privately
more about this subject (Mk 10:10). And so we now read...]
III. JESUS' TEACHING TO HIS DISCIPLES (10-12)
A. DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE LEADS TO ADULTERY...
1. Whether the man divorces the wife or vice versa - Mk 10:11-12
2. Jesus taught the same consequence of divorce and remarriage in
Mt 5:31-32
3. The one exception: if spouse is put away for fornication - cf.
Mt 19:9
B. THE DISCIPLES' REACTION...
1. They thought it better not to marry - cf. Mt 19:10
2. Jesus described celibacy as a viable option if necessary - cf.
Mt 19:11-12
CONCLUSION
1. Any divorce must be on the grounds specified by Jesus...
a. For marriage is an institution ordained by God - Mk 10:7-8
b. And man must not separate what God has joined together - Mk 10:9
c. The only ground specified by Jesus is fornication - Mt 19:9
2. A divorce for any other reason...
a. Is an attempt to separate what God has joined together - Mk 10:9
b. Is forbidden by the Lord - cf. 1Co 7:10-11
c. If a couple divorces, they should remain unmarried or be
reconciled - 1Co 7:11
d. For it will result in adultery if there is a remarriage - Mk 10:11-12
May the Lord bless those with the faith to live according to His word,
and may we be diligent in teaching our children what the Bible teaches
regarding divorce and remarriage...!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011
