Stories of the Rabbi 17

Mark 10:1-31 Divorce, more kids, and earning eternity

I. Mark 10:1-12 What about Divorce?

a. Vs. 1 - Jesus leaves Capernaum and goes to Judea. Notice he is now going South towards Jerusalem. He has not left His Galilean ministry and is heading towards His fate in Jerusalem.

b. Vs. 2 – The Pharisees attempted to trick Jesus again by trying to get him to contradict the Law with a question on Divorce.

c. Vss. 3-4 Jesus appeals to their understanding of Deut. 24:1-4 – they reply with only a part of what Moses stated

d. Vs. 5—Jesus calls them out on their inward attitudes. It was because the Israelite men were hardened to God’s real intention for marriage that Moses allowed a divorce decree. Moses and God did not demand a proclamation but allowed it.

i. The decree was to protect the woman from an arbitrary divorce

ii. A man could not divorce his wife and then accuse her of adultery or claim her back if she gets married again

e. Vss. 5-9 God’s genuine attitude towards marriage

i. Jesus first appeals to creation – first principles of God’s design for humanity

ii. God’s design for man and woman was a lifelong binding together

iii. Jesus is pointing out what God’s principle provisions made because of sin

iv. Vs. 6 – notice that Jesus does not want to talk about divorce at all; He wants to focus on the sacred nature of marriage

v. Vss. 7-8 Read Genesis 2:24

vi. The Semitic understanding of “one flesh” and “no longer two but one flesh” is that marriage is the combining of man and woman into one person – divorce is like splitting one person into two

vii. Vs. 9 again, Jesus stresses the sacredness of this bond

f. Vss. 10 – 12, Jesus further clarifies. Divorce and Remarriage is adultery

i. Read this account in Matt. 19:1-9 and discuss the differences. Concentrate on vs. 9.

II. Mark 10:13-16 Kids again

a. Vs. 13 – People were bringing their children for Jesus to bless, and the disciples rebuked them. Didn’t they remember our study from last week?

i. Interesting thought – notice after a discussion on the ugliness of Divorce, Mark now brings in the innocence of children

b. vs. 14 – Jesus was indignant – After what He taught them recently in Galilee, how could then start doing that nonsense again?

c. Rarely in the Gospels does Jesus give a command, but here we see an outright directive

d. Vs. 15 – Again, he reiterates what he stated in Capernaum: needs to enter the Kingdom of God like a little child

e. Vs. 16 – read this verse – if we are entering the Kingdom of God, how does this verse make you feel?

III. Mark 10:17-31 Earning eternity

a. Vs. 17 – Consider the man’s question – focus on the word “earn” and the phrase “eternal life.”

i. Jesus is still heading towards Jerusalem

ii. Running is considered very undignified in the Jewish culture

iii. Falling at His feet indicates the man (unlike the Pharisees) was genuine in his inquiry.

b. Vs. 18 - Jesus does a strange thing and picks out something the man said, referring to the word “good.” Discuss why he started the conversation this way

i. The man might be thinking that Jesus has worked to earn his title as a teacher and is a good teacher

ii. Jesus’ response foreshadows what he is about to say to the man because no living human can be good – only God can be called good

iii. Is this another subtle claim to Divinity?

c. Vs. 19- The second half of the Ten Commandments (read Ex. 20:2-17)

i. The first half of the Ten Commandments concerns our relationship with God.

ii. The second half has to do with relationships with others.

iii. Jesus baited the man by only quoting the second half of the Ten Commandments – remember, the man wanted to earn his way to heaven

d. Vs. 20 – 21 – The man said he had been doing all these things. Jesus responds by telling him to dispose of his wealth.

i. This is Jesus’ way of telling the man that the first of the 10 are the starting point for a relationship with God.

ii. Money had become an idol in the man’s life, and he needed to give it all away in order to put God first in his life

e. Vs. 22 – Guy went away sad – why? How vital was eternal life to him?

f. Vss. 23 – 27 – Jesus is speaking hyperbolically – of course, a camel cannot go through the eye of a needle – so is it also impossible for man to go into the Kingdom of God on His own?

i. Read vs. 27 again – dwell on this and what Jesus is actually saying to the people

ii. How does this reflect on his predictions about his death and resurrection, as well as his subtle divinity claims?

g. Vs. 28 – Peter mentions how they have left everything behind – he is still trying to earn his way into God’s Kingdom

h. Vs. 29-31 What it really means to follow Jesus

i. Jesus promises that those who have genuinely put Jesus as the center of their lives, even though it is a great sacrifice, will enter God’s Kingdom

ii. They will be guaranteed rewards and persecution

iii. However, those who follow Jesus do have eternal life as a reward

iv. Vs. 31—Mark has Jesus reiterating what he spoke of in the last chapter, which signifies the importance.

v. Humility and love – first, last, and last, first – are eternal kingdom principles