Sermon Tone Analysis

A Serious Problem

We cannot hide the fact that divorce is a serious problem in this world today.

Jesus does not shy away from addressing the issue in our passage today.

Remarriage even has biblical implications too that Jesus addresses.

It is believed that 46% of marriages end in divorce, 60% of 2nd marriages, 70% of 3 or more.

Of the 46% one survey shows that there is little difference between secular marriages and Christian marriages.

Divorce impacts more than the couple, it impacts the children of divorce,in a book by Judith Wallerstein (Second Chance) she documents that 1/2 of the children of divorce enter adulthood worried, underachieving, self-deprecating and oftentimes angry, and it does not matter if man or woman.

Divorce is a treacherous act (Mal2:16)

Divorce was never God’s intention (Gen2:24-25)

Divorce was never God’s intention (Gen2:24-25)

Remarriage after divorce is oftentimes unlawful in God’s eyes (Mk10:11-12)

While there are social and psychological effects of marriage, there are spiritual effects too and that should be a concern to us also.

In our passage this morning we will see this discussion about marriage, divorce and remarriage was occasioned by a test raised by the Pharisee’s.

And you know Jesus never misses an opportunity to teach and that is exactly what He is going to do.

Jesus and His teaching methods.

He employed several ways to teach, depending on the situation

From parables and proverbs

To signs and wonders

To lengthy exhortations and instructions

To using a paradox which is what we see here in chapter 10

par·a·dox (noun) a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.

/ a statement or proposition that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or self-contradictory

In layman’s terms a paradox is a statement that turns conventional thinking on it’s head.

And Jesus does that in answering the Pharisee’s question

noun

a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.

How we will break down our passage this morning

The setting and the question (Mk10:1-2)

Jesus response, teaching (Mk10:3-9)

Jesus private teaching (Mk10:10-12)

Summary, conclusion

Like usual we need to look at the passage in context then we will break it down.

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

The setting and the question

The journey continues as does the conflict.

From looking at the severity of sin (Mk9:38-50) a private time back to a public time and a time of testing, testing that turns into teaching.

Jesus continues the journey south heading towards Jerusalem.

He had left Galilee and and come into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan river.

He has not entered Jerusalem but with each passage we look at He is getting closer to the cross.

Why did the Pharisee’s come to Jesus (v.2)?

They came to test Him not to be taught by Him.

Divorce then, just as it is today is a touchy subject; it was not uncommon or it would not be a subject that we see in the scripture (a good example is Mk6:17-18 about King Herod and divorce)

Schools of thought about divorce

Hillel - divorce for any reason

Shammai - divorce only in case of fornication

Akiba - if a man finds a woman who is fairer in his eyes

Regardless of how Jesus answered the question He was going to offend someone and that is what the Pharisee’s wanted, they wanted to cause division, distension

Jesus taking the lax view, the popular view it would be contrary to His previous statements (Mt5:20; Mt5:31-32)

Someone who divorces surely cannot have righteousness surpassing that of the Pharisee’s and scribes

If Jesus took the stricter view, He would be unpopular with the majority and that can, would be used against Jesus.

But remember we are speaking about Jesus, He is using a paradox, to turn what they thought upside down.

He was not concerned about what they thought, he was concerned about their souls.

If Jesus took the stricter view, He would be unpopular with the majority and that can, would be used against Jesus.

But remember we are speaking about Jesus, He is using a paradox, to turn what they thought upside down.

He was not concerned about what they thought, he was concerned about their souls.

Jesus response and teaching

Jesus in His response will not only answer but ask questions, give direction and warnings too.

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What did Moses command (Mk10:3-4) goes with (Deu24:1-4; Mt5:31-32)

Why did Moses write this command (MK10:5; Eph5:17-19)?

What does Jesus use as God’s example (Mk10:6-9; Mt19:8; Eze36:26)

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Some general questions

What did Moses command (Mk10:3-4) goes with (Deu24:1-4; Rom7:1-3) Mt5:31-32)

Moses permitted the man to issue a certificate of divorce and dismiss her (send her away).

They interpreted that to mean Moses allowed for a divorce if a certificate was issued.

Without a clear definition of “indecency”

It is clear that Moses did not authorize for the remarriage of the spouses to each other for the woman would be defiled if had been with another man.

Hence what would be known as committing adultery.

Even though she was permitted the divorce she was not free to marry again for she would be considered an adulteress.

What does Jesus use as God’s example (Mk10:6-9)

What did Moses command (Mk10:3-4) goes with (Deu24:1-4; Rom7:1-3; Mt5:31-32)

Why did Moses write this command (K10:5; Eph4:17-19))?

Moses wrote the command because of the hardness of their hearts.

Consider is it not a hardened heart when someone wants to divorce their spouse for no scriptural reason?

Or to divorce when the guilty party repents and wants to reconcile and seek forgiveness?

This is a sad state of affairs then, and it was in Paul’s day and it is today too.

What did Moses command (Mk10:3-4) goes with (Deu24:1-4; Mt5:31-32)

Why did Moses write this command (MK10:5; Eph5:17-19)?

What does Jesus use as God’s example (Mk10:6-9; Mt19:8; Eze36:26)

When we look at Mt19:8 you can see that the issue was a temporary issue of the hardness of heart.

So the permission for divorce too was only temporary.

That was not God’s plan in the beginning, marriage was to be permanent.

Maybe better bring in the passage again to be safe

While the Law of Moses was to be temporary.

The Law considered the hardness of mans heart and the issue was dealt with on a temporary basis.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ fulfilled the law of Moses and the prophets and it is the cure to the hardness of one’s heart.

God was going to replace a heart of stone with a heart of flesh, a heart of love.

Eze29:

God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus removes that stony heart and replaces it with a heart that is able to abide in God’s original desire for marriage.

Jesus used the original plan God made back in Genesis to help man remember where we came from and who we are.

We are God’s greatest creation created for God’s greatest good.

Made in God’s image and able to control our lusts all for the glory of God and to let holiness be perfected in us.

Jesus attributes the institution of marriage to to God (Mk10:7; Gen2:24; Mt19:6)

Therefore since God instituted it any questions about it should be addressed to Him and defined by Him not man nor mans laws

Why you may ask, because the two became flesh, they were joined together by none other than God Himself (Gen2:24)

Let no man separate what God has brought together

God’s intention was for marriage to be for life.

This was contrary to what the Apostles had heard, had been taught for they grew up under the teachings of the rabbi’s and divorce was a very common thing.

So they were left perplexed, or Jesus was accomplishing the paradox very well at this point, to the point they have questions.

Jesus private teaching

There are things that are said that Jesus explained privately to the apostles, the parable are an example and this paradox is another.