Lesson # 26 | MARK 10:1-16 | RESPONSIBILITY AND OPENNESS

I.  Greetings: 

 

II.  Introduction:

            Note:  Today's lesson could be difficult but it is so important.  It is the Gospel's themselves that bring up the issue we will be discussing.  What is interesting is that Jesus has to be lured into this subject, but once engaged He shows Himself to again be the master teacher.

            Note:  Chapter 10 opens with Jesus back in open public ministry.  In the sections prior (9:30-50) Jesus had deliberately pulled away to spend time with the disciples because He wanted to teach them privately about His death.  He has spoken three times of His death in 8:31, 9:9, and 9:31, and in all three of these settings, it is only the disciples that hear such words.  Sometimes we need to pull our staff away and speak to them of the key and the tough issues involved in ministry.

            Now He is in open ministry again.  Again, the crowds are gathering, and again, He is teaching.

 

III.  Dealing With Divorce:  10:1-9

>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:1-2.

            Q  What is the Pharisees' outward topic or subject?

               An = They say they want to know Jesus' attitude and position on the subject of divorce.

            Q  What is their tone or real intent?

               An = Our author states they asked their question because they wanted to test Him.

            Note: John the Baptist was killed in this region on the same issue.  Remember Herod Antipas and Herodias?  She had divorced in a crass manner and married Herod.  John the Baptist spoke up and called the action sinful.  He was killed for speaking up.  Perhaps, the Pharisees thought Herod would kill Jesus too if He had similar views of morality.  Jesus is being put in a tight spot here.  If you get into ministry, you will be in similar situations.

            Jesus will model for us what to do with politically tough issues that come up among religious people.

            Note:  One minor point that could be pointed out is that Jesus must have taught in such a manner as to have allowed questions from the crowd.  Many of us today will not allow such public challenges as our Lord did. 

            Q  As a listener, in your view, what are the advantages and disadvantages of such an approach?

            Q  For those of your who have taught publicly, what are the risks with such an approach?

>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:3-9.

            Q  Is Jesus putting Moses down in verse 5?

               An = No, Jesus is not trying to contradict Moses, or to lessen Moses' or the Old Testament's authority.  Three things could noted here.  1)  Moses' provision was for the circumstances when divorce had taken place, it did not condone, sanction or encourage its practice.  2) Moses' provision was to provide a degree of protection for the woman.  She would be left more vulnerable without such a certificate.  3)  Jesus read Moses well and accurately.  He was not putting Moses down, but actually interpreting the true spirit of Moses' teaching here.

>>>> Have someone read Deuteronomy 24:1,5

            Q  Is Moses concerned with women's best interests?

               An = Yes he is.  If a woman is found to be indecent (and that is not defined) the marriage was not merely ended as in some societies but was given legal status as a divorced woman.  Thus she was given the certificate of divorce.

>>>> Re-read Mark 10:6-9.

            Q  Why does Jesus quote Genesis.  Is there an issue of time or precedence?

               An = Jesus ties marriage to the creative act of God (note verse 6 and 9).  To divorce is to repudiate how God created us:  "breaking of a seal which has been engraved by the hand of God".  (J. Murray in Lane, 356.)  We see that God created the two sexes, and that He designed for them to bond and become one.  When we divorce, we separate what He bound together.

>>>> Re-read Mark 10:9.

            Q  Who are we going against when we get divorced?

               An = We are going against God and His created order.  If we initiate divorce we are mocking the very nature of God's intentional creative act.  He meant us to remain one, we mock Him in divorce.

            Note:  Jesus' statements here are quite shocking and in today's society certainly not politically correct.  It was not politically correct then either!  Jesus was not making too many friends with His views.  Even His own disciples had trouble with this teaching, they want to question Him privately about the issue.

 

IV.  The Disciples Question Jesus' Views:  Mark 10:10-12.

>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:10-12.

            Q  Does Jesus address just men, or men and women?

               An = He addresses both sexes.

            Note:  Rabbinic Law (Lane, p. 357) defines adultery in two ways.  A man can commit adultery against another man by seducing that other man's wife.  A women could commit adultery against her husband by having relations with another man.  It is the man's honor that was at stake in both rabbinic situations. 

            However, Jesus adds something new here.  He says a man could commit adultery against his wife.  Jesus' statement in 10:11 elevate the woman to the same status as her husband.  Jesus' teaching elevates the position of women.  This higher status has traveled everywhere the Christian Gospel has gone in the world. 

            Of course, with status comes responsibility and so women who initiate divorce are committing adultery.

            Q  What about the issue of physical abuse?

               An = Some of you are no doubt wondering about the issue of abuse, or some rare extenuating circumstance.  However, remember most divorces in our society are divorces not motivated by an extreme case.  It is usually our personal happiness or inability to get along with someone else that dominates most divorce proceedings in this nation.  So what about abuse?  I have no answer from this text.

            Q  Are the disciples just as stunned as the Pharisees at the hardness of Jesus' teaching?

               An = In Matthew 19:10 when the disciples hear of Jesus views they wonder if it is better not to marry.  The disciples, even then, saw this as a difficult teaching.

            Note:  If you are not married tonight be careful how you choose a spouse.  It is a one time deal.  Whatever your parents have done, you are responsible to be obedient to Jesus' commandments and teachings.

 

V.  Openness and Humility:  Children With Jesus.  Mark 10:13-16

>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:13-16.

            Note:  This story on the preciousness of children follows on the heels of forbiddance of divorce (also in Matthew 19). 

            Q  Why would Mark put these two stories together?

               An = Divorce is hard on children.

            Q  What does Jesus' reaction in Mark 9:39 and Mark 10:14 have in common?

               An =  In Mark 9:39, Jesus says "Do not hinder them".  In Mark 10:14, the disciples again overran their authority (Lane, 359).  Perhaps, we have two examples of the "leaders" keeping certain people from Jesus and thus we have two examples of Jesus saying "cut it out".  We should not limit access to Jesus as Christian leaders.  If we do we will meet with the rebuke of God.   Give an example.

            Q  What is Jesus' emotional reaction in verse 14?

               An = He was indignant!  In a word, he was angry.

            Note:  Jesus is presented in the Gospel of Mark as an emotionally involved person.  See Mark 1:41,43; 3:5; 7:34; and 9:19.

            Q  In Mark 14b, how does Jesus justify His view that the children should have access to Himself?

               An = God's kingdom belongs to such as these. 

>>>> Have someone re-read Mark 10:15.

            Q  Why must we be like little children?

               An = It is not any quality children possess in themselves, but their humbleness, they have no claim on grace.  One can only enter when one realizes they are helpless, small, and without claim or merit.  (Lane, p. 361).

>>>> Have someone re-read Mark 10:16.

            Q  What three verbs are used to describe Jesus with children in verse 16?

               An = He "took them" in His arms, He "began blessing" them, and He "laid hands" upon them.

            Q  What does this say about how we should handle children.

            Q  Is it manly to be affectionate with little children?

               An = Some males (not all males) think it is not masculine to be openly affectionate with little children.  Remember Jesus was the man's man of all men.

            Q  As we go home tonight, what does this passage say about how Jesus will handle us?

               An = If we come to Him today as little children.  He will not despise us.  If we come with the realization we have no claim upon Him, He will put His arms around us, bless us, and affectionately lay hands on us.  This is how we can enter His kingdom, and how He will treat us.

            Note:  Perhaps, one way we can approach Him tonight with the proper humility and openness of a child is to submit to His views of divorce.

            If we refuse to accept His views openly and humbly on divorce, maybe we have yet to come to Him as little children.  Maybe we have yet to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Where Jesus' kingdom is, there His views, as King, are obeyed.