Marriage & Divorce, Part 1: Get Back to the Bible | Mark 10:1–12

Having completed His public ministry in northern Israel, Jesus moves southward.  Crowds again begin to gather around Him, so, “according to His custom, He once more began to teach them” (v. 1).  However, the Pharisees, ready to stop Him, asked Him a question they hope will test Him (v. 2).

Their question was one of hot debate between two rabbinical schools; one said that divorce is always permittable, while the other said that divorce is only permittable in cases of adultery.  To complicate matters, Herod Antipas, ruler of this area, had left his wife to steal and marry his brother’s wife—and John the Baptist was killed for pointing it out (6:16–29).  Could the Pharisees make Jesus suffer the same fate?

His response demonstrates key principles in biblical interpretation.  It models how to understand a contentious topic we may be wrestling with in our own souls.  It calls us to follow the Word of God.

First, note what Scripture commands.  Jesus’s question to them in v. 3 is important—does God through Moses ever command someone to get a divorce?  The Pharisees answer with Deuteronomy 24:1–4, where Moses permitted divorce because the husband “found some indecency in her” (Dt 24:1).  Their school focused on the word “indecency,” contriving all manner of divorceable scenarios, including the wife burning dinner!  However, this doesn’t command it, and Jesus explains that Moses only allowed divorce because of sinfulness.

Second, note all that Scripture teaches.  Moving the discussion from the debatable word, Jesus places it in the greater context of God’s teaching on marriage.  He quotes from Genesis 1:27 and 2:24, demonstrating that marriages were meant to last.  There should be a “leaving and cleaving,” a unity in marriage signifying the start of a new family. 


If God clearly says, “I hate divorce” (Mal 2:16), then Deuteronomy 24:1–4 cannot mean that God permits divorce for any reason.  He isn’t going to contradict Himself, so our interpretations should fit within God’s clear revelation.  Since God is the author of marriage, no man should consider leaving his wife (v. 9). 

Popular posts from this blog

Controversy about Alistair Begg and Gay Weddings?

Image
Last week, Alistair Begg got himself into hot water.  His ministry, Truth for Life, posted a video which included his advice to a grandmother concerned for a grandchild trapped in the transgender lifestyle.  Moreover, this grandchild is getting married and has hopefully invited the grandmother to the wedding. Begg the grandmother two questions.   He asked her if she had expressed her disapproval of the lifestyle, and he asked if she had expressed disapproval about the wedding.   The grandmother said she had on both accounts.   His advice, therefore, stunned the grandmother: He told her to attend the wedding with a gift in hand! We can all sympathize with the drive to be as loving as possible, but let’s back up and consider a few points.   Christians look at Scripture and see biblical prohibitions against practically every expression on the current LGBTQ+ spectrum.   From both the Old Testament and the New, passages condemn such behaviors as deviations from normal creation.   Moreov
Read more

How Was the Trauma Training Today?

Image
Because we are including so many more foster children and children from broken homes into our fellowship, our church participated in a trauma training session today.  Our main purpose was to gain practical insights into how to handle situations where children who have experienced trouble act out their emotions.  To that end, we can be thankful for our time together.  However, there were many errant teachings included which we must reject.  ERRANT TEACHING ON THE BRAIN The presentation alleged that the brain is physically transformed through traumatic events, creating “holes” in it and in its ability to process information.   This is possible, but there is a lot of debate on this subject.   The subject is relatively new, based on the largely anecdotal research of Dutch psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, published in his book The Body Keeps the Score .   Secular psychologists and even some Christian counselors (who are not always biblical in their approach) have found value in this un
Read more

What should we think about the upcoming solar eclipse?

Image
As celestial phenomena unfold, many individuals rightly turn to Scripture, seeking insights into their significance.  Eclipses, comets, supernovas, and meteor showers spark fascination and questions as to whether these events carry divine messages.  However, discerning between natural occurrences and supernatural signs requires careful consideration among Christians, particularly in the context of hermeneutics (the science of interpreting the Bible) and eschatological (end-times) beliefs. The Balance of Natural Order and Divine Intervention I am a supernaturalist, meaning that I believe God made this world and can intervene in events in miraculous ways to accomplish His purposes.   God made the cosmos, and on the fourth day of creation, the Lord made the sun, moon, and stars, establishing these luminaries to be “for signs and for seasons and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14).   The word “signs” carries a special fascination for us, but we also see that God had a broader intent f
Read more