*Mark 10:1-16
Jesus clarifies his teachings on divorce and remarriage, then welcomes children and emphasizes childlike faith for entering the Kingdom of God.
- Journey to Judea:
- Jesus leaves Galilee and heads to the region of Judea, across the Jordan.
- Crowds gather around him, and he continues to teach them.
- Teaching on Divorce:
- Pharisees test Jesus by asking if it’s lawful for a man to divorce his wife.
- Jesus asks what Moses commanded and they refer to Moses’s allowance for writing a certificate of divorce.
- Jesus explains that this command was due to the hardness of people’s hearts, not God’s original intent.
- He references Genesis, stating that God’s design is for a man and woman to become one flesh, and no one should separate what God has joined.
- Privately, Jesus clarifies to the disciples that anyone who divorces and remarries commits adultery against their spouse, and the same applies to a woman.
- Blessing of the Children:
- People bring children to Jesus for him to bless them, but the disciples rebuke them.
- Jesus is indignant at their reaction and instructs them to let the children come to him, emphasizing that the kingdom of God belongs to those like them.
- He teaches that anyone who doesn’t receive the kingdom like a child won’t enter it.
- Jesus takes the children in his arms, lays his hands on them, and blesses them.
10:1 And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.
10:2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
10:3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 10:4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
10:5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
10:7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 10:8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
10:10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
10:11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
10:12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
10:13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
10:16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.