Sermon text: Mark 10:1-12
Outline
The Pharisees Question Jesus on Divorce (1-4)
Jesus Upholds God’s Design for Marriage (5-9)
Jesus Clarifies His Position on Divorce and Remarriage (10-12)
Summary
Having spoken of his impending death, Jesus and his disciples make their way towards Jerusalem. Mark can be divided geographically into three parts. In Mark 1-9, Jesus ministers in and around the region of Galilee. In Mark 10, Jesus ministers in the region of Judea on his way to Jerusalem. Finally, Mark 11-16 covers Jesus’ final week and passion.
While in the region of Judea, the Pharisees sought to test Jesus on the subject of divorce (v. 2). The Pharisees had justified divorce and remarriage based on Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Far from justifying divorce, this passage sought to regulate divorce that was already prevalent at the time of Moses’ writing. The word indecency in v. 1 could not have meant adultery, because adultery was punished by stoning (Deut 22:22).
In Jesus’ day, there were two different schools of thought among the Pharisees regarding divorce and remarriage. There was the school of Hillel and the school of Shammai. These two schools of thought disagreed about how the word indecency in Deut 24:1 should be interpreted. The School of Hillel taught that a man could divorce his wife for nearly anything, even something as trivial as burning supper. Alternatively, the School of Shammai took the word indecency to mean sexual indecency. This would of course include adultery but may have included other sexual acts.
Though adultery was punishable by death in the Old Testament, by this time, the Jews were under Roman authority. They were not as free to enact the death penalty as they were in the previous times. So, some sins that were punishable by death in Old Testament times were no longer being punished that way in Jesus’ day.
The Pharisees likely tested Jesus in order to get him in trouble with Herod. Remember, the Pharisees had sought to destroy Jesus for some time (Mark 3:6). Now, in the area of Herod’s jurisdiction, they hoped Jesus would repeat his earlier teaching (Matt 5:31-32) which would result in Jesus suffering a similar fate to John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29). Thus, the Pharisees tested Jesus.
Jesus responds by upholding God’s design for marriage (vv. 5-9). In v. 5, Jesus says that Moses wrote this commandment because of people’s hardness of heart. Jesus says that divorce happens because of the hardness of human hearts. At least one party in every divorce has to some degree a hard heart (a heart that has not been changed by the gospel). Jesus is in effect saying that, “It’s true that Moses had some words concerning divorce and remarriage. However, those words were to regulate divorces that were already happening, not to endorse or even permit divorce.”
Then in vv. 6-8 Jesus goes back to Genesis 1 and 2. Jesus says that God made them male and female. This goes back to Genesis 1:27. Then he quotes Genesis 2:24, which is the biblical teaching on marriage before the Fall. When asked about divorce and remarriage, Jesus goes back to the beginning, and He reminds them about God’s Word on marriage. I want us to see just a few things about marriage from Genesis 2:24, which Jesus quotes in vv. 7-8.
Genesis 2:24
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
God’s Design for Marriage
- Marriage is between one man and one woman. (“a man…his wife”) – polygamy, polyandry, homosexuality forbidden
- The man and woman are to be faithful to one another. (“hold fast”) – adultery forbidden
- The man and woman are meant to stay together. (“hold fast”) – divorce forbidden
- The man and woman are to complement one another. The man is the marriage leader, and the woman is a suitable helper (Gen 2:18).
Thus, from verses 5-8, we see that Jesus was not just settling the debate of the two sides. Instead, He rejected the Pharisaical opinions altogether and returned everyone to God’s standard for marriage as found in Genesis 2:24. Notice that Jesus not only goes back to Genesis 2:24. He also adds His own teaching in v. 9.
Jesus says that when a man and a woman marry, it is God who joins them together.
Thus, Jesus says, let no person separate what God has joined together. Notice that Jesus puts an emphasis on the one-flesh union rather than the people (What, not who God jointed together).
In Jesus’ day, the religious leaders permitted divorce for any indecency a man could find in a woman. Jesus raised the bar and said, “You’re wrong! Marriage is a holy covenant that was instituted by God in the beginning!” This teaching of Jesus was radical in the first century. This teaching of Jesus is completely counter-cultural today.
Many in our culture don’t value marriage. People are getting married less and less and if they do get married, they are waiting longer and longer (in 2021, average age = 29.2). Many cohabitate and fornicate as they delay marriage for more important things like education and a career.
Usually when people do marry, they treat marriage like a contract:
“As long as you meet my needs and wants, I will stick with you.” The wife will remain with her husband as long as he makes enough money. Similarly, the husband will stick by his wife as long as she cooks well and meets his physical needs.
In Scripture, marriage is a covenant:
“I’m committing to you for life. For better or worse, I am holding fast to you as my husband or wife as we seek to glorify God together.”
Consider our marriage vows – “I, _____, take thee, _____, to be my wedded wife (husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”
Finally, Jesus clarifies his views regarding divorce and remarriage (vv. 10-12). In case there was any confusion, Jesus makes it clear to His disciples what He meant. Look again at v. 9. When Jesus says, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” What are the implications of that verse? Well look at Mark 9:11-12.
Jesus’ words are clear: Every person who divorces a spouse and marries someone else while their spouse is still living commits adultery (v. 11). In v. 11, Jesus elevates the status of women. The Jewish courts of the day always sided with men, which made it very hard on women. When Jesus says that “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her,” Jesus is really raising the bar of what is required of husbands.
Also remember from Matt 5:32 that every person who marries a divorced person also commits adultery.
Why does Jesus say that remarriage after divorce is adultery? It’s because marriage is a permanent union between a man and a woman. This union, in God’s eyes, is only dissolved at death (Rom 7:2-3; 1 Cor 7:39).
Rom 7:2-3
For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.
1 Cor 7:39
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
People can go back on their vows, marriage can be ended in civil and legal ways, but these things do not and cannot destroy the morally binding one-flesh union that is created by God. If those things destroyed the marriage, then why would Jesus consider remarriage to be an act of adultery?
Since Jesus says that remarriage after divorce is called adultery (vv. 11-12), it is evident that the one-flesh union with the former spouse is not un-created by the act of divorce (Rom 7:3; 1 Cor 7:39).
Upon hearing Jesus’ teaching on this subject, the disciples respond this way:
Matthew 19:10
The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”
Right in front of their eyes, Jesus had raised the standard of righteousness regarding marriage and divorce. The disciples reacted accordingly, as they realized that marriage was to be a permanent union and that if they were to divorce their wives, they would need to remain single for the rest of their lives.
CONCLUSION
As I wrap up this morning, I know that probably everyone in this room has been negatively affected by divorce. For those of you that have divorced or those that have married someone who has been divorced, my goal is not to shame you or guilt you this morning. I simply want to explain and apply the truth of God’s Word on this subject.
I want to say just a few more things and I’ll be done.
(1) We must pursue holiness in marriage.
The Pharisees asked if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. We shouldn’t ask that question. The Pharisees were asking, “Is this okay?” Remember, Jesus said that Moses law on divorce was because of people’s “hardness of heart.” We as disciples of Jesus should not have hard hearts. Instead, we should ask, “How can I best love and glorify God within marriage?” The weightiness of marriage is why I always require extensive premarital counseling before I perform a wedding ceremony.
(2) We must obey God’s Word regarding marriage.
Marriage was instituted by God (Gen 2:24). Marriage was the first institution of God – before government, before the church. Jesus said, “What God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 19:9). We should hold to the biblical standard on marriage: one man and one woman who are faithful and committed to one another for life who are willing to forgive one another when they have been sinned against.
(3) We must obey God’s Word regarding divorce and remarriage.
Christians should always seek reconciliation rather than initiating a divorce (1 Cor 7:10-15). There are times when couples need to separate due to physical abuse. This is not the same as pursuing a divorce. If a Christian is married to an unbelieving spouse, he or she may allow the unbelieving spouse to leave the marriage (1 Cor 7:15).
If you are divorced and single, I want to encourage you, based on 1 Cor 7:11, to seek reconciliation with your spouse if he or she has not remarried or to remain single if your former spouse is still living and has remarried. In 1 Cor 7, Paul talks about the benefits of singleness for Christian ministry.
If you have been divorced and you have remarried, seek forgiveness for the sin of adultery and then glorify God in your current marriage. Repentance in this situation does not mean divorcing your current spouse – it means that you acknowledge you were wrong the first time and are now committed to your new spouse.
I know these words are hard words, but obedience to God’s Word is more important than self-fulfillment, or even our own happiness.
(4) We should be thankful for God’s grace.
Even while we proclaim and stand upon God’s Word for marriage, we must also proclaim God’s forgiveness of sin and acceptance of sinners who confess and repent of their sin.
As a church, let’s emphasize the value of marriage and at the same time be careful not to stigmatize and shame those who have divorced and/or committed adultery. Those who have divorced and/or been remarried are not second class citizens in the kingdom of God. Divorce and adultery are not unforgivable sins (1 John 1:9).
As your pastor, I will always encourage you to stay married. As a church, we will always walk with you during difficult situations in marriage with a view towards repentance and reconciliation.
This morning, I’ve done my very best to be faithful to Scripture and the words of Jesus. I know I haven’t exhausted the biblical texts on the topic of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. If you want to read more about divorce and remarriage in Scripture, I encourage you to read the verses I’ve listed on the back of your bulletin as well as the book I mentioned.
Verses Referenced or on Bulletin
- OT – Genesis 2:24; Deuteronomy 24:1-4
- NT – Matthew 5:31-32, 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12; Luke 16:18; Romans 7:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, 39
Suggested Book
Divorce & Remarriage: A Permanence View by Wingerd, Elliff, Chrisman, and Burchett (Available for free here)