Mark 10:13-16

Mark 10:13-16 Living Bible (TLB)

The Little Children and Jesus

13 Once when some mothers[a] were bringing their children to Jesus to bless them, the disciples shooed them away, telling them not to bother him.

14 But when Jesus saw what was happening he was very much displeased with his disciples and said to them, “Let the children come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as they. Don’t send them away! 15 I tell you as seriously as I know how that anyone who refuses to come to God as a little child will never be allowed into his Kingdom.”

16 Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and he blessed them.

Personal Insights

In this section we see the disciples learning another truth and, again, the situation involved children. It wasn’t unheard of in Jewish culture for parents to bring their children to the rabbis for blessing. So the parents in this story bringing their children to Jesus for a blessing would not have been strange. However, we see the disciples stepping in and rebuking the parents. The Living Bible talks about the disciples shooing the parents away and telling them not to be a bother to Jesus. This gives us a good image of what the situation looked like.

The disciples probably thought they were helping Jesus and creating some space and rest from people. Unfortunately, they had forgotten what Jesus had taught them not so long ago in 9:36-37. Jesus response to them was not positive. It says He was indignant with the disciples. This is not a mild annoyance but Jesus is irate and angry and gives them another lesson about His Kingdom.

Jesus taught the disciples, parents and whoever else that was listening that they (and us) are to receive the Kingdom of God like a child. What does this mean? Children at an early age are trusting, they are humble, they depend on others for their needs and they accept who they are. Somehow, as we grow up, we lose that innocence. We begin to listen to the ways of the world that we don’t need anyone, we can do life alone, and we develop insecurities about who we are. Jesus is encouraging us to have a childlike faith but not childish. When we understand who Jesus is, the Son of God, what’s not to trust. We need to continue to work at developing that relationship with Him. Humbly accepting His ways and trusting completely in what He says in His Word.

Jesus took these young children in His arms. They would feel safe and secure in His arms. Jesus blessed them. Jesus would know these children and would know what was ahead of them. I wonder what blessing He bestowed upon them.

For those of us who are parents, or Aunts and Uncles, or Grandparents who are entrusted with the care of children what influence do we have on them? John McArthur once said in a sermon concerning this passage and was speaking to parents mainly but I will extend it to caregivers in general “You’re the primary missionary in the life of your children” That is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. How do we evangelize our children? Deuteronomy 6:1-9 is a challenge for us today.

Mark 10:1-12

Mark 10:1-12 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Jesus’ Teaching about Divorce

10 Getting up, He left there (Capernaum) and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; and crowds gathered around Him againand accompanied Him, and as was His custom, He once more began to teach them.

2 Pharisees came to Jesus to test Him [intending to trick Him into saying something wrong], and asked Him, “Is it lawful [according to Scripture] for a man to divorce his wife and send her away?” 3 He replied to them,“What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” 5 But Jesus said to them,“Because of your hardness of hearts [your callousness and insensitivity toward your wives and the [a]provision of God] he wrote you this precept. 6 But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother [to establish a home with his wife], 8 and the two shall become one flesh; so that they are no longer two, but [are united as] one flesh. 9 Therefore, what God has united and joined together, man must not separate [by divorce].”

10 In the house the disciples began questioning Him again about this.11 And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

Personal Insights

The subject in this chapter is not an easy one to take on. Divorce conjures up a myriad of thoughts and ideas and maybe, for some reading this, memories of heartache and pain. However, let us look at the discussion that Jesus and the disciples had in these verses.

The Pharisees were notorious for trying to corner Jesus and get Him to make a mistake that would give them the right to imprison Him or kill Him. In this chapter we see they are using the topic of divorce. Their question to Jesus was “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Jesus takes them back to the OT and to Moses and what he said on the issue. He asks them “What did Moses command you?” They answered Him and said that Moses had permitted a certificate of divorce to be given by the husband to the wife and to send her away. Jesus steps in at this point and says that Moses did this because the people’s hearts were hardened. Notice that God did not create divorce but man did. Also this law talked about in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 was there to protect the wife. It was not unheard of in Biblical times for men to divorce and remarry whenever they felt like it. If their wife burned their food, showed her ankles, spoke too loudly or did something else that he didn’t like he would divorce her. By Moses instituting this law it gave some protection to the wife. She had a legal document that meant she was free from her husband and wouldn’t be seen as a harlot or prostitute.

Despite all this In Malachi 2:16 God is really clear on what He thinks about divorce. He hates it. God was the one that brought in the institution of marriage. He was the one that created it and had guidelines on how it was supposed to work. In Genesis 2:21-25 it talks of a man and a woman becoming one flesh. When you look at the word cleave in the Hebrew it means to stick, keep fast, to cling, or to abide to name a few definitions. A couple of Pastors likened it to being glued together. This is not just a casual relationship or friendship but the strongest of all ties.

God loves marriage because it reflects who He is (Gen1:27). God uses marriage as a symbol of His relationship with the church. The church is His bride. He loves the church, that is you and me as believers.

The disciples in Mark 10, however, continue to press Jesus on the issue of divorce. In order to get a fuller idea of this conversation that Jesus has with the disciples we need to look at Matthew 19. In v9 we find an exception clause that Jesus gives us. He says that “…anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery”. Also in 1 Corinthians 7:15 there also seems to be another reason that would allow for divorce if either spouse is not a believer and walks out. However, the text goes onto say that “…God has called us to live in peace”. These two exceptions would also appear to give the grounds for remarriage in such cases.

The disciples in Matthew 19:10 seemed to be getting the sanctity of marriage. They were realizing that it is not supposed to be a covenant that you can rip up and then just start again with someone else. It was supposed to be lasting. The disciples came to the conclusion that this was a difficult mandate to keep and thought it better not to marry at all. Talk about going from extreme thought to another.

Some of you might be thinking well what about other difficulties in marriage are they not grounds for divorce also or should be?

Pastor David Guzik puts it like this…..

“ Note that incompatibility, not loving each other anymore, brutality, and misery are not grounds for divorce, though they may be proper grounds for a separation and consequent "celibacy within marriage."

This study on divorce could go on and on as there are lots to say about it and will probably be a controversial issue amongst believers until the Lord comes back. However, let me finish on a positive note and to encourage those who are married.


Proverbs 19:14Amplified Bible (AMP)

House and wealth are the inheritance from fathers,
But a wise, understanding, and sensible wife is [a gift and blessing] from the Lord.

Ephesians 4:32 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave [a]you.


Ephesians 5:33 Amplified Bible (AMP)

However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].

Proverbs 31:10Amplified Bible (AMP)

Description of a Worthy Woman

An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls.

Mark 9:42-50

Mark 9:42-50 New International Version

Causing to stumble

⁴² ‘If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung round their neck and they were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. ^{[a] 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ^{[b] 47} And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸ where

‘“the worms that eat them do not die,
    and the fire is not quenched.”^[c]

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted with fire.

⁵⁰ ‘Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.’

Personal Insights

The lessons from Jesus continue in these next verses in Mark 9.  The disciples had a lot to learn concerning living out their faith as do we.  Jesus tells the disciples that to cause a fellow believer to stumble in the faith has severe consequences.  His analogy with the millstone shows us Jesus’s heart on the issue.  This millstone that he was talking about was not the small one that women would use for grinding grain but the more industrial one.  This one if tied around your neck would take you down into the depths of the sea.  Jesus is emphasizing to the disciples the importance of getting along with other people.  It is not always easy but something that Jesus considers highly important.

Jesus gives us an analogy of cutting away anything in us that causes us to sin.  This is not something we are to do literally but gives us a good visual of the seriousness that Jesus places on sin.  Sin starts in the heart and mind and needs to be dealt with there before it gets put into action.  “What He is teaching is that sin is to the inner person what a cancerous tumor is to the body, and it must be dealt with drastically”. (Wiersbe)

A topic that is often avoided is the subject of hell.  When was the last time you heard a sermon on hell.  It probably wasn’t recently.  Jesus doesn’t expound too much on what hell is like but what He does say is enough that should encourage us to share the Gospel with the lost.  Jesus believed in hell and knew it was a place of eternal torture and punishment.   The Hebrew word for hell is gehenna.  Gehenna originally was the valley of Hinnom where the rubbish, filth and dead animals would be thrown out and burned.  This was where King Ahaz worshipped Molech and sacrificed his children in the fire to appease this false god.  You can read what happened to King Ahaz in 2 Chronicles.  Hell is an everlasting punishment and not something to be taken lightly.

Depending on the context in which the word “fire” is used it can have a negative connotation such as hell or it can have a positive association such as purification.  God can use the fire of trials and testing to purify us.  Although not pleasant at the time it is removes all the dross, the unwanted stuff in our lives.  (Proverbs 25:4-5)

If you didn’t understand the fire of purification then Jesus gives us another example of salt.  Salt has many uses.  In ancient times it was used as a seasoning, a preservative and a disinfectant.  In Ezekiel 16:4 it talks about a practice of rubbing newborn babies in salt. In general it was used to prevent something going bad or to improve the taste of food.  Salt is seen as a positive thing.  How about us?  Are we considered salty in the way we live our lives?  Or could we do with another shake of salt over us to purify and preserve us to live a life worthy of our calling?  Something to ponder over today.

Mark 9:38-41

Mark 9:38-41 English Standard Version (ESV)

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us

38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,[a] and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

Personal Insights

The whole theme of who is the greatest isn’t finished yet. John had a thought to share with Jesus and it seems that he might have been thinking about this for a while. This thought might have come about due to the disciples not being able to drive out the demon from the boy earlier in the chapter.

John’s comment was that a man, who wasn’t one of the 12, was able to cast out demons in Jesus name and that, as disciples of Jesus; they felt he should be stopped. Jesus’s response is very black and white. He told John that he shouldn’t have stopped this man from doing what he did. Jesus goes onto say that you are either for me or you are against me. We can’t sit on the fence when it comes to Jesus. Are you a believer in Christ or not? There is no grey area here.

The miracle of casting out demons was based on the authority of Jesus not on anything else. This man, whoever he was, maybe a disciple of John the Baptist, believed in the power and authority of Christ. He was able to do what he did because of Christ not because of his standing in life or his denomination or cultural background or anything else. The important thing was his relationship to Jesus.

John gives the impression that he hasn’t quite understood his position with Jesus. Yes, he has the privilege of being one of the 12 and being able to walk closely with Jesus but this is not an exclusive group. Those who believe in who Jesus says He is can do amazing things in His name also.

Jesus goes onto to say that even giving out a cup of water to someone in His name is worthy of reward. There is no hierarchy when it comes to doing things in Christ name. Jesus brings in the whole servanthood idea again to show and teach His disciples the importance of having a servant heart. This is a theme throughout the book of Mark, showing Jesus as a Servant King.

What impression do we give to those who don’t believe in Jesus? Do we judge those who are not of the same church background as us? Or don’t worship the same way as us or what about cultural background or family background? Maybe we have more in common with John than we would like to think or admit.

Mark 9:33-37

Mark 9:33-37 English Standard Version (ESV)

Who Is the Greatest?

33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Personal Insights

It seems like the disciples always give Jesus an opportunity to teach them something more about Himself and the way to live a Godly life. There was an element of shame when Jesus asked what they were arguing about. Even Peter who is normally quick to speak was silent.

Jesus used this time as an occasion to teach them another aspect to Kingdom living and not worldly living. The question they were arguing about was “who was the greatest?” Jesus turns the world’s values on their head. He said in order for you to be first you must be the last and the servant of all. When we think of the word servant a number of images are conjured up in our minds. Jesus gave us the perfect example of being a servant. He not only spoke about being a servant but lived it out perfectly.

In case the disciples (or you and I) didn’t quite get His point with words He gave us a visual demonstration by taking a child into his arms. Many of us have heard the phrase “Children should be seen and not heard” but Jesus shows how important even a little child is to him. One Pastor (Guzik) compared the previous verses on how the devil used and afflicted a child and here we see the contrast of how Jesus treated them.

In Isaiah 2 it talks about what happens to arrogant people (2:11, 2:17). They will be humbled and the pride of men brought low. Three Hebrew root words of arrogance describe it as self- importance that leads to rebellion, an overwhelming self confidence that leads to insensitivity towards others and the last one is self-importance in general. The cure for arrogance is also found in these verses. We are to exalt the Lord alone. He is the one that is worthy.  We need to turn the focus of ourselves and onto Jesus.

The disciples had a lot to learn about servanthood as do we. However, if we study the life of Jesus we see the perfect example of how it can be done. May we be challenged today to live a life in contrast to what the world holds dear.