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.