Instruction
Scripture: Mark 10:2-16
Jesus was in the region of Judea beyond the Jordan and He
was teaching the crowds that were gathering to Him there. In the midst of His
teaching, Jesus was questioned by some Pharisees regarding divorce, so Jesus
affirmed God’s design for marriage as unity between husband and wife until
death parts them. Later He welcomed and blessed children that the disciples
sought to drive away. This text attacks the idea that there are excuses for our
bad behavior and rejects our ideas of self-justification, but it highlights
that our relationship to God is rooted in His mercy and grace for us.
Teaching
Problems with marriage are not new. All of the maladies
regarding marriage in our modern times have been seen before. In this reading
the problem of divorce was brought before Jesus. At Jesus’ time divorce was
very easy for men, and very difficult for women. We should take careful note of
how Jesus responded to this problem. He referred the Pharisees back to the
Scriptures. He quoted Genesis. He said specifically that a man and woman are
united in marriage, and that they should not be separated.
Life
As sinners, we hear such categorical teaching from Jesus and
we start looking for loop holes, excuses, and times that our sinful behavior might
be justified. By talking about divorce in this way, one of the things Jesus is
showing us is that sin is never justified. There is never a good excuse for us
to sin. We will always be accountable for our actions if we think we can
somehow make what we’ve done okay.
Why would Jesus push us so hard with a teaching like this?
It is because He came to justify us by taking our sins upon Himself. He urges
us to let our sin be sin. Do not make excuses! Instead, acknowledge it, confess
it, and let His forgiveness be your hope for justification before God.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, Your teachings are hard and they leave us no
room to justify ourselves. They reveal our sins so that we know that we need
You and the free blessings of forgiveness that You won for us by Your death and
resurrection. You also show how highly You value marriage and that You drew
Your definition of marriage from Your created order. Not only that, but You
show how You love and value children.
Thank You for pointing us to the Scriptures as the authority
for our understanding of marriage and, in a broader sense, for our whole lives.
Thank You for showing us how highly You value the union of husband and wife by
teaching that such a bond should not be broken and by welcoming the fruit of
the union of husband and wife.
Forgive us for not being nearly as firm about marriage as
You are, and for not rejoicing in children as You do. We pray Your forgiveness,
not just for ourselves, but also for those who utterly reject what You teach
about marriage, divorce, and children.
Lord, please bless the marriages of Your people. Help
husband and wife to love and honor one another. Bless children by helping parents
to bring them to You. Give us Your Spirit so we may hear Your Word, believe it,
and live by it. In Your name we pray. Amen.
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