Adam, Zac, Hayley, Jessica, Cassidy, Micah, Megan & Kati,
“On the way” through Judea
Part 1 (10:1-31)
“And He left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan” (10:1) – Jesus is leaving Galilee (presumably the town of Capernaum), and making his way to the region of Judea, ultimately heading for Jerusalem. The area “beyond the Jordan” probably refers to “Transjordan”, which isn’t exactly on the way, so perhaps Jesus is taking a round-about journey, trying to get in some more time with His disciples before heading straight for the lions’ den (v32). Jerusalem had such a reputation for killing prophets that Jesus says “no prophet can die outside Jerusalem”.
Discipleship & Marriage (10:1-12)
Though these teachings happen in public, it seems that Jesus’ focus is on His disciples, like in v10-12 when He explains things more fully in a house to His disciples and in v23-31 where He turns and addresses His disciples particularly. I like how the Pharisees are about what’s permissible or allowed, whereas Jesus dives into the heart of God and His desire for marriage, not what He might allow.
I particularly like Jesus response: God made them male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. Moses’ provision was designed to protect women in the event of a divorce, not to say divorce was ok.
The teaching of some of the rabbis, that a man can divorce his wife if another woman pleased him more, is legitimized and even mandated in our culture. In most movies, we are made to feel that mutual attraction and the mysterious soaring of the emotions is intrinsically right; it is true love and to stay with the original partner who is dull or selfish or unloving is not the right thing and not what’s supposed to happen. Jesus affirms that the intimacies of marriage are mystical and even from God – but He takes it a step further, that it is worthy of devotion and permanence – holding fast – that it is sacred as the work of God, and that no amount of emotions or attraction can validate ripping it apart.
Discipleship & Children (10:13-16), Discipleship & Possessions (10:17-31)
I think Mark purposefully puts these next two next to each-other as a contrast. The children are welcomed to “the kingdom of God”, though they have nothing and are not esteemed by their society or the disciples and the young man is rejected from the kingdom, though he has everything and everybody looks up to him. Things are often the very opposite of how they look, even how they the disciples (and we) perceive them. Beware of the great reversals: “many who are first will be last, and the last first” (v31).
The “eye of the needle” gate in the temple that people like to talk about wasn’t around until the 9th century, almost a thousand years after Jesus. No, Jesus is speaking about the hole in a needle and about a camel here – but He does say it’s possible. I like Edwards’ comment here because it convicts and scares me:
Neither the unnamed woman of 14:3-9 nor Joseph of Arimathea (15:43) is either questioned or condemned in Mark, although both are wealthy. For this man wealth is an actual danger, as it doubtlessly is for most disciples, for it prevented him from doing the one thing necessary for salvation. Wealth can and often does exist in other than material forms. Anything that causes disciples to forget their poverty and childlikeness before God and that prevents them from following Jesus Christ – this, too, is a camel before the eye of a needle.
Dear Jesus, help us all to remember and embrace our poverty and childlikeness. May we gladly run to the “one thing we must do”, forsaking all our idols and embracing whatever sacrifices You desire of us. You are infinitely worth so much more than anything else we have or could ever have. Please keep us humble and in tune with You and Your desires for us.
-- peter