Mark Chapter 10



Mar 10:1

Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan. And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.: Jesus had just held the child and taught the disciples what it means to be great in His kingdom in Capernaum. He leaves there and goes across the Jordan into Judea. I couldn't find the path He took to get there, but Capernaum is on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. So this verse seems to indicate that he went east, then south, and came back over the Jordan to Judea.


Mar 10:2

The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.: Oh man... here we go again. Another trap. According to Chuck Smith, there were two schools of thought here. Shami, the narrow view, and Hallel, the liberal view.


Mar 10:3

And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?": Jesus wanted to make it clear that He was addressing the scriptures, not His own words.


Mar 10:4

They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.": The full portion of scripture they're referring to is Deu 24:1-4. ""When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man's wife, if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.


Mar 10:5

And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.: Now, here's another area of spirituality that I find hard to understand. The Pharisees say that Moses wrote the law, and Jesus doesn't deny it. Yet, we know that God wrote the law because of verses like Psa 19:7. The words Law of the LORD and Law of Moses are used interchangeably. Jesus clearly says that Moses wrote this command because of the hardness of the human heart. This is just like when Jesus addresses the Legion possessed human. Jesus tied the two together like they were one. He spoke to the physical human but the demon responds through the human. It seems reasonable to me that Moses wrote the law in the same manner, hence why Jesus agrees that Moses wrote it.

Addressing the hardness of heart, it seems that if God, through Moses, didn't allow for divorce, much more evil would have come. We have entire shows today about spouses killing each other over not wanting to lose money, or feeling trapped even though divorce is legal. Imagine if divorce wasn't allowed. We are so evil that I believe there would be a lot more murders, and abuse would be horrible.

I also believe that Jesus explains what is meant in Moses's allowance of divorce due to uncleanness in Mat 5:31-32. Jesus clearly defined the uncleanness as sexual immorality. However, this translation seems vague. The better translation would be harlotry according to Strong's:

πορνεία
porneia
por-ni'-ah
From G4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry: - fornication.


Mar 10:6

But from the beginning of the creation, God 'MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE.': God only made male and female. And when? From the beginning of creation, not billions of years from single-cell organisms to what we have now. The Bible clearly teaches that creation took six days. The evolutionary view requires billions of years for planets, etc. to form, even before life began.


Mar 10:7

'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE,: This comes from Gen 2:24. Man and woman are to be joined into one. Not man and man, not woman and woman. Woman was created so man would have company. We were designed to complete each other. We provide balance to each other's lives.


Mar 10:8

AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.: Gen 2:24. What does it mean to become one flesh? I believe that it means we should put each other before ourselves. We should consider the other person as if they were our own flesh. (Eph 5:22-31) Our marriage is a reflection of the relationship between Jesus and His church. Just as once we become saved, placing our trust in Jesus for salvation, our marriage should reflect this same type of commitment. Once saved, there is nothing that can separate us from God through Christ (Rom 8:38-39), just as once married, there should be nothing that can separate us from our spouse.


Mar 10:9

Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.": Jesus concludes with the spirit of the law, and what would be if it weren't for the hardness of our hearts, and sin.


Mar 10:10

In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.: Which house Jesus had gone to isn't specified. The disciples weren't clear on divorce, so they asked Jesus. I understand their confusion. They were raised on the Law of Moses, and this teaching from Jesus was very different because He focused on the spirit of the law.


Mar 10:11

So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.: Jesus is speaking of when a husband divorces a wife when she hasn't committed harlotry. Doing so is committing sin.


Mar 10:12

And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.": The same goes for women. She can't simply divorce her husband if he hasn't committed harlotry either. That's sin too. But here's a question: How were women divorcing their husbands if the Law of Moses only allowed husbands to divorce their wives? They must have been abandoning the Law of Moses in favor of Roman law. In the US today, marriage has been taken over by the government, and I wonder if the same thing happened back then. It certainly seems likely.


Mar 10:13

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.: It's not clear why these children were brought to Jesus, but it seems to echo people coming to touch Jesus to be healed. Were they sick in some way? Crippled? Possible.


Mar 10:14

But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.: Jesus had just told the disciples that they were to receive children. He then explains that Christians are to come to Him like little children. I'm not sure how to explain it, but anyone who has been around little children knows how innocent they are, and how they interact with adults.


Mar 10:15

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.": We need to come with total dependence. Little children have a sense that they need adults, that adults will protect them. They innately know that they couldn't survive on their own. We are to have that same approach to God.


Mar 10:16

And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.: Another beautiful picture of the loving kindness of our God. Jesus loves the little children. What does a restored earth look like through the word of God? When children can play with lions and vipers.
Isaiah 11:6-9
6The wolf will live with the lamb,
and the leopard will lie down with the goat;
the calf and young lion and fatling will be together,
and a little child will lead them.
7The cow will graze with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8The infant will play by the cobra’s den,
and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest.
9They will neither harm nor destroy
on all My holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the sea is full of water.

Mar 10:17

Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?": Jesus was likely heading to Jerusalem to be crucified. This person is clearly a Pharisee because he believes in the afterlife, and says, "What shall I do?"


Mar 10:18

So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.: We know that no man comes to the Father but through Jesus (Joh 14:6), so Jesus tries to point this man to Himself by speaking the truth that there is nobody good but God. Jesus is basically saying, "You're calling me God without realizing it."


Mar 10:19

You know the commandments: 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,' 'DO NOT MURDER,' 'DO NOT STEAL,' 'DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS,' 'Do not defraud,' 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.'": Jesus only states six of the ten commandments, and in no particular order. This is likely because God considers sin, sin.


Mar 10:20

And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.": I guess he hadn't heard the sermon on the mount (Mat 5-7). This man believes he's kept these commandments, but he's failed just like everyone else has.


Mar 10:21

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.": This is such an amazing verse. Not only does Jesus equate Himself to God and tell this man to follow Him, Jesus prophecies about His death on the cross.

Now, Jesus isn't telling this man that you have to be poor to inherit eternal life, but to follow Jesus. The thing that was stopping him from following Jesus was his wealth, so Jesus tells the man to sell everything and follow Him.

This also shows that Jesus calls, but not everyone listens. Jesus loved this man, told him to follow Him, but the man doesn't do it. It's very sad. I really hope that later, he came to a saving knowledge of Jesus.


Mar 10:22

But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.: Jesus told him how to inherit eternal life: by following Jesus. He even told the man what was stopping him from doing so. But the man wasn't willing to do what it took to follow Jesus and went away sad. Jesus doesn't mean for everyone to sell what they have because it's not a hindrance to everyone. Jesus was telling this man that his wealth was what was stopping him from following Jesus. Whatever it is in our lives that stops us from following Jesus, we need to get rid of. It could be a devotion to sports, your job, working out, music, TV, or anything.


Mar 10:23

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!": Mat 6:24, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Jesus was saying that this guy's master was money, and you can't serve two masters. He wasn't willing to part ways with his money to follow the true master, so he put the money over Jesus. From this teaching, we should have nothing that ties us down. We should be willing to give up anything to follow Jesus. If we're not willing to sell everything, wear goat's skin, a leather belt, sandals, and carry a walking stick, we're in the same boat of this rich man. Prophets were asked to do crazy things, like preach naked, or lay on their side in the street and cook with manure. Just like these prophets, we need to be willing to do these things if called on by God to do them. Even if that means selling all you have and giving it to the poor. Who knows what Jesus will ask of us, but we must be ready for the ask and willing.


Mar 10:24

And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!: When Jesus repeats Himself, He makes it clear that it's the trust in riches instead of trusting in Jesus that was the issue. Also, notice how the apostle John adopts this saying of Children throughout his writing. John was an imitator of Jesus, and that fact helps boost my faith because it shows that the disciples respected Jesus that much.


Mar 10:25

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.": Putting your faith in riches to enter the kingdom of God is like a camel trying to go through the eye of a needle. Jesus's point is the reliance on worldly things instead of faith in God.


Mar 10:26

And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?": Once again, the disciples were confused by Jesus's teachings. We have the benefit of hindsight, so I can't fault them. I'm also slow to catch onto things, so I'd probably be right there adding to the confusion. They probably missed the key words there of reliance on riches.


Mar 10:27

But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.": The inference here is that God could make even a camel go through the eye of a needle. He's saying that it's impossible for man to be saved through worldly things, or though anything other than God. For us, eternal life is like that eye of a needle. Only faith in Jesus can get us through it.


Mar 10:28

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.": Peter, listening to this conversation, feels like he's met the requirements that Jesus laid out for the rich man. He's basically saying, "That guy didn't do it, but we did!" Peter was asking if that earned them eternal life, since they did what Jesus said was holding that rich guy back from eternal life.


Mar 10:29

So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's,: Mat 19:28 adds a bit more, saying that the disciples will sit on thrones during the Millennial kingdom and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Here, Mark is speaking about Jesus's address to all people.


Mar 10:30

who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.: This is a difficult verse to understand. Jesus is basically saying that if you give up your worldly things (family or possessions) for His sake, they will find other believers, and they will fill the need of family in their place, although the replacement will come with persecution.


Mar 10:31

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.": Jesus reiterates the point He made earlier in Mar 9:35, "And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”" I think this is a principle of the heart. Jesus wants us to be humble. Being first is a prideful thing here, not that you're a leader. Moses was the leader of the Iraelites, but was known to be one of the humblest people who ever lived (Num 12:3) up to that point. JD Farag likes say that we need to be careful here because we're so messed up as humans that we can become prideful in our humility. We can actually convince ourselves that we're humble and be prideful about it.


Mar 10:32

Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: From the way this verse reads, it seems that Jesus was speaking conversationally about why they were going to Jerusalem, and it made the disciples afraid. To make it clear once more, Jesus stopped the disciples, and pulled them aside to make sure He had their attention.


Mar 10:33

"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;: Jesus wants to make is ultra clear what is about to happen, and that He is doing it willingly, because of the deception of our hearts. Jesus had already told them many times that He would be crucified, and they obviously still didn't understand.


Mar 10:34

and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.": Jesus goes into great detail here, pulling from Psalm 22:
6 But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!

12 Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
13 They gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.

16 For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.


Mar 10:35

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.": In Mat 20:20, it's also included that their mother came with them. This was a mother who, just like the disciples, didn't understand that Jesus hadn't come to set up His earthly millennial kingdom yet. She was under the same impression that Jesus was going to overthrow the Romans and set up a kingdom.


Mar 10:36

And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?": I imagine that when you come to Jesus in prayer, this is how He receives you. It's not like He didn't know, but He wanted to hear from them.


Mar 10:37

They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.": This request is made because they think Jesus is going to set up His earthly kingdom. Jesus had told them many times that He was going to Jerusalem to be crucified, yet they couldn't understand it. This shows how difficult it is to convince someone of something they do not want to believe.


Mar 10:38

But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?": They surely didn't understand what they were asking. When Jesus is at the Passover later, He passes the cup and says (Mat 26:28), "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." As for the baptism, Jesus is referring to the cross (Luk 12:50), "But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!" Just as when we are baptized today and dunked under water symbolizing the death of our old self, Jesus would be crucified and die. When we are pulled out of the water, it symbolizes a rebirth, just as Jesus would be resurrected into His resurrected body, the body we all will receive when Jesus takes us to Himself (1Co 15:52, "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.").


Mar 10:39

They said to Him, "We are able." So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;: James was executed by Herod. John was boiled in a pot of oil, but was unharmed, and then exiled to the Isle of Patmos. Jesus meant that indeed they would suffer.


Mar 10:40

but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.": Jesus denies the request in an unexpected way. The disciples were expecting an earthly kingdom right there, but the kingdom where the the disciples are to rule over the tribes of Israel is the millennial kingdom. Jesus wasn't outright denying the request, but including the rest of them for the future reign.


Mar 10:41

And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.: The rest of the disciples must have been openly angry. A lot of translations use the word indignant to describe the scene, which conveys a sense of openly rebuking them.


Mar 10:42

But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.: This is the natural way of authority. Before Jesus, was there ever the concept of servant leadership? Jesus is conveying a sense of tyrannical leadership here, noting a hierarchy.


Mar 10:43

Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.: The kingdom that Jesus is setting up is to be completely different than the way of the world. The leaders are to be servants, not some type of lords. Right now, pastors are supposed to be taking care of a flock, as shepherds, not lords. Those who wish to follow Jesus must humble ourselves and become least in our own eyes. We're supposed to serve, not command. We take our orders from Jesus.


Mar 10:44

And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.: Jesus is saying that if you want to be considered the greatest in His eyes, you have to become the least in your own eyes and serve others without reservation. The key word is slave.  We're to consider our own wants as nothing and put others first in the position of masters. This is such a foreign concept that I feel weird writing this.


Mar 10:45

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.": The explanation Jesus gives is that we're to follow Him, and He didn't come to be served, but to serve. He came to be the ultimate sacrifice, willingly. Just as He willingly gave Himself, we're to willingly give ourselves for others. Jesus didn't come just for the righteous, but for everyone. If He didn't do that, we'd still be in sin, and so in return for His willing sacrifice, we should be willing to do the same for others.


Mar 10:46

Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.: Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, and passed through Jericho. On His way out, He was followed by a large crowd, and there was a blind man begging. I couldn't anything saying that he was born blind.


Mar 10:47

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!": Bartimaeus calls Jesus "Son of David," showing that he believed Jesus was the Messiah.


Mar 10:48

Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!": If I were a pastor, I feel like I could use this as a sermon. When you cry out and the world tries to shut you up, cry louder. Don't give up. God hears you.


Mar 10:49

So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.": Keep in mind that Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem, but when Bartimaeus called out, "Jesus stood still." Jesus was on His way to save the world, but had time for this single person calling out to Him.


Mar 10:50

And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.: Bartimaeus's response was immediate. He didn't wait, threw off what he was wearing and came to Jesus as commanded. I'm not sure if that meant he was naked, but it was probably just an outer covering.


Mar 10:51

So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.": When Jesus asks this, it's not like He didn't know what the blind man wanted. He wants us to approach Him with our petitions, even though He knows what they are. In doing this, we have to have faith, or else we wouldn't be coming to Him with the petition in the first place.


Mar 10:52

Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.: There is no mention of Jesus touching Bartimaeus, but He simply said that his faith has made him well. It's clear that there had to be some interaction, or his eyesight would have already been restored without the interaction. It was the approaching Jesus with faith that in this specific instance made him well. Not every interaction will be the same. We come to the Father through Jesus with our petitions with faith that our petition will be answered. And they will be answered. We may not understand how, or when, but they will be answered. In this example, it was immediate, and it was to be an example to others.

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