Sunday of Creation (GA)

Mark 10:1-16

10 And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.

² And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” ³ He answered 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 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶ But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹ What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

¹⁰ And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹ And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, ¹² and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

¹³ And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

I really liked the illustration used in the movie Fireproof, the guy takes a salt shaker and a pepper shaker and glues them together. Now these were just plastic salt and pepper shakers, but once glued together they can not be separated without causing permanent and unrepairable damage to both. Likewise, Jesus reminds the people that the two have become one flesh joined together and let man not try to separate them.

Greek lesson: Imperative form would indicate the harsh emphatic tone. The "Present" or focus on connection aspect usually adds additional connecting, thus ESV translates like a optative "let it not be." But better translation may be: DO not attempt to divide (directed toward any person).

The person who attempts to separate these two who have been joined together or paired by God will do great damage. This should apply to the person who desires a divorce. This should apply to the person who encourages someone to get a divorce. This should even apply to someone who allows (or does nothing to prevent) them from getting a divorce.

God has joined these two persons together (one male and one female) so that they would live as help mates for each other until death parts them. Jesus uses Genesis one and two as foundational support for marriage. He maintains that once these two have been joined together they can not be separated.

Jesus even reminds them that even if someone has received a so called "certificate of divorce," this does not separate the two who have been joined together. Whether the husband or the wife get married again they commit adultery against their husband or wife. The text does not even us the idea of ex-wife or ex-husband but once you are married it is for life.

So is it lawful for someone to get a divorce? No it is not lawful. Why did Moses allow it? Because you are a bunch of sinful disgraceful and fallen creatures. You act out your sinful desires through sexual passions and sexual immorality. St Paul tells us marriage was the proper place for those passions and desires to be used.

In all this Christ was still willing to die for the forgiveness of sins. He paid the penalty for the destruction of God's plan and order in creation. He paid the price for people who hurt or harm their spouse (whether physically or mentally). He does not rebuke these repentant sinners, but welcomes them. They are just like any other sinful child who will be welcomed into the Kingdom of heaven by grace through faith.