Tuesday Night Group (TNG ) Notes
Stay up to date on our weekly study of the Gospel of Mark
Mark 10:1 – “Jesus then left that place” – Jesus and the disciples left Capernaum and headed to the region of Judea and across the Jordan. A two to three day walk, eighty miles south of Capernaum.
“He taught them” – Back in Mark 9:30, Jesus intentionally passed through Galilee with the disciples, so that they could be alone. It was a time of direct discipleship. Jesus met the disciples where they were (Struggling with who was the greatest and why people, outside their circle, were doing things in Jesus’ name.) Jesus was walking with them. Now, it’s time to reengage with the outside world and teach the people. Which will also teach the disciples, but through inference and not direct confrontation. “There’s a time for every season under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Mark 10:2 – “Some Pharisees” – Pharisees were a prominent religious and political sect in Judaism. The word comes from the Hebrew parash, which means “separated”. This reflected their commitment to remaining pure and distinct from Gentile practices. They were predominantly middle-class businessmen, merchants and synagogue leaders with substantial influence among common people. They were the people who stood to lose the most, if the good news of Jesus became culturally accepted.
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” – Divorce has always been a controversial topic. There were two main schools of thought, in Jesus’ day, based on the interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1. Rabbi Hillel taught that the passage meant that a man could divorce his wife for any reason that caused her to fall out of his favor. Rabbi Shammai taught that the passage meant that a man can only divorce his wife because of sexual immorality or adultery.
The question was a trap. The hope was that the Pharisees could paint Jesus into a corner. They hoped that the question would force Jesus to publicly take a stand. For, like with any other controversial issue, any stand you take publicly will find public disagreement. And the Pharisees were looking to create any kind of public disagreement with Jesus. Even though we all know that any public stance contains layers of perspectives that are unable to be expressed in a public stance. It’s true that there’s no such thing as a dumb question. But it’s also true that there is such a thing as a loaded question!
Mark 10:3 – “What did Moses command you?” – Jesus answered a question with a question. Have you put this tactic into play in your own life and relationships? Notice that Jesus uses the word “command” in his question. In the very asking of this question, Jesus was forcing the Pharisees to show their hand to him and to everyone listening. For in Deuteronomy 24:1, Moses didn’t command divorce, he simply permitted it. So, if the Pharisees answered this question about what Moses commanded, they would’ve tipped their hand that they sided with Rabbi Hillel and believed that divorce was commanded for any reason the man desired. If they corrected Jesus’ interpretation, they would’ve tipped their hand that they believed Rabbi Shammai and divorce was only permitted in the case of sexual immorality or adultery.
Mark 10:4 – “Moses permitted a man…” – The Pharisees showed their theological hand. They believed that Moses didn’t command divorce, but permitted it. Why did Moses permit divorce? It was a law that was written for the protection of women. For divorce was only allowed in specific cases of sexual immorality or adultery. And, to go further, the husband had to give his wife a certificate of divorce. Without this certificate, the wife would be banished but still legally married. She would be unable to remarry and unable to have any connection with her children. Effectively sentencing her to a life of being ostracized and living isolated in absolute poverty.
Mark 10:5 – “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote this law” – Jesus agrees with the Pharisees concerning the difference between command and permit. Now Jesus flips the narrative from the Pharisees trying to trick Jesus into Jesus teaching the Pharisees, and all of us, the heart of the matter. Afterall, Jesus was there when Moses wrote that law. Jesus declares that the Mosaic law, permitting divorce, was a concession to the hardness of the hearts of husbands in Moses’ day. Divorce isn’t commanded by God, for any reason, but permitted by God, for specific reasons, with specific requirements. The law was given as protection for a divorced wife. Not as a command for husbands to divorce their wives.
“He taught them” – Back in Mark 9:30, Jesus intentionally passed through Galilee with the disciples, so that they could be alone. It was a time of direct discipleship. Jesus met the disciples where they were (Struggling with who was the greatest and why people, outside their circle, were doing things in Jesus’ name.) Jesus was walking with them. Now, it’s time to reengage with the outside world and teach the people. Which will also teach the disciples, but through inference and not direct confrontation. “There’s a time for every season under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Mark 10:2 – “Some Pharisees” – Pharisees were a prominent religious and political sect in Judaism. The word comes from the Hebrew parash, which means “separated”. This reflected their commitment to remaining pure and distinct from Gentile practices. They were predominantly middle-class businessmen, merchants and synagogue leaders with substantial influence among common people. They were the people who stood to lose the most, if the good news of Jesus became culturally accepted.
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” – Divorce has always been a controversial topic. There were two main schools of thought, in Jesus’ day, based on the interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1. Rabbi Hillel taught that the passage meant that a man could divorce his wife for any reason that caused her to fall out of his favor. Rabbi Shammai taught that the passage meant that a man can only divorce his wife because of sexual immorality or adultery.
The question was a trap. The hope was that the Pharisees could paint Jesus into a corner. They hoped that the question would force Jesus to publicly take a stand. For, like with any other controversial issue, any stand you take publicly will find public disagreement. And the Pharisees were looking to create any kind of public disagreement with Jesus. Even though we all know that any public stance contains layers of perspectives that are unable to be expressed in a public stance. It’s true that there’s no such thing as a dumb question. But it’s also true that there is such a thing as a loaded question!
Mark 10:3 – “What did Moses command you?” – Jesus answered a question with a question. Have you put this tactic into play in your own life and relationships? Notice that Jesus uses the word “command” in his question. In the very asking of this question, Jesus was forcing the Pharisees to show their hand to him and to everyone listening. For in Deuteronomy 24:1, Moses didn’t command divorce, he simply permitted it. So, if the Pharisees answered this question about what Moses commanded, they would’ve tipped their hand that they sided with Rabbi Hillel and believed that divorce was commanded for any reason the man desired. If they corrected Jesus’ interpretation, they would’ve tipped their hand that they believed Rabbi Shammai and divorce was only permitted in the case of sexual immorality or adultery.
Mark 10:4 – “Moses permitted a man…” – The Pharisees showed their theological hand. They believed that Moses didn’t command divorce, but permitted it. Why did Moses permit divorce? It was a law that was written for the protection of women. For divorce was only allowed in specific cases of sexual immorality or adultery. And, to go further, the husband had to give his wife a certificate of divorce. Without this certificate, the wife would be banished but still legally married. She would be unable to remarry and unable to have any connection with her children. Effectively sentencing her to a life of being ostracized and living isolated in absolute poverty.
Mark 10:5 – “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote this law” – Jesus agrees with the Pharisees concerning the difference between command and permit. Now Jesus flips the narrative from the Pharisees trying to trick Jesus into Jesus teaching the Pharisees, and all of us, the heart of the matter. Afterall, Jesus was there when Moses wrote that law. Jesus declares that the Mosaic law, permitting divorce, was a concession to the hardness of the hearts of husbands in Moses’ day. Divorce isn’t commanded by God, for any reason, but permitted by God, for specific reasons, with specific requirements. The law was given as protection for a divorced wife. Not as a command for husbands to divorce their wives.
Sunday Mornings
10:30am
Join us every Sunday in the Worship Center!