Of such is the kingdom of God

 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.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."    In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  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.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."   And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

- Mark 10:1-16

Yesterday, Jesus continued His teaching to the apostles after they had been disputing among themselves as to who would be greatest in the kingdom:  "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.' And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'  For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is god, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

  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.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."    In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."   The Pharisees test Jesus with an issue that was subject to debate in Jesus' time:  divorce.   (See Deuteronomy 24:1-4.)  In Jesus' teachings on marriage, He regularly condemns divorce.  This was in contrast to the easy access to divorce under Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in His time.  Instead, Jesus' emphasis is on the spiritual and therefore eternal nature of marriage.  In Matthew's Gospel, a caveat is mentioned  ("except sexual immorality" - Matthew 5:32).   But let us pay attention to Jesus' words here; He specifically attributes Moses' allowance to hardness of heart.  Emphasizing the example of permanent monogamous marriage (as in Genesis 1, 2), divorce in this view is an allowance for human weakness.   Let us understand He is addressing men (women could not initiate divorce) and their treatment of women.  What is clear either way is that marriage, as a holy institution, can be destroyed by sin, by abuse.  In such cases, even in the early Church, divorce was permitted as corrective measure of compassion.   See also Malachi 2:15-16 as an admonition to men.

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  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.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."   And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.   It seems ironic that Jesus has just used the example of little children to say, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me" (Monday's reading), here the disciples rebuke the parents who bring the children to Christ.  Theophan comments that they were rebuked because the little children were "unruly" and because they thought that children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  Instead, Christ emphasizes that little children are an example of those who will inherit the kingdom of heaven.  He provides the perfect example of His teaching in the earlier reading.

In all ways Jesus emphasizes the humility necessary for true leadership.  He is preparing the disciples for the time He will not be with them in the flesh.  Let us note this consistent teaching from the time He heard them disputing among one another regarding which ones would hold places of greatness in the material kingdom they believe is coming (see Monday's reading).  Although Christ has warned them twice that He will suffer and die, and rise on the third day, they still don't know precisely what that means.  In preparing them for the leadership of His Church, Jesus' great emphasis is on humility and service.  Here, the example of divorce also serves to prepare them with an understanding of gracious behavior that is meant to appeal to all -- and to all men in particular.  The nature of marriage as instituted by God becomes a question of the use of power in this example.  Should a wife be dismissed for failing to appeal in just any way, or is marriage meant to be more than that?   Marriage as permanent monogamous institution, in which "two become one flesh" is not simply a hierarchy of possessor and property, nor is it a question of material wealth nor simply a means to expanded family and standing.  It is holy, and the holiness is in the relationship of the two.  Clearly women were not only lower in social standing, rights, and capacity for power in the time of Jesus, but make careful note that Jesus' grace extends also to little children.  He gives us a way to see that is not based on a purely material perspective, but asks us to use the lens of spiritual understanding for our lives and conduct.  We're not seeing correctly with a "worldly" perspective.  The perspective that Christ adds is one that we call "gracious" now.  It is the command He gives us all for proper relation and understanding of the value of human beings.  That we are spiritual in origin and nature, of one whole with body, soul, and mind, gives us Christ's perspective on marriage and on relation to the little children who stand as examples of those who may enter the kingdom of God.  There is a continuity in this perspective, from the understanding of the true nature of marriage given in Genesis (reflecting our spiritual nature and creation by God) to the present day, when notions of human rights have expanded in light of cultural acceptance of Jesus' basis for the value of persons.  Let us honor fully our true natures with our lives as He has taught.