Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate

 

 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 we read that Jesus taught the disciples,  "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 that 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 good, 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.   At this point Jesus has come close to the home territory of the Pharisees, in the region of Judea.   Jesus is already well-known here, and multitudes gathered to Him again.  He knows that the Pharisees have begun to pursue Him, and so this testing is likely not a surprise.  Let us remember He has recently begun to reveal to the disciples His persecution that is to come.   Also, we should make note that the first thing Jesus does in coming to this region is to teach the crowds who gather to Him, as He was accustomed. 

 

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."  Here, Jesus replies in a slightly different way than we observe elsewhere.  He first solicits from the Pharisees what Moses' command was regarding divorce.  But then He explains that this command was given "because of the hardness of your heart."  Citing Genesis 1:27, 2:24, Jesus establishes the institution of marriage as one given by God, so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.   My study bible comments that in contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in that day, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce (see, for example Matthew 5:31-32 and 19:8-9) and emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage.  

 

 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.  My study bible comments that the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ, because, in the words of Theophan, their manner was "unruly" and because they thought that children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."   Christ openly rejects this thinking, and sets little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of heaven.  My study bible describes the virtues required for entrance into the kingdom of God as humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In the Eastern church, children are invited in this spirit (even as an example to adults) to participate in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  

The early Church recognized reasons for divorce, in spite of the understanding that it is an institution created by God, and meant for monogamy, as "one flesh."  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus allows "sexual immorality" as a reason for divorce (see Matthew 19:9).  My study bible additionally notes that the permissible reasons for divorce were expanded in the ancient Church to include threat to a spouse’s or child’s life and desertion, in all cases acknowledging the spiritual tragedy of such a situation.  This phrase, "spiritual tragedy," is one key to understanding this historical Christian viewpoint on divorce.  It is a recognition that although humankind was created for a certain kind of relatedness, relationships may be destroyed by sin.  And in that our faith has always played a clear-eyed role in discerning the reality of our world, and the struggle to live our lives in fulfillment of God's image for us.  That's why this passage falls so easily within the context of the discussion in yesterday's reading, regarding the power we have to remove from ourselves the things that get in the way of a deeper communion with God and with one another.  In yesterday's reading (see above), Jesus was speaking to the disciples (and their descendants in the Church) as those who would be shepherds of His flock, who would have to understand what "greatness" was in His way being in the world and shaping His Church to come.  They had to learn humility and service even to the littlest ones, in whom they were to see the image of Jesus if they were receive in His name, and in that image of Jesus, also the image of the One who sent Him to the world.  Marriage is the foundational stone of social structures, and is presented here clearly in the context of the creation itself, as instituted by God "from the beginning of the creation," in Jesus' words here.  We are to nurture the reality of the true way we're created by God, for this relationship or union which creates "one flesh."  As the root of all other relationships within a social structure, marriage in this image presented by Christ is meant to be one of shared depth.   What does it mean to be "one flesh" -- such an image of union and communion?  It is a mirror of what our relationship to Creator is meant to be, and often used as metaphor for Christ and His Bride, the Church, for Israel or Jerusalem as the Bride in the Old Testament.   When prophets called the people back to God, they spoke of adultery, infidelity, even harlotry, in the language based on marriage as metaphor.  Marriage is the building block of relationships in the extended society and family, and as such, should be respected as a way to think of ourselves in communion with one another, learning love, and making sacrifices for the sake of that love and union -- just as Christ taught the disciples their lives were to be, even as His life would be.  Let us look to the delight of Christ taking up the little children and blessing them, and understand them even as metaphors for the spirit of these teachings and the fruitfulness which a real understanding of relationship produces.  How do we care for one another?  Are we kind to one another?  Do we work out our disagreements in a way that keeps in mind the importance of such a goal, and a cherished vision of the purposes and nature of our own creation in the sight of God?  All of these things come into play and touch the deepest instincts we have for our relations to one another.  Even as society changes, this basic understanding of love, union, and communion should not change, but remain rooted in our vision for the roles we play in the world, in our communities.  Do we tear apart, or do we love?  We turn to God for this direction of love and communion, an understanding that it is basic to our "good."  Those who cannot do so risk a spirit of dissolution that affects other relationships, for without a willingness to sacrifice for love of one another -- as mutual commitment -- then what have we left?  Let us consider the purposes for which we were created, as stated by Christ in the quotations from Genesis, and see how we can apply this depth of expectation to our own capacity for commitment:   for loving behavior, the root of families, a cohesive society, a community formed and shaped by such an aim.