For 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 

 

In yesterday's reading, 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 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 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.  Jesus has once again left Galilee, and now has come to the region of Judea, but not to Jerusalem.  Rather He is east of the Jordan (see this map).   

The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him. The Pharisees no doubt know Jesus is in this area teaching to multitudes.  They've come from Jerusalem specifically to test Him.  Divorce was a hotly contested issue in Christ's time, with issues that complicated the nature of divorce because of the contractual agreements, and specifically monies involved, such as the bride-price.  Who would gain control of this money, and lose it through divorce, became a part of the problems of marriage, including remarriage to the same person as a way to gain money.  The Pharisees were actually closer to Christ's position than were other parties in the arguments over this issue.

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."  The basis for the Pharisees' test is Deuteronomy 24:1-4.  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; 19:8-9).  Instead, Jesus emphasizes marriage as a holy institution with an eternal nature.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus gives as a possible reason for divorce sexual immorality, which shows that even holy matrimony can be destroyed by sin.  Jesus quotes from Genesis 1:27; 5:2 and Genesis 2:24.

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."  My study Bible comments that God's condescension, or allowance for human weakness (by allowing divorce), does not override the original principle of permanent monogamous marriage as revealed in Genesis 1; 2.  Here, Jesus speaks with authority to the disciples, adding His own clear prohibition against divorce.  My study Bible also explains that the permissible reason for divorce were expanded in the ancient Church to include threat to a spouse's or child's life and desertion -- but in all cases acknowledging the spiritual tragedy of such a situation.

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.  According to Theophylact, the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ because their manner was "unruly" and moreover because they thought that children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  But Christ turns this thinking on its head, and sets little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of God.  So therefore, my study Bible explains, children are invited (even as an example to adults) to participate in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  Theophylact is further quoted by my study Bible:  "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in completely simplicity."  

With regard to this final comment by Theophylact (as quoted in my study Bible), it's worth taking a look at the important concept of simplicity in Biblical and hence the historical theological terms of the Church.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light" (Matthew 6:22 KJV).  This verse is often translated to read that one should make one's eye "good" (NKJV), or "sound" (RSV).  But in the Greek of the text, this word translated in various ways is ἁπλοῦς/aplous, which can mean both "simple" and "single."  It literally means "unfolded," and therefore we should think of it as undivided, uncomplicated; or, more to the point, it is the opposite of double.  So, in this sense, to be "simple" and for one's eye to be "single" means without an agenda, straightforward, sincere, without guile; not double-minded.  It speaks to purity of heart.  This concept of the single or simple eye is also linked to that of the evil eye, meaning envy.  (See the reference by Jesus to an evil eye in Mark 7:21-23, as part of this reading).  So, if we're going to take a close look (no pun intended!) at what it means to be "simple" in the Biblical context, we may come to understand something important related both to the little children whom Jesus says are of the kingdom of God, and something important about divorce as well.  Because divorce is so often linked to covetousness, leading to adultery, the concepts here are intertwined.  It is also reflected in the concepts of yesterday's reading (above), in which Jesus taught that "if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out."  To gaze with envy or with covetousness, both of which can play a strong role leading to divorce, is to have an "evil eye" which is not simple but rather double-minded, containing hidden motivations and agendas.  Rather than a single-minded devotion to one's marriage, this kind of narrowing of the gaze, or doubling of one's interior intentions, skews the purposes to which God has instituted holy matrimony and our deepest and strongest relationships.  This is further emphasized by Jesus quoting from the Old Testament that "the two shall become one flesh."  Again, "one flesh" emphasizes the single and the simple nature of the deep bond described as marriage here.   This emphasis on singleness/simplicity is also reflected in Jesus' words to the disciples as He sends them out on their first apostolic mission.  Matthew 10:16 is often translated as teaching the disciples to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves."  But the word translated as "harmless" is ἀκέραιος/akeraios, meaning "unmixed."  Again the emphasis is on simplicity or singleness meaning "innocent" (it's the same Greek word that St. Paul uses in Romans 16:19).  In all of these related ways, simplicity or singleness becomes an important concept for us to consider when it comes to the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Finally, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).  Unadulterated, unmixed, simple, single-minded ("eyed"), without guile or deceit:  these are the concepts that define pure in heart, meaning that one is the same from the inside to the outside.  Let us consider how central these concepts are to the doctrine of Jesus Christ and His gospel, and how we seek to live our lives.