Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept

 

 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 continued His teachings on what constitutes greatness in His Church and Kingdom, and the treatment of the "little ones."  He taught the disciples, "But whoever causes 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.  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."  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.  (He does so twice in St. Matthew's Gospel; see Matthew 5:31-32, 19:8-9; and here in St. Mark's Gospel he does so before the Pharisees and also privately to the disciples).  Instead, Jesus emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage.   Again, in St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus recognizes the possibility of divorce on the grounds of sexual immorality, which shows that marriage can be destroyed by sin.  In the Orthodox Church, divorce and a second marriage are allowed as concession to human weakness and also as a corrective measure of compassion when a marriage has been broken.  Possible grounds for divorce were expanded in the early Church.  The basis for this test by the Pharisees is Deuteronomy 24:1-4.  But my study Bible comments further that God's condescension, or allowance for human weakness, does not override the original principle of permanent monogamous marriage as revealed in Genesis 1; 2 (from which Jesus quotes Genesis 2:24).  He adds His own clear prohibition against divorce; see also Malachi 2:15-16.

 

 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 says that, according to Theophylact, the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ both because their manner was "unruly" and because they thought children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  But Christ rejects this thinking, and sets little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of God.  Therefore, children are invited (even as example to adults) to participate in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  

 

There is a lot to ponder in today's reading as it applies to the lessons Christ has been teaching on what constitutes "greatness."  If we contrast the notion of sheer material power as greatness within a body or group of people, such as a government or kingdom or even household, with Christ's expression of greatness as that of service and humility to all (including the "little ones") then we see a continuity in these teachings on divorce, and on the treatment of little children.  Not only are they related in terms of family and its component parts, and what constitutes "good governance" or "greatness" within a family for its cohesion and love, but they are related in society and in the Church.  At Christ's time, of course, women did not have the same social or legal standing that men did.  Their testimonies, for example, were not considered to be valid or admissible in the Jewish tradition (and only under some circumstances allowed in Roman law).  So, it's important that we understand this specific framework in the question from the Pharisees:  "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"  In Christ's time this was a debated issue, with grounds for divorce divided among rabbinical opinion.  The dependency of women upon their families for social and personal care plays a great role in our understanding of the circumstances as well.  Even today, with social and legal equality enforced by law (including in the workplace), many feminists are coming to terms with the difficulties for women and children because of divorce.  So it would seem important to consider all of this discussion not only from the perspective of gender, as is so often the case today, but from the position of power and the "little ones," the more humble in any group.  Let's look at Jesus' response and how He phrases it.  When asked this question, He replies to the Pharisees,  "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.' "  Jesus does not place gender roles (or even creation) in the first place of His response, but rather He notes that divorce was permitted by Moses "because of the hardness of your heart."  He makes it clear that this is not the natural purpose and intent of creation, but a product of subsequent sin and distance from God.  In this sense, "hardness of heart" becomes a question of the use of power, in particular regarding those who are "little ones," i.e. dependent and less powerful.  It's important to note that this discussion is couched between the subject of little children and how they are viewed by Christ and are meant to be viewed within the Church, for this completely emphasizes the use of power and what we understand as gracious behavior, defined for us by Christ in His admonition to the disciples from Monday's reading:  "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  For righteousness, in the whole tradition of the Church and the entirety of the Holy Bible, is, in effect, "right-relatedness."  Let us consider the role of love, compassion, and grace in all our relations, and in all of Christ's teachings for us.