Jesus on divorce, children, and riches

10:1 Then Jesus left that place and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan River. Again crowds gathered to him, and again, as was his custom, he taught them. 10:2 Then some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" 10:3 He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" 10:4 They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her." 10:5 But Jesus said to them, "He wrote this commandment for you because of your hard hearts. 10:6 But from the beginning of creation he made them male and female. 10:7 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, 10:8 and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 10:9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." 10:10 In the house once again, the disciples asked him about this. 10:11 So he told them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 10:12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." 10:13 Now people were bringing little children to him for him to touch, but the disciples scolded those who brought them. 10:14 But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 10:15 I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." 10:16 After he took the children in his arms, he placed his hands on them and blessed them. 10:17 Now as Jesus was starting out on his way, someone ran up to him, fell on his knees, and said, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 10:18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 10:19 You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" 10:20 The man said to him, "Teacher, I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth." 10:21 As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, "You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 10:22 But at this statement, the man looked sad and went away sorrowful, for he was very rich. 10:23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" 10:24 The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 10:25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." 10:26 They were even more astonished and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" 10:27 Jesus looked at them and replied, "This is impossible for mere humans, but not for God; all things are possible for God." 10:28 Peter began to speak to him, "Look, we have left everything to follow you!" 10:29 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel 10:30 who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much - homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions - and in the age to come, eternal life. 10:31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Jesus shows that people do not enter God’s kingdom through legal loopholes, status, moral effort, or wealth. Marriage must be treated according to God’s design, children must not be kept from Jesus, and riches can keep a person from following him. Salvation is impossible for people, but possible with God.

Mark joins three scenes to make one main point. Jesus exposes false ways people try to stand before God. He rejects a divorce argument that turns Moses’ permission into the true goal. Instead, he points the Pharisees back to creation, where God made male and female and joined husband and wife into one flesh. Marriage is not just a human contract. It is a bond God makes, and people must not separate what he has joined.

Jesus then corrects the disciples when they try to keep children away. He is angry with them. He says the kingdom belongs to such as these, and that people must receive it like a child. This does not mean childish behavior is good. It means humble dependence, with no status or merit to boast in.

Then Jesus meets a rich man who seems sincere. He has kept the commandments outwardly, but Jesus shows that one thing still rules him. He must sell what he has, give to the poor, and follow Jesus. The man goes away sad because his wealth holds him tightly. Jesus then warns that riches make it very hard to enter the kingdom of God. The camel and needle image means real impossibility for human strength. Only God can do what people cannot do.

The promise at the end is also serious. Those who leave family or property for Jesus and the gospel will receive reward now, but with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. So this passage calls for real surrender, real faith, and real obedience to Jesus.

• Jesus rejects using Moses’ divorce permission as if it were God’s ideal.
• Marriage is rooted in God’s creation of male and female and in the one-flesh union.
• People must not separate what God has joined.
• Jesus warns that remarriage after divorce is adultery in this passage’s plain teaching.
• The kingdom of God belongs to those who receive it like a child.
• Receiving the kingdom like a child means humble dependence, not status or self-importance.
• Outward obedience can hide a heart still ruled by wealth.
• Jesus’ call to the rich man exposed a real idol, not a harmless preference.
• Riches make entry into the kingdom very hard.
• Human salvation is impossible by human power, but possible with God.
• Those who leave things for Jesus and the gospel will receive reward now and eternal life in the age to come.
• The promise of reward includes persecutions, not ease only.

• Do not treat Moses’ divorce regulation as God’s ideal; Jesus ties marriage back to creation.
• Do not turn ‘receive the kingdom like a child’ into praise of childish traits the text does not mention.
• Do not make the rich man’s command either universal for every believer or empty of real cost.
• Do not soften the camel-and-needle image into something merely difficult; Jesus presents human impossibility.
• Do not read the hundredfold promise as a prosperity formula, because Jesus includes persecutions.
• Do not remove the call to follow Jesus, even while saying salvation is impossible without God.
• Receive the kingdom with humble dependence.
• Do not stop children, or other low-status people, from coming to Jesus.
• Follow Jesus at real cost.
• Leave what must be left for Jesus and the gospel.

Jesus connects God’s kingdom with God’s original creation design and God’s saving power. Marriage is judged by creation, children are welcomed into the kingdom, and the rich man is told that only God can save. The whole unit shows that God’s reign comes by his own power, not by human control, status, or achievement.

Treat marriage as a covenant God joins, not merely a legal arrangement. Welcome children and other low-status people as fit for Jesus’ care. Ask what possession or security keeps you from obeying Christ. Trust God for salvation, and follow Jesus even when obedience is costly.

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