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Mark 
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Day 219

2 Peter 3:6 "By which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water." 2 Peter 3:6"

Day 219 – Mark 10

“By which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.” 2 Peter 3:6

JUDEAN MINISTRY

Mark noted in his Gospel that Jesus had spent much time in Galilee. In the following text, the geographical location was now identified as Judea.

“Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea
by the other side of Jordan.
And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as he was
accustomed, He taught them again.”
MARK 10:1

1. Jesus obviously had ministered in Judea previously

This is borne out by Mark’s use of the word “again”. There was also a sense of familiarity in the way the multitudes thronged Jesus. He had returned to minister in their midst again.

2. Ministry of Teaching

Back in Judea, Jesus did what He loved best- teaching the Word of God to the multitudes. The crowds gathered to hear the Master-Teacher, for there was none like Him.

THE JUDEAN PHARISEES

As the Pharisees of Galilee sought to find fault with Jesus, so their counterpart sought to entrap Jesus by their shrewd questions. The question they raised on this occasion was on the subject of divorce.

“The Pharisees came and asked Him,
‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ testing Him.”
MARK 10:2

1. Testing Jesus

Mark made this observation at the onset. The intention of the Pharisees was so obvious, there was no need for any disguise.

2. Posing the question of divorce

The Pharisees must have felt that they had entrapped Jesus by raising this question.

a) Divorce was not uncommon even in those days
This was a question that was relevant. The Pharisees could not be charged with asking frivolous questions.
b) A thorny issue
No one had been able to give a definitive answer up to this point. The Pharisees did not expect that Jesus could come up with an answer either! Hence, with almost a gleeful sense of triumph, the Pharisees asked Jesus to answer their question.