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Mark 
Day 
Day 221

2 Peter 3:7b "Reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Peter 3:7b"

Day 221 – Mark 10

“Reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:7b

INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION OF THE SCRIPTURES

In a previous encounter with the Pharisees, Jesus distinguished between the Scriptures and “the traditions of the elders” (Cf. Mark 7:1-23). In this present encounter, the issue was different. It was even more challenging, because it involved interpretation and application of the Scriptures.

What was the line of argument of the Pharisees concerning divorce? They appeared to have relied heavily on what the Mosaic Law permitted. Thus they declared,


“Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce,
and to dismiss her.”
MARK 10:4

1. The law of Moses did indeed give permission for divorce.

2. The letter of the law allows for this interpretation.

3. This may be described as “legalism”.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH TAKEN BY JESUS

The approach taken by Jesus was, as may be expected, wonderfully different.

“And Jesus answered and said to them,
‘Because of the hardness of your heart
he wrote you this precept.'”
MARK 10:5

1. An explanation as to why Permission divorce was given at all

The Pharisees did not consider this aspect that Jesus propounded. Behind this law was a problem that no one cared to ponder over. The Pharisees had little or no thought about how divorce could adversely affect the women. Their main concern was that the letter of the law was not violated. Divorce could be considered on the slightest pretext of the woman not finding favour in the eyes of her husband. Jesus offered an explanation as to why this law on Divorce was given at all.

2. Rationale behind the Mosaic Law of Divorce

Moses knew that the human heart could be very hard indeed. His ministry for forty years in Israel showed him how wicked and hard the human heart could be (Cf. Psalm 78). He did write this law permitting divorce, but only because of the hardness of heart that he saw.

a) Divorce was not the first option to resolving difficult family problems.
b) Divorce underscores the hardness of the human heart.
c) Divorce was permitted only under exceptionally difficult circumstances (the very last option).