Daily Devotions
Mark
2 Peter 3:7a "But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same wordâ?¦" 2 Peter 3:7a"
Day 220 – Mark 10
“But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same wordâ?¦”
2 Peter 3:7a
AN UNPERTURBED MASTER-TEACHER
If the Pharisees had thought that they could rattle or unnerve Jesus, they were sadly mistaken. Jesus was ready to discuss the question of divorce with them.
CHOOSING HIS APPROACH
Jesus chose the approach. He sought to engage the Pharisees. He began,
“And He answered and said to them,
‘What did Moses command you?'”
MARK 10:3
Jesus made reference to the writings of Moses for good reason:-
1. Establishing the Authority of the law
Jesus upheld the authority of the writings of Moses by making reference to it.
2. Establishing ground rules of the debate
Jesus wanted the Pharisees to understand the “ground rules” of this debate. He would appeal to the authority of the Scriptures. Both sides would have to argue from the Scriptures.
ACCEPTANCE OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE MOSAIC LAW
The Pharisees accepted the question of Jesus and replied.
“They said, ‘Moses permitted a man to write a certificate
of divorce, and to dismiss her.'”
MARK 10:4
1. Citing Mosaic Law
The Pharisees obviously knew this Mosaic law. Readily they cited it, in answer to Jesus’ question.
2. The actual Mosaic Law
Let us take time to look at this law found in Deuteronomy.
“When a man takes a wife and marries her,
and it happens that she finds no favour in his eyes
because he has found some uncleanness in her,
and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand,
and sends her out of his house.”
DEUTERONOMY 24:1
3. An important historical insight
In the days of Jesus, the Pharisees had essentially taken the letter of the law and applied it coldly. The divorce rulings were almost always in favour of the men. The women suffered immensely consequently. It seemed as of the Mosaic law gave the men the right to divorce their wives if they did not find favour in their eyes!