Mark 10:17

 Mark 10:17 says, And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? As Jesus was walking, there was a man who came running to Him with a question. He was in a hurry to get to Jesus for the answer to the question of what he must do to inherit everlasting life.  Jesus is the only One Who can give us everlasting life, and it would be good if everyone was in a hurry to get to Him for the answer.  Verse eighteen adds, And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.  The man called Jesus Good Master, and Jesus asked him why he called Him that, since there was none good, but God.  I believe this question was to see if the man really recognized Who Jesus was.  He is indeed God, and we must acknowledge that before we can receive everlasting life.  Verse nineteen continues, Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. Jesus then asked the man if he knew the commandments, and cited the ones that have to do with our relationship to other people.  Of course, we have to start with the commandments that have to do with God, but even if we claim to believe and follow them, it is harder to prove.  Our relationship with other people is more easily observed, and I believe this is why Jesus asked about them.  Verse twenty states, And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. The man said he had observed these commandments since he was young, but even that would have been hard to prove.  Jesus looked at the man with love, just as He does with everyone today, whether they ever accept Him as their Savior and Lord or not.  We often see the Ten Commandments displayed, but do they really rule our actions?   Verse twenty-one adds, Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.  Jesus told the man that he lacked one thing, and that he was to go and sell whatever he had and give it to the poor.  We may think that this was not too much to ask of this man, but what if Jesus were to ask the same thing of us today even as we display the Ten Commandments.  This was an easily verifiable action.  The man would either do it or not.  Our faith should always be verified by our actions.  Would we be willing to give up that fine home that we say God gave us because we asked Him to and give the proceeds to poor?  I believe that we too often look down on the poor and think they deserve to be where they are while at the same time believing that we deserve all the riches that God has blessed us with to use for our own purposes.  Verse twenty-two continues, And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.  Then, we are told that the man went away disappointed, because he had a lot of riches.  Would we go away the same way today, because we value the things of this world more than the things of God?  Verse twenty-three says, And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!  After the rich young man went away, unwilling to sell everything and give it to the poor because he valued his possessions more than a relationship with Jesus, Jesus then expounded on rich people getting into heaven.  Verse twenty-four adds, And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!  Verse twenty-five continues, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  We should notice that after it was stated that the disciples were astounded, Jesus clarified His remarks even more by stating that those who trusted in riches would find it hard to enter into the kingdom of God.  The problem was not having riches but was putting ones faith in them over faith in God.  Jesus then said that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it was for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.  Though this was a metaphor, I understand that there was a very narrow gate into Jerusalem, where a camel could not pass without first being unloaded from what it was carrying.  The analogy would then mean that a rich man needed to be willingly to unload his riches from a position of being more important than God in order to enter heaven.  Anytime we allow the things of this world to be more important than God, we will find it hard to be a part of God's kingdom.  We might say that we are not rich, so we don't have that problem, but again the problem was not the riches, but that they were more important than God, so if we allow anything in our life to be more important than God, we have the same problem.  Verse twenty-six states, And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?  The disciples then asked themselves who could be saved.  They should have asked Jesus instead.  This is the key question that all individuals have to ask themself today.  Verse twenty-seven adds, And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.  Jesus told them that what was impossible with men was not impossible with God, but that with God all things are possible.  So, once again it became a question of putting ones faith in God Who had made salvation possible through the death, burial and resurrection of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. 

Mark 10:10

Mark 10:10 says, And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.  After Jesus's teachings about divorce, when He was in the house, His disciples again asked Jesus about divorce, and He again told them the same thing.  Verse eleven adds, And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.  Verse twelve continues, And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery. No matter how many times we may question God, His law is not going to change.  Any man or woman who divorced his or her spouse and married someone else was guilty of adultery.  We are given some grounds elsewhere in the Bible where divorce could be justified, but not where it must be.  Of course, if a marriage is not based on a man and a woman putting their faith and obedience in Jesus Christ as the center of the marriage, then there is something wrong to start with.  We may not like what the Bible says about marriage and divorce, but that does not change it.  Verse thirteen states, And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.  Some young children were then brought to Jesus, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  Verse fourteen adds, But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. They did not consult Jesus before doing so.  As Christians, we sometimes get in trouble because we act without first consulting God.  When it comes to children, we should want them in church learning about Jesus.  We need to bring our children to Jesus.  Verse fifteen declares, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.  Jesus said that the kingdom of God was made up of such as the little children.  This would be true I believe for two reasons.  First, we are to come to Jesus with a childlike faith, totally accepting Him without question.  Second, we are born again when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, thereby becoming as little children spiritually.  Verse sixteen adds, And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.  Jesus then took them into His arms and blessed them. 

Mark 10:1

Mark 10:1 And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. Once again, Jesus was on the move, and the people were still flocking to Him.  We need to be moving today to share the gospel and teach God's word even if people don't flock to us to hear it.  Verse two adds, And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. The Pharisees were once again in the crowd that met Jesus.  They were good about attending Jesus's teaching sessions, but were never there to learn, but were there to attempt to discredit Jesus.  There are still people today who come to hear about Jesus, but they don't or won't put their faith in Him. The Pharisees attempted to discredit Jesus by asking Him whether it was legal for a man to divorce his wife.  Verse three continues, And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? Jesus referred them back to the scripture and what Moses had said about divorce, and the Bible should be our source of understanding today under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Verse four says, And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. The Pharisees said that Moses said they could write a bill of divorcement and put her away.  We need to refer people to the Bible today, but they must understand what it actually means when they read it.   Verse five adds, And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  Jesus said that what Moses said about divorce was said because of the hardness of heart of the men in his day.  It was more for the protection of the women than an endorsement of divorce.  Verse six states, But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female   Jesus then went on to explain God's plan for marriage.   Verse seven adds, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; Verse eight continues, And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. God’s plan for marriage is one man and one woman committed to each other for a lifetime under obedience to God's guidance.   It is never just a man and a woman without God.  When a man and a woman are joined in marriage under God they become one flesh during the remainder of this lifetime.  The man and the woman then need to put the other first, above all others, even their father and mother.  Verse nine concludes, What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  If they are joined together by God, they should never be divided again.  There are reasons for which a Christian can divorce found in the Bible but is never God's plan nor a dictate they a person must divorce a husband or wife in these instances.   Marriage is not a man-made institution, but a God created one, and if we leave God out of it, I believe it is just another ceremony.  We must base marriage on God's law.  Still, I believe that people who have been divorced can have a Godly marriage if they put God in the center of the marriage.  I believe that when a man and a woman divorce, for whatever reason, that they are no longer joined together, since they have left Him out of the marriage, so they are no longer one flesh.  The key is always putting God first, and in order to do that, we must first accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.