Mark Vol. 2 - Week 11 (10:1-12)
Mark 10:1-12
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The King Of Marriage
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Mark 10:1-12 〰️ The King Of Marriage 〰️
A note before we begin:
The topic of marriage and divorce is sensitive for many, and there are some marriages where abuse is present. If you are in an abusive relationship or marriage, please know that you are loved and deserve to feel safe and valued. Your well-being matters, and the staff at King's Table is ready to support you by helping you and connecting you to resources. We are here for you, and you are not alone.
If anyone in your group reveals that they are in an abusive relationship, it's crucial to take their situation seriously. Please connect them with a staff member so we can provide support and resources. Ensuring they have access to the right help can make a significant difference in their safety and well-being.
This week, we are reading Mark 10:1-12. When approaching a text such as this, we must do so with nuance, care, and compassion. There are varying schools of thought among God-fearing theologians and believers, all of whom hold Scripture as inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed. That said, this is a nuanced topic that requires patience and compassion when approaching. Additionally, as discussed on Sunday, before approaching a complex passage like this, we must analyze our hearts, asking and truthfully answering some questions regarding Jesus' teaching: 1) will we allow Jesus to teach us? 2) Will we obey Jesus' teaching, even if we dislike or disagree with the answer?
Because nearly everyone in our Western world today has been impacted by divorce, we should recognize the sensitivity that comes with the word and subject. Whether motivated by right or wrong reasons, divorce has caused deep wounds for individuals both inside and outside of the church. These scars can remain sensitive years later, and any conversation about the subject has the potential to bring up pain. Those impacted by divorce are not only the husband and wife but also children and family members. It also must be acknowledged that there are abusive marriages, and many women and men have understandably chosen to leave those marriages for their safety. While we can debate and discuss circles around what this and other passages of Scripture permit, we know that ultimately, Our Lord cares for His children (John 3:16). Throughout the Gospels, there were many instances where Jesus had compassion on those who were suffering or in need (Mat. 11:28-30, 15:32; Lu. 7:13), and people today are no different.
God calls and commands husbands to love and care for their wives and wives to love and care for their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-33). God commands husbands to "love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her," not bullying or taking advantage of her, but protecting and caring for her (Eph. 25). God also has a command for wives: "Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands," not bullying or taking advantage of him and caring for him (Eph. 5:24). To neglect or abuse your spouse is to abandon your post and forsake your God-appointed role as their companion and guardian. We believe this to be an adequate example of abandonment, as cited by Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16.
In discussion, we'll hang most of our questions around God's view of the marriage covenant and how those truths translate to His covenant with us. As always, these discussion guides are meant to aid you as you prepare to lead your community group. A question will likely come up regarding what is and isn't permissible by God regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage. So this guide is nearly entirely to prepare you for questions that might come, but the majority of discussion questions will steer away from this. Because nuance seems to be present in Scripture (some divorce is permissible, depending on the circumstances), we won't dive into that aspect.
In community groups, we're reading and applying Scripture to real-life people, so we aren't able to nail down a single, one-size-fits-all answer that applies to every situation. Rather than trying to pinpoint what specifically does or doesn't qualify according to this passage, we should look to several biblical truths.¹
Marriage is a gift and work from God that receives its meaning and significance from Him (Gen. 2:18).
God's design for marriage, exclusively for one man and one woman, is unique among all human relationships (Gen. 2:21-25; Mark 10:6-7).
God's desire and plan from the beginning is that marriage would be permanent (Mark 10:9).
Jesus acknowledges that because we live in a fallen world and have hard hearts, divorce will occur (Mark 10:3-4).
Divorcing a spouse is not commanded or encouraged by God but is permitted in specific circumstances after all other options have been fully exhausted in biblical community.
As always, it is entirely okay not to have an answer in community group discussions. If you feel the need or desire, reach out to a staff member, and we'd be happy to chat with you or a group member in detail and answer any questions!
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
Why do you think the Pharisees tested Jesus with their question in v2?
Many passages of Scripture describe the church as the bride of Christ (Isa. 5:45; Eph. 5:25-27; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9). What does this passage in Mark teach us about how God's covenant relationship with us?
What role do you think followers of Jesus play in setting covenantal examples for the rest of the world?
How should God's unconditional love for us inform how we love and care for our neighbors?
1. Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus In Mark: Christ-Centered Exposition Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2014), 208.