"Jesus, the law and divorce"

Scripture: Job 1:1, 2:1-10 and Psalm 26  • Genesis 2:18-24 and Psalm 8  •  Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12  
• Mark 10:2-16

After the feeding of the 5,000, we have seen the Pharisees, the disciples and crowds following him have trouble with understanding Jesus and his message. The disciples have different ideas, at times, about the kingdom of God. They have even speculated on who would be first in the kingdom. We have seen how Jesus has turned that around, much like the word for repentance, μετανοια - a change of mindset. The first shall be last and the servant of all. Jesus made his point in last week’s lesson by telling them it would be better to have a millstone tied around your neck and be thrown into the sea than to be a stumbling block to one his little ones.

This week, Jesus again draws children to himself and tells the disciples that unless one receives the kingdom of God like a little child, one will never enter it.

Both last week and this week, Jesus uses strong words for anyone who would stand in the way of another entering into God’s kingdom. This week he teaches about divorce. What do we learn about Jesus, his kingdom and ourselves in this teaching?  See “We Can't Really Live Alone” by Dianne Bergant.

The lesson this week even says Jesus was indignant. Why so? See The Rev, Charles Hoffacker’s “A run through the thorns.”