Introduction
Those Pharisees, focussing on outward appearances when Jesus is so clearly interested in the inner life! Easy to see from our vantage point – but are we any better?
Mark 10.2–16
Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, “God made them male and female.” “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.’
Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.’
People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
Questions:
- So often, the fundamental difference between Jesus’ perspective and that of the Pharisees is to do with the inner life and outward appearances. How easy is it to untangle those two in our everyday lives?
- Relationships are fragile; they can fall apart despite our best efforts. How do you hold together these words of Jesus and our pastoral concern for those around us?
- In his words about women and children, Jesus is challenging social norms to raise up the most vulnerable. What can we notice and celebrate about where the Church of God is doing this in our time?
Things to think about with the child at the centre:
This passage is at the very heart of our vision to “put the child at the centre.” I wonder if you’ve recently experienced church like a 6 year old? Perhaps you could physically get down to their level and have a look around. How easy is it to move about – what is and isn’t accessible? Do you discover anything wonderful?
And what about they way that children think and believe? How might a child pray for the adults in the church?
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