MARK 10:01-12
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
Text – Mark 10:1–12
1 He set out from there and went into the district of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around him, and, as was his custom, he again taught them.
2 The Pharisees approached and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him.
3 He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
4 They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.”
5 But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment.
6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
7 ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife],
8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.
9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
10 In the house the disciples again questioned him about this.
11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her;
12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Introduction
As Jesus enters Judea and resumes teaching, He is confronted by the Pharisees with a question designed to trap Him in controversy over divorce. Instead of engaging in legalistic debate, Jesus directs them back to God’s original plan for marriage—a covenantal union rooted in creation itself. By appealing to Genesis, He restores the sacred dignity of marriage as a lifelong, unbreakable bond of love and faithfulness. His response challenges both the permissive attitudes of His time and the hardness of human hearts that resist God’s design.
Historical and Jewish Context
In first-century Judaism, the question of divorce was highly debated. The Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 24:1–4) allowed a man to write a bill of divorce, but rabbinic schools differed on what constituted “grounds.” The school of Shammai permitted divorce only for serious moral reasons, while the school of Hillel allowed it even for trivial causes. The Pharisees’ question was thus a test to force Jesus into taking a controversial stance. Jesus responds by transcending the debate: divorce, He explains, was a concession to human sin, not part of God’s original intention. Quoting Genesis 1:27 and 2:24, He reveals that marriage is a divine covenant—two persons joined into “one flesh” by God Himself. In the culture of the time, where men often dismissed wives easily, Jesus’ teaching upheld the equality and dignity of both husband and wife.
Catholic Theological Perspective
This passage forms the foundation of the Catholic Church’s teaching on the indissolubility of marriage. Marriage is not a mere contract but a sacred covenant that mirrors God’s unbreakable love for His people (Ephesians 5:25–32). What God has joined, no one may separate, for it is God who unites husband and wife in an intimate partnership of life and love. The “hardness of heart” that allowed divorce under Moses signifies humanity’s resistance to divine grace. Christ restores marriage to its original sanctity, elevating it to a sacrament among the baptized. The Church, following His command, does not recognize civil divorce as ending a valid sacramental marriage. Jesus’ strong words about adultery reveal the seriousness of marital fidelity as a reflection of God’s covenantal faithfulness.
Parallels in Scripture
Genesis 1:27; 2:24 – God’s creation of man and woman as one flesh.
Deuteronomy 24:1–4 – Moses’ concession allowing divorce.
Matthew 19:3–9 – Parallel account of Jesus’ teaching on divorce.
Ephesians 5:31–32 – Marriage as a sign of Christ’s union with the Church.
Malachi 2:14–16 – God’s condemnation of marital unfaithfulness: “I hate divorce.”
Key Terms
Divorce – The legal dissolution of marriage permitted under Mosaic law but forbidden by Jesus in God’s original design.
Hardness of Heart – Resistance to God’s will and inability to live out divine love.
One Flesh – The intimate, covenantal union of husband and wife as one being in God’s eyes.
Adultery – The violation of marital fidelity, which breaks the sacred covenant between spouses.
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This Gospel is proclaimed in marriage liturgies and during Ordinary Time to emphasize the sacredness and permanence of Christian marriage. It underlines the call to lifelong fidelity and self-giving love within the sacrament. The Church’s annulment process, rooted in this teaching, does not dissolve marriage but declares that a true sacramental union was never validly established. In the Eucharist, Christ’s faithful love for His Bride, the Church, becomes the model for all Christian spouses.
Conclusion
Jesus’ teaching restores marriage to its divine purpose: a lifelong covenant of love that reflects God’s own fidelity. Divorce may be tolerated by human law, but in God’s plan, marriage is permanent and sacred. The union of man and woman in love is not just a human arrangement but a divine mystery. The words of Christ challenge every disciple to live love faithfully and to honor the sacredness of the marital bond.
Reflection
Do I see marriage as a covenant of total self-giving love modeled on Christ’s love for the Church? In my relationships, do I live with faithfulness, forgiveness, and commitment, even when it is difficult? The Gospel calls me to resist the hardness of heart that divides and to open myself to the grace that unites.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You taught that what God has joined together, no one must separate. Strengthen all married couples in love and fidelity. Heal those wounded by broken relationships and give courage to those struggling to remain faithful. May every Christian marriage reflect Your covenant of love and bring glory to the Father who unites us in Your name. Amen.