Mark 10:4
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Mark 10:4
4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
Chapter Context
Mark 10 is a action-oriented gospel chapter in the New Testament that explores themes of obedience, grace, love. Written during the mid first century CE (c. 65-70 CE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Composed during or just after Nero's persecution when eyewitnesses were disappearing.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-52: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it reveals key aspects of God's character through divine actions and declarations. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Mark and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Mark 10:4
4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
Analysis
The Pharisees answered, 'Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away' (Μωϋσῆς ἐπέτρεψεν βιβλίον ἀποστασίου γράψαι καὶ ἀπολῦσαι). They cite Deuteronomy 24:1's provision for divorce certificate (biblion apostasiou, βιβλίον ἀποστασίου, 'certificate of dismissal'). Notably, they changed Jesus' word 'command' (v. 3) to 'suffered' (epetrepsen, ἐπέτρεψεν, 'permitted')—tacitly acknowledging this was concession, not divine ideal. The certificate's purpose was to protect the divorced woman—providing legal documentation of her freedom to remarry without being charged with adultery. This regulation assumed divorce's reality and sought to mitigate harm, but didn't endorse divorce as good. The Pharisees' answer reveals their focus on legal technicalities rather than God's heart for marriage.
Historical Context
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 required a written divorce certificate, protecting women from capricious abandonment without legal recourse. In ancient Near Eastern patriarchal society, divorced women faced severe economic and social disadvantage. The certificate (get in Hebrew, biblion apostasiou in Greek) provided legal proof the marriage was dissolved, allowing remarriage. Without it, a divorced woman remarrying could be charged with adultery (punishable by death, Leviticus 20:10). Moses' law thus regulated an evil practice, preventing worse evil. Jewish divorce procedure in Jesus' day involved witnesses and proper documentation. The debate wasn't whether divorce was legal (Mosaic law permitted it) but under what circumstances. Jesus would transcend this legal debate by returning to Genesis' creational norm.
Reflection
- How does the shift from 'command' to 'permitted' reveal the difference between God's ideal and His accommodation to human sin?
- What does Moses' protective regulation (requiring a certificate) teach about the role of law in restraining evil's harm even when it cannot eliminate evil?
Cross-References
- References Moses: Matthew 19:7
- Parallel theme: Isaiah 50:1, Jeremiah 3:1, Matthew 1:19