Mark 10

Mark 10 is the tenth of the sixteen chapters of the Gospel of Mark. It recounts Jesus' journey from Galilee up to Jerusalem. Following the teaching of Mark 9, verse 1 records that he "arose from thence" and came into the region of Judea. The chapter ends as he passes through Jericho, leading into his entry into Jerusalem in Mark 11.

Outline

• Verses 1–12: The Pharisees ask whether divorce is lawful. Jesus answers that Moses permitted a bill of divorcement because of the hardness of their hearts, and he appeals to God's purpose at creation in making them male and female. In the house, he tells his disciples that whoever puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery.
• Verses 13–16: The disciples rebuke those who bring little children to Jesus. Jesus is much displeased; he takes the children up in his arms, lays his hands on them, and blesses them.
• Verses 17–22: A man asks how he may inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell what he has, give to the poor, and follow him. Because he has great possessions, the man goes away grieved.
• Verses 23–31: Jesus speaks of a camel going through the eye of a needle and declares, "with God all things are possible." He then promises Peter a hundredfold reward, along with persecutions, and eternal life.
• Verses 32–34: Jesus foretells to the Twelve, for the third time, his death and his resurrection on the third day.
• Verses 35–45: James and John ask for the places at his right hand and his left hand in his glory. Jesus teaches that whoever would be great must be a servant.
• Verses 46–52: Bartimaeus, a blind beggar at Jericho, cries out to the "Son of David." He receives his sight and follows Jesus in the way.

Key Verses

• Mark 10:9: "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." This is the classic verse on the permanence of marriage.
• Mark 10:45: "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister…" This verse speaks of both service and ransom and summarizes the purpose of Jesus' coming.

People and Places

• The Pharisees: a party within Judaism who tested Jesus on the question of divorce.
• Peter, James, and John: members of the Twelve. James and John are brothers, the sons of Zebedee.
• The man who asked about eternal life: Mark does not name him, referring to him only as "one." He is commonly called the Rich Young Ruler.
• Bartimaeus: the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar at Jericho.
• Beyond the Jordan River, Jericho, and Jerusalem: the route of the journey in this chapter.

Points for Reflection

• Divorce: Mark gives no exception, whereas Matthew 19:9 makes an exception for fornication. Denominations and churches apply this passage in differing ways (see Divorce and Remarriage).
• The blessing of the children (verses 13–16): Denominations that practice infant baptism sometimes cite this passage as one of their grounds. Baptists and others hold that the passage makes no reference to baptism (see Infant Baptism Debate).
• The name "Rich Young Ruler": This name became established by combining Matthew's description of the man as a "young man" with Luke's description of him as a "ruler."
• The eye of a needle: One popular explanation identifies the eye of the needle with a small gate in Jerusalem. This explanation is not found in the text and is generally regarded as a later account with no verified basis.
• The cup and the baptism (verses 38–39): These are read as references to suffering and death. The "ransom" of verse 45 is a principal proof text for the doctrine of the Atonement.

In the Korean Church

Verses 13–16 are frequently used in sermons for Children's Sunday, and verse 9 is often used at wedding services. Verses 42–45, with their emphasis on service, are commonly used as sermon texts at ordination services.