March 2, 2016 Wednesday)
As we continue our study of Mark’s gospel at Bethel Baptist Church, Ingleside, we approach Chapter 10, verses1-12 today. The parallel passage is in Matthew 19:1-12. The subject is divorce.
Jesus did not bring up the subject; the Pharisees did. We may rest assured that the intention of the Pharisees was to discredit Jesus and prove to the people that His teachings opposed their laws and traditions. They asked Jesus about valid reasons for divorce. Jesus asked in return, “What did Moses say?” They answered that Moses let the people divorce on the condition that a certificate was issued. (This was done so that the woman would not become a prostitute). Jesus noted that Moses allowed divorce because of hardened hearts. “But,” he said, “from the beginning it was not so.” He went on to point out that God united one man and one woman in marriage, and intended for them to remain together. Jesus recognized adultery as the only ground of divorce, and even then divorce was only allowed and not commanded. When they were alone, his disciples asked him more questions about the subject. Jesus then seemed to say to them that if possible, his servants should remain single so that their loyalties would be undivided. The Apostle Paul later echoed this idea.
The ideal for marriage is one man and one woman together for life. In our hectic, stress-filled world today, families are struggling with 
destabilizing influences of many kinds that result in divorce. Most divorces are neither planned nor desired and are traumatic experiences. But they happen. We all know people who have divorced and married someone else. Some of these are family members and others are close friends. Perhaps some who are reading this are divorced and remarried.
We know that Jesus not only stood steadfastly by marriage being permanent, but we also know that he taught by precept and example that we should treat one another with compassion and seek to help each other through the crises of life.
It would take a book to detail all the reasons for the dissolution of families today. The home has known better days in times past. It was the very first institution established by God. It is the basic building block of a culture. It is the foundation of a nation. When it is no longer stable, neither is the society as a whole.
There may have been a moment in history when we could have avoided the disaster of weakened or destroyed families. But Humpty-Dumpty has fallen and we find ourselves picking up the pieces. Let us be thankful for our loved ones. Whatever we can do to strengthen our own families, let us do it.