Mark10

Jesus teaches on the sanctity of marriage, condemning divorce and remarriage, and welcomes children, stating the Kingdom of God belongs to such. He challenges a rich man to sell his possessions to gain eternal life, emphasizing the difficulty for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom, but affirming God's power to save. Jesus again predicts his suffering and death, then teaches his disciples that true greatness is found in humble service, not worldly power. The chapter concludes with Jesus restoring sight to blind Bartimaeus, who then follows him.

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Jesus Teaches on Marriage and Divorce

Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom.

Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired.

“What did Moses command you?” He replied.

They answered, “Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.

However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’

‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

When they were back inside the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.

So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.

And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

Jesus Blesses the Children

Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.

The Rich Young Ruler

As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.

You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother.’”

“Teacher,” he replied, “all these I have kept from my youth.”

Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

But the man was saddened by these words and went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel

will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

The Third Passion Prediction

As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him:

“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles,

who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again.”

True Greatness: Servant Leadership

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

“What do you want Me to do for you?” He inquired.

They answered, “Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory.”

“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?”

“We can,” the brothers answered. “You will drink the cup that I drink,” Jesus said, “and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo.

But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.

So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.

But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Healing Blind Bartimaeus

Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road.

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man. “Take courage!” they said. “Get up! He is calling for you.”

Throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus jumped up and came to Jesus.

“What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “Rabboni,” said the blind man, “let me see again.”

“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Study Notes for Mark 10

Verse 1

Jesus enters the region of Perea (Judea beyond the Jordan), a location often used by traveling rabbis. This setting is where Herod Antipas ruled and where John the Baptist was imprisoned, adding political tension to his ministry.

Verse 2

The Pharisees ask this question to trap Jesus in the debate between the schools of Hillel (liberal, allowing divorce for almost any cause) and Shammai (strict, allowing divorce only for grave sexual misconduct).

Verse 4

They refer to the provision in Deuteronomy 24:1, which Moses permitted as a regulation of divorce, not an endorsement of it. This law was meant to protect the dismissed woman.

Verse 5

Jesus argues that the Mosaic allowance was a concession due to human sinfulness and stubbornness ('hardness of your heart'), not the ideal standard set by God.

Verse 6

Jesus roots his teaching not in the Law of Moses, but in the original creation ordinance established in Genesis 1:27 and 2:24, establishing marriage as a divine institution and permanent covenant.

Verse 9

This verse presents the theological conclusion: because marriage is a divine act of joining, human authority should not intervene to dissolve it.

Verse 11

Jesus clarifies the teaching for the disciples privately, equating divorce and remarriage with adultery, restoring the seriousness of the marriage vow.

Verse 12

Mark uniquely includes the case of a woman divorcing her husband, which was legally possible under Roman law, showing the standard applies equally to both genders.

Verse 13

Bringing children to a rabbi was a common practice for seeking prayer and blessing. The disciples likely viewed the children as insignificant distractions from Jesus' serious teaching.

Verse 14

Jesus’ strong reaction ('much displeased') highlights the disciples’ failure to understand the radical inclusivity of the Kingdom, which welcomes the dependent and powerless.

Verse 15

Receiving the Kingdom 'as a little child' means entering with humility, trust, and total dependence, recognizing one's lack of merit or power.

Verse 17

The man runs and kneels, demonstrating great eagerness and respect. His question reveals a sincere desire to earn eternal life through moral action.

Verse 18

Jesus challenges the man's flattery, subtly raising the question of his own identity and linking ultimate 'goodness' exclusively to God.

Verse 19

Jesus lists commandments focused on human relationships (the second table of the Law), testing the man's claim to righteousness.

Verse 21

The phrase 'Jesus beholding him loved him' shows genuine compassion before issuing the radical challenge. The command to sell everything reveals the man's true idol: his possessions.

Verse 22

The man’s grief confirms that his wealth was his source of security and status, revealing that he had kept all the commandments except the first (having no other gods).

Verse 23

Jesus generalizes the lesson: Riches are a spiritual danger because they foster self-sufficiency and make dependence on God difficult.

Verse 25

This famous hyperbole illustrates the sheer impossibility of achieving salvation through human effort or merit. Wealth, far from being a sign of divine favor, is a major hindrance.

Verse 27

Jesus provides the theological solution: what is impossible for humans (earning salvation) is entirely possible for God (granting salvation by grace).

Verse 28

Peter contrasts the disciples' sacrifice with the ruler's failure, seeking assurance for their commitment.

Verse 30

The promise of receiving 'an hundredfold' refers to the new spiritual family and provision found within the community of disciples, though it is always accompanied by persecution.

Verse 32

The disciples' amazement and fear show they sensed the gravity and danger of the journey to Jerusalem. Jesus walks ahead of them, demonstrating his resolute commitment to the cross.

Verse 33

This is the third and most detailed of the passion predictions in Mark, specifying the betrayal, condemnation by Jewish leaders, and delivery to the Gentiles (Romans).

Verse 35

Immediately following the prediction of suffering, James and John demonstrate their complete failure to grasp the sacrificial nature of Jesus’ mission, seeking positions of earthly power.

Verse 38

The 'cup' and 'baptism' are metaphors for intense suffering, referring to Jesus' impending passion and death. Jesus warns them that seeking glory requires sharing in His suffering.

Verse 40

Jesus emphasizes that positions of authority in the Kingdom are determined by the Father, not by human ambition or political requests.

Verse 42

Jesus contrasts the worldly model of leadership, which relies on domination and coercive power, with the divine model of the Kingdom.

Verse 43

In the Kingdom, greatness is redefined through service and humility. The one who desires high status must adopt the role of a 'minister' (diakonos, servant).

Verse 45

This verse is the theological climax of the teaching and a key Christological statement in Mark. Jesus defines his mission as substitutionary atonement—giving his life as a 'ransom for many.'

Verse 46

This event occurs as Jesus leaves Jericho, marking his final journey before his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Bartimaeus is one of the few named beneficiaries of Jesus' healings.

Verse 47

Calling Jesus 'Son of David' is a clear Messianic title, recognizing Jesus as the promised King and heir of David's throne.

Verse 50

Casting away his garment shows the urgency and immediacy of his response, abandoning his source of income and status to follow Jesus.

Verse 52

Jesus affirms that Bartimaeus’ active faith, not merely the physical act of healing, was the source of his restoration. Bartimaeus immediately becomes a disciple, following Jesus 'in the way.'

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Mark10

Jesus Teaches on Marriage and Divorce

Jesus Blesses the Children

The Rich Young Ruler

The Third Passion Prediction

True Greatness: Servant Leadership

Healing Blind Bartimaeus

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