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

1
And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. ​
2
And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. ​
3
And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
4
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. ​
5
And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. ​
6
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. ​
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For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
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And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
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What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ​
10
And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
11
And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. ​
12
And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery. ​

Jesus Blesses the Children

13
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. ​
14
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. ​
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Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. ​
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And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

The Rich Young Ruler

17
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? ​
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And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. ​
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Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. ​
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And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
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Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. ​
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And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. ​
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And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! ​
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And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
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It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ​
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And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
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And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. ​
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Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. ​
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And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
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But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. ​
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But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

The Third Passion Prediction

32
And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, ​
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Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: ​
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And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

True Greatness: Servant Leadership

35
And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. ​
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And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?
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They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
38
But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? ​
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And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
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But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. ​
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And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.
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But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ​
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But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: ​
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And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
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For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. ​

Healing Blind Bartimaeus

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And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. ​
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And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. ​
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And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
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And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
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And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. ​
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And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
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And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. ​

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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