Mark 10:5

And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

And {G2532} Jesus {G2424} answered {G611} and said {G2036} unto them {G846}, For {G4314} the hardness {G4641} of your {G5216} heart {G4641} he wrote {G1125} you {G5213} this {G5026} precept {G1785}.

But Yeshua said to them, "He wrote this commandment for you because of your hardheartedness.

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

But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.

In Mark 10:5, Jesus responds to the Pharisees' question about the lawfulness of divorce, specifically addressing their reference to Moses's allowance for a bill of divorcement. His answer cuts directly to the core issue, revealing God's true intention versus human concession.

Context

The discussion begins with the Pharisees testing Jesus, asking if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife (Mark 10:2). They cite the Mosaic law found in Deuteronomy 24:1, which permitted a man to write a bill of divorcement if he found "some uncleanness" in his wife. Jesus, however, immediately clarifies that Moses's provision was not God's original design for marriage, but a concession made due to the spiritual condition of the people.

Key Themes

  • Divine Intent vs. Human Concession: Jesus highlights the stark difference between God's perfect, original plan for marriage – a lifelong, unbreakable union as established in Genesis 2:24, where "they twain shall be one flesh" – and the temporary allowance given by Moses. Moses's precept was a practical regulation for a fallen world, not an endorsement of divorce itself.
  • Hardness of Heart: This is the central reason Jesus gives for Moses's allowance. It refers to a stubborn, unyielding, and rebellious spirit that resists God's perfect will and design. It implies a lack of spiritual receptivity, compassion, and faithfulness, making people unwilling to uphold the covenant of marriage. This concept is also found in the parallel account in Matthew 19:8.
  • Sanctity of Marriage: By tracing marriage back to creation, Jesus re-emphasizes its sacred nature as a divine institution, intended for permanent union and reflecting God's faithfulness.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "hardness of your heart" translates the Greek word sklerokardia (σκληροκαρδία). This term literally means 'stiff-heartedness' or 'insensibility'. In the Old Testament (Septuagint), it often describes a spiritual and moral resistance to God's commands and a lack of responsiveness to His truth, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 7:24 where people walked "in the imagination of their evil heart." It signifies a deliberate unwillingness to conform to God's righteous standards, leading to compromises and deviations from His perfect will.

Practical Application

Jesus's teaching in Mark 10:5 provides profound insight into God's perspective on human behavior and relationships. It calls believers to:

  • Seek God's Ideal: Rather than looking for loopholes or minimum requirements, we are encouraged to strive for God's perfect design in all aspects of life, especially in marriage.
  • Cultivate a Receptive Heart: The warning against "hardness of heart" is timeless. It challenges us to maintain a humble, teachable, and compassionate spirit, willing to obey God's word fully rather than seeking ways to justify our own desires or shortcomings.
  • Understand Grace and Truth: While God's ideal is clear, His grace also acknowledges human frailty. However, this grace is not an excuse for sin, but an invitation to repentance and a renewed commitment to His standards.

This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God's laws are rooted in His character and His perfect love, and our spiritual condition dictates our ability to live within His divine will.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 19:8

    He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

  • Acts 7:51

    ¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye.

  • Nehemiah 9:26

    Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

  • Nehemiah 9:16

    But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

  • Nehemiah 9:17

    And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou [art] a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

  • Deuteronomy 31:27

    For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?

  • Deuteronomy 9:6

    Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou [art] a stiffnecked people.
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