Marriage and Divorce
MK 10:2-16 or 10:2-12
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
"Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his
wife?"
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, "What did Moses
command you?"
They replied,
"Moses permitted a husband to write a bill
of divorce
and dismiss her."
But Jesus told them,
"Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God
made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave
his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one
flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate."
In the house the disciples again questioned
Jesus about this.
He said to them,
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries
another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries
another,
she commits adultery."
And people were bringing children to him that he
might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said
to them,
"Let the children come to me;
do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God
belongs to
such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like
a child
will not enter it."
Then he embraced them and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
