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, let no one separate."
˜ Mark 10:6-9
In this passage in Scripture, Jesus seems to be condemning divorce. As you can imagine, his words here cause some discomfort for many people. I know some preachers who dread the Sunday when this Gospel is appointed for the sermon. I completely understand. It makes me uncomfortable, too, because I am also divorced, and so are some of my Sisters in the Convent. Many of my friends and family members have divorced and remarried. What is Jesus saying about all of us?
As is always the case with Scripture, there are many ways of interpreting Jesus' words. Even in his own time, Jewish husbands were allowed to divorce their wives. Roman wives were also allowed to divorce their husbands. It was an accepted practice that was in keeping with the Law. Jesus says, "Because of your hardness of heart [Moses] wrote this commandment for you." Jesus acknowledges that divorce is in the Law according to Moses, but he also points out that Moses wrote the Law because of the people's hardness of heart.
The interpretation of this passage that makes the most sense to me is that Jesus is holding up an ideal for the union of two people. They should love each other to the point of becoming one flesh. They should be kind to each other, and they should take care of each other. It is only through human weakness that spouses become abusers, drive their families into financial ruin, or commit any of the many other destructive acts that take root in the human heart. Jesus is saying, "This is how it should be. Love should be eternal. Love is from God. Why can't you people figure out how to love each other?" It is in keeping with his commandment for all of us to love one another.
Jesus then shows his boundless love by blessing the little children after the disciples scolded them. This is one of the few instances in Scripture where he becomes angry. He has compassion for these innocents, and he was indignant that they were being mistreated. In all his actions, Jesus demonstrates the essence of true love.
Reflect: How do you deal with challenging passages in scripture? Do you have a prayerful response that helps you with this encounter?
This Lenten Meditation can be found at Episcopal Relief and Development