Write a Bill of Divorcement - Mark 10:4

Mark wrote how, “the Pharisees came to him, and asked” Jesus “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?”, and in chapter ten and verse four of his book, Mark shared how the Pharisees answered, “Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away” where we read:

And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

The verse reads, “And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, ...” Mark began with the words, “and they said” which means “and the Pharisees uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “Moses suffered to write” or “Moses whose name means drawing out and was the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion permitted and allowed” “a bill” which means “a written document or sheet on which something has been written” “of divorcement” or “of repudiation, apostasy or divorce”. Mark shared how the “Pharisees” answered Jesus by saying that “Moses” allowed a “document” to be “written” that absolved and repudiated a marriage.

The verse goes on to say, “... and to put her away.” Mark continued with the words, “and to put her away” which means “to set free, dismiss, bid depart, release or divorce his female wedded woman”. Mark shared how the “Pharisees” added that a “written document” allowed a man to “divorce” and “release” his “wife” from their “marriage”.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we see how the “religious leaders” had an answer to Jesus' question. They knew about “Moses' law of divorce”, and whenever a man was “displeased” with his “wife” for any reason, he could simply “write” a “bill of divorcement”, and he would no longer be “married” to her. The “Pharisees” were “tempting” Jesus because they desired to catch Him violating or speaking against the “law of Moses” which all people in Israel regarded as righteous and holy. Though they thought themselves “crafty” in their answer to Jesus, we shall see what He has to say about “divorce” and know that God knows what is best for mankind, which will be revealed in the doctrine according to His Son Jesus.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus answered, “For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".