Mark 10 ~ the disciples asked Him again

Mark 10

And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.

2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” 5 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”


13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.


17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 

19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 

And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 

28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 

29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”


32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”


35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 

36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 

37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 

38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” 

And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 

41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 

42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Father Brian White gave a good Sermon on Marriage at HopePointe Anglican Church, Sunday August 21st.  http://www.hopepointe.org/sermons






The disciples were a representation of man today. Of you and of me.

What does God want of me? Not hardness of heart!

To Trust God with verve and joy. Like Children.




The Title of this 10th Chapter of Mark is - Ask Jesus Again Until You Understand Him.

Verse 9, what God wants, is the equivalent of:

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

God is always way ahead of us. Jesus tells us, God does not expect us to be perfect. And He understands we are not all good. God expects us to be mortals who spend a lot of time wondering issues and what God thinks.

God has noticed not all things in life are fair. Life is temporary. God tells us this is within His Power to make Eternity far better and more Just. God makes all things possible. Gravity. Planets and Solar Systems. His Word upholds Life. Why not the condition of His Kingdom? Seems very probable.

Peter states the obvious a lot. God cherishes Peter.


The disciples tell us they felt in awe and afraid of Jesus a lot. They put up with Jesus because He... makes the blind see, the deaf hear and they want personal glory. This is the story of James and John. James and John boldly state they want to use Jesus for personal eternal glory. Jesus tells them that they need to make sure not to be impudent, authoritative, rude, superior, filled with self power, and jockey for an overlord position. Every day. Seems Jesus likes polite people who are not so worried about power.

Jesus does indeed seem to upset the every day apple cart.

The Disciples hear Jesus preach not to be hard hearted. Immediately they push Children out of the way. This is a very good reason why John's Gospel tells us that Jesus did so many things in His time that the books of the world could not hold all of the amazing things around Jesus. If the Disciples could rebuke Children from enjoying Jesus. We probably need to review, see, understand, grasp what Jesus says on so many levels. Re-read, renew. Use all our understanding to see what small thing is here that will actually pull our heart to the Real and Living God Who Honors His Son, Jesus.

This is the Chapter that says, "Keep on Asking Jesus."

This tells us that even when the disciples were afraid and bewildered and selfish, they felt Jesus was so loving
they could come to Jesus. Boldly and with confidence to tell Jesus who they really were and what their lives
actually really did. And Jesus would still keep them.



The Blessing of Numbers 6 tells us what we want from God, from Abba, and He intersects with us.



22 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

24
The Lord bless you and keep you;
25
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”



Father God,

Your Word communicates Your Heart to us. We learn You want to bless us.

Because Father God you will keep us. Eternally.

You, our Abba Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve. We hope that you will find such joy in us, that Your Face radiates Joy.

We want your gracious favor.

And in Your favor, Your Face lifts in a Smile to us. And we know peace. The goodness of real peace.

We want the Name of Jesus and His free gift of Salvation. And because eternity begins today, we are blessed in faith, hope and Love.

In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †