Questions that we should keep in mind when reading are often referred to as the five W’s. Who, What, When, Where, and Why. To these five we might sometimes want to add the question How. Let’s ask some of these questions about a question Jesus is asked in this week’s reading.
The first question asked of Jesus in this week’s reading is found in Mark 10:2 the CSB reads, ‘Some Pharisees came to test him, asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”’ It would seem this is a very strange question to be asking of Jesus. Let’s use some of the W questions to examine their question.
Who is asking the question? Some Pharisees.
Who are the Pharisees?
How would we answer this question? Using ‘Primary Sources’ we could start with the New Testament. We’ve read a lot about the Pharisees in Matthew’s Gospel as well as in Mark’s Gospel. We could use a complete concordance and look up every place in Scripture where the word Pharisee appears, read the verses in their context, and note what we learn. Another ‘Primary Source’ would be the Jewish historian Josephus. He writes, “and when I was about sixteen years old, I had a mind to make trial of the several sects that were among us. These sects are three:—The first is that of the Pharisees, the second that of the Sadducees, and the third that of the Essenes, as we have frequently told you; for I thought that by this means I might, choose the best, if I were once acquainted with them all;” In Mark 7:3-5 we learn that the Pharisees are concerned with the tradition of the elders. This is the oral tradition which was handed down from the teaching of famous rabbis. Josephus also confirms this about the Pharisees and the oral tradition.
If we don’t mind using a ‘Secondary Source’ we could just look up the term in a good Bible Dictionary or Encyclopedia. That would save considerable time.
Why did they ask this question? In Mark 10:2 it was to ‘test’ Him.
In the 1st century there were three opinions about divorce that had come from the oral tradition. One view was that divorce was only allowed if there was unfaithfulness in the wife. Another view was that a man could divorce his wife if she burned his food. The last view was that a man could divorce his wife if he was attracted to someone else. The O.T. Law is found in Deuteronomy 24:1.
What does ‘test’ mean?
It was not just to see if Jesus can resolve the above controversy. The word can mean ‘trap.’
It has this meaning here and in Mk 12:15 and in many other places in the Gospels.
How are they trying to trap Him? To answer this question, we must ask two more questions.
Where are they and What difference does that make?
Where From Mark 10:1 we learn the where. They are across the Jordan River in Transjordan.
This area was known as Perea. It was the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great.
Herod Antipas was the one that had John the Baptist killed because John had said it was unlawful for him to divorce his wife and marry his brother Philip’s wife. Recall the account in Matthew 14:3-4.
How are they trying to trap Him? His answer could well bring the wrath of Herod Antipas leading to Jesus’ arrest and possibly His execution.
The first question asked of Jesus in this week’s reading is found in Mark 10:2 the CSB reads, ‘Some Pharisees came to test him, asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”’ It would seem this is a very strange question to be asking of Jesus. Let’s use some of the W questions to examine their question.
Who is asking the question? Some Pharisees.
Who are the Pharisees?
How would we answer this question? Using ‘Primary Sources’ we could start with the New Testament. We’ve read a lot about the Pharisees in Matthew’s Gospel as well as in Mark’s Gospel. We could use a complete concordance and look up every place in Scripture where the word Pharisee appears, read the verses in their context, and note what we learn. Another ‘Primary Source’ would be the Jewish historian Josephus. He writes, “and when I was about sixteen years old, I had a mind to make trial of the several sects that were among us. These sects are three:—The first is that of the Pharisees, the second that of the Sadducees, and the third that of the Essenes, as we have frequently told you; for I thought that by this means I might, choose the best, if I were once acquainted with them all;” In Mark 7:3-5 we learn that the Pharisees are concerned with the tradition of the elders. This is the oral tradition which was handed down from the teaching of famous rabbis. Josephus also confirms this about the Pharisees and the oral tradition.
If we don’t mind using a ‘Secondary Source’ we could just look up the term in a good Bible Dictionary or Encyclopedia. That would save considerable time.
Why did they ask this question? In Mark 10:2 it was to ‘test’ Him.
In the 1st century there were three opinions about divorce that had come from the oral tradition. One view was that divorce was only allowed if there was unfaithfulness in the wife. Another view was that a man could divorce his wife if she burned his food. The last view was that a man could divorce his wife if he was attracted to someone else. The O.T. Law is found in Deuteronomy 24:1.
What does ‘test’ mean?
It was not just to see if Jesus can resolve the above controversy. The word can mean ‘trap.’
It has this meaning here and in Mk 12:15 and in many other places in the Gospels.
How are they trying to trap Him? To answer this question, we must ask two more questions.
Where are they and What difference does that make?
Where From Mark 10:1 we learn the where. They are across the Jordan River in Transjordan.
This area was known as Perea. It was the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great.
Herod Antipas was the one that had John the Baptist killed because John had said it was unlawful for him to divorce his wife and marry his brother Philip’s wife. Recall the account in Matthew 14:3-4.
How are they trying to trap Him? His answer could well bring the wrath of Herod Antipas leading to Jesus’ arrest and possibly His execution.
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