Genesis 1:26-31 & Genesis 2:15-25
Read Genesis 1:26-31 & Genesis 2:15-25
Helpful Background Information:
In Mark 10:5-9, Jesus quotes Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 to rebuke the Pharisees and their flippant view on marriage. In quoting Genesis 1:27, He acknowledges that God created humanity uniquely as male and female. By expressly mentioning the two sexes, Jesus declares that maleness and femaleness are rooted in the creative will of God and are foundational for marriage.
Then, in quoting Genesis 2:24, he makes clear that marriage is a divine covenant, created by God. The union of male and female in marriage results in “one flesh,” a new creation itself, “no longer two, but one.”
The greatest difference between Jesus and the Pharisees, however, is this: whereas the Pharisees were bent on trying to pinpoint where divorce was allowed, Jesus centered on God’s sovereign purpose in it. Divorce is nothing more than a tragic solution due to human sinfulness; not something God filppantly allows. According to Jesus, it is neither man nor woman who controls marriage, but rather God, who is the lord of marriage: “what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
Reflection Questions:
Why do you think Jesus responds to the Pharisees by pointing them back to God’s original design instead of debating exceptions?
How can this be helpful when discussing the topic of marriage today with those who do not hold a biblical view of marriage?
What does the phrase “one flesh” suggest about the nature of marriage beyond just a legal or social arrangement? How does this affect the marital relationship?
In what ways can focusing on God’s purpose (instead of loopholes or exceptions) influence how we approach the Christian life?