The Son Of Man Did Not Come To Be Served, But To Serve (Mark 10:32-45)

 

The Son Of Man Did Not Come To Be Served, But To Serve (Mark 10:32-45)

Who is wise and great? The standards of this world and the kingdom of heaven are not the same. In the kingdom of heaven, he who humbles himself and serves as servant is the great one and the first. Jesus took on the sins of this world and endured shame, sorrow, pain, and contempt. However, the wisdom of this world does not understand the cross of Jesus and deems it foolish.

In Mark 10:32-45, Jesus taught for the third time about His suffering and resurrection. James and John, the brothers, asked to obtain a seat in the Lord's kingdom. They did not know what they were asking. God had already known and prepared before the creation of the world who would sit in the glory, honor, and majesty of His kingdom. To accomplish this, Jesus came as a servant to serve sinners and received the punishment of death. Through His blood, everyone who believes receives forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Jesus Predicts His Death And Resurrection (Mark 10:32-34) (Mt 20:17-19; Lk 18:31-34)

32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:32-34)

Jesus was now on the way to Jerusalem to bear the cross. The disciples intuitively sensed the danger lying before Jesus. The Jews were already plotting to kill Jesus and looking for an opportunity to arrest Him. The disciples had witnessed several times that the Jews did not hide their hostile feelings toward Jesus and opposed Him openly.

Jesus, too, could not have been unaware of this fact. Jesus publicly rebuked the hypocrisy, ignorance, and corruption of the Jews (Mt 23:13-36; Lk 11:37-54). They tested Jesus, seeking to capture and kill Him, and they watched and threatened Him regarding His healing on the Sabbath (Mk 10:2-12; Mt 12:2). They demanded that Jesus show them a sign from heaven (Mt 16:1-4).

However, Jesus continued to shine the light of truth and spoke with the love, joy, and peace of God. He answered their obvious testing questions with truth and knocked on their hardened hearts (Mk 2:27, 7:6, 10:5). He urged them to respond to the light of God the Father's truth, open their hearts, and accept God's love.

The disciples were afraid. It seemed as though a physical conflict with the Jews could break out at any moment. However, Jesus instead spoke of how He would suffer at the hands of the Jews, be handed over to the Gentiles to receive the punishment of the cross, and rise again after three days. Jesus taught very specifically about the suffering He would receive.

Although at that time the disciples were afraid even to ask and did not understand, after Jesus suffered and was resurrected, they realized the truth and accepted the suffering Christ. That is why Jesus continued to teach the disciples the truth. Above all, He taught them repeatedly about the suffering of the cross, even though the disciples were afraid and uncomfortable even hearing about it.

Jesus came to this earth for this very purpose. This was the will of God the Father to save this world (Isa 53:10). This work is to save people who have fallen under sin by being sacrificed on the cross as the Lamb of God. Because there is no work more important than this, Jesus did not spare His own life and willingly gave it up (Ro 5:8).

The Request of James and John (Mark 10:35-45)

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. (Mark 10:35-39a)

The disciples wanted to occupy a great position in the Lord's kingdom, at any cost of sacrifice. Having sensed that the Lord's kingdom was imminent, the disciples openly revealed the wishes they had been harboring deep in their hearts until now. However, when James and John made the first move, the other disciples were indignant that they had missed the opportunity (Mk 10:41).

What the disciples wanted was to sit in the seat of His glory once Jesus' kingdom was established after driving out Rome. As Jesus pointed out, they did not know what it meant that they were asking for. In their ignorance, they were confident that they could drink the cup Jesus drank and be baptized with the baptism He was baptized with.

Although the disciples were powerless, without financial means, and unknown at the time, they expected that if they occupied a position in Jesus' kingdom someday, they would gain power, wealth, and fame. Their wishes were far from the purpose for which Jesus came to this earth. They were shortsighted and worldly. Even though their bodies were with Jesus, their thoughts and expectations were in an entirely different place.

James and John had been with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration not long ago when He was transformed into the image of the glory of God (Mark 9:2-3). The glory they wanted was one that Jesus would achieve on this earth by His power, without going through the death of the cross. To obtain this, they thought a conflict was inevitable, whether with Jewish leaders or with Rome. They mistakenly understood the cup and baptism Jesus spoke of as meaning that, and said they could do it.

You Will Drink The Cup I Drink

Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. (Mark 10:39b-41)

Jesus knew that the disciples did not know what they were saying. However, He told them in advance that they would in the future drink the cup of the cross and receive the baptism of death of Jesus Christ. In fact, James was the first among the disciples to be martyred, and according to tradition, John was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil and was exiled to the island of Patmos (Ac 12:2; Rev 1:9). The disciples, including the two brothers, suffered much for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, heavenly rewards will be given according to God's sovereignty, as prepared (Jn 14:2-3). It is not something obtained by asking Jesus. God had already prepared the heavenly rewards even before they asked (Eph 1:3-5). Anyone who follows the Lord's path of the cross and obeys receives the crown of life.

Of course, salvation is not reached by works. It is reached only by faith. According to the gift of faith that God has sent down from heaven, one responds to the words of the Lord's commandments and obeys. Abraham received God's promise, responded, left his native land and his father's house, and lived in the strange land of Canaan (Ge 12:1-2). He was declared righteous by faith in God's promise (Ge 15:1-6). He became the father of faith, reaching salvation through faith.

God Who Foreknew And Chose Before The Creation Of The World

God foreknew those whom He chose before the creation of the world (Rom 8:29; Eph 1:4). Paul said that He set him apart from his mother’s womb and called him by His grace (Gal 1:15). Jeremiah testified that before He formed him in the womb He knew him, before he was born He set him apart, and He appointed him as a prophet to the nations (Jer 1:5).

How can we know God’s foreknowledge and choosing? It is by having faith, being thankful for the forgiving love of the cross of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and responding in obedience. It is loving your brother as yourself, just as Jesus’ new commandment says. It is continually loving God’s word and enjoying His grace. It is not placing hope in earthly things, but holding onto the hope of the kingdom of heaven.

This is because, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father has redeemed all the sins of those He foreknew, justified them, and also glorified them with Christ (Rom 8:30). The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is the power that atones for all the sins of those who come with faith (1 Cor 1:18).

29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (Rom 8:29-30).

How is this possible? Here, being chosen, called, justified, and glorified are all used in the past tense. This is because the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, suffered before the creation of the world. Because salvation is obtained only by the grace of Christ’s precious blood, God was pleased to sacrifice His Son (Isa 53:10).

Saving through the blood of Jesus Christ is God’s wisdom. Worldly wisdom hates the cross of Christ and considers it foolish (1 Cor 1:23). This worldly wisdom cannot know or understand this mystery. Therefore, they crucified Jesus (1 Cor 2:8). For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18).

Whoever Wants To Become Great Must Be A Servant

42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:42-45).

The disciples were not yet in a position of glory, but they dreamed of the day when they would sit in that position and rule and govern people. However, Jesus said that this is what Gentile rulers do—using the authority and power God gave them not for justice and righteousness, but for their own benefit, ruling over people at their own will (John 19:11). Human history clearly shows this fact.

This breeds conflict, fighting, and slaughter. People constantly argue and fight over who gets to take more. The kingdom of heaven is not like that. Instead, whoever wants to become great must be a servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. The standards of this world and the standards of the kingdom of heaven are completely different.

Jesus is that example. He laid aside His heavenly glory, honor, majesty, and power, took the form of a servant, became incarnate, and humbled Himself and became obedient to God the Father—even to death (Phil 2:6-8). Although Jesus is the Son of God, He did not come to receive glory and service. Rather, He served everyone, and by sacrificing His own life, He became the channel of salvation.

Then, God raised the Son, who was buried in the tomb, from the dead on the third day, seated Him at the highest throne in heaven, and made Him King of kings and Lord of lords (Phil 2:9-11). Jesus had no reason to receive death, but to save us from sin and the power of death and to enable us to obtain eternal life, He gave His own life as a ransom sacrifice for many.

Therefore, we follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, loving, forgiving, reconciling, and accepting one another, and instead humbling ourselves to become servants in the attitude of a slave. This means dying on the cross with Christ. It is bearing pain, suffering, shame, and insult. If we do this, God will raise us up again with Christ, seat us with the Lord at the highest throne in heaven, and bless us to rule over all things.

Amen!

June 28, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Receive the Kingdom of God Like a Little Child (Mark 10:13-31)

 

Receive the Kingdom of God Like a Little Child (Mark 10:13-31)

God gives to those who ask. The reason we ask is because we are in need. From the very breath we take, a person lives only by the grace of God. Thinking that we can do things on our own is an illusion. God did not create man that way. God created us in a relationship of union where He dwells in us, and we dwell in Him.

In Mark 10:13-31, Jesus blessed the little children and said that unless one receives the kingdom of God like a little child, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. He taught a rich young man the way to inherit eternal life and enlightened his disciples on how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. However, there is no one who deny themselves and follow Jesus who will not receive a hundred times as much in this present age and, in the age to come, eternal life.

The Little Children and Jesus (Mark 10:13-16; cf. Matt 19:13-15; Luke 18:15-17)

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)

A Little Child Totally Relies on Parents

In what way does the kingdom of heaven belong to a little child? What does it mean to receive the kingdom of God like a little child? A little child cannot survive without the protection of its parents. Therefore, a little child relies on its parents for everything. From eating, dressing, to sleeping, a little child cannot do anything on its own. A little child accepts this fact without any doubt.

The proof of this can be seen immediately by looking at a little child. They constantly ask and inquire of their parents. This is because they cannot do anything by themselves. Parents continue to respond to and fulfill the requests of the little child. Parents do not refuse any toil for the sake of the child's needs. If the child is in danger, they protect the child at the cost of their own life.

We are like little children before God. From birth to death, there is nothing a person can do on their own. From breathing to the ability to sustain life, it depends entirely on the hands of God. Not only physical needs but spiritual needs are even more so. He sends sunlight and rain to maintain the body, and He shines the light with the Spirit of truth. Our Lord Jesus, when he saw the crowds, had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).

Therefore, Jesus promised his disciples who follow him that if they ask anything in his name, he will do it (John 14:14). Also, Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). God the Father gives good gifts to those who ask him (Matthew 7:9).

What is the evidence of this? God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32).

A Little Child Does Not Worry

Furthermore, a little child does not worry. This is because they trust their parents completely. They just need to ask for what they need and inquire about what they are curious about. Since all needs are met, there is no need to worry about anything. However, adults are experts at worrying. Among all the people in a boat during a great storm who were trembling with fear, there was one little child who was not scared at all. The child said he was not afraid at all because his father was the captain.

The phrase "do not fear" appears 365 times in the Bible. God commanded Joshua, who was about to face the war of conquering Canaan, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged," but instead, "Be strong and courageous" (Joshua 1:6-9). Because this war belonged to God, Joshua had nothing to worry about (2 Chronicles 20:15). God commanded him only to be careful to obey all the Law, not turning from it to the right or to the left.

Jesus asked his disciples, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” and commanded them not to worry about what they will eat or what they will drink or what they will wear (Matthew 6:27, 31). These are the things the pagans run after, and the heavenly Father knows that they need all these things (Matthew 6:32).

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33-34).

What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy” (Mark 10:17-20).

A rich young man came to Jesus and asked. He was moved by the sight of Jesus blessing the little children, so he took courage and came to ask like a little child. He called Jesus a good teacher. To this, Jesus said that no one is good except God alone. Jesus identified himself as God. Therefore, the young man was now standing before the Creator God and having a conversation with Him.

Jesus first told him to keep the commandments of God. The way to obtain eternal life is to obey the word of God. The commands from the fifth to the tenth commandments concern relationships with parents and neighbors. In a word, this is the command to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39).

However, surprisingly, the young man replied that he had kept all these since he was a boy. He grew up receiving Torah education in a Jewish home. He took the law of Moses seriously, observed the Sabbath and festivals, and went to the temple to offer gifts before God. He sincerely loved and obeyed the commandments of God.

One Thing You Lack

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:21-22).

Jesus looked at him and loved him. He considered the man’s answer that he had kept and obeyed all of God’s commandments to be sincere. Some people think that this young man might be Mark, who wrote the Gospel of Mark. The reason is that the record that Jesus looked at him and loved him appears only in the Gospel of Mark, so they see it as coming from someone who was at the scene (Matthew 19:16-30; Luke 18:18-30).

However, the young man did not obtain eternal life even though he had kept and obeyed all of God’s commandments since he was young. What is the problem? Eternal life is not obtained by doing something; it is a heavenly gift given by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son whom God sent (John 3:16).

Therefore, Jesus told him that there was one thing he lacked, saying, "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." And He commanded him to come and follow the Lord. This is the example that the Lord Jesus Christ personally showed. Jesus gave up taking equality with God and came to this earth in the form of a human, in the likeness of a servant.

And Jesus gave His life as a Passover sacrifice to save this world from the chains of sin. After selling everything He had, offering Himself as a sacrifice to God, He gave eternal life to everyone who believes in Him (Matthew 13:44-46). Jesus commanded anyone who would follow Him to deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him (Mark 8:34). This is the same word given to that young man.

Then, because the young man had great wealth, he went away sad and troubled because of the Lord's words. It shows that wealth can never grant eternal life, but rather breeds sorrow. It is ironic that he was not joyful because he had much wealth, but was instead sorrowful. Not only wealth, but if you rely on anything in this world, you cannot follow Jesus Christ.

It Is Very Difficult For Those Who Have Wealth To Enter The Kingdom Of God

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard 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 someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:23-27)

The disciples wondered, if it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, who can be saved? The disciples were also poor at the time, but they had a desire to become rich in the future. There is no one who does not. The reason it is difficult for the rich is that they rely on wealth and the world rather than God. Wealth is a kind of power. Therefore, they are surrounded by people who fawn over them. Naturally, it is easy to fall into the illusion that they can do anything.

However, the grace of God can do what man cannot. Nicodemus, as a member of the Sanhedrin, had wealth and status, but he came to Jesus and received the grace of salvation (John 3:1-2). Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob became very wealthy, but they relied on and believed in the promised word of God (Genesis 13:2, 26:13, 30:43). Jacob, in the desperation of being unable to rely on his many riches and family at the Jabbok River, wrestled with an angel all night (Genesis 32:22-32). God struck his hip, and He called Jacob Israel (Genesis 35:10).

We Have Left Everything To Follow You

28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:28-31)

God raised Jesus Christ, who obeyed even to the point of death, from among the dead and made Him King of kings and Lord of lords. Likewise, God blesses with heavenly glory those who give up themselves for the Lord. The heroes of faith who appear in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 received the treasures of the Word and also received persecution (Hebrews 11:37-39). On this earth, they did not receive what was promised, that is, the heavenly city, but they held fast to that hope through faith (Hebrews 11:39).

Receiving a hundred times more in the present age does not mean material things or living in luxury without any hardship. Such a life does not actually exist. Even while experiencing pressure, stress, difficulties, and pain, enjoying the love, joy, and peace of God that comes down from heaven is a blessing of more than a hundred times. In Christ, we enjoy the grace of reigning over life with the Lord.

However, as the proverb goes, "You must measure to know whether it is long or short," we must not forget the fact that the race of faith takes a lifetime. In Aesop's fable, there is the race between the tortoise and the hare. Even though it may look slow and sluggish now, what is important is to grow steadily without stopping. What is visible to the eye at present is not everything. Our ancestors looked forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God, and finished the race of faith.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16)

Amen!

June 21, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

They Will Become One Flesh (Mark 10:1-12)

 

They Will Become One Flesh (Mark 10:1-12)

Marriage is the greatest blessing and joy for humanity. Every tribe and people maintain the tradition of marriage. The smallest unit that forms society is the family. The path to forming a family is marriage. Marriage is a joy and a blessing, and at the same time, a challenge and a process. It can be a space of love, peace, serenity, and joy, while at the same time, the danger of becoming a place of pain, sorrow, conflict, and strife lies in wait.

In Mark 10:1-12, Jesus taught the essence of marriage to the Jews who asked about divorce. Marriage was ordained by God, and it is for a man to leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate; to do so is to commit adultery. The secret of union with God is hidden within marriage.

Teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom

1 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" (Mark 10:1-2).

Jesus taught the people the gospel of the kingdom. This is because what people need most is the gospel of the kingdom of God. This visible world is not our hope. According to the second law of thermodynamics, all things decay and disappear. It is clear that what is defiled and perishing is not our hope (1 Peter 1:4).

So, wherever he went, Jesus taught people the gospel of the kingdom of heaven through various parables and signs and wonders of healing the sick. Like the parable of the sower, the word of God falls and is planted in the soil of people's hearts. The seed of the word grows and bears fruit, producing a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times (Matthew 13:8). By hearing, understanding, responding to, and obeying the word of God, it continues to grow.

However, the seed that fell along the path, on rocky ground, or among thorns cannot grow and does not bear fruit (Matthew 13:4-7). Failing to bear fruit means being cast away. A hardened heart, a heart that cannot take root, and a heart stained with anxiety, worry, and care prevent one from bearing fruit. If you hear the word but do not understand and obey it, even what you have will be taken away, and there is no growth.

Is It Lawful To Divorce One's Wife?

Some Pharisees asked this to test Jesus. They had no intention of learning. In their eyes, Jesus looked like an outlaw who ignored the Law of Moses. As so-called religious authorities, they monitored and controlled people.

However, they were hypocrites who claimed to keep the Law while cleverly ignoring it. They created the Corban tradition and disobeyed God's commandment to honor one's father and mother (Mark 7:11). Through monitoring and control, they burdened the people with loads they could hardly carry, yet they themselves would not lift a finger to help (Matthew 23:4).

They were desperate to remove Jesus of Nazareth, who was a thorn in their side, by any means possible. This time, they brought up the issue of divorce to test him. This issue is a difficult and painful topic. It is a reality that countless families are broken and destroyed. There are only losers in divorce. It causes deep wounds to each other, and above all, to the children.

"Is it lawful to divorce one's wife?" This was largely a male-centered thought. It was a male-dominated society at the time. A nuance of regarding women as consumables is hidden within it. One can see that they were gripped by a wrong, twisted, and self-centered thought that they could abandon their wives whenever a reason arose.

Based on Deuteronomy 24:1, the Jews of that time allowed a man to divorce his wife if he found something indecent about her, including not only adultery but also if the wife’s cooking did not please him or if she could not bear children.

Your Hearts Were Hard

3 "What did Moses command you?" he replied. 4 They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away." 5 "It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied (Mark 10:3-5).

If Jesus opposed divorce, it would be in direct opposition to the Law of Moses (Deut. 24:1). Moses permitted divorce but commanded that a certificate of divorce be written to send the woman away. The certificate of divorce served to protect women in a male-dominated society. Socially, the certificate of divorce granted the woman the qualification to remarry. Unlike today, a woman without a husband had many restrictions on her social and economic activities (Isaiah 4:1).

However, Jesus said that Moses allowed the certificate of divorce for a more fundamental reason. Here, it was because of the husband’s hard heart. A hard heart disobeys and rebels against the word of God. It is the work of the devil. Such a person dislikes keeping God in his heart, considers God’s interference as an annoyance, and rejects and refuses Him.

God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt (Exodus 7:3, 9:12). The king stubbornly refused Moses' demand to let the Israelites go. As a result, God poured out His wrath from heaven, and ten plagues came upon the land of Egypt. Pharaoh was proud and did not listen to Moses, but ignored and despised him.

God’s hardening of his heart means that He allowed him to arrogantly ignore and despise the words of Moses. However, there are always consequences for this (Romans 1:18). The ten plagues, including the tenth plague on the firstborn, are exactly that (Exodus 7:14–12:51). The consequences of disobeying God’s word are unavoidable (Romans 1:18).

God, through Moses, commanded that a certificate of divorce be written and the wife be sent away because He knew their stubborn hearts were not willing to obey God’s word (1 Samuel 8:8). However, they must bear the consequences of the pain and wounds experienced through divorce.

Generally, everyone wants a home that is harmonious and happy. They want a relationship of mutual understanding, service, and love. However, the reality is that the pressures and challenges are not easy. From managing the household to raising children, differences of opinion and conflicts are exposed in various areas. The reality is that not a few families eventually end in ruin. The existence of divorce is evidence that there is a problem in the home.

The Pharisees tested Jesus with an attitude that forced Him to approve of divorce. This well reflects their stubborn hearts, which believed that divorce was natural. They did not understand at all God’s intention in having Moses command that a certificate of divorce be written and the wife be sent away, and they sought only their own benefit.

God Made Them Male And Female

6 "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." 10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery" (Mark 10:6–12).

Furthermore, Jesus returned to the time of creation and taught the meaning of the essence of marriage. From the beginning, God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27). A secret of union is hidden in marriage. Union is when two different individuals join together to become one. God the Father is always in the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Son is in the Father; it is a relationship of perfect union. Likewise, in Christ, we have united with God through His blood.

"that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:21).

God created Adam first and said it is not good for him to live alone, so He would create a helper for him (Genesis 2:18). And He commanded Adam to name the wild animals and the birds of the air that He had formed from the ground (2:19). This task was vast and took a considerable amount of time. Why did God command him to do this? It was to teach Adam the fact that among all the wild animals and birds, there was no helper suitable for him.

And God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, took one of his ribs, created a woman, and brought her to Adam. While God was creating the woman, Adam was in a deep sleep and did not perceive what was happening. This shows that God knew beforehand that Adam needed a helper and filled that need.

God brought the woman to Adam, and he said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man" (Genesis 2:23). Adam saw the woman whom God had created and knew she was a part of him. It was something new that he had not discovered at all while naming the animals and birds. Only then did Adam find the partner he truly wanted.

The Two Shall Become One Flesh

God presided over the marriage of Adam and the woman and made them one flesh. He said that a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Because they are one flesh, they cannot be separated. In response to the question about divorce, Jesus said, "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate" (Matthew 19:6).

Then, how do we become one flesh? Once married, you have become one flesh, and it is a long process of realizing this fact throughout one's life. Men and women are different in many ways. In physical and mental aspects, men and women are different, but their spirits are the same. This spirit refers to the Spirit of God (רוּחַ - Ruach). Because they are beings in whom the Spirit of God dwells, there is no difference between man and woman.

In particular, the love, joy, and satisfaction enjoyed in a marriage relationship are unique and cannot be found anywhere else. God blessed us to enjoy sexual ecstasy and satisfaction within the marriage relationship. Through sexual union, men and women attain the pleasure of orgasm. This ecstasy cannot be obtained anywhere else; it is possible only within the marriage relationship. This secret that God has hidden within the marriage relationship is a foreshadowing of the perfect fullness we will enjoy in His kingdom in the future.

The marriage relationship is a process of pain and challenges. After the dream-like period of the honeymoon passes, weaknesses and shortcomings that were not visible before begin to stand out, and dissatisfaction and conflict arise. As the saying goes, "Every tide has its ebb," a marriage relationship cannot always be good. Difficulties and challenges constantly rush in from all sides.

There is no way that the omniscient and omnipotent God the Father would not know this fact. God joined different men and women together and hid the secret of becoming one flesh. That secret is to love one another. To love one another, the power and authority of God and His Son Jesus Christ are necessary.

God commanded wives to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, and husbands to love their wives just as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:22–23, 25–33). Therefore, submitting to God, empowered by the sacrificial love of Christ who did not spare His own life for us, is the way to become one.

Therefore, what God has joined together, man cannot separate. The only ground for divorce is adultery. Because adultery destroys the contractual relationship of marriage, one can divorce (Matthew 19:9). Apart from this, divorcing for any other reason is committing adultery.

Amen!

June 14, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.