Monday, March 31, 2025

Following the Life of Jesus: Mark 10:13-22

Blessing the Children

13 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them.


The Rich Young Ruler

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


18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “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.”[Ex 20:12–16; Dt 5:16–20]


20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.”


21 Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.


CSB


Sunday, March 30, 2025

Following the Life of Jesus: Matthew 19:1-12 and Mark 10:12

19:1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he departed from Galilee and went to the region of Judea across the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Some Pharisees approached him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?”

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that he who created them in the beginning made them male and female,[Gn 1:27; 5:2] and he also said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?[Gn 2:24] So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

“Why then,” they asked him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers and to send her away?”

He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not like that from the beginning. I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”[Other mss add Also whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery; Mt 5:32]

10 His disciples said to him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry.”

11 He responded, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs who were made by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept it should accept it.”

(Gospel of Mark adds this)
Mark 10:12
12 [Jesus speaking]"Also, if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

CSB