What does Mark 10:3 teach about seeking God's will over cultural norms? Setting the Scene • The Pharisees test Jesus with a question about divorce (Mark 10:2). • Rather than debate cultural opinions, Jesus asks, “What did Moses command you?” (Mark 10:3). • By directing them to Scripture, He models how seekers of truth should respond when culture and God’s will collide. Key Verse Mark 10:3: “And He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’” Observations from the Verse • Jesus treats Scripture as the final authority, not merely as one voice among many. • He expects His listeners to know the commands already revealed. • The question exposes whether their practice aligns with God’s intent or with cultural accommodation. Seeking God’s Will over Cultural Norms • God’s will is found in His Word; culture shifts, but His commands stand (Isaiah 40:8). • Cultural norms may permit what God only allows because of human hardness (cf. Mark 10:5; Matthew 19:8). • Asking “What has God said?” keeps believers from redefining righteousness to match prevailing opinion. • True obedience involves pressing past concessions to recover God’s original design (Mark 10:6-9). Supporting Scriptures • Deuteronomy 24:1-4 provides the Mosaic concession the Pharisees referenced, yet Jesus pushes beyond it to Genesis 2:24. • 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” • Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” • Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” • Acts 17:11: “Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.” Practical Takeaways • Begin every moral discussion with, “What has God commanded?” • Evaluate traditions—religious or societal—by the plain sense of Scripture. • Recognize that concessions in Scripture reveal human hardness, not divine preference. • Seek the Creator’s original intent, especially in areas where culture normalizes compromise. • Saturate the mind with Scripture so discernment becomes instinctive when cultural pressure rises. Conclusion Mark 10:3 challenges believers to measure every cultural expectation against the unchanging Word of God, pursuing His perfect will rather than settling for society’s shifting standards. |
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