But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Mark 10:1-12

But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Mark 10:6-9

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 10:1-12, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God is faithful - see also 2 Corinthians 1:20 - as His promises always come true. If God is faithful and we are made in His image and believers - through sanctification - become more like Him as they grow closer to Him in their journey as believers, then believers are expected and commanded to be faithful to what He expects from them.  Of course this only happens through God and the Holy Spirit, but nonetheless God wants faithfulness from us, in our devotion to Him first and foremost, then to our spouses in our marriages.  See v5 for a wrongful interpretation of God's commands for divorce and then see vv6-9 and vv11-12 for His desire and commands for what He seeks.     
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: Unbelievers seek to justify their lack of faith by using reason, often twisting scripture to bend it to their interpretation but fail to test scripture with other scripture, avoiding what John Piper shares is "isolating" one text by not seeing how it relates and is supported (and not "out of step") by text elsewhere.  We must study ALL scripture and see how it points to Jesus and how it supports the broad narrative of the gospel - the books of the Bible are not standalone works but par of this broader gospel narrative.  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): If we marry, we should remain married to one spouse for a lifetime.  We should avoid twisting one text seeking our own interpretation - instead test scripture with scripture.  God is faithful so we should be faithful.  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and created my marriage to Lisa - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save and how You bless through marriage.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.