Mark 10 4

Mark 10:4 kjv

And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

Mark 10:4 nkjv

They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."

Mark 10:4 niv

They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."

Mark 10:4 esv

They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away."

Mark 10:4 nlt

"Well, he permitted it," they replied. "He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away."

Mark 10 verses

Mark 10 4 Meaning

The verse presents the Pharisees' justification for divorce based on Mosaic law, directly responding to Jesus' inquiry about its permissibility. They assert that Moses provided a legal provision for a man to formally dismiss his wife by writing a "certificate of divorce" and sending her away. This highlights their understanding and application of the Torah concerning marital dissolution, setting the stage for Jesus to correct their interpretation by pointing to the original divine institution of marriage.

Mark 10 4 Context

Mark 10 begins with Jesus teaching "by the sea, as was his custom," and a multitude gathering around Him. Pharisees approach Him with a probing question: "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" (Mark 10:2). This question, often posed to Jesus, was a legalistic test, likely aiming to entrap Him into either disagreeing with Mosaic law or taking sides in the contentious rabbinic debates between the schools of Hillel (which allowed divorce for almost any reason, even burning a meal) and Shammai (which limited it strictly to "indecency" - 'ervah - in Deut 24:1, typically related to sexual misconduct).

Verse 4 is the Pharisees' response to Jesus' counter-question in verse 3, "What did Moses command you?" By citing "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away," they present what they understand as the undisputed legal precedent from the Torah, asserting the validity of divorce under Mosaic Law. Their focus is purely on the permissibility within the law, rather than the original intention of God for marriage or the spiritual implications of divorce. This exchange sets up Jesus' pivotal teaching that follows (Mark 10:5-9), where He appeals not to what Moses permitted due to "hardness of heart," but to what God ordained at creation, elevating the divine design above a legal concession.

Historically, divorce was a common practice in the Jewish society of that era, generally initiated by men. The certificate of divorce (גֵט - get) was crucial not just for formal separation but also to permit the woman to remarry without being considered an adulteress. Without it, she would be perpetually bound to her original husband and any subsequent union would be deemed adultery, and her children illegitimate.

Mark 10 4 Word analysis

• They said: Refers to the Pharisees (as identified in Mark 10:2). Their collective response underscores their shared understanding and adherence to a particular interpretation of the law. This group consistently tested Jesus with legal questions, highlighting a superficial obedience focused on rules rather than spirit.
• Moses permitted: The verb is ἔπιτρέπω ( epitrepsas), meaning "to permit," "to allow," "to grant permission." The Pharisees emphasize that this allowance came from Moses himself, who mediated God's law to Israel. This is a crucial distinction that Jesus will address – permission (concession) versus commandment (original intent).
• a man: Referring to the husband (ἀνήρ - aner). In ancient Jewish society, only the husband had the right to initiate divorce proceedings and "send away" his wife. This patriarchal context underscores the vulnerability of women in such situations, despite the formal protection of the divorce certificate.
• to write: The Greek γράφειν (graphein), means "to write." This emphasizes the formal, documented nature of the divorce. It wasn't merely an oral declaration but a legally binding procedure requiring a written decree.
• a certificate of divorce: The Greek is βιβλίον ἀποστασίου (biblion apostasiou), literally "a writing of separation" or "a scroll of dismissal." This refers to the formal legal document stipulated in Deut 24:1. This document's purpose was to legally dissolve the marriage, provide a measure of protection for the divorced woman, and prevent her being labelled as an adulteress if she remarried. It formally released her from the previous marriage covenant.
• and to send her away: The Greek verb is ἀπολύειν (apolyein), meaning "to release," "to set free," "to dismiss," "to divorce." This phrase signifies the act of formal separation following the writing of the certificate. The entire phrase captures the complete, legal procedure for divorce in ancient Israel.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce": This phrase directly references Deut 24:1 and establishes the legal basis the Pharisees relied upon. Their focus is on Moses as the source of authority for this "permission," validating their contemporary practice. The term "permitted" (οὖν ἐπέτρεψεν, oun epetrepsen) is critical, setting up Jesus' counter-argument in Mark 10:5 where He contrasts permission with creation's original intention, indicating a divine concession rather than an outright command or ideal.
• "a certificate of divorce and to send her away": This emphasizes the formal, procedural aspects of divorce in Israelite law. The existence of a written document, the get, was essential for legal validity. It legally freed the woman to remarry, preventing the accusation of adultery and providing a degree of social protection. This practice, though rooted in divine permission, arose from and accommodated a societal context of "hardness of heart," as Jesus later explains. The law, in this specific case, aimed to regulate an existing sinful practice rather than establishing an ideal.

Mark 10 4 Bonus section

The specific language in Deut 24:1 ("if she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her") was subject to intense debate between rabbinic schools. The House of Shammai interpreted "indecency" (ערות דבר 'ervat davar) very narrowly, primarily referring to sexual misconduct or grave immodesty. In contrast, the House of Hillel, representing a more lenient view prevalent among the populace, understood "indecency" broadly, allowing divorce for almost any trivial reason, such as spoiling a dish, speaking disrespectfully of her father-in-law, or even if the husband simply found another woman more attractive. The Pharisees' question to Jesus (in Matthew's parallel, "for any and every reason") clearly aligns with the Hillelite position, attempting to force Jesus into a public endorsement or rejection of a popular, yet contentious, view. Jesus, by appealing to Genesis and God's creation intent, transcends these rabbinic arguments altogether, refocusing the discussion from legal exceptions back to divine origin and purpose.

Mark 10 4 Commentary

Mark 10:4 presents the Pharisees' legalistic, albeit accurate, recall of the Mosaic permission regarding divorce. Their assertion "Moses permitted" functions as a challenge to Jesus' authority, implying that any teaching that contravened this permission would be in opposition to the Law itself. This statement is foundational to the subsequent debate because it clearly sets up the conflict: is the Mosaic permission the ultimate word on divorce, or is there a higher standard?

The Pharisees, rooted in their interpretation of the law, failed to grasp the deeper principle that Jesus would unveil. They fixated on what was allowed rather than what was intended. The certificate of divorce, while offering some protection to the dismissed woman, was never God's original design for marriage but rather a divinely allowed provision to mitigate the consequences of human fallenness and the pervasive "hardness of heart." This verse highlights the religious leaders' propensity to focus on legal minimums and human interpretations rather than God's perfect and ideal will, foreshadowing Jesus' revelation that God's standards extend beyond mere legal compliance to the heart's true condition and the divine blueprint for creation.