Mark 10 9

Mark 10:9 kjv

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Mark 10:9 nkjv

Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

Mark 10:9 niv

Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

Mark 10:9 esv

What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."

Mark 10:9 nlt

let no one split apart what God has joined together."

Mark 10 verses

Mark 10 9 Meaning

Mark 10:9 declares the sanctity and indissolubility of marriage as instituted by God. It emphasizes that what God has joined together in matrimony is a divine union that no human being is permitted to undo. This statement highlights God's original intent for marriage as a lifelong, exclusive covenant between a man and a woman, reflecting His creative design and sacred will.

Mark 10 9 Context

Mark 10:9 is part of Jesus' teaching on divorce, delivered in Judea. The preceding verses (Mark 10:2-8) detail a confrontation with the Pharisees, who test Jesus by asking if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife. This question was rooted in interpretations of Mosaic law (Deut 24:1), specifically the debate between the Hillel and Shammai schools concerning acceptable grounds for divorce. Jesus responds by appealing not to Moses' concession, but to God's original intent at creation, declaring marriage to be a divine institution where two become "one flesh." Therefore, verse 9, "Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate," serves as Jesus' authoritative summary and command, re-establishing God's primordial design over human tradition and Mosaic permission which was granted because of "hardness of heart."

Mark 10 9 Word analysis

• Therefore (οὖν - oun): Connects this authoritative declaration directly to Jesus' previous explanation based on creation. It signals a logical consequence drawn from the truth of Gen 2:24—that God makes husband and wife one flesh.
• What (ὃ - ho): Refers specifically to the union or bond of marriage, emphasizing the sacred institution itself.
• God (ὁ θεὸς - ho theos): Emphasizes the divine agent. It is not a human decision, societal custom, or legal contract alone, but God Himself who performs the joining. This highlights the covenantal and spiritual nature of marriage.
• has joined together (συνεζεύχθη - synezeuchthē): A powerful Greek term, from syn (together) and zeúgnumi (to yoke). It means "yoked together," "joined," or "bound together." The perfect tense indicates a completed action by God that has lasting results. It signifies a profound, permanent bond, much like oxen yoked together for work, indicating shared destiny and effort.
• let no (μὴ - mē): A strong, emphatic negative command. It's an imperative, prohibiting any such action.
• man (ἄνθρωπος - anthrōpos): Refers to any human being, encompassing the husband, wife, religious leaders, legal authorities, or any third party. This universal prohibition applies to all human intervention.
• separate (χωριζέτω - chōrizetō): From chōrízō, meaning "to part," "to put asunder," "to separate." It describes the act of dissolving or breaking apart a bond that exists.

Words-group analysis:

• "What God has joined together": This phrase asserts God's primary and active role in creating the marital bond. It means marriage is not merely a social construct or human agreement but a divine act. The implication is that defying this union is defying God Himself.
• "let no man separate": This is an authoritative prohibition against human interference with God's work. It serves as a strong ethical and theological boundary, indicating that breaking this bond is contrary to God's will. It refutes human traditions or laws that contradict divine intention.

Mark 10 9 Bonus section

The teaching in Mark 10:9 highlights a key theme in Jesus' ministry: appealing to God's original creation intent to clarify or correct human interpretations of the law or societal norms. Moses' allowance for divorce (Deut 24:1-4) was a concession due to the people's "hard hearts," not God's ideal. Jesus re-establishes that ideal. The Greek term synezeuchthē (yoked together) also carries implications of partnership, shared burden, and destiny, reflecting not just unity but a common life purpose and journey, implying that the two are meant to labor together, facing life's challenges side-by-side, within God's will. This profound understanding of marriage points to its ultimate spiritual purpose, which is to display the covenantal relationship between Christ and His Church (as expounded in Eph 5).

Mark 10 9 Commentary

Mark 10:9 encapsulates Jesus' revolutionary teaching on marriage, restoring it to God's original, pre-Fall design. Against a backdrop of common and often facile divorce practices in His day, Jesus pronounces a divine mandate: marriage is a union initiated and sanctified by God Himself, forming a profound "one flesh" reality that transcends human legalities. His assertion directly counters the Pharisees' reliance on Moses' concession (due to "hardness of heart," as stated in Matt 19:8). Jesus essentially declares that humans lack the authority to undo what God has divinely wrought. This verse underscores the sacred covenantal nature of marriage, positioning it as a lifelong commitment reflective of God's faithfulness and unity. It calls for profound respect for the institution, reminding believers that divorce is not merely a legal dissolution but a violation of a divinely consecrated bond.

Examples:

• This principle challenges a purely contractual view of marriage, emphasizing its sacred covenantal foundation.
• It serves as a strong call to work through difficulties within marriage rather than resort to separation.
• It provides a theological basis for the Church's historic stance on the permanence of marriage.