Mark 10:1 "And He arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto Him again; and, as He was wont, He taught them again."

This is the reason that Jesus came to earth in the flesh, to teach and to provide the Way of salvation. As Jesus taught the people, these Kenite Pharisees and scribes kept needling him, and so will they make trouble for you when you teach chapter by chapter and verse by verse.

Mark 10:2 "And the Pharisees came to Him, and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?" tempting Him."

This is the way that the Kenite wordsmiths work. They are scripture lawyers that constantly try to trip up Jesus and his disciples. They will do the same to you, if you allow it. In comparing the wisdom of God to these Pharisees, these Pharisees lose. Even when Jesus was only twelve, Jesus amazed the Temple master scholars of the day in His knowledge and wisdom of the Scriptures. So these Pharisees are trying to set Jesus up for ridicule.

Mark 10:3 "And He answered and said unto them, "What did Moses command you?"

When these types of people tried to question Jesus, He always answered their question with another question. By doing this, it forces that person to put his mind in gear, and think of what he has just said. If you answer with a comment, then the other person is on the attack from the start, and they have no need of meditation on what they have just said. They become oblivious to what you say. Their only goal is to use the things that you say, twist them, add a few words, and use that lie to attack you. That is one of Satan's methods of attack. The person that is on the attack will not listen to any reply for his mind is not set on what you should say, but his response to his question. It just doesn't matter to the Pharisees what you say, for he has already formed in his mind what he thinks you should say, and if you don't, he assumes that you did.

However, when you answer their question with a question, then they have to stop their cycle of attack, and put their mind in gear, and then it become a matter of what the Word of God says, and not a matter of what you say. The authority should always come from the Word of God, and that is why Jesus ask them what Moses commanded them from the Word. This method is exactly how we should approach those Pharisees and Scripture lawyers of today that try to confuse the issue of what we would say. That is why it is important that we document what we say from the Scriptures.

Mark 10:4 "And they said, "Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away."

Of course this caught them by surprise, and they also quoted what Moses said in Deuteronomy 24:1; "When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house."

There are qualification involved before this bill of divorcement may be given.

Mark 10:5 "And Jesus answered and said unto them, "For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept."

After these Pharisees had stated the "law of Moses" to Jesus, Jesus pointed out that it was because of the hardness of their hearts [minds] that God gave this precept to Moses to pass on to the people. "Hardness" in the Strong's Greek dictionary is # 4641, "sklerokardia, sklay-rok-ar-dee'-ah; destitution of spiritual perception." Jesus is telling these Pharisees that the only reason for any divorce is because of the lack of spiritual perception that you have allowed to form in your mind.

When a young man and woman commit to marriage, you see the great length that each goes to win over the other. Every little detail is tended to, to find favor in the other's heart and mind. Then as time passes, you can see the passive nature that develops, it goes to a point where even strangers get better treatment than that spouse. This destitution of spiritual perception that if allowed to continue brings that marriage to a point where it may be better for the two to separate than to stay together, because one may do the other in. Sin enters the mind of the two when the consideration of love is gone from their minds, and it is sin that causes the split.

The "bill of divorcement" seems to be the easy way out of a sinful condition. Divorce is necessary when one mate threatens to do harm the another, or when one forbids the worshipping of God by the other. But divorcement because of nonsense is sin. If things are getting tough between you and your mate, it is time to court her all over again. Go back to the point to where that person was the apple of your eye, and take a look at what you did then. With a little bit of effort on both your parts, things can be turned around.

When this Pharisee gets rid of his wife, it will not be long before he is opening doors for another woman, and giving her the same routine that he worked on his first, and second wives; and at the bottom of it all is sin, hardness of heart and mind. "Destitute of spiritual perception", is the lack of using common sense, of using your mind. It is because of the hardness of the mind that they cannot see that they were far better off by staying with their wife and working out those problems as they come up. If the little things are remembered each and every year of your marriage, those hard times would not come in the first place. If you are fulfilling your role for your mate, than you are more special to your mate than anyone else.

Mark 10:6 "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female."

God created male and female at the beginning of this earth age for a purpose. Lets take a closer look at "beginning" as used in the Greek. Strong's Greek dictionary records it as # 746; "arche, ar-khay'; the prime verb being 757, a commencement or applications of order, time place or rank, the first estate, magistrate, power, principality, rule." We are applying this to a specific time dealing with the creation of this earth age period, when God created man and woman, male and female.

Genesis 1:26 "And God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

The "Us" doing the speaking, that is going to create man in "Our" image, is not "Jehovah, but "Elohim" that is used here. Elohim is plural, God "El" and His angels. The divine purpose of creating them is stated here and that is "to have dominion over" all other creatures of the creation. The word "man" as used here is "`adam", and in that "`adam" has no article, and thus is referring to "mankind" to male and female. This creation happened on the sixth day of the creation, the sixth period of bringing this earth age into being. Remember what Peter said about days in II Peter 3:8?

Editors Note: I have a slightly different take on this verse. Maybe the author and I agree but I just can't see it in the way he states it.  I think we, you and me, were with God when He said, "Let Us make man in Our image". I think the author's angels as he states above were non other than us.
See my reasoning in the Live Links below.
Live Link to- We Were First Angelic Beings

 II Peter 3:8 "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

Genesis 1:27 "And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them."

If you wonder what God and the angels look like, look in a mirror, for you and I are created in their image. Mankind, male and female look like "Elohim", God and His angels look.

Now he's saying it closer to my understanding!

Genesis 1:28 "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

That's right! We were here in the first earth age. What happened to that earth age?
(live link-) to-IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED
Live Link to-Lucifer's flood

The intent of God was to have each race multiply "after their kind". This word "replenish" is translated properly from the text, and it is telling us that this earth had a population in the age that was prior to this earth age. That first earth age was also populated and inhabited by God's children. In that first earth age Satan caused one third of all God's children to fall, and to follow him against the Father, and the result of the fall angered God. That is when "the earth became [tohu-va bohu] a waste and desolation", as recorded in verse two.

God is now commanding that all the races multiply and "replenish" or re-populate the earth "after their kind". It seems today that the earth have become a little colorblind. This is the same command that God gave Noah and his family, and those after their kind that were on the ark with Noah. These are the only two places in the Bible where the word "replenish" is used, and both deal with the time following a destruction of the earth, and mankind by a flood. To replenish anything there had to be the same thing existing at a prior time.

The races were all created on the sixth day, all that is except a certain man, and in the Hebrew text he is "eth-'Ha'adham", who we refer to today as "Adam". He, "eth-'Ha'adham", was formed at a later time. This "Adam" in the Hebrew means "ruddy complected", or "showing blood in the face". It was from the "curve" of Adam, that God used to create a mate (named Eve) for him. This family (This Adam and Eve, who were to remain of pure pedigree) was selected because it would be from Adam and his wife, Eve, that the Messiah would come, and pay the sacrificial price for all mankind's sin.

Mark 10:7 "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;"

To "leave" in the Greek text is "kataleipo", which is "to leave utterly, forsake". and the word "cleave" is to be "joined together", made a unit of one. It means to glue or adhere, and it is just like gluing two things together, and making one object out of it.

This doesn't mean that you are to hate or stay away from your father or mother, but the most important person to you after your marriage is to be your mate.

Mark 10:8 "And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh."

When the father and mother look at their children, that is exactly what they see, "one flesh". The word for "be" that Jesus used here, in the Greek is # 1241 in Strong's Greek dictionary; "Diazonnumi,dee-az--own'-noo-mee; from 1223, to gird tightly, [to overlay tightly together], gird." #1223; "Dia, dee-ah'; a prime. denoting the channel of an act. through (in very wide applications): after, always among, at to avoid, by for cause,...in composition it retains the same general import."

Today we know what DNA is, for DNA uses any of various nucleic acids, usually of cell nuclei that go to make up the molecular basis of heredity in many organisms. What this is saying is that each of us has this DNA chain within our molecular cell structure, and each link of that chain represents one generation of parents, male and female from our past. However one link will be unique to you. It takes two, male and female for the embryo to form and bring this DNA into a living being. When you look at your son or daughter, you are looking at part of yourself. The two flesh of man and woman joined together become one flesh through their children, for it takes the binding to the two, "diazonnumi", to become one flesh.

Mark 10:9 "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

Jesus Christ is continuing in His teaching to these Pharisees. God created male and female, and it is through the joining of these two that the institution of marriage exists. The joining of male and female makes the institution of marriage, and only in this fashion. Mankind today is trying to twist things all around and allow Sodomy marriage, and that is an abomination to God and to the institution of marriage. Those that fool around with God's institutions, God has His ways of dealing with, such as AIDS and in the long run, God will deal with all Sodomites that have not repented to Him in Jesus name, and asked for forgiveness from their evil ways.

The joining is between a man and a women, male and female, and from it the command from God is to replenish the earth, to multiply, to make the twain flesh become one flesh. When God established this function of life, it is not for any man to put this order asunder. It is better if you have joined into one flesh not to divorce, for it is painful, and like a death in the family, even to the in-laws.

In the beginning and in that first earth age God created all souls, and they were called the sons of God. Souls did not come into existence the same as the embryo of this earth age. Flesh man is recent, and started as a matter of six to ten thousand years ago, however there was a first earth age that dates well into the eons of time. When God put the "sons of God", His children in the first age, there were no souls in females bodies, for man and woman, male and female were created in this earth age, and for this earth age of the flesh. At the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet, there will be none of us in flesh and blood bodies ever again, but all souls will be changed back to their soul [spiritual] bodies instantly.

Live Link to- Flesh bodies similar to animal bodies

Mark 10:10 "And in the house His disciples asked Him again of the same matter."

Now Jesus and His disciples have separated themselves from the Pharisees, and they want Jesus to go into a deeper discussion of the matter.

Mark 10:11 "And He saith unto them, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her."

Many take this verse and stretch it to say something more than what Jesus had said. "Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her." The marriage contract is a life time commitment between the man and the woman. That contract is binding to death, unless adultery has taken place. It is the act of remarrying that makes the partner commit the adultery.

Mark 10:12 "And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."

This is a reversal of the prior verse, dealing with the woman divorcing her husband and marrying another, that becomes an adulterous act against him. The adultery that is committed is against each other. So the question now becomes, "Is this the unforgivable sin?" No.

We are all created in a natural sense, and we were placed on this earth to replenish the earth. This is to be done through the institution of marriage, the joining of man to woman as a family unit. Our bodies have natural drives that God has placed within each of us. This natural act is something that we are not to be ashamed of. Many churches will take a young woman that has divorced at a very young age, and while their mate is still living, there are some churches that forbid her to remarry again the rest of her life, even though the fault could have been the mans'. This poor woman, that is a member and bound in Christ, while her husband may be a no-good woman chaser that simply doesn't care about God's ways, yet he has remarried and in the sexual sense is living a normal life. Yet the church forbids the woman that has taken the spiritual road to live under one set of rules, while the husband that did the sinning is not. They prevent her from continuing with her life, and satisfying that natural desire that is built in by God into her flesh body. Many churches forbids her to remarry because of this.

The sin of divorce is adultery. This is the sin spoken here by Christ. You can have a lot of patience with lay people, but there can be no patience with so-called ministers that would tell you that adultery is an unforgivable sin. Those preachers that pass themselves off as ministers of God's Word, yet cannot think past that which they cannot see, have no business advising people in matters as serious as marriage. Marriage is serious in the fulfilling of a natural and comfortable life, and being able to attain peace of mind. It is the process of living naturally in our flesh bodies, however there are churches that forbid divorces to live their lives as God had intended. Then other churches allow divorces to worship in their midst, but they treat them as subclass and substandard people. They put limits as to the offices that they hold, and the activities that they can participate in.

This is very serious when ignorant people begin to give marital advice based on their own lack of knowledge. Even Paul himself said in I Corinthians 7, that it would be better if you were traveling a lot and teaching the Word as I am, to remain single, but if you cannot, it is better to marry than to burn. This burning applies only to sexual desires within you. When one of these churches tell their members that this is saying that the woman cannot remarry or she is going to burn in hell, is showing their ignorance, for the Greek is very specific on this matter. The Greek states that it is better to remarry than to burn up with desire.

You are living a lie if you think that Christ cannot forgive this sin. If you retain that sin in your mind for the sake of throwing it back into the face of the divorcee, it becomes a blasphemy to God, and defying the very blood of Christ. You are doing the work of Satan, for he is the accuser before the throne of God, and you are doing Satan's service right here on earth. This is a serious thing to hold on to something that Christ has forgiven, when that souls has repented of their sin, even to repeat it to them.

The Pharisees could not understand this fact, because their traditions would not allow them to understand. Their hearts and minds were hardened to accepting Christ's teaching, however the disciples wanted to know exactly what Jesus meant. If Christ forgives you of sin, what right do you have not to forgive them. Jesus told us that if somebody sins against us we are to forgive them four hundred and ninety times a day.

Luke 17:3 "Take heed to yourselves: If a brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

Luke 17:4 "And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn against them, saying, 'I repent;' thou shalt forgive him."

The "seven times" in the text reads "seventy", and is stated in Matthew 18:21, 22, which would be seven times seventy or four hundred and ninety times. This is how many times a day we must forgive our brother in Christ, when he or she asks for our forgiveness.

It all comes down to the fact that Christ sets us free form all sin once we confess that sin to the Father in Jesus name. When Christ forgives any one of a bad marriage, no matter what the cause, it is over, finished and gone. They are free to marry again, and the truth of God's holy Word has set them free. Don't ever listen to a teacher that would take truth, and bind you to their traditions and bondage, for it is blasphemy to Christ's price paid on the cross to forgive all sin. When you are set free from the bondage of sin, you are set free indeed. If you stay in their midst after you have repented, you are binding yourself to these self-righteous hypocrites, these modern day Pharisees.

Mark 10:13 "And they brought young children to Him, that He should touch them: and His disciples rebuked those that brought them."

It's late in the day, and the day has been full of discussions with these Pharisees, and the crowd is bringing their little children to Christ for Him to bless. The disciples are telling them to get out of here and take them home. When you are tired it is just human nature to react this way.

Mark 10:14 "But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased, and said unto them, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."

If you ever wanted to know more about the kingdom of God, Jesus is telling us that these little children represent a likeness of the kingdom of God. Lets hear what Jesus says about this.

Mark 10:15 "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."

So to receive the kingdom of God into your heart, it must be in the same fashion that a little child would accept the news and kingdom of God. If you tell a little child that Christ forgives sin and all you have to receive it is to ask for forgiveness and take it because Christ said so. That then is the faith that you have to have to receive the kingdom of God, you have to believe what Jesus said on face value. It is true because Christ said it, and because Christ said it I believe it. If that is the way sins are forgiven, then that is the way that divorcement, and adultry is forgiven, the same way that a child receives the kingdom. It comes by faith, something believed with out seeing.

There have been many lives ruined by church systems teaching that Christ can't forgive certain sins. When they cause one of Jesus little ones from believing the truth, they are not going to enter the kingdom of God. You must believe that Christ can forgive all sin, to enter into the kingdom of God. If you treat any child of God that has repented and has had her sins forgiven like a second class citizen, then God is against you.

Mark 10:16 "And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them."

God blessed these children, and if you want God's blessings on your church, than it is necessary that you do things God's way.

Mark 10:17 "And when He was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to Him, and asked Him, "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"

We will see shortly that this man had everything else, but he wants eternal life.

Mark 10:18 "And Jesus said unto him, "Why callest thou Me good: there is none good but one, that is, God."

Jesus is asking this question of the young man to get his thinking process started. Jesus is checking this person out, and reminding him that when you see the Son, you have seen the Father.

Mark 10:19 "Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother."

Jesus is checking this young fellow out by repeating some of the commandments. We have five of the ten commandments here, all those that deal with man's actions against other his fellow man. The one commandment that I will draw closer attention to here is the commandment; "Do not kill."

Kill in the Greek text is #5407 in Strong's Greek dictionary; "phoneuo;, fan'-yo-o; from 5406, to be a murderer (of), kill, do murder, slay." So lets go to the prime meaning for the word that Jesus used. # 5406; "phoneus, fon'-yooce; a murderer, always a criminal, [at least intentional] homicide, while #4607 is a specific term for a public bandit], murderer."

Many places in the King James English, it is all translated "kill", instead of the true intent of the word. It is on this basis that many do not believe in capital punishment. They are wrong to believe this.  They just don't understand what the word kill means. To kill against the commandment of God is always a criminal act, intentional murder, and criminal homicide. It does not apply to the act of war, nor the killing of animals for food. It also does not apply to the taking of another's life in defense of your own, or a member of your families life. There is quite a bit difference to the putting a criminal to death in the enforcement of the law, and the act of premeditating to commit an homicide. So Jesus is saying that you should do not murder.

Mark 10:20 "And he answered and said unto Him, "Master, all these have I observed from my youth."

Mark 10:21 "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, "One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

This young man was very sincere in the way he lived his life, and dedicated himself to the commandments of God. Jesus was telling this man to give up his ill-gotten wealth and come and be His disciple. Remember in verse nineteen where Jesus was giving five of his ten commandments dealing with sin against his fellow man, Jesus added "Defraud not", because many people that are rich partake in ripping off a brother before they can rip him off. Their riches are from ill-gotten gains. Christ can look right into this man's mind, and he knows the what his weakness are. Jesus is telling this man that his ill-gotten gain will never do him any good.

Mark 10:22 "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions."

No doubt those possessions cause the young man grief, for he had to make the choice between the following Christ, and his possessions. Did Christ hate this young man? No Christ loved him.

Mark 10:23 "And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto His disciples, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"

This is not talking about riches that come from God's blessings, but this is talking about ill-gotten gains from defrauding our brothers and sisters. God expects you to enjoy those blessings and riches that He sends your way, for doing things God's way. When you do it God's way, He will add those things to you when you do His Work. But if you defraud somebody, that is what this young man was doing.

Mark 10:24 "And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"

Many times as you learn to love the Lord, and center your interest in Him, He will add the riches to you. If your interest is not in the riches, than your methods will not be there either.

Mark 10:25 "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

What this refers to at the time of this writing, was a door called "the needle" standing along side the entrance gate entering into the city. After hours, the main gates were closed, and the side door or "the needle" was opened to allow for entrance into the city. At night there were not a large number of guards there to watch those entering into the city. When a rich man would enter the needle gate at night, he had to get off his camel, and remove all his goods from off the camel to enter by the guards into the city.

There is one thing that has to happen before this man could enter into the city through that needle gate, he had to remove the load of riches off the animal he was riding, and come through by his own walking. This is what Christ is talking about, if you have any ill-gotten gains, you will have to get rid of them first, and then you can go through.

   John's Note: All of the above may well be true, But, here is something else you need to consider when reading verse 21, above. Do you think Christ was explaining this on the physical or the spiritual level?

I believe we Christians all too often think in the physical terms when we should be looking at the spiritual! Let's read it again.

Mark 10:21 "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, "One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

What shall you give to the poor,
in order to gain treasure for yourself in heaven? 

 From Pmphlet #3023
(Later  we will learn the answer to the above question in Matthew 11:5)

Christ is now going to tell the young rich man
what to do about what he "lacks",
which is "perfection" which means maturity in the Word of God.

Take note of the word "IF" used again in this verse for it is a matter of choice...
your choice!

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Matthew 13:44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth,
and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."

Matthew 13:52 "Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old."

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Rev. 2:9 "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)..."

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

[20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Deut. 32:15 "But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of His salvation."

  Now, back to our Mark chapter 10 study. Where were we? Oh yes, verse 26.

Mark 10:26 "And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"

After Jesus had just made this statement to His disciples, they were astonished at what Jesus had just said, and they asked Him, How than can anyone be saved?

Mark 10:27 "And Jesus looking upon them saith, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."

Jesus is telling them, if man had to depend on his salvation by the law, he would never be saved. Why? Because we are in flesh bodies, and the flesh body is corruptible. You will be tempted, and in temptation we will fall. In our flesh body, you have a carnal mind that will be crying out to please and pamper it. Those things do not meet the requirements for salvation, but Christ was perfect.

And after living that perfect life, He was willing to go to the cross to pay the price for all sin that would be repented in His name. The name of Jesus Christ is our credentials to approach the throne of the Father in repentance. Prayer "in Jesus name" is telling God the Father that you believe that Jesus Christ is the begotten Son of the Father, and believe that He was perfect, and you accept the price that He paid on the cross for your sins. Than it is by your faith that God has forgiven your sins that the Father allows you to become one of His children and a joint heir with Christ in His eternal kingdom.

We will fall short from time to time, but on repentance in Jesus name, we will be given the key to the kingdom. If you seek God, then He is in you, and with God all things are possible.

Mark 10:28 "Then Peter began to say unto Him, "Lo, we have left all, and have followed Thee."

Remember that Peter was in a commercial fishing business, and he dropped his nets and followed Christ immediately when Jesus said "follow Me". You see a little of the carnal side of Peter here, and he wants Jesus to remind him that he is doing okay.

Mark 10:29 "And Jesus answered and said, "Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for My sake, and the gospel's,"

Mark 10:30 "But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."

Mark is giving a shorter account of this than Luke 14.26; "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. "

Luke 14:27 "And whosever doth not bear his cross, and come after me cannot be My disciple."

Luke 14:28 "For which of you, intending to build a tower, setteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?"

Anytime you leave the family of your blood relatives, and into the family of God, you take up more brothers and sisters than you had before. As you plant seeds in the minds of others and they are converted, then they become a child in the Lord to you. When you give up land and property for the sake of the Kingdom of God, your inheritance in the new kingdom will be far more than you had. However God is not saying here that you must leave your family, that is not what it is talking about. If you are going into the ministry, it may pull you away from your home at times, however it is not as much as in this generation of high technology. What ever time and substance that you devote to the Father, you will gain back. You simply cannot lose, and as you gain in knowledge from the Word of God, many times it becomes easier for you to communicate with other brothers and sisters in the Lord, than with your own blood relatives.

Mark 10:31 "But many that are first shall be last; and the last first."

Remember the parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20? Some of those workers came to work early in the day, and they toiled in the vineyard under the hot sun all day long. This worker received no more wage than the worker hired at noon, or the one that came in for the last hour of the day. The man that walked through the door refreshed having worked only a half hour received the same wages at the one that was out there sweating all day long. The world will look at this parable under a different eye than what a Christian looks at it.

First of all you must look at this not under carnal eyes but under the spiritual eyes as a child of God. Indeed it is a pleasure working in God's vineyard, and doing the service of the Lord. This is not considering the work as a hardship, but a time of receiving God's help and blessings, and the one that has had the benefit of God's blessings all his life, will in the end receive the same right of inheritance as the dear soul that accepted Christ on his death bed. The one that was hired in the last thirty minutes was in the world all his life, without the blessings and protection of God. To a Christian, it is far better to be first in the master's garden, than to slip in right in the end of your life.

The deeper look into this comes from Ephesians 1:4; "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:"

Ephesians 1:5 "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,"

Some of those workers of God's vineyard were chosen before the very foundation of this earth age, back in the first earth age, and God intended for certain souls to be in His vineyard before the vineyard was even planted. Paul said in Romans 8:29 that you were predestined to work in that garden.

Romans 8:28 "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."

Romans 8:30 "Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified."

You were not selected or predestinated because you were the prettiest, no, it was because you earned that right from the first earth age. When Satan rebelled in that first earth age, certain souls took a stand against Satan, and because of their stand they earned the right to be God's elect in this earth age. God chose them first. If you think in your mind that God is unfair, than it means that you just don't understand what it is stating, because God is always fair in all matters.

Ephesians 1:11 "In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will:"

Ephesians 1:12 "That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ."

Live Link to-Predestination

The first shall be last in as much as they shall walk this earth, given by God and born to woman, in that final generation. Remember in Psalm 22 that there would be a generation that God set aside for certain of these elect to bear witness and declare God's righteousness.

Psalm 22:30 "A seed shall serve Him; It shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation."

Psalm 22:31 "They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a People that shall be born, That He hath done this."

Christ counted this generation unto Himself. Those first to make the stand against Satan in that first earth age, shall be the last to come in this age of the flesh, in the final generation to bear witness against Satan the Antichrist and his system in this final generation. If you have a hard time dealing with this, than set it aside for later understanding. This in itself is enough to defy the traditions that are being taught as the rapture theory, for why would God pull His very elect out of this earth age, the very time He has predestined each of them to bear witness of Him?

Mark 10:32 "And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto Him,"

Jesus had told the twelve disciples over and over what would happen when they went to Jerusalem, how he would be delivered up to be scorned, whipped and killed. Now when they were all going to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking out in front of His disciples, and as they were walking along it finally came to their minds that everything Jesus had told them is now coming about. They became afraid over the thought of it all. This was the third time that this complete explanation of what will happen to Jesus is brought up. Jesus is telling them that He is going to be crucified. If you want to sharpen your memory, remember that what Jesus told His disciples didn't really hit home until they heard it the third time. It was mentioned in verse 8:31; 9:31; and in 10:31 the thought of the crucifixions presented again.

Mark 10:33 "Saying, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles:"

If Jesus is going to receive punishment He should be delivered to the jailer and not the religious leaders, the chief priests? Jesus was delivered into the hand of the very ones that were to direct the activities in His temple, and to the ones that were to be the bible scholars [scribes]. The religious world would condemn Jesus and sentence Him to death. It was the men of the Temple that delivered Jesus to the Roman government and and demanded Jesus' crucifixion.

This entire event of Christ's crucifixion is in conjunction with God entire Word that all things are possible with God. It is because of Jesus Christ's giving of Himself, that will fulfill all the promises of the Old Testament that will bring about the salvation of those that would receive Him.

Isaiah 53:11 "He [God] shall see of the travail of His [Jesus'] soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My [the Father's] righteous Servant [Jesus] justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities."

It pleased God that His Son was willing to go through with the "travail", the death on the cross, so that many could be saved. Jesus took on the sins of all those that would repent in His name, in Jesus name, for the repentance of their sins. When you do, the Father removes your sins and places them on His Own Son Jesus Christ, and brings your soul back to Himself.

Mark 10:34 "And they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again."

Jesus is telling His disciples exactly what shall happen to Himself, and every detail is given to us by David in Psalms 22, and Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 53. Praise God on the third day Jesus Christ the Son of God did rise from the dead. This is prophecy being fulfilled.

Mark 10:35 "And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto Him, saying, "Master, we would that Thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire."

This is exactly as we should pray today, that God will do for us that which He desires for us to have and be. God knows what is best for us in all matters, and He is the one that fulfills those prayers.

Mark 10:36 "And He said unto them, "What would ye that I should do for you?"

Mark 10:37 "They said unto Him, "Grant unto us that we may sit, one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left hand, in Thy glory."

So Jesus asked them what it was that they wanted Him to do for them. Stop and think of what these two disciples are asking of God. When does Jesus kingdom come, and where will it be? When is Jesus glorified? Who is sitting on Christ's left hand today? Of course in that Jesus is on the right hand of the Father, these two are asking to take the place of Almighty God, the office of the Father. The request of these two disciples is asked in ignorance, as are many of the requests that we ask of Him each day. Thank God that He does not give us our every request, and wishful desire. These men are on an ego trip, and trying to satisfy their flesh nature, yet at the same time it could have been because of their desire to be nearer to Him.

Mark 10:38 "But Jesus said unto them, "Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

The cup that Jesus is about to drink from, is His crucifixion, as well as the cup that he will pour out upon the earth at His return. However to be baptized with their baptism that Jesus is speaking of here is all the suffering and death that is in store for Jesus. They cannot be there and go through those times and troubles, for Christ must go through it alone.

Mark 10:39 "And they said unto Him, "We can." And Jesus said unto them, "Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:"

Most of these disciples did die very horrible deaths before their lives came to an end.

Mark 10:40 "But to sit on My right hand and on My left hand is not Mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared."

Jesus is getting into what Ezekiel 44 is all about, "already prepared" means that those that will be in their positions as the Zadok had already been chosen for their positions, from the earth age that was. From before the foundations of this earth age, they were judged, and by predestination given their positions. Ezekiel 44 has to do with the Millennium period, that period that starts with the sounding of the seventh trumpet, and ends one thousand years later at the judgment seat of the great white throne. At that time people are allotted their positions and designated areas for that kingdom of Christ age. It wasn't His to give because He had already given it before. Ezekiel 44:9-16 lets us know exactly who will be by Jesus side, doing service for Him during that thousand year period.

Ezekiel 44:15 "But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister unto Me, and they shall stand before Me to offer unto Me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God."

Ezekiel 44:16 "They [the Zadok] shall enter into My sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table, to minister unto Me, and they shall keep My charge."

Mark 10:41 "And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

We see a little jealousy coming between the disciples. However we know from Revelation 21:14 that all twelve of Jesus Apostles had their names on the twelve gates of the gates of the eternal city. "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." The ones that were there and that took part in the ministry of Christ. They all will be well remembered throughout eternity.

Mark 10:42 "But Jesus called them to Him, and saith unto them, "Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them."

In the case of the worldly Gentile ruler, the one that declares his authority is the one that places his rule and authority over the rest of the people. He is the one that demands respect from all those under him. This is another way of declaring His authority, but that is not God's way.

Mark 10:43 "But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:"

The word "minister" does not mean preacher, but it means "servant. The greater you are in the kingdom of God, the more you submit yourselves to others in bringing them God's Words. You are that servant bringing to the people the food from the Word of God. The servants time is belongs to the others in good times and in bad, for he or she is to serve all the time.

Mark 10:44 "And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all."

Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to give His life a ransom for many."

Even Jesus Christ did not come to be pampered and ministered to, but to give His very life for those that would believe on Him, and repent in Jesus name. Jesus entire life was to tend to the sick, help those in need and to give His very life for them. This is the difference between the world systems and their leaders, and the kingdom of God. It is a matter of who is serving who. The High positions in the world would be the very lowest in the kingdom of God, and the highest position in the kingdom of God is considered the lowest in God's kingdom.

The greatest in all of God's kingdom is Jesus the Son of God, giving Himself for the very least of the kingdom. It is God that causes it all to happen, everything that you are given, all of the gifts of the Spirit, are given to promote the kingdom of God and He is the only one that gets the glory. If you allow someone to boast you up for any of the words you say or things that you do for the glory of God, than you are accepting something that is not rightfully yours, but belongs to God. He gave you the words to say, and the ability to serve Him in what ever capacity you do. As you serve Him, remember that it is a privilege that He have you, in allowing you to have that responsibility.

Mark 10:46 "And they came to Jericho: and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging."

These names Bartimaeus and Timaeus, though they are give here as Greek, were listed in the Aramic tongue in the text. In the Aramic means "polluted and unclean"; while in the Greek form means just the opposite. The names were changed in the translation from their original meanings.

Mark 10:47 "And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me."

What does this bring to your mind immediately when you read what this man Bartimaeus is crying out? "Have mercy on me" means "give me favor." This man had faith by what he had heard that Jesus could heal him.

Mark 10:48 "And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, "Thou Son of David, have mercy on me."

 This man not only knew that Jesus was the Son of man, but when He called Jesus, "Thou Son of David", it showed that he knew Jesus to be the Christ. The word Christ means the "Anointed One".

Mark 10:49 "And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying unto him, "Be of good comfort, rise; He calleth thee."

Mark 10:50 "And he, casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus."

He got rid of his begging garment immediately for he knew that it would no longer be part of him. God doesn't expect his people to be beggars, and run around with their begging bags. This is a common thing today, for many ministries become hirelings and carry their begging bags. The true man of God does not beg, and when the person does, he has identified himself.

Mark 10:51 "And Jesus answered and said unto him, "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" The blind man said unto Him, "Lord, that I might receive my sight."

Jesus is asking this man exactly what he expects Jesus to do for him.

Mark 10:52 "And Jesus said unto him, "Go thy way; they faith hath made thee whole." And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."

The blind man wanted to receive his sight. Do you desire your spiritual sight? You almost have to close your natural physical eye, to open your spiritual eye that sees into the deepest parts of God's Word. Jesus Christ taught in the simplicity of His Word, and most of the time the meanings of the Word are just opposite of what is accepted by this world. Jesus took this man that was unclean, and made him whole and pure. He was just opposite as the rich young man presented above, that would not give up his wealth to follow after Christ.

Our Heavenly Father is the Father of all peoples, and races. and creeds, and no one can ask for favor on both sides of the kingdom, for it is up to the Father to give, and to withhold. Here the unclean had the faith to know that in Christ, the Messiah there was cleansing power to give him his eyesight. It simply doesn't matter what persecution that you go through, if when you come out of that trouble you become a more complete person for having been there. Your spiritual eyes become focused more clearly to understand the Word. It was the blind man's faith that made him whole, that took him from an unclean polluted state, and cleansed him. Immediately upon his cleansing, he discarded those ways and robes of the beggar and he followed Christ.

              

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