In this message we come to chapter ten of the Gospel of Mark. In verse 1 we have a word concerning the Lord’s coming to Judea. Then in 10:2-31 we have His teaching concerning divorce (vv. 2-12), His blessing of the young children (vv. 13-16), and His teaching concerning the rich and the kingdom of God (vv. 17-31).
Many readers of the New Testament do not regard Mark to be as deep as Matthew, John, or even Luke. Some may even view the Gospel of Mark as containing stories for children. We thank the Lord for enlightening us concerning the various portions of this Gospel. As we have pointed out, in 8:27—9:13 we are brought into the highlight, the foremost vision, concerning matters in the realm of divine, mysterious things. This vision concerns Christ with His all-inclusive death and His wonderful resurrection to be our entire, universal replacement.
In 9:14-50 we have a training of the disciples in the light of what has been unveiled in the preceding chapters. In particular, the disciples were trained to be at peace with one another in order to maintain unity. This peace and unity among the believers is for the Body life. Following the training given in 9:14-50, the Lord goes on in chapter ten to give us further training.
Chapter ten of Mark is not a chapter for theological study. This is a chapter of teaching for those who are in the highlight of the divine revelation in this Gospel; it is for those who have seen the living Person of Christ with His death and resurrection to be their replacement. If we have seen this vision, then we have the proper standing and are in the right sphere to receive what is unveiled in this chapter.
We should not isolate any part of chapter ten from the vision concerning Christ with His death and resurrection to be our replacement. For example, in 10:14 the Lord Jesus says, “Allow the young children to come to Me; do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God.” We should not consider this merely as a word to be read to little children at bedtime. Rather, we need to see this in relation to the heavenly vision concerning Christ with His death and resurrection.
In 10:2-31 three matters are covered: marriage, young children, and riches. These matters are all related to the kingdom of God. In particular, they are related to our entering into the kingdom.
If we would enter into the kingdom of God, we need Christ as our replacement, and we need the application of His death and the enjoyment of His resurrection. According to what is revealed regarding the human heart in chapter seven, we are inwardly unclean, unclean in our heart. Our heart is a composition of unclean things. Because our heart is in such a condition, we need to be replaced by Christ. We need to be terminated through His death, and we need His resurrection to bring in the Lord Himself as our life supply, as our real bread of life.
If we have Christ as our replacement and if we experience His terminating death and supplying resurrection, we shall be able to handle the matters of marriage, age or oldness, and riches. Then we shall be qualified to enter into the kingdom. Otherwise, we shall not be fit for the kingdom; we shall not have an entrance into the kingdom. If we do not have Christ as our replacement, if we do not have His death to terminate us, and if we do not have His resurrection to supply us with Himself as life-giving bread, we shall not have an entrance into the kingdom.
Studying the Bible is not a matter of using our natural mind to read merely the black-and-white letters. If we would see the vision revealed in and conveyed by the holy Word, we need divine light. We also need some amount of experience in the Lord. If we are lacking in the divine light and if we are short of experience, we shall not be able to see much in the Word, if anything at all. We thank the Lord for showing us something marvelous concerning Christ with His death and resurrection to be our replacement. This is a matter that the natural mind cannot comprehend. In order to see this, we need heavenly light and spiritual experience.
I wish to emphasize the fact that we need to read chapter ten of the Gospel of Mark in the light of what is revealed in chapters seven, eight, and nine. Especially we need to read chapter ten according to the vision of Christ with His death and resurrection to be our all-inclusive replacement. In 8:27—9:13 we have the highlight, and chapter ten is presented according to this highlight. If we did not have 8:27— 9:13, we could not have the highlight. Now as we consider chapter ten, we should not regard what is recorded here merely as stories for children. On the contrary, everything in this chapter is related to the vision of Christ and His death and resurrection.