In 2025, we're working our way through the gospels and invite you to join us as we seek to learn from Jesus. Find all our notes, from this year and past years, at the Faith Food tab. And if you'd like ideas for suggested pacing, download our June calendar. Welcome, friends, we're so glad you're journeying with us. Let's grow together!

Our notes on Mark 10 include:

An Overview: Topic, Themes, and Summary.
An Outline of our thoughts and questions.
Research on Bartimaeus' title for Jesus: Son of David.
A Reflection on marriage.
An Invitation to Respond to God's commitment.

Mark 10

Remote Road by ArmyAmber at Pixabay

Overview

General Topic

Jesus reveals more about the Kingdom of God.

Key Themes

Live in Service. Faith is Required. Follow Him.

Summary

Jesus addresses issues that plague us in this world: committed relationships, love of money, and social status. He again describes the details of His death and honors a person who seeks Him in a show of great faith: Bartimaeus.

Thoughts, Questions, and Connections

? Denotes a question, * a personal thought, x a cross reference, and ! a connection. Researched answers are in italics. Behold requires our attention; it marks our partnership with God.

On Marriage (Mark 10:1-12)

Read Matthew 19:1-9 for another perspective. (See our Matthew 19 notes.)

Jesus and His disciples traveled to Judea and were met by crowds that gathered to hear His teaching.

*Teaching is natural to Him. If you see Jesus, that is what He was doing. The same is true today.

Pharisees, trying once again to trap Him, asked about divorce.
Jesus responded with a question: What did Moses say about divorce?
Moses permitted divorce.
Jesus explained that Moses only permitted divorce because we have hard hearts.

Civil laws are not God's ideals. They just try to limit human sinfulness. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

God's original intent for marriage is for a man and woman to become one flesh; they should never be separated.

The phrase "from the beginning" signals the foreshadowing of the future Kingdom for many Jewish people. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible *The return to Eden.
Describes the divine ethic. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible
Jesus responds to the Pharisees with a spiritual answer, not merely social. In so doing, Jesus sidesteps the trap the Pharisees laid out. The Voice
x I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly. For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result. I Timothy 2:12-14 NLT *Another example of original intent, or creation order.

The disciples, now alone with Jesus, questioned Him more about the subject of divorce.
Jesus explained that divorce and remarriage is the same as adultery.

This is the same kind of hyperbole we often encounter with Jesus. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible *Like cutting of the hand that offends you (See Mark 9:43 and our Mark 9 notes.)

On Childlike Faith (Mark 10:13-16)

Read Matthew 19:13-15 for another perspective. (See our Matthew 19 notes.)

Jesus becomes enraged when He notices His disciples stopping parents from bringing their children to Him.

x But when she came to the man of God at the mountain, she fell to the ground before him and caught hold of his feet. Gehazi began to push her away, but the man of God said, "Leave her alone. She is deeply troubled, but the LORD has not told me what it is." 2 Kings 4:27 NLT
x "Yes," Joseph told [Jacob], "these are the sons God has given me here in Egypt." And Jacob said, "Bring them closer to me, so I can bless them."...But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boy's heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn. Genesis 48:9, 14 NLT
x The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm. Isaiah 11:8 NLT
*Jesus is following His countercultural pattern.

"Let them come to me!" The Kingdom of God belongs to people like these children.
Anyone who does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child, will never enter it.

Dependent on their Father. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible
! "God Wants You to be Childlike, Not Childish" Sermon by Danny Gokey. A few ideas to note:

Be humble. Depend on Jesus for identity and purpose.
Be simplistic and lack ambition. Reject the need to be the center of attention, status or accomplishment. Admit you're not in control.
Be innocent. Lose pretentiousness. Embody a spirit of purity. Find value in being, not doing.
Be teachable. Embrace an eagerness to learn. Stay curious.
Be forgiving. Recognize you are trophy of God's grace that impacts other people.

Then, He blessed the children.

On the Cost of Following Jesus (Mark 10:17-31)

Read Matthew 19:16-30 for another perspective. (See our Matthew 19 notes.)

On the way to Jerusalem, a man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.

Common phrasing for heaven was "eternal life." Jews believed that heaven is a restoration of paradise where we live in peace together, where justice reigns, and where JOY is fully realized. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible
The man calls Jesus "good" as a form of flattery. Jesus' deflection of the praise is viewed as honorable. It may also serve to challenge the man's self-certainty. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

x A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin. Proverbs 26:28 NLT
x For their tongues shoot lies like poisoned arrows. They speak friendly words to their neighbors while scheming in their heart to kill them. Jeremiah 9:8 NLT
x I won't play favorites or try to flatter anyone. For if I tried flattery, my Creator would soon destroy me. Job 32:21-22 NLT

Jesus first instructed that only God should be called good, then listed off six commandments the man should follow.

? Why does Jesus name only some of the commandments and not all? *The ones that are missing are the ones about God. ? Are the omitted commandments the ones he is guilty of?

The man, relieved, replied he'd followed those commandments all of his life.
But Jesus, because He truly loved the man, told him about the one thing that was holding him back: his possessions.

*Love means wanting the best for another person.

x As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17 NLT
x If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offence. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. Matthew 18:15 NLT (See our Matthew 18 notes.)

And this troubled the man greatly; he was unwilling to let go of his numerous possessions

x If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. Mark 8:35 NLT (See our Mark 8 notes.)
This is the only man recorded, other than the 12, who was invited to follow, and he is the only one who refused. The Voice

Turning to His disciples, Jesus noted the difficulty of entering the Kingdom of God for people who trust in riches.
Because to enter God's Kingdom, you must trust Him and Him alone. You must be willing to part with everything else.

*The 12 get the inside scoop on Jesus' instruction.
"Through the eye of a needle" was an idiom meaning to do the impossible. It does not refer to the Jerusalem gate, as many claim. Hyperbole was a common form of rhetoric at the time. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible ! "Moving mountains" (See Mark 11:23.) is another common idiom that also means to do the impossible.

The disciples wonder if anyone can be saved.
Jesus clarifies: By human efforts it is impossible, but God can save anyone.

x Then the LORD said to Abraham. "Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, 'Can an old woman like me have a baby?' Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." Genesis 18:13-14 NLT
x In that day the remnant left in Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer depend on allies who seek to destroy them. But they will faithfully trust the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 10:20 NLT

Peter points out that the disciples have sacrificed everything to follow Jesus.
And Jesus reassures them. What they've surrendered now will be returned a hundredfold.

*An example of "Now, and not yet." We do get benefits now when we enter the kingdom of believers, but it does come with persecution. Eventually, we will know all the JOY with none of the suffering. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

Though now you will know hardships, in the end, you will have eternal life.
For many who seem great now, will become the least. And many who are now easily overlooked will become the greatest.

On Jesus' Death (Mark 10:32-34)

Read Matthew 20:17-19 for another perspective. (See our Matthew 20 notes.)

On the way to Jerusalem, there were mixed emotions.

The Voice describes the emotions this way: "As they neared the city, wonder and amazement filled them. But soon, those who were following began to tremble." Mark 10:32

To the disciples alone, Jesus reviewed the events of His impending death: In Jerusalem He will be betrayed to the leaders and receive a death sentence from the Romans. He will be mocked, spit, on, flogged and killed. But in three days, He will be resurrected.

On Serving (Mark 10:35-45)

Read Matthew 20:20-28 for another perspective. (See our Matthew 20 notes.)

James and John ask Jesus if they can sit on His right and left in God's kingdom.

Because you shared the danger, followers of rabbis often earned the right to ask for special favors. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

Jesus told them that they didn't understand what they were asking for, that they didn't understand the level of suffering He was about to endure. He asked if they were willing to endure it too.

James suffered martyrdom first (See Acts 12:2), but tradition holds that John outlived the rest. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

James and John said they would willingly endure whatever suffering Jesus faced.
And Jesus affirmed that they would, then conceded that who sits on His right and left is not His decision to make, but God's.
The remaining disciples were deeply angered by James' and John's request.
So, Jesus intervened. He explained that the worldly hierarchy of authority is not how the Kingdom of God works.
In God's Kingdom, the people who take care of other are the greatest.
As we see in Jesus' life: He came to give His life in service to others, not to be served by others.

Not this: As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal - it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 NLT
But this: Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. Isaiah 53:4, 11-12 NLT

On Faith (Mark 10:46-52)

Read Matthew 20:20-28 for another perspective. (See our Matthew 20 notes.)

Leaving Jericho, a blind man cries out to Jesus.

? Was Bartimaeus, the blind man, the only one to address Jesus as "Son of David"? *R

The crowd tried to quiet Him, but he grew louder.

🎵 There's a faith that rises through the flames /.../ God, we won't be silent / And the greater the storm / The louder our song🎶 "Louder" performed by Matt Redman
x But when she came to the man of God at the mountain, she fell to the ground before him and caught hold of his feet. Gehazi began to push her away, but the man of God said, "Leave her alone. She is deeply troubled, but the LORD has not told me what it is." 2 Kings 4:27 NLT

Jesus beckoned to Bartimaeus, and Bartimaeus ran to Him.

The detail that he threw his coat to the side is no small matter. Vulnerable people would lay their coats down to collect money from passersby. His position, on the roadside to Jericho, was a good one. Likely he lost quite a bit of money when he threw his coat to the side. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible & The Voice

Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he wants.

*This is an example of Jesus serving. But notice how He doesn't just meet the need, Jesus requires Bartimaeus to voice the need first.
x The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 NLT

Bartimaeus responds, "I want to see!"
Jesus tells Bartimaeus that his faith healed him.

x And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over." Mark 5:34 NLT (See our Mark 5 notes.)

With his vision now restored, Bartimaeus follows Jesus down the road.

Bartimaeus' story is an example of the childlike humility and faith that Jesus describes earlier in this chapter. - From "Son of David, Have Mercy on Me" a sermon by Cole Newton at bcnewton.co.
He follows Jesus without being asked to, not from compulsion but from love. He calls Jesus "My Master" making his decision personal and complete, one of unconditional submission. - From "Son of David, Have Mercy on Me" a sermon by Cole Newton at bcnewton.co.

Research

Was Bartimaeus the only one who called Jesus the Son of David?

Verse of Reference

When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Mark 10:47 NLT

The Significance of Using the Title

Affirmed belief in God's covenantal promise to David: For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house - a temple - for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 2 Samuel 7:12-13 NLT
Showcased confident faith. What Peter confessed in solitude, Bartimaeus shouted over a crowd.

Other New Testament Uses of the Title

A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on Me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely." Matthew 15:22 NLT (See also Matthew 12:23 and our Matthew 15 notes.)
Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Matthew 20:30 NLT (See our Matthew 20 notes.)
This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham. Matthew 1:1 NLT (See also Luke 1:32 and our Matthew 1 notes.)
"What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They replied, "He is the son of David." Matthew 22:42 NLT (See also Matthew 21:9 and our Matthew 22 notes.)

Thoughts: Jesus is often referred to as the "Son of David", especially by the populace who recognize Jesus as prophecy fulfilled. But Bartimaeus' story beautifully illustrates for us childlike faith, humble service, and willing submission. Bartimaeus exemplifies other talking points favored by Jesus like: the power of faith; accepting intimate relationship with Him; the contrast between human traditions and God's kingdom ordinances; exalting the humble; and persistence in prayer.

Reflection

How frequently we need to be reminded that the life we are living now is not the life we were meant to live. Marriages were not supposed to end. But we are broken, sinful people, so they do.

Through Jesus' blood, our sins are forgiven, and He clothes us in His own robe of righteousness so that we might be eternally bound to Him. We are His pearl of great price, His woman of virtue, and only in marriage to Him do we see the true beauty of marriage's original intent:

A man leaves his father and mother. Jesus left God to become human and left Mary to return to His spiritual body with the Father.
And is joined to his wife. We, the church, are Jesus' wife. He gave His life for us so that we can be raised to join Him eternally in our own spiritual bodies.
And the two become one. In Christ, we are one.
Let no one split apart what God has joined together. We have been translated into His Kingdom, no one can snatch us out of His hand, and nothing can separate us from His love!

What's amazing is that we can start to experience restoration now when we:

Recognize our identity as Christ's bride. Then, we stop the relentless cycle of searching for meaning and begin standing confidently in His love.
Understand His bride is the church universal. Then, we stop living to please ourselves and start living to bless one another.
Find our purpose in service. Then, we stop striving and start loving.
Accept God is the only way to eternal life. Then, we stop justifying our actions and boasting in our self-righteousness. Instead, we cry out to God and eagerly follow Him so we can be with Him. We finally understand that He is what life is all about: BEING with the One our soul loves - the only source of true fulfillment.

Jesus says it Himself:

"Give up your life to find it."
"You will receive now a hundredfold what you give up to follow me, with persecution."
"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

The treasures Jesus offers are not what the world wants. They are not what the world tells you matters. But they are eternal and so much better.

Come to the Father. You'll find a covenant relationship built on true love that cannot be broken. You'll find community in His bride, the church, that He's called forth to live together in loving sacrifice and joyful celebration. You'll find purpose in a life of service. You'll find rest; the work is finished. Be with Jesus.

Scripture we're thinking about:

The pearl of great price: Matthew 13:45-46 (See our Matthew 13 notes.)
The virtuous woman: Proverbs 31:10 (See our Proverbs 31:10 notes.)
Marriage's original design: Mark 10:8-9
The church is Christ's Bride: II Corinthians 11:2
Spiritual bodies: I Corinthians 15:42-49
Our oneness in Christ: John 17:21-23; John 15:4
Our security in Christ: Colossians 1:13; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:38-39
Jesus' quotes on fulfillment: Mark 8:35, Mark 10:30, and Matthew 6:21

Respond

Connect

God is committed.

Reflect

You, as part of the church, are betrothed to Jesus. How does acknowledging that God's original intent for marriage will be perfected in our marriage to Jesus make you rethink or deepen your relationship with Him?
And how does your committed relationship with Jesus enable you to bless and serve others?
And how does your committed relationship with Jesus challenge you to respond to Him? Especially consider the surrender of worldly desires for His desires.

Act

Arise knowing you are deeply loved by Jesus. His love for you will never end.
Arise, serve others as Jesus serves you.
Arise, surrender the world's desires for Jesus' desires.

In Closing

Father God, You love us! Our minds simply cannot understand how much You love us. You are the very definition of promise, and Your promise to us requires nothing on our part but acceptance. How could we not respond in wholehearted affirmation when we understand the truth of who You are? How can we not then turn and live to bless and serve others when we know You are waiting to be realized in them, too? How can we not willingly lay down all our worldly desires and turn to Your way? How can we not pursue You relentlessly and long to stay in Your presence? After all, You, Son of David, answered our cry for mercy before we even knew we needed it. We live with hearts overflowing in the love we share from being united in You so that we can shine Your light to others.

Ready for Mark 11?

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Mark 10 | The Wolfe Notes