27th Sunday of the Year
by Mary O’Byrne, OP
In his Gospel, Mark likes to point out that Jesus’ custom was to teach whoever was present where and whenever he appeared. In today’s reading, Jesus has left Galilee and is already on his way to Judea. He was a public figure and the nearer he approached Jerusalem, the more attention he was bound to attract, hence controversial questions from religious authorities would most certainly arise.
His teaching on marriage comes as a result of one of these ongoing debates. It is given first to the Pharisees who approached Jesus asking him if it were lawful for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus responds by asking them another question, “What did Moses command you?” They quote back to him that Moses allowed a writ of divorce to be handed to the woman who was thereby dismissed. Jewish law did not allow a woman to divorce her husband. Neither could she be a witness in court. This reflects contemporary status of woman in ancient Israel. There was inequality inherent in the Mosaic law. Jesus continues to explain that the exception in the Mosaic law was tolerated on account of people’s hardness of heart. The true law which God had ordained from the beginning was that man and woman should be joined together as husband and wife and this union was indissoluble. Later on, in private, the disciples put the same query to Jesus as the teaching seemed too difficult. He repeats without change what he had said earlier to the Pharisees. God’s plan as willed in Genesis treats man and woman as equals and marriage is a life commitment.
The second part of today’s Gospel follows here as a natural sequel to the teaching on marriage in the previous paragraphs. The two narratives were most likely placed together on account of the inherent connection between the stability of marriage and the welfare of children. The scene is delightfully depicted. We can clearly imagine the mothers anxious to bring their little children to be introduced and blessed by the famed Teacher. The officious behaviour of the disciples in preventing their approach would have been quite off putting only that Jesus himself spotted the disciples’ intervention. He was indignant, called the children to him, took them in his arms and blessed them.
The institution of marriage and the safeguarding of children are topics of interest today where family values are being slowly eroded by secular mentality. Christian marriage respects both man and woman. Both enter marriage with their gifts and problems. As time goes by, and the first enthusiasm gives way to a more stable relationship, the ground is set for growth of both parties into wisdom and maturity. When we consider children in the Israel of Our Lord’s time, they were considered as non-persons. In today’s Gospel, they are depicted as an interruption in the important work of Jesus the preacher. The apostles saw it as their duty to get these small children and their mothers out of the way so that the preaching of the day could proceed smoothly. Yet Our Lord welcomed these little ones. “Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it” thus emphasising the childlike and innocent disposition necessary for participation in the Kingdom. Then follows the warmth of His embrace and the ensuing act of blessing.
Finally let us note interesting differences in the language of both gospel scenes. The teaching on marriage is expressed in verbs of communication such as “asking”, and “saying” and including the verb “to write”. These are verbs mainly used in the context of elucidating a particular topic with adults. Jesus speaks, utters words and brings the understanding of his hearers beyond the original question on the interpretation of the Mosaic law to the deeper meaning of marriage as it was conceived at the beginning of Creation. In the second scene, the action verbs, to bring, to touch, to rebuke, to be angry, to take and to bless, demonstrate movement in quick succession bringing to life the approach of children, their rejection by the apostles, and Jesus’ final reception of the children and his blessing. The only verb of saying used here introduces the sentence about the Kingdom of God, and a teaching about children, which is addressed to adults.
Jesus was master at communication. His explanations are clearly dependent on his congregation. Adults appreciate words and utterances whereas movement can at most times be a distraction. Children understand movement and action whereas words of explanation may be totally incomprehensible and beyond them.