And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she commits adultery.
All Commentaries on Mark 10:12 Go To Mark 10
Bede
AD 735
In Marcum, 3, 40: Up to this time, Mark hath related what Our Lord said and did in Galilee; here he begins torelate what He did, taught, or suffered in Judaea, and first indeed across the Jordan on the east; and this is what is said in these words: “And He arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea, by the farther side of Jordan"; then also on this side Jordan, when He came to Jericho, Bethany, and Jerusalem. And though all the province of the Jews is generally called Judaea, to distinguish it from other nations, more especially, however, its southern portion was called Judaea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Decapolis, and the other regions in the same province.
Mark the difference of temper in the multitude and in the Pharisees. The former meet together, in order to be taught, and that their sick may be healed, as Matthew relates ; the latter come to Him, to try to deceive their Saviour by tempting Him. Wherefore there follows: “And the Pharisees came to Him, and asked Him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? Tempting Him.”.
He says not male and females, which the sense would have required had it referred to the divorce of former wives, but “male” and “female”, so that they might be bound by the tie of one wife.
The reward then of marriage is of two to become one flesh. Virginity being joined to the Spirit, becomes of one spirit.
What therefore God hath conjoined by making one flesh of a man and a woman, that man cannot separate, but God alone. Man separates, when we dismiss the first wife because we desire a second; butit is God who separates, when by common consent .
In Matthew it is more fully expressed, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication.”, as we read that many have done. But there is no cause allowed by the law of God for marrying another, during the lifetime of her who is quitted.
