Mark 10:11-12
By Ron Boatwright

     We read in Mark 10:11-12, "So He said to them, whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  Could Jesus have stated this any clearer?  A person needs help to misunderstand this.  A man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  How?  The definition of adultery is having sexual intercourse with another person’s spouse.  In God’s eyes he is still bound to his first wife as long as she lives (Romans 7:2-3 & 1 Corinthians 7:39) and every time there is sexual intercourse, adultery is regularly being committed with another person’s spouse.  In other words adultery is being committed against his first wife to whom in God’s eyes he is still bound.  

     An example of being bound to one spouse while married to another is found in Mark 6:17-18, "For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.  Because John had said to Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.'"  Herodias was still Philip's wife.  In God's eyes, Herodias and Philip were still husband and wife even though Herodias had married Herod.   

     The Greek verb MOICHASTHAI, translated "commits adultery" in Mark 10:11-12, is present indicative which suggests continuous action.  It means "is committing adultery".  The adultery begins when one divorces and marries another and continues as long as the adulterous marriage continues (Romans 7:2-3).  We know that an adulterer cannot go to Heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21).  There will be no adulterers in Heaven.