Gospel in Art: What God has joined together, let no one separate

The Unequal Marriage, by Vasili Vladimirovich Pukirev, 1862 © The State Tretyakov Gallery, Russia

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 28 February 2025
Mark 10:1-12

At that time: Jesus went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?' He answered them, 'What did Moses command you?' They said, 'Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.' And Jesus said to them, 'Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, "God made them male and female." "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no one separate.'

And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. And he said to them, 'Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.'

Reflection on the painting

In this morning's Gospel reading, Jesus presents God's vision of marriage, as set out in the book of Genesis: a union between a man and a woman, where they commit themselves to each other for life, becoming one. Even in Jesus' time, this ideal was met with scepticism. Some considered it unrealistic, failing to take into account the complexities of human relationships. Yet, Jesus reaffirmed the teaching found in Genesis.

This vision of marriage continues to face resistance today. Many advocate for a broader, more flexible definition of marriage. We know that sadly not all marriages endure. Many of us have seen this within our own circle of friends or even families. Yet, despite these challenges, the vision Jesus presents was more than a mere social arrangement. It was a bond of love between two people, reflecting God's faithful love for his people. The early Church came to see marriage in a similar way, as an expression of Christ's self-giving love for His Church. This vision is not always easy to uphold, especially in a culture that often challenges or dismisses it.

Cultural pressures and societal norms have long challenged the sacramental vision of marriage that Jesus spoke about. A striking example of this is the 1862 painting The Unequal Marriage by Vasili Vladimirovich Pukirev. The painting's title reflects the clear imbalance between the bride and groom. The age disparity is stark. While the groom appears to be in his sixties, the young bride, seemingly in her early twenties, looks resigned and sorrowful. This emotional contrast is central to the painting's message: the groom, appearing pleased and self-satisfied, suggests that the union is not necessarily built on love. This was a common reality in 19th-century Russia, where young women, particularly from poor families, were often married off to older, wealthy men in arranged marriages. Pukirev's work critiques this system, highlighting how marriage was frequently treated as a transaction rather than a partnership of love.

The painting also carries a deeply personal significance for the artist. Some believe that Pukirev himself had once been in love with a woman who was forced into such a marriage. The mournful figure in the background, watching the scene unfold, is therefore thought to be a self-portrait, symbolising his own heartbreak. Through this emotionally charged composition, Pukirev not only exposes the social injustices of his time but also captures the universal pain of love lost to societal expectation.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-10-1-12-2025/