Simple Faith

Pastor Julius T. Davis Jr. Sunday School March 12, 2016 - Mark 10:17-31

The rejection of God’s kingdom by trust in riches (10:17–27) (Matt. 19:16–26; Luke 18:18–27)

This event probably took place as Jesus was leaving the house (cf. Mark 10:10) somewhere in Perea. The rich man illustrated those who fail to acknowledge their own inability to gain eternal life and to receive it as God’s gift (cf. vv. 13–16).

10:17. As Jesus was setting out on His way (cf. comments on 8:27) to Jerusalem (10:32) a man, influential, wealthy, and young (cf. Matt. 19:20, 22; Luke 18:18), came running to Him. His eager approach, kneeling posture, sincere form of address (Good Teacher, not used by Jews to address a Rabbi), and profound question revealed his earnestness and respect for Jesus as a spiritual Guide.

This man’s question indicated that he viewed eternal life as something to be achieved by doing good (in contrast with Mark 10:15; cf. Matt. 19:16) and also that he felt insecure about his future destiny. References to eternal life (mentioned in Mark only in 10:17, 30), “entering God’s kingdom” (vv. 23–25), and being “saved” (v. 26) all focus on the future possession of life with God, though a person enters it now by accepting God’s rule in his earthly life. John’s Gospel emphasizes the present possession of eternal life.

10:18. Jesus challenged the man’s faulty perception of good as something measured by human achievement. No one is good, absolutely perfect, except God alone, the true Source and Standard of goodness. The man needed to see himself in the context of God’s perfect character. Jesus’ response did not deny His own deity but was a veiled claim to it. The man, unwittingly calling Him “good,” needed to perceive Jesus’ true identity. (Later, however, he dropped the word “good,” v. 20.)

10:19–20. In answering the man’s question directly, Jesus quoted five commandments from the so-called “second table” of the Decalogue (cf. Ex. 20:12–16; Deut. 5:16–20) but in a different order. Obedience to those commands dealing with human relationships are more easily verified in a person’s conduct than are the earlier commands (Ex. 20:3–8). The command, Do not defraud, not a part of the Decalogue and occurring only in Mark, may represent the 10th commandment (Ex. 20:17). But more likely, it is an appropriate supplement to the 8th and/or 9th commandments (Ex. 20:15–16) applicable to a wealthy person (cf. Lev. 6:2–5; Mal. 3:5).

The man’s reply shows he firmly believed he had kept these commandments perfectly (cf. Phil. 3:6) since he was a boy, since age 12 when he assumed personal responsibility for keeping the Law as a “son of the Law” (bar Mitzvah; cf. Luke 2:42–47). Perhaps he had expected Jesus to prescribe something meritorious that he needed to do to make up for any lack.

10:21–22. With a penetrating look (from emblepō; cf. 3:5), Jesus saw beneath the rich man’s religious devotion to his deepest need and loved him, something mentioned only in Mark (cf. comment on 10:14). The one necessary thing he lacked was unrivaled allegiance to God, since wealth was his god (v. 22). He was devoted to it rather than God, thereby breaking the first commandment (Ex. 20:3).

Jesus commanded two things:

(1) The man was to go, sell all his assets, and give to the poor, thereby removing the obstacle blocking him from eternal life, namely, self-righteous achievement coupled with a love for money.

(2) Also Jesus told him to follow (pres. imper.) Him to Jerusalem and the Cross. The way to eternal life was in turning from trust in self-attainments and earthly securities to trust in Jesus (cf. Mark 10:14–15).

The man, saddened by Jesus’ directives, went away. This particular form of self-denial—to sell all—was appropriate in this situation but is not a requirement for all prospective

disciples.

10:23–25. When Jesus told the disciples that it is hard … for the rich to enter God’s kingdom, they were amazed (ethambounto, “surprised”; cf. 1:27; 10:32) because in Judaism riches were a mark of God’s favor and thus an advantage, not a barrier, in relation to God’s kingdom. Only here in the Synoptic Gospels did Jesus address the Twelve as children (cf. John 13:33), reflecting their spiritual immaturity.

In light of their surprise Jesus repeated and clarified His original statement. If the words “for those who trust in riches” (niv marg.) are omitted, Mark 10:24 (which is unique to Mark) applies to everybody who is confronted with the demands of God’s kingdom. If included, they explain the rich man’s difficulty and expose the danger of trusting in riches.

The humorous comparison (v. 25) employs a memorable Jewish proverb to depict the impossible. It is easier by comparison for a camel, the largest animal in Palestine at that time, to go through the eye of a common sewing needle (the smallest opening) than for a rich man who trusts in his riches to enter God’s kingdom.

10:26–27. Jesus’ statement (v. 25) greatly amazed (exeplēssonto, “astounded, struck out of their senses, overwhelmed”; cf. 1:22; 6:2; 7:37; 11:18) the disciples. They carried it to its logical conclusion: If it is impossible for a rich man to enter God’s kingdom, Who then can be saved? (delivered to life eternal; cf. 10:17, 30)

Jesus offset their concern by declaring that salvation is impossible with men—beyond their human merit or achievement—but not with God. It is not beyond His power to bring about because all things necessary for people’s salvation—rich and poor alike—are possible with God (cf. Job 42:2). What people cannot effect, God can and does by His grace (cf. Eph. 2:8–10).

g. The rewards of discipleship (10:28–31) (Matt. 19:27–30; Luke 18:28–30).

10:28. Acting as spokesman (cf. 8:29) Peter presumptuously reminded Jesus that the Twelve, unlike the rich man (we is emphatic in Gr., suggesting the contrast), had left everything to follow Him (cf. 1:16–20; 2:14; 10:21–22). The implication was, “What recompense shall we get?” (cf. Matt. 19:27) Again this reflected the disciples’ tendency to think of material honors in God’s kingdom (cf. Mark 9:33–34; 10:35–37; Matt. 19:28–29).

10:29–30. In another solemn affirmation (I tell you the truth; cf. v. 15; 3:28) Jesus acknowledged that their allegiance to Him and the gospel (cf. 1:1; 8:35) entailed a break with old ties—home, loved ones, or property (fields), as the case may be (cf. 13:11–13; Luke 9:59–62). But to everyone who makes the break Jesus promised that all these things will be replaced a hundredfold by new ties with fellow disciples (cf. Mark 3:31–35; Acts 2:41–47; 1 Tim. 5:1–2) in this present Age, the time period between Jesus’ First and Second Advents. Then in the Age to come, the future Age following Jesus’ return (from a NT viewpoint), each will receive the ultimate recompense—eternal life (cf. Mark 10:17).

In verse 30 the word “father” (cf. v. 29) is omitted since God is the Father of the new spiritual family (cf. 11:25). The words with them (the rewards), persecutions are added realistically by Mark alone. As Jesus said later (10:43–45) discipleship involves service, which often includes suffering. This was relevant to Mark’s Roman readers who faced persecution. This fact helped remove the temptation to associate with Jesus simply for the rewards (cf. v. 31).

10:31. This “floating saying” (cf. these same words in other contexts: Matt. 20:16; Luke 13:30) could be intended as (a) a warning against Peter’s presumption (Mark 10:28), (b) a confirmation of Jesus’ promise (vv. 29–30), or most likely, (c) a summary of Jesus’ teaching about the servant nature of discipleship (cf. 9:35; 10:43–45). Rewards in God’s kingdom are not based on earthly standards such as rank, priority, or duration of time served, personal merit, or sacrifice (cf. Matt. 20:1–16), but on commitment to Jesus and following Him faithfully.

Grassmick, J. D. (1985). Mark. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 150–152). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

The First Shall Be Last (Mark 10:17–31)

Of all the people who ever came to the feet of Jesus, this man is the only one who went away worse than he came. And yet he had so much in his favor! He was a young man (Matt. 19:22) with great potential. He was respected by others, for he held some ruling office, perhaps in a local court (Luke 18:18). Certainly he had manners and morals, and there was enough desire in his heart for spiritual things that he ran up to Jesus and bowed at His feet. In every way, he was an ideal young man; and when Jesus beheld him, He loved him.

With all of his fine qualities, the young man was very superficial in his views of spiritual things. He certainly had a shallow view of salvation, for he thought that he could do something to earn or merit eternal life. This was a common belief in that day among the Jews (John 6:28), and it is very common today. Most unsaved people think that God will one day add up their good works and their bad works; and if their good works exceed their bad works, they will get into heaven.

Behind this good-works approach to salvation is a superficial view of sin, man, the Bible, Jesus Christ, and salvation. Sin is rebellion against the holy God. It is not simply an action; it is an inward attitude that exalts man and defies God. Did this young man actually think that he could do a few religious works and settle his account with the holy God?

The young man had a superficial view of Jesus Christ. He called Him “Good Master” (Teacher), but we get the impression that he was trying to flatter the Lord; for the Jewish rabbis did not allow the word good to be applied to them. Only God was good, and the word must be reserved for Him alone. Jesus was not denying that He was God; rather, He was affirming it. He just wanted to be sure that the young man really knew what he was saying and that he was willing to accept the responsibilities involved.

This explains why Jesus pointed the young man to the Law of Moses: He wanted him to see himself as a sinner bowed before the holy God. We cannot be saved from sin by keeping the Law (Gal. 2:16–21; Eph. 2:8–10). The Law is a mirror that shows us how dirty we are, but the mirror cannot wash us. One purpose of the Law is to bring the sinner to Christ (Gal. 3:24), which is what it did in this man’s case. The Law can bring the sinner to Christ, but the Law cannot make the sinner like Christ. Only grace can do that.

The young ruler did not see himself as a condemned sinner before the holy God. He had a superficial view of the Law of God, for he measured obedience only by external actions and not by inward attitudes. As far as his actions were concerned, he was blameless (see Phil. 3:6); but his inward attitudes were not blameless, because he was covetous. He may have kept some of the commandments, but the last commandment caught him: “Thou shalt not covet!” Covetousness is a terrible sin; it is subtle and difficult to detect, and yet it can cause a person to break all the other commandments. “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10, nasb).

Looking at this young man, you would conclude that he had everything, but Jesus said that one thing was lacking: a living faith in God. Money was his god: he trusted it, worshiped it, and got his fulfillment from it. His morality and good manners only concealed a covetous heart.

Our Lord’s directions in Mark 10:21 are not to be applied to everyone who wants to become a disciple, because Jesus was addressing the specific needs of the rich young ruler. The man was rich, so Jesus told him to liquidate his estate and give the money to the poor. The man was a ruler, so Jesus told him to take up a cross and follow Him which would be a humbling experience. Jesus offered this man the gift of eternal life, but he turned it down. It is difficult to receive a gift when your fist is clenched around money and the things money can buy. The Greek word translated “grieved” gives the picture of storm clouds gathering. The man walked out of the sunshine and into a storm! He wanted to get salvation on his terms, and he was disappointed.

The disciples were shocked at the Lord’s declaration about wealth, because most Jews thought that the possession of great wealth was the evidence of God’s special blessing. Many people today still cling to this error, in spite of the message of Job, the example of Christ and the Apostles, and the clear teaching of the New Testament. In the case of this young man, his wealth robbed him of God’s greatest blessing, eternal life. Today, wealth continues to make rich people poor and the first last (see 1 Cor. 1:26–31).

Money is a marvelous servant but a terrible master. If you possess money, be grateful and use it for God’s glory; but if money possesses you, beware! It is good to have the things that money can buy, provided you don’t lose the things that money cannot buy. The deceitfulness of riches had so choked the soil of this young man’s heart that he was unable to receive the good seed of the Word and be saved (Matt. 13:22). What a bitter harvest he would reap one day!

However, Peter’s response indicated that there were a few problems in his own heart. “What then will there be for us?” (Matt. 19:27, nasb) This statement reveals a rather commercial view of the Christian life: “We have given up everything for the Lord; now, what will we get in return?” Contrast Peter’s words with those of the three Hebrew men in Daniel 3:16–18, and with Peter’s later testimony in Acts 3:6. He certainly came a long way from “What will I get?” to “What I have, I will give!”

Jesus assured His disciples that no one who follows Him will ever lose what is really important, either in this life or in the life to come. God will reward each one. However, we must be sure our motives are right: “For My sake and the Gospel’s” (see Mark 8:35). The well-known Christian industrialist of a decade ago, R.J. LeTourneau, used to say, “If you give because it pays, it won’t pay!” If we sacrifice only to get a reward, that reward will never come.

Note that Jesus also promised “persecutions.” He had already told His disciples what both the Jews and Gentiles would do to Him in Jerusalem, and now He informed them that they would have their share of persecution. God balances blessings with battles, developing mature sons and daughters.

To the general public, the rich ruler stood first and the poor disciples stood last. But God saw things from the perspective of eternity—and the first became last while the last became first! Those who are first in their own eyes will be last in God’s eyes, but those who are last in their own eyes will be rewarded as first! What an encouragement for true disciples!

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 145–147). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

One of the things a disciple must renounce in pursuit of the kingdom is the inordinate love of riches. We have seen how the worries of this world and the lures of riches distract them from growing to maturity in the kingdom of God (4:19). A practical example is set before us in this story of the rich young man. Rembrandt’s most famous etching, The Hundred Guilder Print, displays this by showing the young man staring into space, frozen and unable to respond to Jesus’ call to discipleship. This is in marked contrast to his enthusiastic running up to Jesus, eager to find the key to eternal life (v. 17). No wonder Jesus loved him for it (v. 21). The steady gaze of Christ penetrates the man’s weakness. He cannot renounce his great wealth, his main preoccupation. Discipleship is about putting the kingdom first.

The incident is used for a private seminar with the disciples on the dangers of riches. Like many of their contemporaries, the disciples believed riches were an indication of God’s pleasure and reward for good conduct. For Jesus, it is the poor who are closer to God. The disciples, almost unknowingly, have in fact followed this path and left everything to follow Jesus (v. 28). Renouncing family ties for the sake of the gospel has its own rewards (v. 30). After all, has not Jesus broken with his earthly family over this very issue? (3:31–5).

McFadyen, P. (1997). Open Door on Mark: his gospel explored (pp. 62–63). London: Triangle.

10:17–34 The man who had everything (see Mt. 19:16–30; 20:17–19; Lk. 18:18–34). Nowhere is the cost of God’s kingdom brought out more clearly than in the story of this rich man. He had absolutely everything except eternal life. He wanted it but was unwilling to give up everything else to gain it (like the monkey in the well-known story that could not get out of the trap because it was unwilling to let go of what was in its hand). There is, however, no other way to enter the kingdom; even Peter and the other disciples had learned that (28). The man was clearly lovable (21) and eager and doubtless moral, but he could not face the cost. Yet Jesus would rather lose a possible follower than lower the standard for him; indeed, there was no other possible standard. So the man went away sad from Jesus and we hear no more of him; he had made his choice.

Jesus said (23) it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, indeed impossible without God’s help (27). We are all tempted to trust our ‘riches’, whatever they are, not God. Jesus used a comical proverb to illustrate how difficult it is; clearly a camel cannot get through the eye of a needle.

Jesus taught that the result of giving money to the poor, or of any sacrifice we might make for the kingdom of God, will be treasure not on earth but in heaven; the more we give, the more we gain. This does not mean that if we give money to God’s work, we get more back, as some ‘prosperity cults’ teach. It does mean that the spiritual rewards will far outweigh any sacrifices that we may have made for Christ, even if persecution comes along with them (30).

The passage ends with yet another foretelling of the suffering of Jesus, this time in even more detail, and this is another illustration of the truth about sacrifice. Something in Jesus’ behavior, as well as his words, made the disciples astonished and the crowd that followed afraid. Somehow they felt that a crisis was near.