#1 The Rich Man’s Question

Mark 10:17-31 [Matthew 19:16-30; Luke 10:25-37, 18:18-30]

The rich young man sought out the rabbi who performed wondrous healings and confounded the best teachers. Excitement filled his racing heart, so he ran and fell to his knees at the feet of Jesus. He believed that of all the rabbis, this one probably knew the deepest secrets. With the highest respect, he called the rabbi “good.” Only then did he ask his well-rehearsed question in anticipation of a profound answer.

“What good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?” he humbly asked.

This question seems legitimate, thoughtful, and desirous of pleasing God. What particular act overcomes daily sins and prompts God to write a name into the scroll of life?

Yet, to such a straightforward question, Jesus provided a surprising answer. Instead of answering, or even discussing the theologies associated with the afterlife, Jesus challenged the man’s use of the word “good.” He sounded angry, possibly offended. Then, just as abruptly, Jesus told this highly religious man to obey God’s commandments.

The man was stunned. The Torah of Moses held several dissimilar versions of the commandments (Exodus 20; Exodus 34; Leviticus 19; Deuteronomy 5). This “imperfection” concerned the intellectual elite. Pleasing God required a hierarchy of duties, followed precisely in order of importance. The prophet must know which of these God preferred the most.

As the man hesitated, Jesus quoted a few commandments from the middle of Exodus 20.

Confused, the man replied that he mastered these commands in his childhood. They presented too easy a goal; anyone could follow such rules. He wanted a duty to elevate his status, a task worthy of paradise, something God could not ignore. The man believed he was ready for the next step.

He desired a “holy grail” quest, so Jesus gave him one. Sell everything and give the money to the poor. Follow Jesus.

This task was simple, but it was impossible for that particular man. The mission mandated complete commitment. It rejected the honor and status attributed to wealth. He would no longer mingle with people he considered admirable, people who debated the authenticity of Jesus.

Lack of comfort, lack of servants, and lack of baths were typical. Unclean people surrounded and touched the prophet/rabbi. Jesus touched them back. From the man’s youth, he had dedicated himself to remaining religiously clean, spotless, and pure. Jesus’ followers were not. The man judged such humiliation unacceptable, repulsively impossible for someone of his station.

Bewildered sadness fell upon the man as he walked away.

To be continued: