Gospel of Mark/Chapter 10:17-34/Commentary

The Gospel of Mark Chapter 10:17-34 10:17 “And as He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and began asking Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

“The action of this young man in running and kneeling shows that he was deeply anxious to receive an answer to his question” (McGarvey p. 543). In addition, this “ruler” comes to Jesus, unlike Nicodemus (John 3:1), in the broad daylight.

This man appears to have everything from an earthly perspective: the energy and enthusiasm of youth, a loveable personality, wealth, social status, and an exemplary life, yet he feels that he is missing something. He may have been superficially satisfied with life until he heard Jesus teach. He may have grown accustomed to using his wealth to secure and guarantee for himself everything he needed. Perhaps he assumed that eternal life could be gained in a similar fashion, that is, the accomplishment of some great project over which he had control.

10:18 “And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good?’ No one is good except God alone’” Mark notes that this man had addressed Jesus as, “Good teacher” (10:17).

Apparently, the young man had used the word “good” twice, “Good teacher what good thing must I do?” (Matthew 19:16). Jesus’ method here of dealing with this 1

man is to first call attention to his superficial and careless use of the word “good”.

“You throw that word ‘good’ around so loosely, that you need to reexamine your idea of goodness. Do you really care about goodness? If there is none good but God, to apply that term to me with this understanding is to affirm that I am God— but do you really believe this?” (Fowler p. 839). Jesus reminds this man that he has asked a question that only God can answer. Does he want Jesus to play God for him or does he really believe that Jesus is one with the Father and knows the answer Himself? Observe that Jesus is not in a hurry to quickly convert someone.

He wants to make sure that this young man understands what he is saying and asking. Jesus is not saying that people can never do something good or be good, rather, He is reminding us that only God is 100% good (1 John 1:5), and God is the actual source of all goodness. The rest of us have sinned (Romans 3:23).

10:19 “You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother” Love for God has always been expressed in keeping His commandments (John 14:15; Matthew 7:21-23). “God, who knows the good, had revealed that good in the commandments which He had given. Yet the ruler had asked Jesus to be wise above God’s revelation, and to propound a law or rule of goodness in addition to that already given, and of such a nature as to more fully insure the attainment of life by obeying it. The ruler’s question reveals that common weakness in man, which prompts him to look to his fellow man for religious and moral instruction; forgetting that only God can propound the absolute standards of goodness. We should note that the young man, being under the law given through Moses, was bidden to attain life by keeping the law. After the death of Christ a new law was given” (McGarvey pp. 544-545). Even in the New Covenant, in order gain life, one must keep God’s commandments (Hebrews 5:9; 2 Thess. 1:8; James 1:22). One common danger among mankind is that of not being very impressed with the Bible. This man was not content with the instruction given by God and was looking for something else. How many people continue to try to find spiritual growth and answers outside the Scriptures. “You know”: God had not prevented people from knowing the answer to this question. In addition, Jesus knew that God’s commandments were accessible, understandable, and doable.

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10:20 “And he said to Him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up’” “He had kept these commandments as far as he knew his heart and as far as he understood their import” (McGarvey p. 545). Observe that Jesus does not question his obedience, in fact the text says that Jesus “felt a love for him” (10:21). The man’s response admits that God’s commandments are good, useable, doable and even doable for a young man.

10:21 “And looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him, and said to him”: Jesus really liked what He saw in this young man. Here was someone eager for spiritual food, asking for the path to eternal life, and doing the best he could to honor his parents and do the right thing. “One thing you lack”: Jesus did not question his obedience—he had been faithful. “Go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” Jesus is not teaching that one can purchase heaven or that one great act of sacrifice will save a person (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Rather, Jesus is pointing out the main problem in this man’s life, the one thing that will keep him out of heaven, that is, his love for money. Observe that this is only half of the command. Selling his possessions would be pointless unless he also followed Jesus.

This command to sell all was said specifically to this young man. Others followed Jesus, were counted faithful, who continued to have many possessions (Luke 8:13). “The Lord aims at breaking his dependence upon his wealth, so he could learn that he could not do without God. So long as he was supplied with this world’s goods, he could buy his way out of trouble without God’s help, and even arrive at the point where he had eliminated all need for the constant, daily provision of the Heavenly Father” (Fowler p. 848). Consider that many would argue that Jesus’ cause could use such wealth, but the command to sell and give to the poor is shocking to a society that believes great things are only accomplished through great means. “Everyone needs to understand that God does not need our wealth and influence, our importance and social position to make His Kingdom function or succeed!” (Fowler p. 849).

10:21 “And come, follow Me”: That is, follow Me like one of the apostles. Not just follow Me generally, but come and journey with Me. This was a once-in-a3

lifetime chance. Other people desperately wanted to follow Jesus as like and were sent back home (Mark 5:18-19). Instead of feeling sorry for this young man, we need to be amazed at what was being offered him—that he rejected.

10:22 “But at these words his face fell”: Immediately the shock and or disappointment could be seen on his face. One moment he was beaming, the other he was grieved. He only lacked one thing—wow, “I am really close”—yet the one thing was “sell all”. “And he went away grieved”: Not scornful or angry.

This indicates that he may have felt the rightness and reasonableness of Jesus’ demand. His grief is the result of his struggle to choose between giving up his purpose to have eternal life and giving up his possessions. This young man did not argue with Jesus. He was not so hardened that he completely spurned Jesus’ teaching, rather he left grieved. McGarvey notes that he “belonged to that class which hold Christ and their wealth in nearly an even balance” (p. 546). The text also reveals how uncompromisingly Jesus held to God’s truth. Even though Jesus loved this man, Jesus allowed the man to walk away, “the Lord did not modify His demand by a hair’s-breadth to gain an influential disciple” (p. 546). This man is not like the happy farmer or pearl merchant (Matthew 13:44-46), because, although he was faced with the supreme cost and value of the Kingdom, he would not buy. “He was gloomy and sullen with a double disappointment; no perilous exploit was required of him, but he was asked to part with what he valued most.

To obey Jesus was too great a risk for him to take” (Gaebelein p. 716).

10:22 “He went away”: He was honest about this rejection. He did not claim that he needed time to think about it, study it or work on it. He did not waste Jesus’ time or make any false promises. He knew he did not want to do this, so instead of saying anything, he simply left. “For he was one who owned much property”: Or we might say, “The property owned him”. “He probably had thought himself equal to anything the Master could demand of him, only to find himself dangling helplessly from his own money-tree” (Fowler p. 854). Do we need to get rid of anything to enter the kingdom? Are there any idols in our lives that we need to remove? What would Jesus say to us today if we asked the same question of Him? I believe this example demonstrates how serious we need to take eternal 4

life. If something is really coming between us and making it to heaven, then the most radical course of action is needed (Matthew 5:29-30).

10:23 “And Jesus looking around, said to His disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!’” The previous example justifies this statement, as does the fact that as Paul noted that most of the influential people of the world tend to reject the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:26). Instead of getting depressed, Jesus immediately uses this shocking example for a valuable teaching moment. Let us remember to do this, especially with our children. In the above example, wealth can even distract a “spiritual person”. This young man had so many good qualities—and a love a money beat them all.

10:24 “And the disciples were amazed at His words”: “The Jews were accustomed to look upon the possession of riches as an evidence of divine favor” (McGarvey p. 547). “But Jesus answered again and said to them”: Jesus could see that His words shocked them—and instead of toning anything down, He will even make a stronger statement. “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God” 10:25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”: Jesus supports or illustrates what He had just said by an amazing proverb. “It is easier to thread a needle with a great big camel than to get into the kingdom of God”. Various attempts have been made to tone down this statement. Some have said that the “eye of the needle” was a gate leading into the city of Jerusalem before which camels had to kneel in order to enter. To the contrary, the disciples completely understood what Jesus was saying.

10:26 “And they were even more astonished”: For Jesus’ illustration only intensified His previous statement. It would be impossible to thread a needle with a camel. “And said to Him, ‘Then who can be saved?’”: The disciples seemed to assume that wealthy moral people were blessed by God and thus saved, and if they were not saved, then no one was. Or, if such a good moral young man is lost, 5

then what about all other men? They may have assumed that all people are attracted to wealth and are driven by it, whether rich or poor. Are we addicts of material possessions? In this statement Jesus basically wipes out all our covertly admired heroes of this world. Do we idolize the lifestyles of the rich and famous?

10:27 “Looking upon them, Jesus said, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God’” Here is the solution. Without God, no man could change, no man could overcome temptation, and no one could make it to heaven. Jesus is not saying that there is nothing we can do, for Jesus had just told the rich young ruler to do something.

Rather, people like this man can overcome anything—if they will only accept the gospel and follow (Romans 1:16). Jesus answers the pessimistic question presented by the disciples by showing that not everyone will be so selfish. There will be people, even rich people, who are prepared to pay the cost of entering the kingdom, but this is only possible when people allow the gospel to change them from the inside.

10:28 “Peter began to say to Him, ‘Behold we have left everything and followed You’”: The choice made by the rich man reminded Peter of the choice they had made when confronted with a similar demand (Luke 5:11). Peter’s question may be honest and good, that is, “Lord, we have sold everything. Does this mean we have eternal life?” Or it could be negative, that is, Peter was infected by the same sort of greed that had infected the rich man. He asks, “What shall we have?”

Christians sometimes have a hard time convincing themselves that all the sacrifices necessary for heaven are really worth it at the moment. “He cannot quite stop thinking about what has been surrendered to be in Jesus’ service” (Fowler p. 865). Matthew adds that Peter equally said, “What then will there be for us?” (19:27).

10:29 “Jesus said”: Instead of rebuking Peter, Jesus gives three promises. There is a reward. The apostles have made a good choice. “Truly I say to you”: You can count on this. “There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake”: The apostles had made significant sacrifices to follow Jesus and others would 6

make similar sacrifices. Sometimes following Jesus means that one is rejected by parents and siblings. At others times remaining a faithful Christian means that you lose your children. For some, being a Christian will cost them financially.

10:30 “But that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms”: The verse infers that in becoming a Christian we may lose various relationships because of our faith (Matthew 10:35-36), and like the Hebrew Christians we may lose jobs and possessions (Hebrews 10:32-34). Yet Jesus notes that we will, even in this life, gain far more than we ever lost. The physical family members who turned their backs on us will be replaced by fellow Christians. Fellow Christians will invite us into their homes. As we travel we will have many homes to stay in throughout the country. In a sense we will have far more homes, lands, and families after being a Christian than before. “There will be a multiplication of relationships, often closer and more spiritually meaningful than blood ties” (Gaebelein p. 717). So whatever I lose in following Christ—I will gain something even more meaningful.

10:30 “Along with persecutions”: Jesus is realistic (Acts 14:22). Life for the Christian will be full and glorious—and difficult at times. “These joys shall be mingled with the bitterness of persecution, for no pleasure is perfected in this world, but only in the inheritance which lies beyond (1 Peter 1:4)” (McGarvey p.

549).

10:31 “But many who are first, will be last; and the last, first”: This final statement is followed by a story (Matthew 20:1-16), that demonstrates what Jesus is emphasizing. There appears to be warning in these words and especially a warning addressed to Peter’s question, “What shall we get?” Jesus may have give this statement more than once and it could have more than one application. At the judgment human values will be reversed. People who were considered important in this life, had rank and position, like the rich young ruler may find themselves on the outside in the next life.

10:32 “And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful.

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And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him” Jerusalem is now mentioned for the first time as the destination of the journey.

The astonishment of the disciples is not explained. Perhaps they were astonished at His determination. Other people on the road, pilgrims going to Jerusalem were said to be fearful. At this moment Jesus separates His disciples from the crowd and begins to teach them once again concerning His impending death. After His trip to Bethany to resurrect Lazarus (John 11), He had faded away back into the hills again, moving in the direction of the wilderness NE of Jerusalem to the city of Ephraim (John 11:54). From there He kept on the move toward the north, then turning east along the border between Samaria and Galilee (Luke 11:11), until He could mingle with the Jerusalem-bound Passover crowds (Matthew 19:2).

Suddenly, Jesus turned toward Jerusalem again; they were amazed because it appeared to them that Jesus was walking back into the death trap that He had so carefully avoided.

10:33-34 “Saying, ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and will deliver Him to the Gentiles. And they will mock Him and spit upon Him, and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again” This was the third prediction of His death. Observe the detail in this prediction: 1. Delivery or betrayal by Judas. 2. Condemnation. 3. Delivery to the Gentiles (Romans). 4. Mocking, and the manner of it. 5. Scourging. 6. Death by crucifixion. 7. Resurrection on the third day.

“The announcement of these sufferings was made for the purpose of checking any materialistic hopes which the apostles might entertain as to the glories, honors, and offices of the Messianic reign. That such hopes were present is shown by the ambitious request, which immediately follows. Moreover, to prepare them that they might not be crushed either by the announcement or the accomplishment of His death He gives them the clear promise of His resurrection” (Fourfold Gospel, McGarvey p. 555).

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