Mark 10:17-25, The Rich Young Ruler

Jesus teaches three truths concerning wealth in 10:23-31.

·       10:23-25: It is hard for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of God.  The disciples were astonished, showing the common thought that the wealthy had an advantage in religion.  Provision of “quality” gifts and sacrifices were part Judaism at the time.  So the poor, like the widow who gave all she had, were constantly sacrificing while the rich were easily giving out of their abundance (Lk. 21:1-4).  So, Jesus repeated this truth, adding the illustration of the camel and the eye of a needle.  This was more hyperbole on Jesus’ part.  This principle was Jesus’ observation after encountering the rich man in v17-22, so let us consider that story.

The rich young ruler lacked one thing, Jesus said.  He did not lack personality, having courage to approach Jesus in broad daylight (unlike Nicodemus), speaking well of Jesus (Good Teacher), and showing humility by falling to his knees.  He was not lacking in morality.  He told Jesus he had been law-abiding all his short life and Jesus didn’t argue the point (not because He thought the man was perfect but because He could see the man considered himself to be righteous in man’s eyes).  He was not lacking in good intentions.  He truly desired eternal life. 

But he lacked one thing.  Jesus did not say, “you lack poverty; go, become poor, and you can be My disciple.”  What he lacked was faith.  Paul addressed this: Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.  Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law.  For they stumble at that stumbling stone … (Rom. 9:31-33)!  Several things bear this out.

o   The man acknowledged Jesus using a term “Good Rabbi” that Jews never used because they considered only God to be good.  He addressed Jesus that way, as God, and yet did not do as Jesus said.  He stumbled over the stumbling block.

o   The man’s question was “what shall I do?”  He thought he could achieve eternal life by his works.

o   Jesus sought to bring him to the place of hopelessness in his own righteousness and in need of righteousness by faith.  So He asked about the laws, using #5-10 or the Ten Commandments.  He then spoke to the man in terms he could understand, going at his wealth.  The man had no sense of “lostness.”  He did not see that he needed a “redeemer,” that he could pay his own ransom price.  He was trying to worship two masters which cannot be done (Mt. 6:24).  He went away sad because Jesus would not play the usual game whereby the rich could get right with God more easily than the poor.

The man lacked a sense that he was truly lost and in need of something that he could not provide.