B, Pentecost 20Proper 23 - Mark 10:17-22 "The Rich Young Man"

Mark 10:17–22 (ESV) And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honour your father and mother.’ ”  And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”  And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”  Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

Why did the rich young man refer to Jesus as good?  Jesus says, “no one is good except God alone”.  Was the rich young man so full of the knowledge of God that he knew Jesus was God, God the Son from eternity unto eternity? 

We know the young man was full of earthly riches and not so full of the knowledge of God, despite his proclamation that he had fulfilled the Laws from the commandments that Jesus lists.

Notice the commandments Jesus lists!  All are from the second table of the Law.  In the same account recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, Matthew also includes Jesus referring to the summary of the second table of the Commandments, saying, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself!”

The rich young man may have loved his parents, and his neighbour, and fulfilled these Commandments.  However, Jesus initiates an invitation of love by looking at the man, loving him and then invites him to follow him. 

It all sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?  Oh! By the way, you need to sell all that you have first, and then give what you’ve been paid to the poor.  Jesus answers the young man’s question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life? You must sell your life to get eternal life then you will get treasure in heaven, that’s what you must do!”

The answer the rich young man received was not a good answer.  The good teacher gave a bad answer.  One wonders what the fellow meant by “good”?  All his good at keeping the second table of the Commandments, was not good enough. 

We can only imagine what the fellow was thinking as his face dropped and he went away sad because he had great wealth in his goods. “The good teacher has told me to sell all my goods, but that doesn’t seem like a good idea, perhaps the teacher is not so good after all.”

What Jesus said was not lost on the disciples either.  They were amazed by his conversation with the rich young man. But we are told they were even more amazed, exceedingly astonished in fact, when Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25 ESV). Gob smacked they asked, “then who can be saved?” (v26)

Jesus is tearing up the script from two thousand years of Jewish practice.  The young man rich in his law practise experienced it.  Even the fishermen disciples could understand the implications of what Jesus was saying to them.

We hear in the text a familiar phrase, “Jesus looked at them.”  He looked at them just as he looked at the rich young man and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27 ESV)

Only God is good.  Salvation is only possible with God.  What one does is not good enough.  So, what do we make of what Amos says to the Israelites…?

Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5:14–15 ESV)

We know the remnant of Joseph, the Israeli kingdom of the north, did not seek good but continued doing evil in the sight of the lord and were exiled into captivity by their northern neighbours.  Comparably, the rich young man appears to be seeking to do good and not evil, but Jesus seems to tell him different!

But Jesus was not being contrary to the Law of the Ten Commandments, nor is his call for the rich young man to sell all that he has and follow him any different from Amos’s promise that the God of hosts will be with the Israelites when they seek or worship good rather than evil.

Jesus is good. He is God the Son. Only God is good, so following Jesus is good.  The young man’s question is quite stupid and foolish when you consider that gaining an inheritance is not something one does.  Rather, an inheritance is given or bequeath after death. 

But although it is stupid and foolish, it gave Jesus an opportunity to teach a fundamental fact that only God is good. In fact, the young man’s expression that Jesus was a good teacher was indeed a prophetic truth although he didn’t realise it when he asked his idiotic question.

If only he had followed the invitation of this Good Teacher.  Jesus would have led the young man to the cross and he would have received a rich inheritance through Jesus’ death.

Speaking of idiotic, Peter, the archetypal blunderer, after all the amazement of the disciples at knowing there was no way they could pass a camel through the eye of a needle, pipes up and says, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” (Mark 10:28 ESV)

We have heard this from Peter before, but this time Jesus doesn’t tell Satan to get behind.  Satan would be overcome and put behind soon enough at Jesus’ death at the cross and resurrection to life.  Jesus waits for now, but at his trial he needed only look at Peter, as the cock crowed. 

But here Peter’s insistence that they had left everything to follow Jesus, flies in the face of Jesus looking at them and saying, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27 ESV)

All things are possible for God! Despite Peter falling away at the cross, Jesus Christ, the Good Teacher reinstated Peter through his death on the cross.  Peter received Jesus’ resurrection love, the forgiveness of his sin.  The impossible was made possible through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

When Jesus looks at you what does he see?

When Jesus, the living and active Word made flesh discerns the thoughts and intentions of your heart, what does he see?   When you hear his call to pour out the richness in which you trust, all the idols you trust in for your life, like the rich young man, we might be tempted to walk away in despair, or, the opposite, become haughty and look down on Jesus and his Words of life.

Nevertheless, you are encouraged in his word. Despite being exposed for what we are, by the Word of God, just as the rich young man and Peter’s motives are also revealed by the Word of God, God calls you to follow him. Why? Because only through Jesus, our Great High Priest, the impossible is made possible!

Hear God’s encouragement in Hebrews chapter four…

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  (Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV)

So, we hang onto the goodness of God, the goodness of Jesus together with the Holy Spirit whom both lead us and teach us in the Word of God and in the Sacraments that make and continue making us holy.

Let us pray.

Lord God, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.  Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!  Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.  Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.  Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.  Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!  (Psalm 90:12–17 ESV)

We ask this in Jesus’ name, trusting the Holy Spirit continues his holy work within us, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.