20 PENTECOST, PROPER XXIII - B - 15 MARK 10. 17-31
Jesus is on his way to the region of Judea, and from
there to Jerusalem, and the cross. His disciples are accompanying him. It seems
that with every step he takes, every town or village he enters, every
individual he encounters, an opportunity arises to teach his disciples about
the true nature of the kingdom of God and how one is to enter it; the young man
kneeling before him being no exception.
The young man’s question of Jesus is not a test, as were the previous questions of the Pharisees, but a genuine seeking of spiritual advise. He is in a state of spiritual dissatisfaction. His practice of religion to this point has been formal. Formal observance of the commandments, however, does not make one righteous before God.
Jesus quizzes him and the young man gives the proper
response. But he still feels something is missing, thus he presses Jesus for
the answer. Jesus sees in his nature some lovable qualities, so much so, that
he invites him to join the disciples and make the journey with him. But the
invitation does not come without a cost.
Christ gives him a series of directives: “go, sell,
and give away all that you have, then, come and follow me.” Selling and giving
away were the easiest of Jesus’ directives; following him in all things is a
far greater and more difficult challenge. Obviously Jesus’ response was not the
answer the young inquirer was hoping for.
As many times as I have read this passage, cited it,
and preached on it, there is a most profound aspect that continues to stand
out, at least to me, and that is the fact that Jesus gives this unnamed young
man the same call as he gave to Simon and Andrew, James and John and Matthew.
They had left all and followed him, and they would one day receive in return
life eternal, the very thing this man aspired. But he could not brace himself
to answer the call, for his wealth was more to him than his aspirations. So he
goes away sorrowful, as I imagine Jesus was to see him go.
The lesson to the rich young man having ended, Jesus
now turns his attention to his disciples. “How hard it will be for those who
have wealth to enter the kingdom of God.” To make his point, Jesus uses a
well-know proverb. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,”
he quotes, “than someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
The disciples are “dumbfounded” at Jesus’ comment
about the rich inheriting the kingdom. For the disciples, along with much of
the society of the day, assumed that wealth made possible the performance of
religious duties. Thus they question among themselves “if not the rich, then
who?”
Jesus’ use of the camel going through the eye of a needle was obviously a proverbial and paradoxical expression for something so difficult as to practically be impossible - at least from a human standpoint. Not so for God. Jesus is not saying that Christians cannot hold property. What he is saying is that we must be aware of the “temptation of wealth.”
Wealth often deadens spiritual aspirations and
desires, and acts as a great deterrent to discipleship. Christ used the “eye of
the needle” to magnify the impossibility of salvation for those who are
attached to riches or anything else in this world; for to cling so tightly to
earthly things inhibits one’s ability to draw close to God and in the end
leaves one spiritually dissatisfied.
The answer for “spiritual satisfaction” does not lie
in strict obedience, even if it could be done. The essential requirement is
complete “renunciation” of all worldly dependencies and complete dependence and
trust in God. The “law of the kingdom” is undivided allegiance whatever hinders
that must be given up. Salvation is a gift from God not something we can earn,
obtain on our own, or even deserve.
At the close of the passage Peter, having recovered
somewhat from the shock of Jesus’ comments, reminds Christ, as if he needed
reminding, that he and the rest of the disciples had done what the rich young
man refused to do, viz left everything and followed him. Jesus assures Peter,
and the rest of his disciples, that their willing sacrifice will be rewarded.
To “renounce” means to voluntarily give up. Jesus is
acknowledging that they have done just that. One must be willing to sacrifice
all and follow Christ. Nothing is gained unless the sacrifice is freely given.
The specifics, however, of how one follows Christ will be different for each of
us. Because wealth had such a grip on the rich young man, his only hope was to
sell and give away all of his possessions.
There is always a cost to discipleship. There is no “cheap
grace.” Once the initial cost has been made, the requirement for sacrifice
continues as Jesus so aptly reminds his disciples. Sacrifices and even
persecutions, in some cases, are to be expected in following Christ. We need
not look beyond the recent mass shooting in our own country to see that this is
true today.
Entrance into the kingdom is not only difficult for
the rich, but for all who choose to follow Christ and walk the way of the
cross. The “compensation,” however, for such sacrifices and persecutions in
this life is already laid up in “the age to come” for those who remain faithful
to the end. AMEN+
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