SEE (head)
Continuing to make his way southward toward Jerusalem, Jesus is once again accosted by Pharisees seeking to trap him with a question on a much- debated topic. This time they want to know Jesus' opinion regarding divorce. As usual, Jesus quickly moves from mere human opinion to God's authoritative declaration. Moses never commanded divorce; he sought merely to regulate a practice that fell far short of God's intention for marriage. Any and every act of divorce violates the sanctity and permanence of an institution established by God himself.

Divorce (v. 2). The religious leaders asked Jesus "whether it was lawful [Greek exesti: "to be obligatory - 'must, ought to' [ref]] for a man to divorce [Greek apoluo: "to let loose from, let go free" [ref]] a wife" (Mark 10:2, NASB). The Pharisees were once again trying to trap Jesus, their aim being "to discredit him in the eyes of the public, so that the crowds would turn away from him." [ref] The Pharisees would have been well aware of the fact that it was the issue of divorce that had led to John the Baptist's imprisonment and eventual execution. [ref] Since "Jesus was now in the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (i.e., Judea and beyond the Jordan)," [ref] it seems very likely the Pharisees were hoping Jesus' stance would likewise land him in trouble with Herod. [ref] [ref] At the very least, Jesus' taking sides in the debate would likely "split the ranks of His followers" [ref]

Among the Jews of Jesus' day, there were two basic schools of thought regarding divorce, one broad-loose-liberal and the other  narrow-strict-conservative. [ref] The broad-loose-liberal view was that of Rabbi Hillel (HILL el [ref]), which held that a man could divorce his wife - only in very rare cases could/would a wife divorce her husband [ref] - for many less-than-serious "offenses," including "going in public with uncovered head, entering into conversation with other men, speaking disrespectfully of the husband's parents in his presence, burning the bread, being quarrelsome or troublesome, getting a bad reputation or being childless (for ten years)," [ref] or even if the husband was to find "another woman more beautiful than" his wife. [ref] Those who subscribed to the narrow-strict-conservative view of of Rabbi Shammai (SHAM eye [ref]), however, understood divorce to be warranted only in the case of sexual immorality. [ref] [ref]

The law (v. 3). "Appeal to the Law of Moses was for the Jewish people ... an appeal to the highest authority on any question." [ref] By asking what Moses "commanded" (see Mark 10:3 in NASB), Jesus was forcing the religious leaders to acknowledge that divorce was permitted but not demanded. [ref] Hence their reply: "'Moses permitted a man TO WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY.'" (Mark 10:4, NASB). Thus Jesus challenged the "assumption that because something is 'permitted,' it is therefore according to the will of God." [ref] (Polygamy is another example of this same truth.)

In answering Jesus, the Pharisees summarized Deuteronomy 24:1-4: "When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man's wife, and if the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce ... " (NASB). The problem is that since "some indecency" and "turns against (= hates) her" were not clearly defined, their meaning was open to debate. [ref] They likely do not refer to either adultery or pre-marital sexual relations, as both were addressed elsewhere and, moreover, carried a penalty of death (see Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:13-29). [ref] ("By Jesus' time [ca. A.D. 30] the death penalty was dropped, but Rabbinic law compelled a husband to divorce an adulterous wife." [ref]) "The great mistake of the Pharisees was that they imagined that the dissolution of marriage for some cause or other was originally contemplated in the will of God concerning marriage. Hence they thought that for this reason Moses wrote that permission in Deuteronomy 24:1 and commanded only that a written certificate be given the wife." [ref]

The law's intent was to check divorce, not to encourage it. [ref] Moses allowed divorce "in view of their hardheartedness, their obstinate refusal to accept God's view of marriage. Moses acknowledged the presence of divorce in Israel but did not institute or authorize it." [ref] The fact is that Moses sought to bring civility to a very uncivil practice. As one source puts it: "Jesus explained that Moses gave the divorce law because of the sinfulness of the human heart. The law protected the wife by restraining the husband from impulsively divorcing her and abusing her like an unwanted piece of furniture, instead of treating her like a human being. Without a bill of divorcement, a woman could easily become a social outcast and be treated like a harlot. No man would want to marry her, and she would be left defenseless and destitute." [ref] Once the divorce took place and the wife married another man, she could never again return to her first husband, not even if the second husband divorced her or died. Apparently this provision was added in an effort to force the husband to think twice before rejecting his wife. [ref]  

God (v. 6). "Jesus answered the question not on the basis of rabbinic custom and the debate over Deuteronomy 24:1, but rather from the account of creation and God's original design." [ref] In effect, while the religious leaders were arguing that marriage can (should?) be considered a temporary arrangement, Jesus upheld its permanence. "The Hebrew words for 'male' and 'female' reveal that the two were made complementary to each other. God's plan was that in marriage the husband and wife become one flesh, an intimate closeness that cannot be separated. The wife is not property to be disposed of, but an equally created person." [ref] In quoting from the book of Genesis (Genesis 1:27 [and possibly Genesis 5:2], and Genesis 2:24), Jesus demonstrated: 1) that God created marriage to be a lifelong union of one man and one woman, and so 2) "[d]ivorce is tantamount to an undoing of the created order." [ref]

Both of the popular interpretations regarding divorce were prejudiced in favor of the husband and thus resulted in his advantage. [ref] Jesus said "it was because of the hardness of men's hearts that divorce was conceded. The law was unequally balanced to the disadvantage of women, and Jesus' ruling, with its appeal to the Creator's intention, had the effect of redressing this unequal balance." [ref]

Some Bible versions/translations extend Mark 10:7. (see NET Bible textual commentary). The NASB reads: ""FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER,'" while the KJV adds: "'and cleave to his wife.'" ESV: "'and hold fast to his wife.'" HCSB: "'[and be joined to his wife,]'" While Jesus' point regarding the permanence of marriage remains the same with or without the additional text, nonetheless it is worth noting that "cleave/hold fast" (Greek proskollao) means: "To glue one thing to another." [ref] And so the thought is that a man will leave his parents and be glued to his wife. Thus "'the two are united into one'" (Mark 10:8). "The Pharisees, who allowed a husband to discharge a wife at will for any trumped-up cause, were in conflict with the divine view of marriage. They considered husband and wife two like master and servant so that the husband could remove his wife at any time." [ref]

As one source puts it: "Marriage is not a contract of temporary convenience which can be readily broken; it is a covenant of mutual fidelity to a lifelong union made before God." [ref] "This does not mean that a man is committing a sin by not getting married. Rather, it means that those who decide to marry must view marriage as a divine institution, a state in which they must so conduct themselves that true union - sexual, to be sure … but also intellectual, moral, and spiritual - is not only established but more and more firmly cemented." [ref] How is this accomplished? By seeing marriage as a team effort in which both partners work together, plan together, pray together, play together, and pull together. [ref] Which goes along with Jesus statement that "'God has joined together' [Greek: suzeugnumi]" (v. 9) the man and woman - a word picture of two animals being yoked together. [ref]

Adultery (vv. 11, 12). "Adultery" (Greek moichao) refers to "sexual intercourse of a man with a married woman other than his own spouse. From the standpoint of the NT, adultery was normally defined in terms of the married status of the woman involved in any such act. In other words, sexual intercourse of a married man with an unmarried woman would usually be regarded as 'fornication,' but sexual intercourse of either an unmarried or a married man with someone else's wife was regarded as adultery, both on the part of the man as well as the woman." [ref] It is important to note that "Jesus did what the rabbis refused to do: he recognized that a man could commit adultery against his wife. In rabbinic Judaism a woman by infidelity could commit adultery against her husband; and a man, by having sexual relations with another man's wife, could commit adultery against him. But a man could never commit adultery against his wife, no matter what he did. Jesus, by putting the husband under the same moral obligation as the wife, raised the status and dignity of women." [ref] [ref]

If, as appears likely, "commits adultery" (moichao) is in the middle voice, then the thought is that the offending spouse has made him-/herself an adulterer/adulteress. [ref] "Unlike Roman law, Palestinian Jewish law did not permit a woman to divorce her husband (although under extreme circumstances she could request that the court force him to divorce her)." [ref] Whether Jesus' words regarding a woman divorcing her husband reflected the rare Jewish practice and/or the more common Gentile practice, his point remains the same: "the sin consisted in the disruption of the marriage, no matter by what means this was effected." [ref]

Jesus' statement to his disciples might be paraphrased: "Any man who unlawfully divorces his wife in order to marry another woman makes himself an adulterer. And any woman who unlawfully forces her husband to divorce her in order to marry another man makes herself an adulteress."  Since elsewhere Jesus affirmed that adultery (Gk. porneia) is the only justifiable grounds for divorce (Matthew 5:32; 19:9), one lesson to be drawn from Jesus' teaching is that the innocent party in a marriage - that is, the one who was left behind - is free to remarry. Although the ideal response is always forgiveness and reconciliation, [ref] in the event that simply is not possible - such as in the case of  unrepentant adultery - the innocent party should not feel as if he/she sins against God by remarrying. "In all his utterances on this subject Jesus blames only the one who disrupts the marriage and not the one whose marriage is disrupted. ... The deduction cannot be drawn from the words of Jesus that a disrupted marriage is still a binding marriage in the sight of God. ... Nowhere does Jesus forbid the innocent party of a disrupted marriage to marry again. As regards the guilty one who causes the disruption, the way of repentance is surely open also for such a sinner as it is open for any other who has caused an irreparable wrong to another." [ref] (Notice the link between living in "peace" and marriage/divorce both here [Mark 9:50-10:12] and in what the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth [1 Corinthians 7:12-16].)

HEAR (heart)
Matrimonial Musings

"A deaf husband and a blind wife are always a happy couple." - French Proverb [ref]

"A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers." - Robert Quillen (1887-1948) [ref]

"An ideal wife is any woman who has an ideal husband." [ref]

"By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you will become very happy. If you get a bad one, you will become a philosopher." - Socrates (470-399 b.c.) [ref]

"Even if marriages are made in heaven, man has to be responsible for the maintenance." [ref]

"[W]hen the doors on a marriage are shut and bolted and a fire breaks out, all your time and energy goes to putting out the flames."  [ref] (all verbatim quotes)

We need to emulate "Jesus' high view of marriage and low view of divorce. ... God created marriage to be a sacred, permanent union and partnership between husband and wife. When both husband and wife enter this union with that understanding and commitment, they can provide security for each other, a stable home for their children, and strength to weather any of life's storms or stresses." [ref]

DO (hands)
??? How does God's design for marriage compare to our society's loose and free attitude regarding both marriage and divorce?

SEE (head)
Like other religious leaders of his day, Jesus is approached by parents wanting him to bless their children. The disciples try to prevent this. To their way of thinking, Jesus' time and energy are much too valuable to waste on those who can do nothing to further his kingdom. Jesus responds by assuring his disciples that anyone desiring to enter his kingdom must become like these little children.  

Parents (v. 13). While the main focus of this passage is the children, we can learn much from the parents, as well. As parents, they were responsible for protecting and guiding their children. They refused to be deterred in their mission of bringing their most prized possessions to Jesus. They trusted him with them. They saw and heard Jesus use their children to teach some valuable lessons regarding God's kingdom. As the children grew up, doubtless they would often be reminded of the time their parents took them to Jesus so he could bless them. "How wonderful that in later years believing parents would be able to say to such a child, now arrived at the age of understanding, 'Think of it, when you, my child, were just a suckling, Jesus took you in his arms and blessed you. Then already you were the object of God's tender love. And he has been with you ever since. What, then, is your response?'" [ref] 

Children (v. 13). The fact that Mark placed this episode immediately after Jesus' teaching on divorce should remind us that bearing and raising children is one of God's purposes for marriage that is dramatically undermined by divorce. Both here and in Mark's earlier account (see Mark 9:36), we see Jesus taking children into his arms (Greek enagkalizomai: "to put one's arms around someone as an expression of affection and concern - 'to embrace, to hug, to put one's arms around.'" [ref]), a display of tender affection made even more noteworthy by the fact that Mark is the only gospel writer to record it. [ref] 

Jesus then "placed his hands on their heads and blessed them" (v. 16). While the Bible in general and the NT in particular contain many examples of someone offering or extending a blessing, Jesus' was a very special blessing. While "bless" in general means: "to ask God to bestow divine favor on, with the implication that the verbal act itself constitutes a significant benefit," [ref] in recording Jesus' blessing of the children, Mark used a unique "intensive compound verb ... (kateulogei, imperf., occurring only here in the NT) [that] emphasizes the warmhearted fervor with which Jesus blessed each child who came to Him." [ref] As one source notes: "Jesus did not rush through the process or pass it off as unimportant. It probably brought him great joy to spend time with little children whose faith and trust was so pure and simple. The receptiveness of these children was a great contrast to the stubbornness of the religious leaders, who let their education and sophistication stand in the way of the simple faith needed to believe in Jesus; and the dullness of the disciples, whose self-centeredness continued to blind them to Jesus' true mission. No wonder Jesus used children as an example for hard-hearted adults." [ref]  

Jesus' attitude is in stark contrast to that of his disciples: "the disciples scolded the parents for bothering [Jesus]" (v. 13), evidently seeing the children as a disruptive distraction. [ref] "Considering their inability to have any quiet time together, the disciples may have viewed these parents and children as another intrusion and drain of time and energy." [ref] Thus once again the disciples display a misunderstanding of "both Jesus' compassion and his mission." [ref] Jesus' rebuke and Kingdom statement highlights the fact that "[a]ll, including children, who come to Jesus in childlike trust and dependence, are given free access to Jesus." [ref] 

Like these children ... like a child (vv. 14, 15). Jesus said that "'the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children'" (v. 14). "Children are a picture of those whose simple trust illustrates what faith is all about. The remark illustrates how everyone is important to God, even those whom others regard as insignificant." [ref] Jesus also said that "'anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it'" (v. 15).  Thus we understand that "God's kingdom is not gained by human achievement or merit; it must be received as God's gift through simple trust by those who acknowledge their inability to gain it any other way." [ref] God's kingdom cannot be gained by asserting our alleged authority or demanding our supposed rights. [ref] As one source puts it: "Jesus is talking about the simple, humble, unquestioning, trustful manner in which a child accepts what is offered to him." [ref] [ref] It needs to be said that this includes actual children. At times we tend to think that children must come to Jesus the same way adults do when, in fact, Jesus said it is actually the reverse. [ref] (It is "mature" adults, not children, who oftentimes "feel supremely powerful, perfectly righteous, or totally autonomous" - all childish fantasies which must be laid aside before we can come to Christ. [ref])

Luke's parallel account (see Luke 18:15) notes that parents were bringing even their "babies" (Greek brephos: "a very small child, even one still unborn" [ref]) to Jesus to be blessed by him. [ref] The positive qualities of children are a vivid illustration of true discipleship. Like children, we are to be open and receptive to what God offers us. Like children, we are to trust completely in, and rely completely on, our Father. Like children, we are to be humble and obedient. [ref] [ref] (It goes without saying that we should avoid the negative qualities of children such as being stubborn, selfish, rebellious, spoiled etc. [ref]) With infants in particular, we are to imitate their trust and dependence. [ref]

HEAR (heart)
No Helmets

There's a true story of a family who were driving along the coast of Florida as part of their vacation. They came across a sign that read "Naturist Camp" and assumed it was the same as a naturalist camp. And so they drove into the camp, parked their car, and began walking toward the beach.

To their utter embarrassment, they realized they were wrong about the camp when they saw a group of bicyclists, all completely nude, peddling along the beach. The "naturist" camp was actually a "nudist" camp!

When they saw the cyclists, the couple's five-yea-old son stopped and stared in wide-eyed wonder. He pointed at the group and said, "Look, Mom and Dad. Those people are not wearing safety helmets!" [ref] (paraphrased)

The five-year-old noticed what, to him, was the most important thing: the absence of safety helmets. As God's children, we are called to help others see the most important thing they are missing: a real and personal relationship with the real and personal God who made them. As we consistently ask God to fill our lives with a love for others, he will increase our childlike faith and use us to impact our world for Jesus Christ.

DO (hands)
??? What are some practical things we can do to foster the positive qualities of children in ourselves and others?

SEE (head)
Jesus is approached by a young man of some importance, probably a leader in his community, who asks Jesus how to be made right with God. In response, Jesus recites some of the ten commandments. When the young man says he has always kept them, Jesus tells him to get rid of his wealth and then follow him. The man refuses, and he leaves disheartened. Jesus then says how difficult it is for a person with material wealth to be made right with God. The disciples are amazed, and Peter points out how much he and the others have given up to follow Jesus. Jesus says anything given for the kingdom will be given back many times over - but not without difficulties and suffering.

A man (v. 17). At first all we know of this man is that he was eager ("came running") and tremendously respectful ("knelt down") (v. 17). [ref] [ref] Matthew and Luke tell us that he was "influential, wealthy, and young [cf. Matthew 19:20, 22; Luke 18:18]." [ref] In fact, he was "one of the officials who managed the affairs of the local synagogue," and "between 24 and 40" years old. [ref]

The man addressed Jesus as "Good Teacher," and asked Jesus what he must do to "inherit eternal life." From what Jesus said to him, as well as what he (Jesus) said during a separate but similar exchange (see Luke 10:25-29), it seems clear that "Jesus believed that keeping the true spirit of the Law guarantees eternal life" [ref] - a spirit which, it must be noted, excludes the works-based righteousness (= earning a right standing before God through good works) upon which this man was relying. We know this was his motivation because he spoke in terms of doing something to get eternal life. [ref] [ref] [ref] "Sincere in both his desire for eternal life and his willingness to do anything to obtain it, the man did not understand that an inheritance need not be earned, only accepted." [ref] He "felt insecure about his future destiny." [ref] In fact, the man deeply desired both "peace of mind for the present and never-ending blessedness for the future." [ref] "The picture thus drawn of the young ruler is really pathetic: so eager to do the good thing, so desirous of life eternal (when so many young men are carried away by the world), so strongly attracted to Jesus - and yet so far from the right road to eternal life!" [ref]

To be sure, from all outward appearances this man had indeed lived an exemplary life. As one Bible commentator notes:

Many would today be only too well satisfied with themselves if they were like him, and others would praise and perhaps envy him if they saw him in modern form. Picture him: an exemplary young man in early manhood, fine and clean morally as the phrase now goes, the son of wealthy parents but not spoiled by wealth, with a strong religious bent, an esteemed member of the church, in fact, one of its pillars, a ruler of the local synagogue who was more important than a member of the church council in our present congregations is. Where are the parents that would not be proud of such a son? Where the church that would not give him a prominent place? Where the young lady that would not be attracted by his position and his personal excellence? Yet all this is worthless in the eyes of Jesus. In fact, the man himself is not satisfied. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

Good (vv. 17, 18). For all his seeming righteousness, the man had a faulty understanding of goodness, seeing it "as something measured by human achievement." [ref] [ref] What he needed was "to see himself in the context of God's perfect character" [ref] In challenging the man's understanding of goodness and reminding him of the source of absolute goodness (= God), in effect "Jesus is saying, 'Before you address me with such a title, you had better think soberly about what the implications are, and especially what they are for you.'" [ref] "Because only God is truly good, the man, without knowing it, was calling Jesus 'God.' He was correct in so doing, but Jesus preferred that people use such words only when they meant and understood them." [ref]  It appears that the man saw Jesus as the ideal religious teacher who had found the key to eternal life - and he wanted to know Jesus' secret. [ref]

The commandments (v. 19). Jesus responded to the man's inquiry by recounting five (possibly six*) of the Ten Commandments, all of which have to do with one's relations with other people (see Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20). The man was Torah-observant and thus had lived a morally upright life. All his life he had "wholeheartedly obeyed" (NET version, meaning "carefully guarded" [ref]) all the laws Jesus had mentioned.  "The man sincerely believed that he had not broken any commandments; now he wanted Jesus to guarantee his eternal life. Such is the condition of one who tries to attain eternal life or a relationship with God by his or her own merit. Even if it seems that the person has kept all the laws perfectly, he or she still needs assurance." [ref] (*Jesus' "do not defraud" [NASB] may be a paraphrase of "You shall not covet." [ref] [ref] [ref] Coveting is an internal sin that leads to the external sin of defrauding, particularly of the poor by the rich. [ref] Other possibilities are that Jesus' "do not defraud" is a combination of the ninth and tenth commandments, [ref] or possibly an expansion of the eighth and ninth commandments. [ref]) 

Perhaps the rich young man was expecting "Jesus to prescribe something meritorious that he needed to do to make up for any lack." [ref] Good intentions notwithstanding, the rich young man was relying on his conduct and his possessions, his "[m]oney represent[ing] his pride of accomplishment and self-effort." [ref] While he "was probably being sincere when he insisted I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws, he had confined his righteousness to external obedience. The rich man's response to Jesus' command to give away all he had revealed that internally he loved money more than God." [ref] In effect, material wealth had become his god, causing him to break the first and greatest commandment, "Do not worship any other gods besides me" (Exodus 20:3). [ref] [ref] ("Money, fame, work, or pleasure can become gods when we concentrate too much on them for personal identity, meaning, and security." [ref])

A comparison of the commandments (NASB):

* Exodus: "12 Honor your father and your mother ..." (Exodus 20:12)
Matthew: "18 ... YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER" (Matthew 19:18)
Mark: " ... DO NOT MURDER" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY" (Luke 18:20)
(* Deuteronomy 5:16-21 contains the same commandments and in the same order.)

Exodus: "13 You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13)
Matthew: "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY" (Matthew 19:18)
Mark: "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "DO NOT MURDER" (Luke 18:20)

Exodus: "14 You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14)
Matthew: "YOU SHALL NOT STEAL" (Matthew 19:18)
Mark: "DO NOT STEAL" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "DO NOT STEAL" (Luke 18:20)

Exodus: "15 You shall not steal." (Exodus 20:15)
Matthew: "YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS" (Matthew 19:18)
Mark: "DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS" (Luke 18:20)

Exodus: "16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)
Matthew: "19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER" (Matthew 19:19)
Mark: "Do not defraud" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER" (Luke 18:20)

Exodus: "17 You shall not covet ... anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Exodus 20:17)
Matthew: "and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF" (Matthew 19:19)
Mark: "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: (n/a)

Another important lesson to be learned from this passage has to do with the connection between our abundance and other people's needs. The commands that Jesus listed could be summed up in what he elsewhere referred to as the second greatest commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (When viewed from this perspective, defrauding can be understood as withholding from our neighbor the love we owe him/her. [ref]) By saying that he had kept all the commands Jesus noted, the rich young man was in effect saying that he loved other people as much as he loved himself. Jesus put his love for others to the test by telling him to sell everything he had and then donate the proceeds to charity. The young man's unwillingness to do so revealed that he in fact did not love other people as much as he loved himself. Jesus most certainly was not saying that the man could earn his salvation through good works [ref] - through either "philanthropy or poverty." [ref] When it comes to the triangle of God, ourselves, and others, the point was (and is) that being right with God will result in our using what God gives us to help others in need. In that way we prove that we value both God and people more than we value material wealth. Conversely, failing to help others in need proves that we are not loving God as we should.

Sell all ... follow me (v. 21). "For the wealthy, the thought of poverty is frightening." [ref] Jesus loved the man enough to tell him the hard truth that  we must rid ourselves of whatever prevents us from following Jesus. [ref] In essence, Jesus told the man to "decide between wealth in this life and wealth in heaven." [ref] The problem was not that he possessed money; the problem was that his money possessed him. "He wanted to have the kingdom, but as it turned out, he wasn't ready for the kingdom to have him." [ref] While Scripture does not condemn owning or accumulating material wealth, it does very strongly condemn relying on wealth rather than God. [ref] 

This man's love for his possessions was preventing him from demonstrating the childlike humility and obedience that Jesus said is absolutely necessary for entering God's kingdom. [ref] "The way to eternal life was in turning from trust in self-attainments and earthly securities to trust in Jesus." [ref] Jesus' call was (and is) both an invitation and a command to imitate him - which goes far beyond the mere "theological instruction" the rich young man had come seeking. [ref] We can almost hear the man saying to himself as he walked away: "'This requirement is not fair. None of the other rabbis would have demanded this much of me.'" [ref]  

"Jesus' words to this rich young man were a test of his faith and his willingness to obey. The man thought he needed to do more; Jesus explained that there was plenty more he could do, but not in order to obtain eternal life. Instead, he needed an attitude adjustment toward his wealth. Only then could he submit humbly to the lordship of Christ. By putting his treasure in heaven and 'following' Jesus along the road of selflessness and service to others, the man could be assured of his eternal destiny." [ref]

In one respect, Jesus' instructions to the rich young man to sell everything and give the money to the poor were uniquely for him and thus "not a requirement for all prospective disciples." [ref] Hence this passage cannot "be used as proof for the abolition of personal ownership of wealth." [ref]  That said, we must be very careful lest we overlook two truths of vital importance: 1) Radical self-denial is demanded of every true disciple. 2) What's more, salvation itself is impossible without "true and saving faith in Christ. That is why Jesus adds the gospel call to come and follow him to the selling and giving away. This would be the evidence of true faith in him." [ref]

Jesus offered the rich young man a lesson in spiritual mathematics. [ref] Salvation does not mean adding something to what we already have in order to make ourselves good enough for God. Rather, it begins with subtracting any sense of our own goodness, as such only creates division between us and God. We must accept in faith the finished work of Jesus Christ, and then God will give us a new nature that desires above all else to know, love, and serve him. God then multiplies our efforts at living a righteous and holy life. The end result equals peace with other people and, most importantly, peace with God. As one source puts it: "Jesus tells this man that he really needs the one essential and vital thing. He has thus far attained only an outward obedience to the law and has not even discovered that this is utterly useless for salvation; he still thinks that all he needs is to add something to this outward obedience. The thing he lacks begins with this discovery, with the realization that all his work-righteousness is in vain, that what he needs is a complete inward change." [ref]

Hard ... impossible ... possible (v. 23, 27). "22 The man's face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go. 23 Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, 'Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who "have it all" to enter God's kingdom?' 24 The disciples couldn't believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: 'You can't imagine how difficult. 25 I'd say it's easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for the rich to get into God's kingdom.' 26 That set the disciples back on their heels. 'Then who has any chance at all?' they asked. 27 Jesus was blunt: 'No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it'" (vv. 22-27, The Message). "The failure of what perhaps had looked like a promising recruit" prompted Jesus' discourse on the distraction of riches. [ref]  

"Jesus used a common Jewish proverb describing something impossible and absurd. With all their advantages and influence, rich people may find it difficult to have the attitude of humility, submission, and service required by Jesus. Because money represents power, authority, and success, wealthy people often have difficulty realizing their need and their powerlessness to save themselves. Those rich in talent or intelligence suffer the same difficulty. It is difficult for a self-sufficient person to realize his or her need and come to Jesus. It's hard to give away the control over life that money provides." [ref]

The disciples were "amazed" (v. 24) and "astounded" (v. 26) at Jesus' teaching. Why were Jesus' words regarding the wealthy such a shock to his disciples? "[B]ecause in Judaism riches were a mark of God's favor and thus an advantage, not a barrier, in relation to God's kingdom." [ref] And so, "[i]f the rich - those who from the disciples' vantage point seemed to be first in line for salvation - cannot be saved, then who can be saved?" [ref] As another source puts it: "[M]any people drew the wrong conclusion that individual prosperity was a sign of God's favor and of virtue, and individual adversity a sign of God's disfavor and of perversity." [ref] The truth both then and now is that, while God's kingdom in its fullness will indeed include material abundance, "too much health and wealth in the present age act as a distraction and a deterrent." [ref] But, said Jesus, while "salvation is impossible with men - beyond their human merit or achievement," it is not impossible "with God. It is not beyond His power to bring about because all things necessary for people's salvation - rich and poor alike - are possible with God. What people cannot effect, God can and does by His grace." [ref] Hence salvation is a gift to be accepted, not a right to be earned. "At every point, beginning, middle, end, man is completely dependent on God for salvation." [ref]  

Eye of a needle (v. 25). Today it is common to hear that the "eye of the needle" mentioned by Jesus was actually "a small gate somewhere in the walls of Jerusalem, through which camels may pass, but with great difficulty." [ref] However, "[t]he so-called 'needle gate' that the locals show to gullible pilgrims to the Holy Land cannot be dated any earlier than the Middle Ages (usually to Theophylact [a church official and Bible commentator [ref]]; eleventh century)." [ref] [ref] As one source explains: "The humorous comparison employs a memorable Jewish proverb to depict the impossible. It is easier by comparison for a camel, the largest animal in Palestine at that time, to go through the eye of a common sewing needle (the smallest opening) than for a rich man who trusts in his riches to enter God's kingdom." [ref] While "speaking rhetorically," [ref] Jesus was indeed referring to a literal camel, a literal needle, and a literal truth: "[A]part from God's intervention, salvation is impossible." [ref] We cannot earn our salvation; we can only humbly accept it as God's free gift. "No one is saved on merit; but all are saved who humbly come to God to receive salvation." [ref]

A hundred times as many (v. 30). Peter took it upon himself to remind Jesus that, in contrast to the rich man who refused to give up his riches, Peter and the other disciples had given up everything in order to follow Jesus. [ref] [ref] "It occurs to Peter that he and the Twelve had done exactly what Jesus required of the rich young ruler and so thinks he ought to remind Jesus of this fact. Peter thinks that this their act was no small thing." [ref] As Matthew makes clear, Peter was actually demanding to know how they would be compensated for their loss (see Matthew 19:27). [ref] Peter was again thinking in merely human terms, "the old spirit ... of human claims and merit" - that is, the false belief that "[t]he more we do, the more we earn, and the more God owes us." [ref] In reply Jesus assured the disciples that "'everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property - along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.  But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then'" (vv. 29-31). What did Jesus mean?

We should start by reminding ourselves that "[t]his promise is for all true followers of the Lord. ... It is for all who have chosen Christ above all else, even above their dearest relatives and most cherished possessions." [ref] Jesus was saying that following him demands "a break with old ties - home, loved ones, or property (fields), as the case may be. But to everyone who makes the break Jesus promised that all these things will be replaced a hundredfold by new ties with fellow disciples in this present Age, the time period between Jesus' First and Second Advents. Then in the Age to come, the future Age following Jesus' return (from a NT viewpoint), each will receive the ultimate recompense - eternal life." [ref] Thus "Jesus assured the disciples that anyone who gave up something valuable for his sake would be repaid a hundred times over, although not necessarily in the same form. It is difficult to say whether Jesus had in mind material as well as spiritual blessings; although in light of 10:17-31 it probably means that God will give spiritual blessings for material sacrifices." [ref]

Jesus also said that our "compensation" will include persecution. "These persecutions are really the butter on the bread, for by them we are more strongly assured that we are God's children than by the other blessings that he sends us. Persecutions alone are able to lift us into the company of the prophets to share their high rewards (Matthew 5:10-12)." [ref] Jesus' statement regarding the greatest versus the least is a reminder that "[r]ewards in God's kingdom are not based on earthly standards such as rank, priority, or duration of time served, personal merit, or sacrifice, but on commitment to Jesus and following Him faithfully." [ref] And so, believers "who still seek status and importance here on earth will have none in heaven. Jesus may have been speaking to the disciples' mixed-up motives. They had given up everything and hoped for rewards, for status in God's kingdom (whatever that would be). ... Jesus, so unimpressed with worldly prestige, holds places of honor in reserve for faithful disciples who see beyond trophies and blue ribbons to what the Bible elsewhere calls a 'crown of glory.'" [ref]

HEAR (heart)
Monetary Musings

"No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions. He had money as well."  - Margaret Thatcher [ref]

"Money is a marvelous servant but a terrible master." - Warren Wiersbe [ref]

"He who serves God for money will serve the devil for better wages." - English Proverb [ref]

"Money is like manure: If you spread it around, it does a world of good; but if you pile it up, it stinks to high heaven." [ref]

"To get money is difficult, to keep it more difficult, but to spend it wisely most difficult of all." [ref] (all verbatim quotes)

On the one hand, the Bible teaches that material wealth is a blessing from God and a sign of his favor. On the other hand, the Bible repeatedly warns of the misuse and abuse of material wealth. The fact is that money is a tool that can and should be used to help ourselves and others. We should feel free to use and enjoy it - but only as we also and always guard against making it an idol. "How much to enjoy, to invest, to spend on family; how much to give to church, charities, individuals in need - these are matters for a lifetime. What really matters, however, is that our economic lives spring forth from souls neither too withered for delight nor too hard for compassion. In that harmony we seek the right rhythm for seeking first the kingdom of God." [ref]  

DO (hands)
??? The man who approached Jesus was young, eager, morally inclined, and rich. Most churches today would be hard pressed not to accept his application for membership. What does that say about the current state of the Church?

SEE (head)
Fear and dread grow thick as Jerusalem fast approaches. Jesus again tells his disciples what to expect: he will be handed over to his enemies, beaten and killed, and will rise back to life. James and John ask for a special place in the kingdom, but Jesus says God has already determined who will occupy those positions. The other disciples become indignant, and Jesus takes advantage of the teachable moment to describe true servant-leadership.

Everything (v. 32). This was Jesus' third, and most detailed, [ref] [ref] prediction of the mistreatment and death he was going to suffer at the hands of the Jewish Sanhedrin and the Romans. Mark records how everything was fulfilled:

• "we're going up to Jerusalem" = Mark 11:11
• "where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law" = Mark 14:53-65
• "They will sentence him to die" = Mark 14:64b
• "and hand him over to the Romans" = Mark 15:1
• "They will mock him, spit on him" = Mark 15:16-20 (see Mark 14:65)
• "flog him with a whip" = Mark 15:15
• "and kill him" = Mark 15:20b-39
• "but after three days he will rise again" = Mark 16

Notice Jesus' repeated use of the word "and" (Greek kai) (9x in the Greek; 8x in the NASB): "behold we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes and they will condemn him to death and they will hand him [over] to the Gentiles and they will mock him and spit on him and flog him and kill [him] and after three days he will rise" [ref] "The very simplicity of this style is actually dramatic and highly effective. ... They take us down, down to the most frightful death; this [last 'and'] by one tremendous stroke undoes it all and brings Jesus back to life in the resurrection of glory." [ref]

Places of honor (v. 37). Two of Jesus' disciples requested a permanent appointment [ref] to the two highest "places of honor" once he had assumed the throne, which they expected to happen very soon. [ref] ("[I]n a royal court both sides are places of honor, the left being only slightly less glorious than the right" [ref] [ref]) Their request was actually a mixture of both good and bad: "Their request was evidence of faith. They believed that according to his promise Jesus would be seated on the throne of his glory, and that each of The Twelve would also be seated on thrones. They were convinced of this in spite of the fact that at this moment there was little to show that events were moving in that direction. That much can be said in their favor. On the other hand, it is clear that sinful ambition was playing a role here. They desired that the two most honorable places should be assigned not to Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, or even to Peter and Andrew, but to themselves, James and John, to nobody else!" [ref] James and John "did not understand that Jesus' kingdom is not of this world; it is not centered in palaces and thrones, but in the hearts and lives of his followers. None of the disciples understood this truth until after Jesus' resurrection." [ref]

Jesus said that the positions of honor being sought by James and John had already been decided by God - and thus could not be changed (Mark 10:40). "The eternal counsel of the Father, which fixed all things in regard to the kingdom, included also the disposition of the glory seats." [ref] While Jesus will indeed "distribute eternal rewards (2 Timothy 4:8), he will do so according to God's decisions." [ref] It is with a deep sense of irony that during Jesus' crucifixion the "places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left" were occupied by two condemned rebels (Mark 15:27). [ref] It is also worth noting that for the one rebel who repented and received salvation, God used an occasion of tremendous dishonor to bring about the greatest honor imaginable: eternity with Jesus.

Cup ... baptism (vv. 38, 39). Jesus responded to the disciples' request by asking if they were able to undergo the type of dishonorable treatment he was about to endure. With a mixture of loyalty, self-confidence, [ref] and naivety, they replied in the affirmative. (The expression "drink the/a cup" means to "fully undergo this or that experience, whether favorable or unfavorable." [ref]) Jesus said that they would indeed be called to endure a similar "'baptism of suffering.'" - that is, "be plunged into the flood of horrible distress." [ref] ("In the Old Testament, 'deep waters' often described calamity, suffering, and the divine judgment of God." [ref]) Like most of their fellow Jews, the disciples believed the Messiah's kingdom would be earthly, and they thought Jesus was going to set up that kingdom very soon. And so James and John may have been volunteering to fight in "a messianic battle" to establish Jesus' earthly kingdom. [ref] However, what Jesus had in mind was his "bearing the burden of God's judgment on sin which involved overwhelming sufferings culminating in His death (cf. LUKE 12:50)." [ref] The disciples would also suffer even to death, with James being the first apostle to die and John the last. [ref]

"The 'cup' and the 'baptism' refer to what Jesus would face on the cross. Mark alone recorded references to both the 'cup' and 'baptism.' These words would be familiar to the early church because of the rites of Eucharist and baptism. Mark may have intended to show his readers the true importance of these rites. To drink Jesus' cup and to be baptized with his baptism meant more than just taking part in a ritual; it also meant taking up his mission and his sufferings." [ref]

Indignant (v. 41). The other disciples were very angry with James and John - for beating them to the punch! [ref] [ref] [ref] As one source puts it: "The ten prove themselves no better than the two. Many feel wronged by the success of others, but similar success on their part appears quite without wrong to them." [ref] However, "[b]efore we react harshly to the disciples' behavior, we should recall how easy it is for us to be irritated at the honors others seek or receive." [ref] Jesus used the situation "to instruct his disciples further on the type of service appropriate for the kingdom of God." [ref] Thus Jesus continued his pattern of a passion prediction, "followed by important teaching of what followers of Jesus should expect and how they should live" (see Mark 8:34-9:1; 9:33-37). [ref] Namely, they were to be servant-leaders who follow the example of their Servant-Master.

Servant ... slave (v. 43, 44). Jesus taught that among his followers there is a direct correlation between greatness and humble service. A leader must be "your (pl.) house servant (diakonos), one who voluntarily renders useful service to others," and the first must be "a slave (doulos), one who forfeits his own rights in order to serve any and all. A disciple is to serve others, not his own interests, voluntarily and sacrificially." [ref] Whereas worldly greatness often depends on "coming down heavily on others" [ref] in order to elevate oneself, to be great in God's kingdom is to be "self-giving," to pour one's self out "in service to others, for the glory of God." [ref] Thus Jesus literally turned the idea of greatness on its head: "And now the Gentile idea of greatness is inverted, turned upside down, the pyramid rests on the apex, the great man does not sit atop the lesser men, but the great man bears the lesser men on his back." [ref]

This was actually nothing less than a revolutionary concept. "While the Old Testament often spoke of submission and service, it usually referred to a person's relationship with God. Jesus applied the concept of the servant attitude to a person's relationship to other people. In doing so, he transformed the ethics of the ancient world. The Greeks considered humility to be the lowest virtue; Jesus made it the highest." [ref] To be great in God's kingdom is to be ready and willing to serve others. "Whether they reward and exalt us for this service or not makes no difference. ... The greatness is measured by the service and not by the power and authority arrogated and displayed." [ref]

Why is this the case? Because ("'For ...'" v. 45) even the Master - the only one entitled to absolute praise and honor and glory - humbled himself in voluntary, sacrificial, vicarious, and obedient service, [ref] laying down his life so that others could live. One source paraphrases Jesus' thought: "'In the kingdom about to be set up ... [a]ll My servants shall there be equal; and the only greatness known to it shall be the greatness of humility and devotedness to the service of others. He that goes down the deepest in these services of self-denying humility shall rise the highest and hold the chiefest [sic.] place in that kingdom; even as the Son of man, whose abasement and self-sacrifice for others, transcending all, gives Him of right a place above all!'" [ref]  

Ransom (v. 45). Jesus said that he "'came ... to give his life as a ransom for many'" (v. 45). "Jesus' mission was to serve - ultimately by giving his life in order to save sinful humanity. ... Jesus took our place; he died the death we deserved." [ref] Here "'ransom'" refers to "the means or instrument by which release or deliverance is made possible," [ref] and "'for'" carries the thought of  "'in the place of' or 'in exchange for.' The passage is a clear proof of Christ's substitutionary atonement." [ref] As one source puts it: "The idea of Jesus as the 'ransom' is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in humanity's place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that was deserved for sin." [ref]

HEAR (heart)
The Patient is the Doctor

The true story is told of Dr. Evan O'Neill Kane's quest to prove that local anesthesia would be a better option than the usual practice of always using general anesthesia.

The sixty-year-old chief surgeon of Kane Summit Hospital, located in New York City, had performed nearly four-thousand appendectomies. He decided to find a volunteer who would allow him to perform the operation while using local anesthesia.

But it was very difficult. There was a general fear that the effects of the anesthesia would wear off during the operation, leaving the patient in excruciating pain. And some people simply believed a local anesthesia would not work at all.

Finally, however, the doctor had his volunteer. And so on February 15, 1921 the volunteer was prepped for surgery, the local anesthesia was administered, and the surgery went without a hitch. 

Dr. Kane proved his point and became famous twice over. He not only became the first surgeon to perform a major operation using only local anesthesia, but he had performed the operation on himself! [ref] (paraphrased)

We can learn much from Dr. Kane's incredible example of sacrificial service. He did for others what they could not - and would not - do for themselves. Convinced of the rightness of his case, he went to incredible lengths to prove it.

DO (hands)
"In Jesus' kingdom, leaders are those who work toward the best interests of others, not parading their authority or lording it over others. Servant leadership in Jesus' kingdom has a lot of the 'can do' spirit in it, a big portion of 'follow me to the hard work,' and a huge helping of 'your pile looks bigger than mine, let me help you.'" [ref]

??? It's been observed that leadership is influence. What are some practical steps we can take to positively influence those around us for Jesus Christ?