17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. ~ Mark 10:17-22
Today, we return to our study of Mark 10 where we see a great contrast to the lessons the Lord Jesus had been giving to the disciples up to that point. The Lord Jesus had just taught the disciples the value of child-like faith and dependency upon Him. If we are to grow in discipleship with the Lord we must embrace our need and dependency upon Him.
In v.17 of today's passage we read, "As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. 'Good teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'"
After teaching the disciples on greatness, the Lord was approached by a man who ran up to Him, fell on his knees before Him and addressed Him as "good." Then he asked the Lord Jesus "... what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
This question is full of poor theology. It assumes that we can earn God's favor which assumes that our sinful condition is not as bad as it truly is. The emphasis in the question is on self, and, it provided a stark contrast to what the Lord had been teaching the disciples about the major role selflessness plays in discipleship.
In v.18 of today's passage we read, "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone."
This man, whom we know to be the Rich Young Ruler from Matthew and Luke, acknowledged the Lord Jesus as not only a legitimate teacher, but as a "good" teacher. He used the word translated "good" which means good internally or virtuous. This Rich Young Ruler did not use the other word for good which means looking good or good in form or outwardly good. He used the word that means good to the core, the inherent goodness that only God possesses.
This man had undoubtedly heard the unique teaching of the Lord Jesus and something awakened in his heart as he listened to Him. As the Lord Jesus started to leave the man ran to him and while in a posture of worship he asked, "... what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
This man who had everything this world had to offer, knew he lacked something. His sense of need was aroused and awakened by the teaching of the Lord Jesus. According to Matthew 19:20, this man asked, "What am I lacking?" He had been ushered into the best spot for one who had no personal relationship with God. This man had a personal relationship with religion, but that is a far cry from having been "born again."
In v.19 of today's passage we read, "You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother."
In response, the Lord Jesus highlights several of the last six commandments. The first four commands, not mentioned, have to do with our relationship with God. The last six address how we treat people. Ah, this sounds familiar to what the Lord had just taught, the disciples' need to value the least.
In v.20 of today's passage we read, "Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy."
This man claimed to have kept some of the commands, but he did not understand that his obedience could not earn the favor of God. In addition, even though he had obeyed some, he lacked obedience to most of them. This very wealthy man had never become like a child; he had not come to an end of trusting in himself and in his wealth, thus his wealth and supposed goodness had kept him from being "born again" and entering into a personal relationship with God.
In v.21 of today's passage we read, "Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
The Lord Jesus never said that if we give or sell everything we have and become very poor that we could earn our way to heaven; that deifies the very point of the context. The Lord Jesus exposed the true heart of this self-righteous young man who incorrectly stated, "I've kept the law since I was young."
If we could obey the law perfectly, our adherence to the Law of Moses could never make us right with God. Our problem is not our obedience, our problem is our sinful condition. And, that condition has to be remedied, and, no amount of obedience from us can pay the penalty of our sin.
The Lord Jesus employed the law as a probe to expose the Rich Young Ruler's Heart. He took the opportunity to show the man that he did not adhere to the total law. The Lord Jesus said, "One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
The word "looked" is a significant word. The lens through which we evaluate life must be of highest importance to us. You see, if we view life through the lens of scripture, we will arrive upon that which will bring the greatest purpose into our lives. All of the scriptures are about one subject: the Lord Jesus Christ. And, what we do with Him determines our eternity.
In v.22 of today's passage we read, "At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth."
The man who had all the wealth of this world went away sorrowful. Subtly, we are given an accurate portrait of how this world will never satisfy our deepest longings and needs. This young man, who had everything that money and power and youth could give him, knew in his heart that there was something missing in his life. That day he had caught a glimpse of eternal life but he walked away sorrowful, because he knew he loved the things of this world so.
This man's response to the challenge of the Lord Jesus regarding his wealth exposed one major flaw in him: that his wealth defined him so much that it owned him. His wealth was his god. He served his wealth rather than his wealth serving him. And that day, even though that young man had gained the whole world, he sadly walked away from the the very One who was the only One who could truly fulfill him.
