Mark 10:19-22 - Overestimating Obedience

Mark 10:19-22
¹⁹ You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” ²⁰ And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” ²¹ Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²² But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

Message: Overestimating Obedience


Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Preface - Jesus has been teaching us many lessons. The lessons have not simply been me-focused, but also focused on others. And he is speaking in ways that are contrary to the culture - being dependent on Him and being sensitive to people and understanding to the lesser ones. As Jesus is setting out on a journey, a man runs up to him and begins to question him on how he can inherit eternal life, first calling him Good and as Jesus will do, he wonders if this man really understands what he is asking. 

Yesterday, in the passage, this man (a rich young ruler) asked Jesus a question, but maybe didn't realize who he was asking. And though he wanted to know something - what shall I do to inherit eternal life?, he perhaps didn't know who he was asking this question. He called Jesus a Good Teacher, but only God is good so perhaps the man didn't realize that he wasn't simply a rabbi as rabbi's are often called Good Teacher. 

And now in this passage the man makes a statement again, but does not really understand what he is saying. Jesus in verse 19 is still responding to the man's question and he says to him - You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother. It almost sounds like Jesus was going to say something different eventually. This rich young ruler, was he a religious man already? Jesus mentions the commandments and he acknowledges that he knows them, and has kept them -
Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up. Jesus clearly though knows what he is asking and has a plan. He knows this man, better than he knows himself. He is giving him the benefit of the doubt. By him answering that he has kept these commandments, though it is probably unlikely he has kept them perfectly, yet Jesus is fine with his answer that he has. 

Yet, like before in calling Jesus a Good Teacher, thinking Jesus was a rabbi possibly and not the Son of God. The man seems to possess an element of pride. He obviously thinks he has done what is necessary to inherit eternal life. He feels good about his chances. And then Jesus pierces him.
One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. As if it was just one thing. But, in a way it is, for there is something in his life that he clearly loves more than anything. This is what Jesus confronts him with. 

I don't think Jesus really expected him to sell as he possessed, but he did want to show him that despite keeping the commandments he still had something that he valued more than God. In other words, keeping the commandments was something he was willing to do, but his real love, money and possessions was something he was not willing to give up. Jesus remarked that following this, he could and come, follow Me. In other words, to inherit eternal life involved coming and following Jesus.

But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. This actually seems like an odd response, but I suppose an honest one for the man. The fact that he would respond having said he kept all of the commandments, but then was unwilling to part with his possessions in order to get eternal life seems odd to me. So basically he preferred his possessions to rewards in heaven. 

I get concerned about this sort of believing that appears to be a problem with many. Have some religions or faiths set up structures of rule keeping and people feel like if they keep the rules then they are safe and yet, when Jesus exposes the heart in this man, his heart is actually far from God and his ways. He doesn't have genuine faith. 

It is also interesting the commandments that Jesus gives this man - they are all outward commandments or how we treat other people. He did not give him any commandments related to how we view God. But, perhaps Jesus wanted the man to see the contrast, to expose the fact that he thinks he is keeping the commandments and yet his heart is far from God because he is not willing to give away all that he has. 

Summary - A man has come to Jesus asking what he can do to inherit eternal life. He calls Jesus Good and Jesus attempts to correct him so the next he calls him simply Teacher. This man knows that he has kept the laws, the 10 commandments and yet he still asks the question of eternal life. Jesus states he must show it is more than rule-keeping, but a matter of the heart. The man walks away because his heart is wealth and he won't give up his wealth for something in the future.

Promise: The crux of what Jesus called this man to do was, come, follow Me. All my time and days should be about following Him. Not simply checking boxes that I am good enough.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the real faith that you have given me, for the instruction of your Holy Spirit in my life. Lord, equip me as your follower to help others see that You are the only true God. Forgive me for making the things of my life more important than You. I pray that You would meet people where they are at and draw them to yourself. Give me the courage to do this, even in my own family. I pray for my son Derek that you would make him supple and he would be willing to see beyond his addictions. Re-train me God. Center me on You.