Meditations

Sometimes we trip over passages in the gospels—passages like the one before us. Why does Jesus reply the way he does in vs 18? Is he saying that he is not God? One of the biggest reasons we have difficulties in such cases is that we have the tendency to come to the gospels and expect systematic theology. But Jesus is not giving a seminar in this passage, nor is he unfolding the full breadth of the gospel message. He is seeking to pierce the heart of a particular man and to drive us all to the realization that we desperately need God's grace. The rich young ruler, as he is so often called, has come to Jesus self-righteous to an extreme. He has kept all the commandments he tells us (vs 20) and is confident that whatever good deed need be done to obtain eternal life (see Matt 19:16), he surely can do it. There are two earth-shattering things this man needs to know. He needs to know that he is, in fact, not good. He needs to know that Jesus is good, and is God, and is more valuable than all else. Consider the incredible manner in which Jesus drives into this man's heart with these two truths, leading him to see the "one thing" that he lacks, to live in light of them. "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." Far from being a denial of his divinity, these two sentences expose everything to the full light of day for the one who would thoughtfully consider them. Jesus is teaching that there are only two options—either he is not good because he is not God, or he is good and likewise he is God. Jesus has forced this young man, and us, to these alternatives and no other. And the implications do not stop there. This young man, good in his own eyes, is also forced to the same two alternatives for himself. Either he is God (which he knows he is not), or he is not good after all. How powerfully and pointedly Jesus has driven deep into the realities this man so desperately needs to understand! What about you? Have these truths sunk into your heart? Have you accepted that you are not good? Do you see that Jesus is—both good and God. If so, then he is more valuable that any treasure we might possess on earth and there is only "one thing" to do—let us renounce it all (Luke 14:33) and follow him.

notes

1452590864321 Meditations 1453018413 1453020604 Sometimes we trip over passages in the gospels—passages like the one before us. Why does Jesus reply the way he does in vs 18? Is he saying that he is not God? One of the biggest reasons we have difficulties in such cases is that we have the tendency to come to the gospels and expect systematic theology. But Jesus is not giving a seminar in this passage, nor is he unfolding the full breadth of the gospel message. He is seeking to pierce the heart of a particular man and to drive us all to the realization that we desperately need God's grace. The rich young ruler, as he is so often called, has come to Jesus self-righteous to an extreme. He has kept all the commandments he tells us (vs 20) and is confident that whatever good deed need be done to obtain eternal life (see Matt 19:16), he surely can do it. There are two earth-shattering things this man needs to know. He needs to know that he is, in fact, not good. He needs to know that Jesus is good, and is God, and is more valuable than all else. Consider the incredible manner in which Jesus drives into this man's heart with these two truths, leading him to see the "one thing" that he lacks, to live in light of them. "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." Far from being a denial of his divinity, these two sentences expose everything to the full light of day for the one who would thoughtfully consider them. Jesus is teaching that there are only two options—either he is not good because he is not God, or he is good and likewise he is God. Jesus has forced this young man, and us, to these alternatives and no other. And the implications do not stop there. This young man, good in his own eyes, is also forced to the same two alternatives for himself. Either he is God (which he knows he is not), or he is not good after all. How powerfully and pointedly Jesus has driven deep into the realities this man so desperately needs to understand! What about you? Have these truths sunk into your heart? Have you accepted that you are not good? Do you see that Jesus is—both good and God. If so, then he is more valuable that any treasure we might possess on earth and there is only "one thing" to do—let us renounce it all (Luke 14:33) and follow him. notes 11453018413254

Main point summary

The rich man is not good enough to earn eternal life. Rather, he—and we—must follow Jesus to find eternal life that comes by grace.

notes 1453020650792 Main point summary The rich man is not good enough to earn eternal life. Rather, he—and we—must follow Jesus to find eternal life that comes by grace.

Arc

NT

Mark 10:17-22

na28

esv

mhnt

Καὶ ἐκπορευομένου αὐτοῦ εἰς ὁδὸν

u And as he was setting out on his journey,

בְּצֵאתוֹ לַדֶּרֶךְ

προσδραμὼν εἷς

a man ran up

רָץ אֵלָיו אִישׁ אֶחָד,

καὶ γονυπετήσας αὐτὸν

and v knelt before him

כָּרַע לְפָנָיו

progression

ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν•

and asked him,

וְשָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ:

actionpurpose

temporal

διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ποιήσω

“Good Teacher, what must I do

"רַבִּי הַטּוֹב, מֶה עָלַי לַעֲשׂוֹת

ἵνα ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω;

to w inherit eternal life?”

כְּדֵי לָרֶשֶׁת חַיֵּי עוֹלָם?"

ideaexplanation

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ•

And Jesus said to him,

אָמַר לוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ:

τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν;

“Why do you call me good?

"מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה קוֹרֵא לִי 'טוֹב'?

οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός.

No one is good except God alone.

אֵין טוֹב כִּי אִם אֶחָד וְהוּא הָאֱלֹהִים.

ground

τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας•

You know the commandments:

אֶת הַמִּצְווֹת אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ:

μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα .

x ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”

לֹא תִרְצַח, לֹא תִנְאַף, לֹא תִגְנֺב, לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר , לֹא תַּעֲשֺׁק, כַּבֵּד אֶת־אָבִיךָ וְאֶת־אִמֶּךָ ."

series

ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ•

And he said to him,

הֵשִׁיב לוֹ:

διδάσκαλε, ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητός μου.

“Teacher, y all these I have kept from my youth.”

"רַבִּי, אֶת כָּל אֵלֶּה שָׁמַרְתִּי מִנְּעוּרַי."

situationresponse

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ

And Jesus, z looking at him,

הִבִּיט בּוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ

ἠγάπησεν αὐτὸν

a loved him,

וְרָחַשׁ לוֹ אַהֲבָה.

actionresult

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ•

and said to him,

אָמַר אֵלָיו:

* ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ•

“You lack one thing:

"דָּבָר אֶחָד חָסֵר לְךָ.

ὕπαγε, ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον

go, b sell all that you have

לֵךְ מְכֺר מַה שֶּׁיֵשׁ לְךָ

καὶ δὸς [τοῖς] πτωχοῖς,

and give to the poor,

וְתֵן לָעֲנִיִּים,

καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ,

and you will have c treasure in heaven;

וְיִהְיֶה לְךָ אוֹצָר בַּשָּׁמַיִם;

καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι.

and come, follow me.”

אַחַר כָּךְ בּוֹא וְלֵךְ אַחֲרַי."

inference

questionanswer

ὁ δὲ στυγνάσας ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ

d Disheartened by the saying,

לְשֵׁמַע הַדָּבָר נָפְלוּ פָּנָיו

ἀπῆλθεν λυπούμενος•

he went away sorrowful,

וְהוּא הָלַךְ מִשָּׁם עָצוּב,

ἦν γὰρ ἔχων κτήματα πολλά.

for he had great possessions.

שֶׁכֵּן הָיוּ לוֹ נְכָסִים רַבִּים.

Does this man mean, "What must I do to earn eternal life?" or "What must I do to receive eternal life?" Answer: He meant earn . See Matt 19:16 and note he refers to a good deed that must be done.

Jesus gives the man just two options: (a) I'm not good, and (b) I am good and am God. He also implies the same two options for this young man who thinks he is good. The man knows he is not God and so Jesus is forcing him wake up and know that he also is not good.

This is a shocking claim—an absurd claim. How this man was blinded by self-righteousness. See Gen 8:21.

This is more shocking still. Given how much God hates self-righteousness, the graciousness of the love of God here goes further still.

Love drives us to say what needs to be said, even if it is the last thing the person wants to hear.

This is clearly a purpose here given the explicit connection made in 29d. Note also that it is only "one thing" that this man lacks, not two.

A stark contrast to the joy of the man in the parable we find in Matt 13:44. This man is sorrowful because his possessions seem greater to him than eternal life with Jesus.

I.e. free grace plays into this in a way you do not yet understand. (Matt 20:1-16 unpacks this statement via parable.)

na28

discourse

1452590864321 Arc 1453018335 1453020640 NT 41 10 17 10 22 Mark 10:17-22 na28 esv mhnt Καὶ ἐκπορευομένου αὐτοῦ εἰς ὁδὸν u And as he was setting out on his journey, בְּצֵאתוֹ לַדֶּרֶךְ i1 προσδραμὼν εἷς a man ran up רָץ אֵלָיו אִישׁ אֶחָד, i16 καὶ γονυπετήσας αὐτὸν and v knelt before him כָּרַע לְפָנָיו i17 i54 progression ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν• and asked him, וְשָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ: i19 i55 actionpurpose 2 i56 temporal 1 2 διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ποιήσω “Good Teacher, what must I do "רַבִּי הַטּוֹב, מֶה עָלַי לַעֲשׂוֹת i20 ἵνα ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω; to w inherit eternal life?” כְּדֵי לָרֶשֶׁת חַיֵּי עוֹלָם?" i21 i57 actionpurpose 2 i88 ideaexplanation 1 ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ• And Jesus said to him, אָמַר לוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ: i2 τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; “Why do you call me good? "מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה קוֹרֵא לִי 'טוֹב'? i22 οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός. No one is good except God alone. אֵין טוֹב כִּי אִם אֶחָד וְהוּא הָאֱלֹהִים. i23 i60 ground 1 τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας• You know the commandments: אֶת הַמִּצְווֹת אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ: i3 μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα . x ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” לֹא תִרְצַח, לֹא תִנְאַף, לֹא תִגְנֺב, לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר , לֹא תַּעֲשֺׁק, כַּבֵּד אֶת־אָבִיךָ וְאֶת־אִמֶּךָ ." i25 i61 ideaexplanation 1 i58 series i59 ideaexplanation 1 ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ• And he said to him, הֵשִׁיב לוֹ: i4 διδάσκαλε, ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητός μου. “Teacher, y all these I have kept from my youth.” "רַבִּי, אֶת כָּל אֵלֶּה שָׁמַרְתִּי מִנְּעוּרַי." i26 i62 ideaexplanation 1 i97 situationresponse 2 ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ And Jesus, z looking at him, הִבִּיט בּוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ i5 ἠγάπησεν αὐτὸν a loved him, וְרָחַשׁ לוֹ אַהֲבָה. i27 i89 actionresult 2 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ• and said to him, אָמַר אֵלָיו: i29 * ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ• “You lack one thing: "דָּבָר אֶחָד חָסֵר לְךָ. i30 ὕπαγε, ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον go, b sell all that you have לֵךְ מְכֺר מַה שֶּׁיֵשׁ לְךָ i31 καὶ δὸς [τοῖς] πτωχοῖς, and give to the poor, וְתֵן לָעֲנִיִּים, i32 i98 actionpurpose 2 καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, and you will have c treasure in heaven; וְיִהְיֶה לְךָ אוֹצָר בַּשָּׁמַיִם; i33 i66 actionresult 2 καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι. and come, follow me.” אַחַר כָּךְ בּוֹא וְלֵךְ אַחֲרַי." i34 i67 actionpurpose 2 i64 ideaexplanation 1 i63 ideaexplanation 1 i92 inference 2 i95 situationresponse 2 i96 questionanswer 2 ὁ δὲ στυγνάσας ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ d Disheartened by the saying, לְשֵׁמַע הַדָּבָר נָפְלוּ פָּנָיו i6 ἀπῆλθεν λυπούμενος• he went away sorrowful, וְהוּא הָלַךְ מִשָּׁם עָצוּב, i36 i68 inference 2 ἦν γὰρ ἔχων κτήματα πολλά. for he had great possessions. שֶׁכֵּן הָיוּ לוֹ נְכָסִים רַבִּים. i37 i69 ground 1 i93 actionresult 1 2 0 Does this man mean, "What must I do to earn eternal life?" or "What must I do to receive eternal life?" Answer: He meant earn . See Matt 19:16 and note he refers to a good deed that must be done. 1 257 202 1224 3684 word-esv-1453015841530 263 131 1283 166 25 1 0 Jesus gives the man just two options: (a) I'm not good, and (b) I am good and am God. He also implies the same two options for this young man who thinks he is good. The man knows he is not God and so Jesus is forcing him wake up and know that he also is not good. 1 379 335 9055 4286 td-esv-i23 264 172 1283 211 10 5 0 This is a shocking claim—an absurd claim. How this man was blinded by self-righteousness. See Gen 8:21. 1 426 552 3743 4318 lbl-a-i97-2 224 116 1283 211 11 5 0 This is more shocking still. Given how much God hates self-righteousness, the graciousness of the love of God here goes further still. 1 240 679 2308 4211 word-esv-1453016303634 219 99 1283 159 10 5 0 Love drives us to say what needs to be said, even if it is the last thing the person wants to hear. 1 449 722 3743 3864 lbl-a-i92-2 219 99 1283 198 10 1 0 This is clearly a purpose here given the explicit connection made in 29d. Note also that it is only "one thing" that this man lacks, not two. 1 408 895 5107 3636 lbl-a-i67-2 223 130 1283 217 10 1 0 A stark contrast to the joy of the man in the parable we find in Matt 13:44. This man is sorrowful because his possessions seem greater to him than eternal life with Jesus. 1 405 1017 3743 3636 lbl-a-i69-2 220 125 1283 217 10 6 0 I.e. free grace plays into this in a way you do not yet understand. (Matt 20:1-16 unpacks this statement via parable.) 1 168 1885 4231 5263 word-esv-1453018060636 196 99 1283 100 -69 1 1 1 1 90 110 100 na28 239 esv 241 a 771 discourse 11453018335495