Jesus Demands Complete Commitment

GOLDEN TEXT: “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” —Luke 18:27

MARK 10:17-27

THE man who kneeled before Jesus and asked, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” was like all normal humans—he wanted to live, not merely for a few years, but forever. He was not thinking of life in heaven, but as a human here on earth. The people of Israel had not been given heavenly hopes. Those who understood the promises of the Old Testament, and believed them, expected to be resurrected from the dead and have an opportunity to live forever on the earth.

This man may have had in mind the possibility of averting death and continuing to live. He probably knew of the miracles of healing which Jesus had performed, and would look upon them as evidence that it was possible to continue in good health, and not sicken and die at all. Jesus referred this man to the Law; as epitomized in the Ten Commandments. God had promised that anyone who would, or could, keep this Law, would thereby continue to live.

This did not give the man much comfort, for he supposed that he had. been keeping the Law faithfully, yet he evidently realized that, just like all mankind, he was losing the vigor of his youth; and if this continued he would eventually die, even as all around him were doing.

Then Jesus explained to him, “One thing than lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up thy cross, and follow me.” (vs. 21) The man “was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” (vs. 22) He had asked what he could do to live, and instead Jesus’ reply explained the manner in which he could die; that he should take up his cross and follow him into sacrificial death. The compensation for this was the promise of “treasure in heaven.”

Taking up the cross is a symbol of dying, being based on the custom of that time which required that one condemned to die by crucifixion must carry his own cross to the place of crucifixion. Under these circumstances it was’ known by all who saw anyone carrying a cross, followed by guards and a curious crowd, that he was on his way to death.

Symbolically, Jesus was carrying his cross throughout the entire course of his ministry, from Jordan to Calvary. During this entire time he was laying down his life, and therefore was on his way to death. And he invited this rich man to take his cross and follow him, which meant to suffer and to die with him. This evidently seemed a high price to pay for an unknown “treasure in heaven.”

The disciples had stood by and had listened to this conversation between Jesus and the man who wanted eternal life, and they saw him go away grieved and disappointed. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.—vss. 23-25

We are warranted here in noting, specially, Jesus’ references to those who “put their trust” in riches. In his Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3) One might be rich according to the standards of the world, yet be “poor in spirit,” for the reason that he does not put his trust in earthly riches, knowing that they are of little worth, and that the only source of true riches is God.

The “needle’s eye” was a small gate in the main gate in the walls of ancient Jerusalem. A camel could go through this “needle’s eye” by kneeling and having its load removed. So the rich can enter the kingdom of heaven by humbling themselves before God, and giving up all they possess to follow Jesus into death.

In view of what Jesus had said, the disciples: wondered if many could be saved, but Jesus assured them that all things were possible with God. Actually, he was speaking merely of the way to immortal life in this age. In Matthew’s account Jesus reminds the disciples of another way to life in the next age, the age of “regeneration” to perfect human life on the earth.—Matthew 19:25

QUESTIONS

What sort of life did the man who kneeled before Jesus want?

What did Jesus mean by “treasure in heaven”?

What does it mean to take up the cross?

What is the “needle’s eye”?

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