Mar 2, 2010
How We Take Imperfect Steps Towards God’s Kingdom (Mark Ten, Part 2)
Continuing my series of meditations on the Gospel of Mark…
The rich man who kneeled before Jesus provides a stark contrast to the ideal children Jesus used as an example of those who eagerly enter the Kingdom. In fact, this man illustrated how those who refused to become like children could easily miss out on the Kingdom.
He displayed a mix of sincerity in his devotion to Jesus and devotion to his possessions—the things that commanded his ultimate allegiance.
Though the disciples had a hard time understanding Jesus or giving up their dreams of power in his Kingdom, they had at least given up their material wealth to follow. The rich man wanted to be validated by Jesus, to find out that he had done things right. He didn’t come to Jesus like an open child, willing to receive whatever Jesus offered or asked him to do. He had a lifestyle or religious observance that he wanted Jesus to stamp with approval rather than challenge.
In his eyes he had kept the commandments and didn’t see what more should be done. Jesus shocked him by challenging him to sell his possessions, to give to the poor, and to follow him. He preferred to keep his current level of religious devotion rather than accepting the challenge given by Jesus.
For all of their failings, the disciples of Jesus learned that they had not only done the right thing in leaving their possessions behind in order to follow Jesus, but they also learned that that their sacrifices would be rewarded with blessings, persecutions, and eternal life. On the face of it, Jesus was asking the prosperous to give up what they had in order to receive both persecutions and life.
There would be a steep cost that came with a high reward. However, in order to come first they had to sacrifice and take last place.
In this passage we see the degrees of devotion in following Jesus. While children are the ideal, the disciples can see that they have part of the Kingdom correct by leaving their former lives behind for the sake of Jesus. The rich man is an example of another step away from the Kingdom since he had many possessions.
At least those without much to their name could hear what Jesus had to say, even if they sometimes sought a higher position and failed to imitate Jesus or come to him as children. Mistaken though they were at times, the disciples had a much easier time of eventually entering the Kingdom as children because of their devotion to Jesus. They didn’t have the same limitations as the rich man.
There is something to be said for leaving behind all that hinders in order to follow and to enter God’s Kingdom. The disciples took yet another step in that direction.
