Mark 10: 17—27
I’ve always found the Gospel of Mark different from the others in that it is a bit faster moving and it is the shortest. Someone wrote that the Gospel of Mark reads like a script for an action movie. Unlike the other Gospels, this one has little tolerance for dialogue and personal reflection. The author is writing to a restless, impatient audience -- people more like cinema goers than readers.
Whilst Matthew and Luke each give chapters of historical warm-up before recording a miracle by Jesus; Mark covers three miracles and a group event all within the first chapter. In contrast to all its action scenes, the book includes only a sampling of Jesus' parables. It focuses on events, rather than speeches or editorial comments. Mark shows massive crowds pressing around Jesus so tightly that he climbs in a boat and moves out from the shore for space. Wherever he goes, the crowds follow, talking about his remarkable life. With questions:
"Is he the Holy One of God?"
"Is he mad?"
"Isn't this the carpenter's son?"
You don’t need special instructions to read Mark’s gospel for the style of the book makes it easy for us to understand. It loosely follows the sequence of events of Jesus' life, and Mark offers an excellent introduction to the life of Jesus.
Our reading is about the encounter Jesus had with the rich young ruler who thought he had it all. He had worked hard and had a lot of money. He’s kept God’s laws faithfully. In essence what he’s doing is trying to earn his way into heaven. Jesus is saying to the rich young ruler, you have put your faith and trust in your wealth and accomplishments. But the effort is actually pushing you from God. You can’t earn your way into heaven.
What an interesting subject we have for our thought for the day, especially when in reality we are facing times of rising prices and economic disaster and doubt as to how some will manage their budget. We live in a country where the financial sector is in deep turmoil, the NHS is working beyond their limits and the light at the end of the tunnel appears to have been switched off! When we face up to the challenge that God puts before us, he not only presents the challenge but helps us through it. At the same time he tests our faith. When we go about things the right way the end result is so different.
The rich young man realised although he had all this wealth that there was something missing from his life and wanted it to be put right, but he wasn’t prepared to make the sacrifice. There is only one way to heaven and that is by the way of the cross.
Andrae Crouch wrote a song some years ago that sums things up:
Jesus Is the Answer for the World today
Above Him There's No Other
Jesus Is The Way.
If this passage were heeded today, it is likely that Christianity and Christians would be very different.
Tom Bonnar
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