Once again Jesus is headed for Jerusalem from Galilee (Mark 10:17). We understand this from the words: he was gone forth into the way (cp. verse-32). Previously, when he had come into the coasts of Judea (Mark 10:1), it was to celebrate the Feast of Dedication, which is referred to today as Hanukkah. The only other feast celebrated between Hanukkah and Passover is the Feast of Purim, which is, no doubt, the reason for Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem in Mark 10:17. Jesus had gone up to Jerusalem seven times during his public ministry, and each time he did so, it was to celebrate one of the Jewish annual festivals. This would have been his sixth visit there, celebrated during the twelfth month of the Jewish calendar, and it was less than one month before he would be crucified.
As Jesus left for Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, whom all three Synoptics describe as a very rich person (Mark 10:18, 22; cp. Matthew 19:22 and Luke 18:23). Matthew tells us he is a young man (Matthew 12:22), and Luke says he is a ruler (Luke 18:18). I believe it is significant that all three Synoptics record this event, and all three place it about the same time in Jesus’ public ministry, just weeks before his crucifixion.[1] Notice that the young man was interested in an inheritance. How might he inherit eternal life? Yet, he also wanted to know what good thing he could do that he might possess (see Matthew 19:22; Greek echo – G2192)[2] that inheritance. So, it seems he wanted to possess eternal life like he possessed the other things that he owned and made him rich. He saw eternal life as something that could be bought or earned and in that way be possessed. The fact that he asked Jesus what good thing he could do (Matthew 19:16), implies he was a generous man, and practiced doing good things, such as helping the poor and using his wealth in a manner that gained him a name or reputation of being a benefactor. In other words, he probably enjoyed being generous to others, but this seemed possible only if he had great wealth.
The Greek word for good (G18) is the same word Jesus used to describe the good tree which bears good fruit (Matthew 7:17-18). The problem with carrying good too far is that Jesus also taught that men, being evil, know how to give good (G18) gifts (Matthew 7:11). The fact that someone is able to do good, doesn’t change the fact that men are naturally in the state of rebellion against God and are, therefore, considered evil, as far as their spiritual state is concerned, and are, therefore, unworthy of or unfit for eternal life.
The man approached Jesus, calling him good (Mark 10:17), and no doubt he considered himself to be good. However, Jesus took issue with his greeting, telling him or reminding him that only God is good (G18). By calling his greeting into question, Jesus also called the young man’s estimation of himself into question (Matthew 10:18), but he seems to have missed Jesus’ implication. Jesus pointed to the scriptures, saying, if he wished to live (i.e., have eternal life) he needed to be completely obedient (Deuteronomy 4:1; 5:33; 8:1; 30:19), but offending in one point would make him guilty of all (James 2:10) and require his life. Yet, the young man simply stated he had been faithfully obedient throughout his life (Mark 10:19-20). Obviously, he was blind to the full implications of the Law and to the meaning Jesus placed upon the word good (G18).
Mark tells us that when Jesus heard the young man’s reply, he loved him (Mark 10:21). It is a reaction that many might have, when someone who is very naive utters something untrue, which is obvious to all but himself. So, Jesus told him, if he wished to be perfect (cp. Matthew 19:21), that is, if he wished to be complete or mature, he should sell all he had and give the proceeds to the poor and pull up the stake he had in this life and follow Jesus (Mark 10:21). While such a thing still didn’t earn him eternal life, it would place him in a position to receive it by grace. Nevertheless, the young man couldn’t bring himself to do that, for he was very rich (Mark 10:22), and to give it all away would have destroyed his worldview that riches are the blessing of God upon the righteous (Proverbs 10:22; 15:6), and to be in poverty indicated one was unrighteous and under the judgment of God (Proverbs 23:21; 28:19).
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[1] I believe it is possible to know who this rich young ruler is, and I have already posted several studies that, if true, identify him: The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved and Identifying the Rich Young Ruler.
[2] The Greek word (echo, G2192) is defined by “Thayer’s Greek Lexicon” as (1) to have, i.e. to hold; to have (hold) in the hand, in the sense of wearing, to have (hold) possession of the mind (refers to alarm, agitating emotions, etc.), to hold fast keep, to have or comprise or involve, to regard or consider or hold; (2) to have, i.e. own, possess…
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