"Go And Sell Everything"

 

17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’(Mark 10)

This question is recorded twice in the Gospels, once in Mark and once in Luke.  

What I am interested in is how Jesus responds to the question.  

In Mark He answers:    

²⁰He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ ²¹Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

In Luke Jesus responds by telling the Parable of the Good Samaritan. (Lk. 10:17-37)

Yesterday when I was comparing those two answers I was puzzled by Jesus’ words to the man in Mark.

go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor,

And my mind said: “What would you do?”  

That is a tough nut to swallow for anyone.  

As a matter of fact, I think it is beyond anyone’s imagination to sell “everything.”  Leave one’s entire life behind, all that one has worked for and earned, and just “follow” Jesus.

I mean, we humans treasure what we have, even if it doesn’t make us truly happy or give us peace.  

It is the human way to earn our way.

To have a life that gives us comfort, safety and security.

I am much more in favor of the way Jesus approached the man in Luke’s Gospel.  

Not that it is important what I think.  

Who am I to question Jesus’ methods?

But telling someone 'how' it would look, to handle what one has acquired, seem just a bit easier to imagine.

It gives us an example of how important it is to share our wealth, and our own selves, with someone in need.

The parable of the Good Samaritan offers the possibility of giving what we have to someone.  It allows one to look, eye to eye, at the person being helped.  There is a sense of compassion and service that is direct and empathic.  It show us how to give out of love and compassion; rather than simply selling it all in a impersonal way.

So it makes me wonder if there was something that Jesus sensed in each man that cause the different ways of answering.  

By telling a story it allows the man to understand, what Jesus was asking, showing the man the difference between just going through life doing good now and then.  

It is telling him what Jesus would do with what he had.  

It helps him to place his focus on the ways of God rather than the ways of the world.

So I am wondering if the man, in Mark’s Gospel, had just been going through the traditional commandments in a rote manner.  Not thinking about others who were in need.  Not giving any thought to what the commandment truly mean.

Jesus answer made it sound like to be rich is somehow sinful and unclean — basically wrong.

It out right tells the people, who read Mark, there is no hope of eternal life for those who are not in want. That is a powerful mixed message. Especially in the world of today.

I think the key word in this story is: ²¹Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said,...

Either way, these passages leave us with many unanswered questions.

17 As fe was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ¹⁸Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. ¹⁹You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.” ’ ²⁰He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ ²¹Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ ²²When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.  23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’(Mark 10)

25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ²⁶He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ ²⁷He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ ²⁸And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’  T29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ ³⁰Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³²So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” ³⁶Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ ³⁷He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’ (Luke 10)