the Markan pericope of the rich young man (Mark 10:17-22)

Introduction

            This paper, as the title indicates, proposes to study the Markan pericope of the rich young man (Mark 10:17-22) in its synoptic context. Accordingly, we shall have a succinct deliberation of this Markan pericope and try to see how it fits into the whole Markan narrative as well as how it relates with other Gospel stories within the Markan narrative. It shall be pertinent, as our title suggests, to also situate this Markan account of the rich young man within the other synoptic accounts, namely Matthew and Luke. In this regard, it shall prove necessary to go through some nuances that specify the Markan account in so far as it is similar to and different from the other synoptic accounts of the same pericope. Further, it shall interest us to inquire into what the pericope means and how its structure comes down to us in terms of grammar. Thereafter, we shall consider some theological implications that can be drawn from the pericope of the rich young man. And an evaluation and conclusion shall follow to carry our discussion to its term.

Context of this Study

            The entire Gospel according to Mark is divided into five themes to include: Prelude to the Public Ministry of Jesus (Mark 1:1-1:13); The Galilean Ministry (Mark 1:14-7:23); Journeys outside Jerusalem (Mark 7:24-10:52); The Jerusalem Ministry (Mark 11:1-13:37); and Passion and Resurrection (Mark 14:1-16:20). The pericope of the rich young man (Mark 10:17-22) falls within the third theme, namely, Journeys outside Jerusalem. Mark gives a Gospel narrative that seems to thread the life of Jesus as consisting in a journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, the land of this Jesus’ death.[1] This Jesus who begins his ministry in Galilee, journeys from there into other towns, like the territory of Tyre and Sidon, the Decapolis etc. before he goes into Jerusalem and meets his death. Matthew and Luke also place the pericope of the rich young man in the context of Jesus’ going to Jerusalem.[2] Evidently, Mark tactically weaves this gospel story around two characters: Jesus and the rich young man. However, while Mark and Matthew describes this rich fellow as “a man,”[3] Luke calls him “one of the rulers.”[4]

            Moreover, the story of Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man in the Markan Gospel narrative is sandwiched in between the story of Jesus blessing the little children that were brought to him in the territory of Judea and Transjordan, and the account of the teaching on the danger of riches. The context of the story is similar in Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts. Hence, in the synoptic gospel narratives, the story of Jesus blessing the children, his encounter with the rich young man and the teaching of the disciples on the dangers of riches all follow each other, in that sequence. Mark, however, is widely accepted among scholars to be an earlier source for the other synoptic gospels, being the earliest of them all.[5]

Exegesis of the Pericope of the Rich Young Man (Mark 10:17-22)

            The five verses that relate the pericope of the rich young man are rendered thus in the study edition of The New Jerusalem Bible:

V.17. He was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ V.18. Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. V.19. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’ V.20. And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these since my earliest days.’ V.21. Jesus looked steadily at him and he was filled with love for him, and he said, ‘You need to do one thing more. Go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ V.22. But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

Accordingly, Robert Stein suggests that the statement, “He was setting out on a journey…” (καὶ ἐκπορευομένου αὐτοῦ εἰς ὁδόν) in verse 17 probably refers to Jesus leaving the house he entered in Mark 10:10.[6] The “way” also referred to by the noun ὁδόν may be the way in the sense of the structure of Mark’s Gospel as the way to Jerusalem, the way to Jesus’ death – to the cross, and not just any kind of journey. This is especially noteworthy because many a scholar holds that the entire Gospel of Mark is best understood only in the light of the cross.[7]

Furthermore, on Jesus’ journey to the cross, “a man ran up, knelt before him….” Interestingly, the rich young man ran (προσδραμὼν) and having run, knelt (γονυπετήσας) before Jesus, a poor man of Nazareth, and asks Jesus: Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Because the young man asks (ἐπηρώτα) Jesus a question, John Painter notes that this story “is a quest story because the question gave expression to a genuine quest for eternal life.”[8] Additionally, Venerable Bede, commenting on this notes that the young man met Jesus so that the good teacher would demonstrate practically to him what is really meant by the acceptance of the kingdom of God of heaven as little children, about which the master taught just some while before.[9] More so, John Chrysostom comments that Jesus’ rhetorical question to the man “why do you call me good?” was because the man addressed him simply as one of the Jewish teachers.[10]

After the first exchange between Jesus and the man, Jesus goes ahead to tell the man the rudimentary things to do to gain eternal life: keeping the commandments. It is instructive that the Markan Jesus leaves out the first four of the Ten Commandments and lists the remaining commandments from six to ten and then five. The man however, responds that he had kept all the listed commandments from his earliest days. Apparently, he spoke the truth, hence, Jesus looked steadily at him, and loved him. Then Jesus puts to him one more thing to complete the cost of admittance into eternal life: total, absolute dependence on divine providence, dependence on grace. Indeed, he had kept all legal requirements. But, he lacked one thing. This “one” thing (ἕν), which he lacks evidently contrasts with “all these things” (ταῦτα πάντα) that the young man had kept from his earliest days.[11] This one more thing would prepare the young man to follow Jesus. Robert Stein, however, suggests that this imperative of the one more thing was particular to this man’s case and may not be understood as a literal universal condition for all who wish to have eternal life.[12]

Furthermore, the Greek version of this story makes reference to the cross the man has to carry and follow Jesus (καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολού ει μοι, ἄρας τὸν σταυρόν – and come follow me, taking the cross), who also actually advances towards his own cross. Unfortunately, it turned out that this final condition, the ultimate cost of discipleship, was too much for this man. He felt sad because he had great wealth. He walked away. At this point, one sees that “the barrier to his total commitment is evidently his wealth.”[13] Now one asks: in telling this story, what lessons does Mark want the Christian to draw after all? What implications does this story have for the Christian life?

Theological Implications

            Clearly, Mark, by this story of the young man’s encounter with Jesus teaches the Christian two important lessons: a lesson on discipleship: to love God above all else, and a lesson on the sufficiency or otherwise of the observance of the law. The lesson on discipleship is this: one must follow Jesus, divested of all that can hinder them from a genuine following. While not everyone who has material possession could be or is possessed by their possessions, the interlocutor of Jesus in this story is simply held down by his wealth. It is little wonder Robert Stein concludes that: “He loves his riches more than God…. He needs to repent, and the key sin that he needs to repent of is his greater love for riches than for God.”[14] Conversely,  Pseudo-Chrysostom suggests that the man’s refusal to sell all he has, give the money to the poor and follow Jesus, is simply a refusal to take on the radical demands of the counsels,[15] a refusal which cannot constitute sin, since the man was a devout Jew who kept the law.[16] This objection notwithstanding, the lynchpin of this lesson on discipleship is that things that God has given the Christian for their use can hinder them from being genuine disciples of Jesus.

Moreover, Venerable Bede draws a second lesson, from this story, a lesson which follows from the first. It is the lesson about keeping the law. Jesus loved the man because he kept the law. The law, however, is deficient, hence: “God loves those who keep the commandments of the law, though they be inferior; nevertheless, He shews to those who would be perfect the deficiency of the law, for He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it.”[17] By calling on the man to accept the radical demands of the counsels, Jesus invites him to a closer relationship with God, a relationship that the mere observance of the law may not guarantee. He has to empty himself for the sake of others – just like Christ – and depend on God alone. The man seemed to depend so much on himself and cared little about others, especially the poor. Jesus tells him simply: your wealth may not buy you heaven –unless you use it to alleviate the condition of the poor – give it all out to them then you will have bought some treasure in heaven,[18] and come, follow me – depend on me; let God be your only security. This dependence on God is the quintessence of the gospel counsels. It is the perfection of charity and all Christians are called to this perfection. So, this story challenges the Christian to evaluate their level of dependence on God to provide for their needs as they follow him every day.

Evaluation and Conclusion

This Markan character, the young man in search of eternal life seems really desperate at first. He comes with so much enthusiasm – perhaps euphoric enthusiasm. After speaking with the good teacher, he leaves sad. His story seems to resonate the condition of the seeds that fell on thorns, which, upon little sprouting, are chocked by the thorns. Besides, the man seemed not to have even considered how it is that many others, like Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew etc.,. are following Jesus, after having left everything too. Maybe he should have exercised some patience; stayed a little with Jesus; trusted just once in something other than his wealth, for indeed, no one who has left everything to follow Jesus can lack anything material – not without suffering, however, and then, eternal life at the end.[19]

Nevertheless, the action of the man suggests a kind of realistic human attitude that is scandalized by the seeming “transcendentalism” and “unseeness” of faith.[20] The man seems to operate on the maxim that a bird in the hand is worth more than two in the forest. This view is realistic and practical. But faith seems to transcend this. Faith seems to call for more. The rich young man was called to embrace the “madness” of faith. The man was evidently interested in the things of the hereafter, but he was held down by the things of the now.

It may suffice to say that Mark’s story of the encounter of the rich young man with Jesus is a story of a character, an intending disciple who feels that he cannot pay the price of discipleship, even though he is a very rich man and a devout Jew – keeping the law faithfully. This man represents those in the Christian community who go for the minimum requirements of the Gospel. However, the imperative of going beyond the minimum requirements of the Gospel is one that one could take up if one wishes. In the final analysis, this aim of this paper was to study the Markan pericope of the rich young man in its synoptic context. To achieve this, the story has been situated within the Markan narrative, as well as within the entire synoptic context. An exegesis has been done and theological implications have been drawn from it. This paper, however, concludes that the rich young man turned away from discipleship because he saw that the price was too high for him to pay. His turning away is realistic and practical. But faith in God requires more than these.

---

[1] Cf. Francis Moloney, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002) 2

[2] Cf. Robert H. Stein, Mark (Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008) 466.

[3] Mark 10:17; Matthew 19:16

[4] Luke 18:18

[5] Cf. Graham N. Stanton, Jesus and Gospel (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004) 143

[6] Cf. Stein, Mark, 467

[7] Cf. Keith F. Nickle, The Synoptic Gospels (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001) 71-2.

[8] John Painter, Mark’s Gospel (London: Routledge, 1997) 138

[9] Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Catena Aurea: Gospel of Mark (translated by William Whiston, London: Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 2000) 155

[10] Cf. Aquinas, Catena Aurea: Gospel of Mark, 155

[11] Stein, Mark, 470

[12] Cf. Stein, Mark, 470

[13] C. M. Tucket, “Mark” The Oxford Biblical Commentary: The Gospels (John Muddiman & John Braton (eds.), Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001) 113 

[14] Stein, Mark, 470

[15] The counsels here referred may not be the counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience that consecrated persons take today but may very well refer to these.

[16] Cf. Aquinas, Catena Aurea: Gospel of Mark, 156

[17] Aquinas, Catena Aurea: Gospel of Mark, 156

[18] Is this man not aware of the parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl in Matthew 13:44-46?

[19] Cf. Mark 10:29-30

[20] Cf. Hebrew 11:1