The Deception of Comfort: Unveiling the Truth of Mark 10:27
Discover the profound insights of Mark 10:27 and the Rich Young Ruler as we delve into the essence of fulfillment and its eternal significance. Is wealth bad, or should we fear the distraction comfort offers? Discover the power of acknowledging our spiritual poverty and embracing the path to profound spiritual blessings.
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17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[a]”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[b] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
“How Do I Inherit Eternal Life?”
Has reading the Bible ever made you uncomfortable?
Yes, there are times I am comforted by Scripture, but often I recognize that God is stretching me in some when I read His Word. The story of the Rich Young Ruler may be one of those moments for some of us.
The story begins with the Rich Young Ruler running to Jesus and falling to his knees before Him. He asks, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” As a wealthy person, there are many things he can control, but there’s one thing he has no propensity to control: the inevitability of death. And without being morbid, that’s something we can all relate to.
He responds, "Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” As Jesus looks at the Young Ruler, Scripture specifically points out that He loved him before speaking. It’s also setting up that He is about to share a hard truth, and based on 1 John, we know that God is love; therefore, love will not lie. [READ MORE: What Does the Bible Say About Judging]
JESUS: “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Mark 10:21
“The heart must and will go in the direction of that which we count precious. The whole man will be transformed into the likeness of that for which he lives.”
Scripture reveals precisely how the Young Ruler processed this information. He was “disheartened” and “went away sorrowful.” The text also affirms that he had great possessions. It seems he asked the right question but gave the wrong response.
Let’s examine the Rich Young Ruler’s response.
1) Disheartened
We can surmise the reason he was disheartened indicates that whatever disturbed him was close to his heart. Jesus described that effect when He said, “Where your treasure is, there, your heart will be, where your heart is also.”
2) Sorrow
In light of the Son of God giving instructions, the Young Ruler is grieving His words that are relevant to his circumstance. Jesus’ words hurt him, but as noted, Jesus spoke a hard truth to the Rich Young Ruler.
When Comfort Becomes Distraction
In verse 23, Jesus states, “How difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
There is a lot of tension within that text. Our standard of living in the United States is among the highest in the world. This story illustrates the dangers that come with that.
Comfort can circumvent dependence upon God.
Comfort can circumvent the desire for God.
Comfort can circumvent desperation for God.
You may be thinking the terminology I’m using may seem a little extreme. However, Jesus tells us, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
“Wealth had destroyed the godliness of more people than any other thing.”
For reference, by God’s grace, the Apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh, or some weakness, that fueled his dependence on God. It caused desperation for God’s presence, enabling him to share in His love through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It fostered dependence.
The Rich Young Ruler wanted eternal life but didn’t want to give God his heart His heart was with his riches. He could control that, yet he asked Jesus how to control his eternity.
JESUS: “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:22-23
Notice deceitfulness is associated with the word riches. It chokes the word.
One of the hardest things to admit is when we are deceitful. Deceit is deceitful because the deceived person is convinced that he is not deceived. If he realized he was deceived (as a present condition), then it would not be in deceit.
The Rich Young Ruler is deceived by the security and comfort that has been embraced with blinding force. However, Jesus still loved him and did so for a multiplicity of reasons. But nothing in the material realm has the power to satisfy a person’s spiritual needs.
What is the Context of Mark 10:27
For a long time, I read this passage at surface level. Wealthy people can’t come to know Jesus. However, my wife pointed out the full context of the passage.
After the interaction, in verse 26, the disciples approach Jesus, amazed and astonished, and ask, “Then who can be saved?” They affirm that Jesus preached to many people, and not all of them were materially poor. Many social classes were hearing His word.
In Mark 10:27, we see Jesus’ response, “With man, it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Remember, Jesus loves the Rich Young Ruler. Jesus knows nothing in the material realm has the power to satisfy anyone’s deepest spiritual needs or can birth them into eternal life. Wealth, and all its comfort and care, can blind us to the poverty of our souls.
“People ‘at the top’ are eager to attribute their position to their own intellect, savvy, and hard work. The reality is much more complicated. Personal connections, family environment, and what appears to be plain luck determine how successful a person is. We are the product of three things- genetics, environment, and our personal choices- but two of these three factors we have no power over. We are not nearly as responsible for our success as our popular views of God and reality lead us to think.”
Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters
The Spiritual Blessing of Poverty of Spirit
The failure of the Rich Young Ruler is that he did not recognize his poverty in wealth. What draws us into the Holy Spirit is a recognition of our poverty in wealth as a gift from God.
Another verse that is often misinterpreted is Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
That verse is not about material wealth. There is a spiritual blessing upon those, regardless of social class, skin color, or bank status, that recognizes they are impoverished for something more. It’s because they know they need something more!
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
God acknowledges when we admit our brokenness and sinfulness. It says those who mourn and give what they’ve lost for the glory of God that those who mourn will be comforted. No one enters the kingdom without the miracle of God’s mercy and grace touching our lives.
No one comes to the Son under their own will. As we have said before, you need God working in you to come to Him. None of us meet the standard required to enter His kingdom. None of us are good enough.
When you accept Christ, you have a brand new life. What starts now is birth into eternity. It was the same question the Rich Young Ruler was asking. However, where wealth was at the top of his priorities, Christ invites you to discard some of the things you may find valuable (and I don’t mean necessarily abandon; they’re no longer at the top) to create space for Him to reign.
While you may be releasing something of the world that you hold dear, you will receive a fulfillment that’s impossible to have without Him.
TL;DR
The story of the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10:17-27 challenges us to examine our priorities and the role of comfort in our lives.
Jesus tells the young man to sell his possessions and follow Him, but he is disheartened because he is holding onto the control riches offered.
The passage highlights how comfort and wealth can distract us from our dependence on God and spiritual needs.
Jesus emphasizes that it is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, but all things are possible with God.
The passage reminds us of the spiritual blessing of recognizing our poverty in wealth, which acknowledges the need to accept Christ, prioritize Him above all else, and experience a new life in Him.
Related Reading
From Isolation to Restoration by Rev. Paul Lawler
Restored Into God’s Image by Rev. Paul Lawler
The God Honoring Way by Rev. Paul Lawler
