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Mark 10:17-22 “May Blessings Not Become a Curse”

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5–7 minutes

Mark 10:17-22 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

Explanation:

As Jesus was about to set out on his journey, a man ran up to him and knelt before him (v. 17). The phrase “ran up” reveals his sense of urgency and desperation, and the act of “kneeling” expresses his deep respect for Jesus.

He addressed Jesus as “Good Teacher” (v. 17). In response, Jesus said, “No one is good except God alone” (v. 18). The man’s understanding of goodness was different from Jesus’ understanding. From a human perspective, many people could be considered good. The man called Jesus good based on this limited human standard. However, Jesus referred to goodness in its perfect and absolute sense—only God is truly good. Though the man spoke as if he was exalting Jesus, he did not yet fully understand who Jesus truly was.

He asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The Greek word klēronomeō is better translated as “receive” rather than “obtain” because eternal life is not something earned through effort but received by grace. Like many Jews of that time, this man mistakenly believed that he could attain eternal life by doing something.

Knowing his inner thoughts, Jesus listed the commandments related to relationships with others from the Ten Commandments (v. 19). The man responded, “I have kept all these since my youth” (v. 20). Jesus, recognizing his sincerity, “looked at him and loved him” (v. 21). This indicates that Jesus acknowledged and appreciated his earnest efforts to obey God’s commandments. However, the problem lay in his belief that salvation could be achieved through his rigorous efforts.

Jesus said to him, “You lack one thing” (v. 21). The Greek word hystereō, translated as “lack”, conveys the meaning of a serious deficiency—a crucial shortcoming that renders everything else meaningless. Jesus told him to sell all he had, give to the poor, and then come follow Him. He promised that by doing so, the man would “have treasure in heaven” (v. 21). However, upon hearing this, the man “went away sorrowful and grieving” (v. 22), because he was very wealthy.

Meditation:

The man who came to Jesus was wealthy and lacked nothing in this world. Yet, despite his material abundance, he longed for eternal life—a desire not commonly found among the rich and self-sufficient. This indicates that he believed life on earth was not all there was. Because of this belief, he studied the commandments and laws from a young age and made every effort to obey them without fail.

When Jesus affirmed his statement, “I have kept all these since my youth” (v. 20), it shows that the man was speaking truthfully. In fact, the latter six commandments of the Ten Commandments (from the 5th to the 10th) can generally be observed with effort. This is because the commandments and laws define the minimum standard of moral behavior.

The first question Jesus posed to the man was a rhetorical strategy designed to expose his self-confidence in his own righteousness through the law. The man believed that he could obtain eternal life (the kingdom of God, salvation) through his own efforts, and he was quite confident that he was doing well in this regard. When he expressed his confidence in his obedience to the law, Jesus pointed out that he was, in fact, lacking the most essential thing. Without it, all of his efforts would be meaningless.

What he lacked was complete trust in God—an absolute dependence that acknowledges, “Without God, I have no hope.” To him, God was merely an addition to his life, rather than the foundation of his existence. He desired eternal life but was unwilling to give up everything for it. This is why Mark records, immediately before this story (vv. 13-16), Jesus’ teaching about receiving the kingdom of God like a child—with total dependence and surrender.

Thus, Jesus gave him an extreme command: to sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow him. In response, the man “went away sorrowful and grieving” because he could not bring himself to forsake his earthly wealth for an unseen kingdom.

Prayer:

Lord, we are not so different from this rich man. Our hearts for you and your kingdom are so small. We desire to live in your love while we are alive and to enter your kingdom when we die, but it is not our highest priority. We have too much, and there is so much in this world for us to enjoy. Oh, Lord, transform our faith so that we may become like little children who have nothing to hope for in this world but depend solely on you. Keep us from slipping at the threshold of your kingdom because of the possessions and pleasures we cling to in this life. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: True faith is not about what we do or what we have but about fully trusting and depending on God. Like the rich man in the story, we can follow the rules and do good things, but if we are unwilling to let go of what holds our hearts, we might miss out on the most important thing—Jesus and his kingdom.

  • For Preschool-Lower Elementary
    • The rich man was sad because he didn’t want to give up his money. Is there something you would find hard to give up if Jesus asked you to?
    • How can we show that we love and trust Jesus more than our favorite toys, games, or things?
  • For Upper Elementary-Middle School
    • Why do you think the rich man ran to Jesus? What was he looking for?
    • Jesus told the man to give up everything and follow him. What do you think Jesus wants us to give up to follow him today?
  • For High School
    • The rich man thought he had done everything right, but Jesus said he was still missing something. Why do you think Jesus asked him to give up his wealth?
    • Do you ever feel like you need to ‘do’ more to earn God’s love? How does this passage challenge or encourage you?

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