“AND JESUS looked about, and saith unto His disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”
The disciples quite likely were favorably impressed by the bright earnest young man, whom we considered in our last reading, and disappointed in what happened. They are found questioning among themselves: “Who then can be saved?” Could it be that they had forgotten the very principle of the Lord’s service, heard from His own lips almost the first day that they became His disciples? At that time He had said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (See Mark 2:14-1714And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 15And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Mark 2:14‑17)). Had they remembered these words, they would have had no difficulty in seeing that the rich young man coming to Jesus in prideful self-righteousness could never be accepted on that basis. Yet the rich can be saved, as well as the poor, if they will come on the ground of their own need, and the merit of Christ’s death for sinners on Calvary. The Lord answers the question of His disappointed followers by saying: “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” (v. 27).
“Then Peter began to say unto Him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed Thee” (v 28). In Matthew’s account we find that he also said, “What shall we have therefore?” The Lord graciously draws a veil, as it were, over Peter’s statement and we cannot be certain whether it was intended as a contrast to the rich young man who would not leave all to follow Jesus—whether it was boasting, with the hope of a reward; or whether he was fearful the Lord would have forgotten that he had left fishnets and boats bind to follow Him. Whatever may have been Peter’s thoughts, the Lord gives a promise as to rewards for those who for His sake and the gospel’s leave behind them natural ties that would interfere in such service. But He faithfully reminds them too, that part of the walk was to be marked with persecutions, but in the end the reward would be great indeed.
We want to remember that in Mark’s account of the life of Jesus, we are seeing Him as the perfect Servant and as such He does not speak of Himself, or of what He had left behind in coming into this world. But the Spirit of God tells us of this many times elsewhere. For instance in 2 Cor. 8:99For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9) it is written: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.”
Of course we do not want to misinterpret what the Lord said in regard to forsaking family ties. He was not calling for his followers to deliberately leave wives, children, etc., except where these were a barrier to true service. We need also to remember that working just for the reward, will result in no reward at all. The attachment must be to Christ. In the final day when every man’s works shall be manifest, promised rewards and praise from His lips will come forth according to God’s appraisal of what has been done with a true heart for Him and His Son. (See 1 Cor. 4:55Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1 Corinthians 4:5).)
MEMORY VERSE: “OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO DIED FOR US, THAT, WHETHER WE WAKE OR SLEEP, WE SHOULD LIVE TOGETHER WITH HIM.” 1 Thess. 5:9, 109For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (1 Thessalonians 5:9‑10).
ML-12/15/1963