Mark 10:21

‘And Jesus, looking on him, loved him and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me.”

Jesus looked at the eager young man and loved him. He was the kind of young man whom all good men loved. But Jesus loved him too because He saw what this eager young man might yet become. And then Jesus went straight to the root of his sinfulness, a sinfulness of which he himself was as yet unaware. Like an arrow from a bow the words of Jesus went straight to his heart. His particular sin was that of love of money and luxurious ease and riches, the deceitfulness of riches (Mark 4:19) and it included the failure to genuinely dedicate it to the cause of God by using it extensively for those in need. So Jesus commanded him to rid himself of his stumblingblock by selling everything that he possessed and giving it away and then coming and following Him. Jesus knew that in his case he had to be totally freed from it.

Certainly Peter and Andrew had done this (Mark 1:18), and Levi had done it (Mark 2:14). But this young man had even more to lose, and he was not yet ready for it, for his wealth gripped his heart. We should note that his coming to Jesus had shown him what the real truth was. At least now he knew what the stark fact was. He was not, as he thought, approaching a certain higher level of goodness, so that he was almost there. Rather he was sinful, utterly sinful, because his wealth was more important to him than God. His privilege had become his idol.

So Jesus had achieved His aim. The man's self-righteousness had been broken down, and shown for what it was, and he knew now that by his actions alone he could not hope to achieve eternal life, for he could not face the price that was demanded. He was unwilling to sacrifice all that he had.

‘Go -- sell -- give it to the poor.' If the young man was to find life he must get rid of the idol that came between him and God. Without that he could never love God truly. Loving God like that was the one commandment that he had failed to keep, to love God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, and if he would find eternal life it was that that had to be remedied. It was true that only God could inspire the necessary love within him to turn away from his idol, but it was for him to first cast out the hindrance to that love.

This demand to sell everything and give it to the poor was contrary to the teaching of the Rabbis who considered that it was wrong for a man to impoverish himself. They forbade the dedicating of more than a fifth of a man's wealth to God. But Jesus would have argued that under the Kingly Rule of God things were different because such a person was trusting in his Father's provision (Matthew 6:32) and wanted to have nothing diverting his attention from total commitment to God. Here was another evidence that the Kingly Rule of God was present.

‘And you will have treasure in heaven.' Then the treasure that he sought would be his. He would have treasure in heaven. Compare Matthew 5:19. Not, be it noted, more treasure than others. The widow who gave her mite would equally have treasure in heaven (Mark 12:41), for both had given all. But both would have the treasure because by their actions they had revealed by their actions that they both loved God and were loved by God.

Jesus was not just saying, give up your worldly treasure and you will receive eternal life. The giving up had to be in order to follow Jesus fully. That was the crux. For eternal life was found in knowing Jesus Christ and in knowing the One Who had sent Him (John 5:24; John 17:3).

‘And come and follow Me.' Jesus was offering the young man a full answer to his question, and it was to be found in Him. As he responded to Jesus with his hindrance left behind him he would soon find the life that was life indeed, the free gift of eternal life in Christ, for God would work faith within his heart. He would be able to come under the Kingly Rule of God. But first his idol must be done away with.

And we should note that. Without the idol gone there could be no salvation. Jesus did not just tell him to believe. He told him that first he must rid himself of his idol. Then he could follow and find.