Mark 10:22

‘But his face fell at the saying and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.'

As he thought of what was involved the young man's face changed, and a despairing look overtook it. What was being required was too much for him. And he went away sorrowful. What a contrast with how he arrived. He did not run now. He walked off with drooped shoulders. We are reminded of Jesus' words earlier. ‘What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life', and ‘what should a man give in exchange for his life' (Mark 8:36). And this man seemed unwilling to face the cost.

And we should note that Jesus let him go. He knew how hard it was for the young man but He was willing to wait for the word sown to work in his heart, producing either good grain or being choked by weeds. It would determine what kind of ground he was, that which had been prepared by God, or that which was barren and would never bear fruit. The young man had to be left to decide. We do not know what the final outcome was. Perhaps he did return to follow Jesus. But he would never again say, “All these things have I done.” He had learned a vital lesson. He was not as ‘ready for anything' as he had thought. There was at least one commandment that he was not prepared to keep. And now he knew it.

Nor was he at this stage prepared to come to Jesus open-heartedly, bringing his need, for he wanted too much what he already had and that prevented him being fully aware of his need. And while he was clinging on to his possessions so desperately he could not come under God's Kingly Rule, for his wealth ruled in the place of God.

Of course Jesus was not suggesting that the young man could buy eternal life. That was not the question at issue. What mattered was that he thought that he was a true seeker after eternal life who would do anything to obtain it and had now discovered that he was not. Jesus had torn aside his refuge of lies and shown him the truth about himself. He could no longer look on himself as a fulfiller the Law, for he did not love his neighbours enough to put them on a par with himself, and he did not love God enough to use his wealth to do so.

Now, therefore, he was faced with a proper choice, God or mammon? His only hope now was to get rid of all that he possessed, because it was the burden around his neck, and the hindrance to his right approach. It was the thing that blurred his vision. Once he was rid of it, then he would be able to come to Jesus in childlike trust, need and penitence. But until then he could not. For the obstacle was too great to allow for any other option. Then he would be able to receive eternal life, not because of his sacrifice but because thereby he would put himself in a position to receive it as a free gift without restrictions and would be welcomed. We too need to stop and ask ourselves, what is the obstacle that grips our hearts and prevents us from fully following Christ? And then we also need to be ready to rid ourselves of it.

What a sad contrast there is between this man and the children who were brought to Jesus, whom He would not allow His disciples to turn away (Mark 10:13). Here He let the man go because it was his own free choice, but He was still sorrowful.