Lectionary Year B
October 12, 2003
Mark 10:17-31

Step V: Distillation

A. Summary of Salient Features

(JFC) The theological focal point of this pericope must be the goodness of God who gives the gifts of eternal life/salvation/God's Kingdom. Other positive points include Jesus' willingness to hear the wealthy man and the disciples, as well. And, is the reversing/upsetting the priorities in verse 31 theologically important in this context? Also, what about the "with God all things are possible"? These observations leave as lesser important elements to involve the Ten Commandments, the images of the camel and the wealthy persons' difficulty getting into God's Kingdom and the firsts' being last and the lasts' being first.

B. Smoother Translation

(JFC) 17 And He (Jesus) having gone into a way/road/journey, a man came running up/to him and knelt before Him and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what should I do in order to gain/receive eternal life?" 18 But Jesus said to him, "Why do you cal me good? No one (is) good (is) (except) God. 19 You know the Commandments, Not should you murder, nor commit adultery, nor steal, nor give false evidence/testimony, nor defraud, rather, then honor your father and your mother. 20 But he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept/obeyed/followed all these (Laws) from my youth." 21 Then Jesus looking at/seeing him loved him and said to him, "One thing you are lacking; go and sell all you have and give it to the poor people and you shall have a treasure in heaven, and come follow me." 22 But being sad at the word/saying he went away grieving/sorrowful/distressed; for he had many possessions. 23 And having looked around Jesus said to His disciples; "How with difficulty the ones with possessions/means having to go into the kingdom of the God. 24 And the disciples were amazed/shocked at His words. But Jesus again replying said to them, "Children, how hard/difficult it is into to enter the kingdom of God to enter; 25 it is easier (for) a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich/well to do person to enter into the kingdom of the God. 26 And they were all the more amazed/astounded, saying, "Who is able to be saved?" 27 Looking at them Jesus said; "With humans (it is) impossible, but not with God; for all (things are) possible with God. 28 Peter began to say to Him, "Behold we forsook/gave up/left behind all and have followed You." 29 Then Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, no one is there who has forsaken home or brother or sister or mother or father or children or field/farm for the reason of me or by reason of the gospel, 30 who not, in this time, will receive/get/obtain a hundred fold now in this time houses and brothers and sisters and children and fields/farms with persecution, and in the coming life, eternal (bliss). 31 But many being first shall be last and the ones being last shall be first/foremost/prominent."

C. Hermeneutical Bridge

(JFC) Proclamation, Series B, Pentecost 3, 1976, emphasizes God's Word in verses 17-27 and extends it through verse 30. Craddock and Keck indicate, "The word spoken by Jesus is the word of God. . . The word spoken by Jesus is the word of God spoken to us. . . What was true is true." So it was and is.



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