He Was One Who Owned Much Property

Mark 10:17-23

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not defraud; honor your father and mother.’" 

And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” 

Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 

But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.  

And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”

Interpreters often point out that Jesus leaves out the first four commandments, all of which have to do with putting God first: "don't have any other gods before me; don't make idols; don't take the name of God in vain; keep the Sabbath set apart." 

But even after Jesus lists the latter six commandments, and the wealthy property owner says that he has kept them, Jesus doesn't go on to list the first four. Instead, he points the man to give up what he values most, to give it to the poor, and to follow him.

Jesus is looking to the heart of the law. The man's property has taken the place of God as the giver of security, personal value, purpose, and so on and so on. Thus, property has become the man's god. And this god consumes him, and it consumes the poor.

None of this interpretation is new. Neither is the question, "What is your god?"