Mark 10:17 to 22 -- Jesus and the Rich Young Man

Mark 10:17 to 22 -- Jesus and the Rich Young Man

Mark - Mark 10:17 to 22 -- Jesus and the Rich Young Man Good afternoon. Today, I learned about Mark - Mark 10:17 to 22 -- Jesus and the Rich Young Man. Which is very helpful to me and also you.

The Gospel of Mark is a narrative, in the oral tradition of early Christian teaching. To understand the story of the rich man’s conversation with Jesus, one needs to view the Gospel in total. In this Gospel, Jesus is a mentor and educator of the people. Jesus is teaching the truths of the Kingdom of Heaven. Moreover, Jesus is leader to the disciples/apostles. What I said. It just isn't the conclusion that the real about Mark. You read this article for home elevators what you wish to know is Mark. Mark Mark wrote his article in active voice telling the events in the discipling of the apostles and ministry to the Chosen people of God. Throughout the Gospel, Jesus talks with people in all walks of Jewish life. Thimmes (1992) helps elaborate the constituents of Marks Gospel. For Mark, constituents are groups of people, the twelve (apostles), religious leaders, Jesus’ family, crowds of people, and women. She continues to write that private characters, like the rich young man, appear at times; however, they appear in justification of Jesus, His actions, His mission. Inner Texture/Intertexture The inner texture - repeated patterns of speech and buildings (Bekker, 2005) – consist of the theme of teaching, preaching to the people, gift understanding to the apostles, keen the teachers of religion, and commanding followership. To the people following Jesus, He tells easy stories for their understanding, to the apostles, He explains the parables in depth as to assure their understanding and their potential to spread the truth after the Accession. To the scholars of Jewish religion, Jesus traps them in their own words. Intertexture – the tapestry woven into modern society (Bekker, 2005): The Church today continues to teach and elaborate for the faithful. The Gospel of Mark uses intertexture through communal topics common to the time in a manner that reflects culture. Mark wrote based on oral tradition and oral history (Dewey, 2004). Like organizational leadership today, Mark shared Jesus’ vision through story telling, in Mark’s situation, as suggested by Dewy (2004) and Robbins (2005), Mark wrote as scribe of Peter. Peter’s oral history became written history through Mark. Oral histories and traditions of a great leader bind to that leader over time. Like modern organizations, myth and folklore help retain organizational history. We tell the stories in pieces in a way that people can understand the context, and then weave the stories into a text. More than myth and folklore, Mark’s gospel is a factual accounting resulting in wee change over time. Inner Texture in Mark There are any recurring themes in the Gospel of Mark. We read that Jesus preached, He spoke with authority, He taught. These references tell us Jesus was a teacher. However, educator has a distinct meaning today than the time of Jesus. Daily Bible Study (2005) offers a definition of educator used while the time of Jesus. Teacher: Rabbi, meaning Teacher, or devotee was, and is, a dignified title given by Jews to doctors of the religious law and suited teachers. In the New Testament, it was most often recorded when used by His disciples for Jesus Christ. Therefore, Mark’s use of educator referring to Jesus is of respect for Jesus’ knowledge of sacred scripture and potential to recap it to disciples and followers. In the passage, Mark 10:17-22, the word educator appears twice as spoken by the rich young man, once in the beginning of the story and again in the middle. The rich young man recognizes that Jesus speaks with authority when preaching. This young someone did not come upon Jesus; rather he ran to Jesus giving homage by falling to his knees, and addressing Jesus as teacher. Hebrews 7:7 offers some understanding to the young man’s behavior, “It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.” Other accounts propose the rich young man was a local leader (ruler) to whom others would bow in respect (Luke 18:18). Recognizing the historical perspective of the educator and the operation of the rich young man to kneel before Jesus, one can understand how this someone felt toward Jesus as a leader and educator of the people. However, did this young man identify Jesus as the Son of God? As the story unfolds, the young man also addresses Jesus as good, “good teacher.” Good appears three times in this short duct all in the opening verses. After the young man addresses Jesus as good teacher, Jesus replies by request the young man to qualify “good,” as “No one is good but God alone.” This line of questioning seems to have a rational logical progression. First Jesus asks why the young man considers Jesus good. Second, Jesus states only God is good. Third, the unanswered query in logical progression is, “you address me as good, I say only God is good. Therefore, if only God is good and you address me as good, do you identify me as God?” This appears a challenge to the young man to accept Jesus as the human manifestation of God. What word might the young man have spoken that we translate as good. Searching online sources for “good” in relation to it use in this passage, one Hebrew derivative appeared – tov. In Greek, one finds agathos, meaning that which is good or goodness. an additional one Greek term is kalodidaskalos, meaning educator of good things or teaching what is good. After researching the meanings of the good and educator used in this passage, one can conclude the rich young man recognized Jesus as a scriptural teacher, with scholarly knowledge, who taught good things. One cannot conclude the young man recognized Jesus as the Son of God. Stevenson (no date) wrote of the encounter that the rich young man was mistaken that he and Jesus were equally good because of their acts. However, the young man had already stored his good works on earth and related in Matthew 6:16-18. In the midst of the encounter, Jesus commands the rich young man to obey the commandments. However, Jesus seems to speak to the young man is terms he understands from the Scribes and Pharoses. The pattern Jesus used was unassailable “do not” violate a Commandment. The instruction “do not” repeats five times. Upon Jesus telling the young man to obey the commandments, the young man replied he obeyed since being a child. He “… felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him” (Mark 10:21). This story concludes with Jesus final effort at the young man’s transformation, Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and “follow Me.” Jesus asks this young someone to give up his earthly treasure for heavenly treasures. Unable to accept this command, he turns and leaves Jesus. “At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:22). Although the duct ends with verse 22, Mark writes of Jesus continuing to instruct the disciples on the value of knowing God rather than trusting riches. The young man was unable to surrender riches, position, and title on earth for heavenly treasure. Social and Cultural Texture In the time of Jesus as today, wealth was power and status was important. The case to make is the rich young man wanted a place in heaven; however, on his terms. Jesus spoke of the rule of Jewish law obeying the commandments, give up riches, and corollary Him. The corollary is the young man rejects Jesus’ offer and goes away. Ideological Texture Mark’s gospel, unlike the others opens with Jesus as the subject, “Here begins the overwhelming story of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Therefore, Mark places Jesus as central in the duct of the rich young man to teach others on the dangers of wealth. Jesus projects himself onto the rich young man drawing him into scene. The disciples traveled with Jesus, yet they are not a part of the story until verse 23 and Jesus begins His instruction. Sacred Texture Jesus tells the young man only God is good. He asks why the young man addresses Him as Good Teacher. In this passage, Jesus reinforces the Jewish law as interpreted by Jewish teachers of the law. Jesus offer to corollary Him was not the short cut the young man wanted since it meant giving up “worldly goods” for God’s good. Opening-Middle-Closing Texture This duct fits the Robbins (1996) texture pattern having an opening, middle, and a closing. • Opening, Mark 10:17: Jesus was leaving on a trip when a rich young man came running up to Him request how he could get to heaven. • Middle, Mark 10:18-21: Jesus had a conversation with the young man telling him to obey the commandments to reach heaven. Jesus loves the man offers the young man a opening to corollary Him, and he rejects Jesus offer. • Closing, Mark 10:22: As a rich person, he was unable to give up material goods for spiritual goods to attain heaven. Christian Leadership How does leadership in the time of Jesus compare to modern leadership? Christian leadership is easy according to Smalling (2005). However simple, he iterates it is not easy. Organizational leaders understand the supervision paradigm of hierarchical structure; however, fail to identify the biblical paradigm of servant leadership taught throughout the gospels. Christian leadership, biblical leadership shared in the New Testament is a gift from God. Mathew 20:20-28 tells of the sons of Zebedee seeking position power in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus says in verse 23 that He (Jesus) cannot say who sits where in Heaven, “… Those places are reserved for persons my Father selects.” Zebedee’s sons had ambition which is good in a leader; however, they were self-focused not God focused in the leadership desires. modern Christian leaders must possess humbleness. Winston (2002) writes of humble and haughty leaders. The old is servant to the goals of the organization and the latter is servant to his/her own goals. Christian leadership, biblical leadership shared in the New Testament is a gift from God. Mathew 20:20-28 tells of the sons of Zebedee seeking position power in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus says in verse 23 that He (Jesus) cannot say who sits where in Heaven, “… Those places are reserved for persons my Father selects.” Zebedee’s sons had ambition which is good in a leader; however, they were self-focused not God focused in the leadership desires. modern Christian leaders must possess humbleness. Winston (2002) writes of humble and haughty leaders. The old is servant to the goals of the organization and the latter is servant to his/her own goals. Many texts cite leaders as charismatic, seeking a association in the middle of the leader and those led. This is probably true of all leadership situations; however, has an “exceptional gift for inspiration and nonrational communication” (DuBrin 2004, pg. 65). Charismatic leaders may be communal – doing what is best to advantage others, or personal – doing what is best for self. Christian leaders need to concern themselves for the whole rather than the one. In organizational change, especially reorganization, and reculturing, leadership is often transformational. A leader may value the organization in terms of forces. There are soldiery for change and soldiery against change. The transformational leader must minimize or eliminate the resistance factors so the forward request for retrial of change progresses positively. The rich young man could not rid himself of resistance forces. A Christian transformational leader needs to know Acts 20:28, to “keep watch over yourself…,” the leaders spiritual welfare. This someone must also keep watch over “… all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseer.” This element of the verse is very similar to agapao love explained by Winston (2002). Finally, Acts 20:28 concludes “Be shepherds of the church….” Church in organizational terms is the people of people production up the organization. The first inkling of Jesus’ leadership comes in the first chapter of Mark, verses 21-22. In these, we read how Jesus went into the synagogue and “taught them as one that had authority, not as the scribes.” modern studying organizations teach employees leadership skills through mentoring, preparation the younger employees for the time that they will take over leadership. Jesus is not a titled leader; yet he has many followers and fierce valid resistance to His authority. Sims (1996) refers to Jesus’ leadership in Mark as a call “from power as dominance to power as participation.” Mark 10:44 relates the servant leadership teaching of Jesus, “And, whoever wants to be greatest of all must be slave of all.” DuBrin (2004) acknowledges leadership as a partnership or association over the long-term. DuBrin continues by citing Peter Block’s stewardship theory of leadership. As mentioned elsewhere in this paper, the stewardship theory supposes the greater good of the whole rather than the individual. Successful leaders in modern company identify their compel come form the communal compel of the group. Pfeffer (1998) writes of the seven practices of Successful organizations in chapter three, and similar to Mark 10:44, he says Successful organizations “(r)educe status distinctions and barriers….” (pg.65), and be selective in hiring new people. Jesus was selective in hiring his inner circle. He picked fishermen to make them fishers of men (Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17). He chose a tax collector (Matthew 10:3, Luke 5:27), although their people considered tax collectors behavior unethical (Mark 2:16, Luke 7:34). The Christian leader, servant/leader selectively gathers others colse to whom he/she can teach. Then they, in turn, carry the vision and values forward to the next level. The Christian leadership rests on multiple points. The rich young man duct offers a view of three balance points, God, others and self. Blue (1999) takes leadership in journeys, three separate journeys, yet each dependent on the others. The first journey is upward, having a spiritual association with God, integrating God into our lives, being God oriented. The second journey is inward. The inward journey according to Blue is where we “(attend) to our own healing, attending to the stuff that's wrong with us.” Do not deny your feelings, try to elaborate them and learn from them. Feelings are the body’s way of giving us information and we often choose to ignore them. The third, final journey is outward. We cultivate relationships with many and intimacies (platonically - agapao) with a few. We find those who are honest with us and us with them. Conclusion Mark 10:17-22 is Jesus’ call to operation to give up secular gods. In reciting the Commandments in verse 19, any are not included. Notably, Jesus does not consist of the First Commandment. Jesus is already aware the rich young man has put other gods before God. Modern leaders need to explore the events of Mark 10:17-22. It is not a communal interaction. Jesus asks this young man to accept a new position, a new work ethic in retain of Jesus’ mission. Leaders have a call to service, to serve the organization, its constituents, its community, and its human resources. Winston (2002) charges that too often leaders put people into positions because of technical potential without taking into notice the allinclusive good of the organization. Pat Boone in Robertson (2004) asks what if the rich young man had sold everything, “What would he have become” (pg. Xiii)? This seems a leadership gamble, settle on someone because they have technical skills or for their possible to work on the organization. Leaders often feel they need skill over potential; however, the true servant leader does not need to gamble with human assets. True Christian leaders hire the right someone who fits into the organizational culture and begins an educational mentoring program. Unfortunately, we do not know the acknowledge to Pat Boone’s what if question. The interview did not go well for the rich young man. Reference: Bekker, C. (2005). Exploring Leadership through Exegesis. Regent University, Virginia Beach, Va. Blue, K. (1999). Wholesome Leadership. The Grace and healing seminar in 1999. Retrieved November 8, 2005 from http://muchloved.tripod.com/love/kblove1.html#journeys Dewey, J. (2004). The Survival of Mark's Gospel: A Good Stroy? Journal of Bibical Literature, 123(3). DuBrin, A. J. (2004). Leadership: research Findings, Practices, and Skills (4th Edition). Boston, Ma: Houghton Mifflin Company. Hoffman, P. (2001). Sell Leadership Strategy in Tight Labor Markets: Bellevue University Pfeffer, J (1998). The Human Equation: building profits by putting people first. Boston, Ma: Harvard company School Press. Robbins, V. K. (2005 October 26). The Intertexture of Apocalyptic Discourse in the Gospel of Mark. Emory University. Retrieved on November 8, 2005 from http://www.religion.emory.edu/faculty/robbins/Pdfs/ApocIntertexture.pdf. Robbins, V. K. (1996). Exploring the Texture of Texts: A guide to socio-rhetorical interpretation. Valley Forge, Pa: Trinity Press International. Robertson, P. & Buckingham, J. (1972, 1995, 2004). The Autobiography of Pat Robertson: Shout it from the housetops. Gainsville, Fl: Bridge-Logos. Smalling, R. L. (2005). Christian Leadership: theory and Practicalities [Electronic Version]. Retrieved November 6, 2005 from [http://www.smallings.com/Books/Christianleadership.htm]. Sims, B. J. (1996). Gospel Text, Mark 10:46-52 - The healing of blind Bartimaeus. The center for Progressive Christianity. Retrieved November 7, 2005 from [https://www.tcpc.org/resources/articles/let_me.htm] Stevenson, J. (No Date). Entering the Kingdom of God: Mark 10:13-31. Retrieved November 3, 2005 from http://www.angelfire.com/nt/theology/mark.html Thimmes, P. (1992). The Gospel of Mark as Good News [Electronic Version]. Catechist, 26, 36-40. Retrieved November 7, 2005 from http://homepages.udayton.edu/~thimmepl/mark.html. Winston, B. (2002). Be a Leader for God's Sake. Virginia Beach, Va: Regent University School of Leadership Studies. I hope you will get new knowledge about Mark. Where you'll be able to put to utilization in your everyday life. And just remember, your reaction is passed about Mark. Read more.. Mark 10:17 to 22 -- Jesus and the Rich Young Man.