Chapter # 10 Paragraph # 3 Study # 1
August 8, 2023
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
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Thesis:  Mark is using a man of great wealth to highlight "the" issue addressed in Mark's title to this Gospel: the most important issue of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Introduction:  In our last study we concluded our consideration of the apex of Mark's chiasm, dealing with the question of how one enters the Kingdom of God.

This evening we are going to begin our "return trip" through the concepts that made up the first part of the chiasm, working backwards from the peak to the initial issue.

• I. Round Two: The Attitude That Prevents Entrance Into The Kingdom Of The God.
  • A. The initial indicators of this "attitude".
    • 1. As Jesus is going forth into a road...
      • a. The verb here is a present tense participle.
      • b. This verb is used in 11 texts by Mark, five of which are found in chapter seven where the issue is "the things that defile a man are those things which "go forth from" the inner defilement of the man".
      • c. Jesus' direction is only indicated as being "into a road".
        • 1) This noun is used by Mark in 16 texts, the first being "Messiah's highway" that John was to "prepare" for Him (1:2-3), and the use in the closest context (9:33-34) indicates that it was "on the highway" the disciples were arguing about who was "the greatest".
        • 2) Clearly, the "road" the disciples were traveling was not the same "road" that Jesus was traveling, even though they were on the same road and going the same direction together with Him. His "road" was to be made straight and level, but their "road" was a path to chaos and conflict by reason of the "evil things that were coming out of them" (a link to chapter seven). Their "evil" was the pursuit of the lust for "greatness" in the eyes of men, i.e., "the pride of life": this being a major aspect of Mark's overall reason for writing this Gospel.
    • 2. It was "upon this road" that "one was running" to catch up to Jesus.
      • a. His "running" was an indicator of his inner "evil": he was "grandstanding", making a "grand entrance".
      • b. He followed up on the "running" by "falling upon his knees before Jesus" as he was "inquiring" of Him. There are two references in Mark to "running" (9:15 and 10:17) and two also to "kneeling" (1:40 and 10:17).
        • 1) The references to "running" were both "up to Jesus". In the 9:15 context, the people are running up to Jesus because of the failure of the disciples to cast out the unclean spirit. In this 10:17 context, the issue in a man making a show of his desire to catch up to Jesus.
        • 2) The references to "kneeling" were, likewise, "before Jesus" with a serious need. In the 1:40 context, a leper is pleading for cleansing; but in this 10:17 context the man sees himself as not needing any cleansing, just needing a focus for his "performance".
        • 3) It is amazing how "themes" flow along beneath the surface and make an appearance in a significant way at a particular point in the narrative.
      • c. Clearly, he was presenting himself as "desperate to know" the answer to his question.
  • B. The first words out of his mouth were "Good Teacher".
    • 1. Clearly this was an expression designed to flatter.
    • 2. Just as clearly, Jesus fixed the attention of everyone upon the issue of "being good" enough to "inherit eternal life".
  • C. The "burning question" that appeared to be reason for the "running" and "kneeling".
    • 1. The issue: inheriting eternal life.
    • 2. The assumed methodology: "doing".
      • a. This assumption was rife with "issues".
        • 1) Jewish theology, by this time, was completely smothered by the notion that "good people" could/should "do" good things" to self-qualify for the inheritance of eternal life (Romans 10:2-3).
        • 2) This "theology" was a cover for the real issue: making a great deal out of performance so that others would "see" how "great" was the person who was "performing".
      • b. This assumption was addressed immediately by Jesus with a strong contradiction.
        • 1) Why is it a "doctrinal issue" with you that "I am good"? [lego plus agathon].
          • a) lego is typically used for declaring "doctrine" as "truth".
          • b) agathon is contextually defined as the qualifying characteristic of the heirs of Life.
        • 2) Only God has the characteristic that you are attributing to men.

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This is article #422.
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