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Mark 10:17-31 · The Rich Young Man
Knight of the Woeful Countenance
Mark 10:17-31
Sermon
by Donald B. Strobe
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In the musical play: “Man of La Mancha” there is a scene where the addled Don Quixote asks the innkeeper to dub him a knight so that he may ride forth to do battle with the forces of evil.  The innkeeper, after trying to persuade the would-be knight of his foolishness, finally agrees to go along with his fantasy.  But Don Quixote isn’t content.  He says to the innkeeper: “It is customary to grant the new knight an added name.  If Your Lordship could devise such a name for me....” The Innkeeper ponders awhile, “Hmmm.” Then, looking at the battered face, he gets inspiration and sings:

“Hail, Knight of the Woeful Countenance,
Knight of the Woeful Countenance!
Wherever you go People will know
Of the glorious deeds of the Knight of the Woeful Countenance!”

(“Man of La Mancha,” by Dale Wasserman, Mitch Leigh, and Joe Darion, New York: Random House, 1966, p. 55) And that name gave me the title for this morning’s sermon.  Note: this is not a sermon about Jesus......in spite of the ways in which He has been depicted over the centuries.  The New Testament picture of Jesus is one of radiance and joy. 

I.  THIS SERMON IS ABOUT THE ONLY PERSON IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WHO IS SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBED AS HAVING A “WOEFUL COUNTENANCE.”  The narrative is found in all three synoptic Gospels.  Matthew tells us that this man who sought Jesus out was young.  (Isn’t everybody, these days?) Luke tells us that he was a ruler.  All three tell us that the man was rich.  In our minds we “conflate” all of the Gospels and come up with one of the most fascinating persons in the Gospels: the man we call the “rich, young ruler.” This man, young in years and large in fortune, ran up to Jesus, fell on his knees and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus’ reply sounds harsh to our ears.  He says, “Why do you call me good?” That question became a problem for later theology, and so Matthew changes it to read, “Why do you ask me about what is good?” But this would be a normal reply of a rabbi of that day to such flattery.  Jesus pointed beyond Himself to God, and told the man to “keep the commandments.” Then this man said something which very few of us would dare to say, “Teacher (he seems to have learned his lesson,) “Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth!” (probably from his bar mitzvah at age 13 or so).  Now, anyone who makes such a boast surely doesn’t have a very good idea about himself.  Archibald Macleish once observed that there are only two kinds of people in the world, the Pure and the Responsible.  This man numbered himself among the pure.  You know who he reminds me of?  Sir Lancelot, in another musical play about knighthood: Camelot.  Do you remember what Lancelot said in song as he contemplated becoming a Knight of the famous Round Table? 

I’ve never strayed from all I believe.  I’m bless’d with an iron will.  Had I been made The partner of Eve We’d be in Eden still.  C’est moi!  C’est moi!  The angels have chose To fight their battles below.  And here I stand as pure as a prayer, Incredibly clean, with virtue to spare, The godliest man I know.....!  (CAMELOT by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, New York: Random House, 1961, pp.  29-30) But, as we all know, in Lancelot’s case, his pride went before his fall—to the charms of Queen Guinevere.  But the man in today’s Scripture lesson reminds me of him in his ridiculous protestation of purity. 

Interestingly enough, Jesus did not challenge this man’s astounding assertion that he had always obeyed the commandments.  For the moment He allowed it to pass.  The very fact that he had come to Jesus showed that he knew in his heart that all was not well.  He had everything, or so it seemed.  But there was still a lack in his life.  His questions showed that he was at least open to the possibility that there was something more...something beyond.  He was reaching out for that something more.  He did not know what it was, and was certainly surprised when Jesus told him.  “You lack one thing,” Jesus said.  “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (10:21)

II.  I AM GLAD THAT THE COMMENTARIES TELL ME THAT THIS IS NOT A COMMANDMENT FOR ALL PEOPLE FOR ALL TIME.  Halford Luccock says: “This was a prescription for a particular person with a specific need.  Jesus was not laying down poverty as either a requirement or ideal for everyone.  He was a Good Physician, and did not prescribe the same pill for every patient.” (THE INTERPRETERS BIBLE, New York and Nashville: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1951,Vol.  7, p.804) Whew!  That lets me off the hook.  Or does it?  Jesus was not just a Good Physician, but a Good Surgeon as well.  He believed in drastic remedies where the trouble was deep-seated, as we noted when we dealt with the difficult words in chapter 9:43-48.  (Cut it out!) Here he seems to be saying to the Rich Young Ruler, “If your wealth causes you to sin, cut it off!” If your riches get in the way of your entrance into the kingdom...better get rid of them!  Maybe this commandment is not for all people for all time.  But every once in awhile I wonder whether we have not dismissed that possibility too easily. 

Mark Twain once observed that many people are bothered by what they don’t understand in the Bible.  “I, however,” said Twain, “am greatly disturbed by what I do understand.” Me, too!  For instance, Jesus said: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25) We’ve been trying for centuries to get that camel through that needle’s eye.  One of the most ingenious ways is to suggest that the Greek word for camel (kamelon) really was a “typo,” and the word was the Greek word for rope (kamilon.) Or sometimes it has been suggested that what Jesus was referring to was a small gate in the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem called “the eye of the needle.” I have had guides point such out to me, but there is no record of this fantasy prior to the 9th century A.D.  To try to tame down Jesus’ demand, we have been most ingenious.  We have been enlarging that eye and buttering up that camel for twenty centuries...missing the point of Jesus’ amazing hyperbole.  When Jesus told this man that his money was getting in the way of his relationship to God, we read: “...at that saying, his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.”

III.  NOW, THAT CANNOT BE RIGHT, “FOR HE HAD GREAT POSSESSIONS.” That is a sure guarantee of happiness, isn’t it?  Chuck Colson tells of being in a car rental agency and observing a young yuppie type throwing a temper tantrum.  Why?  Because he wanted a black Lincoln Continental and the only Continental in stock that day was blue.  Aw-w-w-w.  Too bad!  After his temper tantrum he turned around and on the front of his shirt was imprinted these popular words: “THE ONE WHO DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS.” But does he?  Not according to the Bible.  Wealth isn’t bad - not unless it becomes an end in itself.  The founder of McDonald’s, Ray Kroc, was asked by a reporter what he believed in.  “I believe in God, my family, and McDonald’s.” he said.  Then he added, “When I get to the office, I reverse the order.” So do many among us.  On Sunday in church we say one thing.  On Monday at work we say another.  On Tuesday in the voting booth we say still another.  And then we wonder why our lives are so spiritually weak and unrewarding.  We give our first-rate loyalty to second-rate causes, and then wonder why we are so spiritually empty. 

Note: Jesus expresses no outrage and makes no denunciations.  This man is sincere.  He is a very good man—the sort most any minister would be delighted to have in a congregation.  And Jesus doesn’t denounce him for being wealthy.  Wealth, by itself is neutral.  It is neither good or bad; it all depends upon the use to which it is put.  Jesus does not frown upon him and his riches, but rather, says Mark, in a touching sentence Jesus LOVES him.  He loves the man whose primary love is for his possessions.  (That’s a fascinating twist!) This fellow was a fine, decent, upstanding individual.  (Just ask him).  No wonder he was amazed when Jesus told him that there was one thing that he lacked.  Mark says that the disciples were amazed at Jesus’ words, also.  It is no wonder.  They had been taught from childhood upward that prosperity was a sign of God’s favor...and therefore was the sure sign of a good person.  That was the popular wisdom of the day.  And it continues into our own.  We imagine that poor people must be that way because they are lazy, or shiftless, or lacking ambition.  Some of them are, no doubt; but many more of them are simply caught up in a system in which the rich get richer, the middle class get squeezed and the poor get homeless.  Over the years there have been many eager to bless the privileged, claiming that prosperity is a reliable indicator of divine approval.  It was just such thinking that helped to “justify” slavery in our own country, even as it helps to sanction apartheid in South Africa today.  We probably develop this way of thinking in order to quiet our consciences when we see the enormous disparity between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” It is called “blaming the victim.” But it is hard to defend this position from the teachings of Jesus. 

At any rate, Jesus did not show very good salesmanship in letting this man get away, did He?  After putting before him the demands of the Kingdom, He watched while the “prospect” turned and walked away.  Ernie Campbell, in a sermon on Jesus’ attitude toward wealth says, “No salesman would do this.  Would he not rather sidle up to him and suggest that easier terms might be arranged.  Why did he not shout after him, ‘No reasonable offer will be refused.  Ten percent?  Twenty percent?  Surely, we can work something out!’” (National Radio Pulpit, 6/70, p.  56) But Jesus did not say that.  Instead, he told him that his possessions had come between himself and God.  And we read: “At (Jesus’) saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had many possessions.”

I suppose the real question is: DID HE HAVE GREAT POSSESSIONS, OR DID HIS POSSESSIONS HAVE HIM?  Possessions are not bad in and of themselves.  But Jesus would ask: “How did you get them?  How are you using them?” There are many things in life to which people come running up eagerly, and from which they walk away sorrowfully.  Church Membership vows fall into this category.  How easily we stand before the altar and affirm that we will support the Church by our “prayers, presence, gifts, and service.” And then we forget to pray for the Church.  We casually allow our attendance to fall off.  We either give nothing or so very little that just keeping our name on the rolls causes others to have to sacrifice to make up the difference for us.  We would burn with shame at the notion that other people should have to pay our bills for us outside of church, but when it comes to the church, well, most of us haven’t even thought about it.  And then, when asked to serve, we offer excuses.  We are much too busy.  No, we’d better not look too closely at this man whom we have called the “rich, young ruler.” We have the idea that Jesus’ words to him do not apply to us because none of us is “rich,” many of us are not “young,” and few of us get much of a chance to rule anything. 

But I would leave you with this startling thought: every one of us here today is richer than this “rich young ruler.” The average person in this congregation is richer than this so-called rich young ruler ever hoped to be!  And is certainly richer compared to most of the world’s people.  Somebody has facetiously developed a flyer called “THE AMERICAN FOSTER PARENT PLAN.” The brochure reads like this; “POOR NATION!” Adopt an American!  For only $26,000 per year you can provide the basic necessities of life: television, roller skates, and twinkies.   For years you Third World countries have subsidized American gluttony.  Now you can be specific and choose your individual American child and know him by name.” Then we are treated to a cartoon showing an over-fed American child on roller-skates with the caption: “Little Brad above is nine years old.  He has a cheap stereo and only one good leisure suit and is forced to live in a tri-level..  There are many others like him.  Write today.” Tom Sine, WHY SETTLE FOR LESS AND MISS THE BEST?  Waco: Word Books, 1987, pp.  169-170)

One day a pastor was summoned to the home of an obviously poor man who was trying to live on $4,000 a year.  The pastor talked with him for awhile and finally said, “Let’s begin at the beginning and have a word of prayer in which we will dedicate one tenth of your income to the work of Christ.” “No problem,” thought the man, “that’s only $400 a year and that isn’t much nowadays.  Why, that’s only $8.00 per week.” So they prayed together, and he promised to give back 10% to the Lord and the Lord’s work.  Over the years this man became quite wealthy, and eventually came to the point where he was making almost $100,000 a year!  He came to the pastor and said: “I’d like to be released from that promise I made many years ago.  One tenth of my income is now $10,000 a year, and I have some other plans for that.” “No problem,” said the pastor, and as they bowed in prayer the minister prayed not for the release of the promise, but that the man’s salary would be reduced to $4,000 once more so that he could again afford to tithe.  The man jumped up from the prayer and stamped out of the room muttering something about, “That isn’t what I had in mind at all!” “At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.” Let us NOT go and do likewise.

Dynamic Preaching, Collected Words, by Donald B. Strobe