It seems that as Jesus comes closer to Jerusalem, he hits closer to home with some of the most discomforting and disheartening judgments anyone could hear. Last week Jesus spoke about divorce messing around in our regions of relationships, loyalty and integrity. This week Jesus really gets personal moving from marriage to money. His message is so startling and discouraging that he frightens one potential convert away and strikes doubt and despair into the hearts of his own disciples.

In verse 17, the journey motif continues as Jesus prepares to leave his temporary dwelling place and continue on his "way." But before this journey commences, an apparently very eager man places himself in Jesus' path and, it would seem, in Jesus' hands. Kneeling before Jesus in a humble position of respect, t…