It seems that Jesus first asked if that young man keeps the 10 commandments, then asked if the young man practices the sabbatical year or the kinsman redemption (Deuteronomy 15, Leviticus 25) by redeeming his fellows in need.
These are the Torah visions of ethics and economy in the promised land, which in turn rehearse the full reality of the redeemed heaven and earth, where its redeemed citizens are actively involved in the enterprise of redeeming others.
I don’t know if I am off-base to comprehend the question of “what must I do to be save“ as less of a pass/fail qualification and more of a practice or training in spiritual/habit formation to become responsible citizens in the new heaven and earth.
Wrestle with me on this, Rex (figuratively speaking!) 8^).
I struggle with this text, because I am not certain that the plain reading is not actually the point.
Peter immediately responds, “But *we* left everything to follow you!” The rich ruler wasn’t an exception to Jesus’ call to give up everything. In fact, in Luke 12:32ff--Jesus gives the same command to all of his followers:
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
And yet, it seems clear from Acts and the letters of Paul that while the early church did sell properties and goods and give to the poor, there wasn't a real indication that they sold everything and lived *completely* financially dependent on each other.
I’m not in complete disagreement with you, yet I think we actually do miss the power of this point when we quickly go to the default that “money was just *his* challenge.” If it were just that, then it seems that all of the followers of Jesus during his three-year-ministry had the same problem.
It seems that Jesus first asked if that young man keeps the 10 commandments, then asked if the young man practices the sabbatical year or the kinsman redemption (Deuteronomy 15, Leviticus 25) by redeeming his fellows in need.
These are the Torah visions of ethics and economy in the promised land, which in turn rehearse the full reality of the redeemed heaven and earth, where its redeemed citizens are actively involved in the enterprise of redeeming others.
I don’t know if I am off-base to comprehend the question of “what must I do to be save“ as less of a pass/fail qualification and more of a practice or training in spiritual/habit formation to become responsible citizens in the new heaven and earth.
Wrestle with me on this, Rex (figuratively speaking!) 8^).
I struggle with this text, because I am not certain that the plain reading is not actually the point.
Peter immediately responds, “But *we* left everything to follow you!” The rich ruler wasn’t an exception to Jesus’ call to give up everything. In fact, in Luke 12:32ff--Jesus gives the same command to all of his followers:
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
And yet, it seems clear from Acts and the letters of Paul that while the early church did sell properties and goods and give to the poor, there wasn't a real indication that they sold everything and lived *completely* financially dependent on each other.
I’m not in complete disagreement with you, yet I think we actually do miss the power of this point when we quickly go to the default that “money was just *his* challenge.” If it were just that, then it seems that all of the followers of Jesus during his three-year-ministry had the same problem.