Mar 10:21 | TNotes | STEP | 10:21 Instead of having an extended discussion about what it means to truly keep the commandments, Jesus focused on the specific issue that revealed this man’s problem. He still lacked one thing: He loved riches more than he loved God, thus breaking the first and most important commandment (12:29-30 ; Exod 20:3 ; Deut 6:5 ). Entering the Kingdom of God requires repentance (Mark 1:15 ; 6:12 ), and Jesus helped this man to understand exactly what repentance entailed for him. He did not need, as he might have thought, to attain a higher level of personal righteousness. He needed to enter God’s Kingdom through repentance and wholehearted love for God, thereby obtaining eternal life. He must deny himself (8:34 ) and love God first and foremost by giving away his money. For other commands involving a negative [ sell all ] and a positive [ follow me ] element, see 1:15 , 18 , 20 ; 10:28 ; see also Acts 2:38 ; 20:21 . • Jesus’ command to the rich man was not a universal requirement for entering the Kingdom of God but was addressed to his particular situation. It teaches anyone seeking eternal life that nothing else can come before God; repentance (Mark 1:15 ; 6:12 ) requires the removal of anything that we place above God.

a10:21►

b12:29-30►

cExod 20:3►

dDeut 6:5►

eMark 1:15►

f6:12►

g8:34►

h1:15►

i18►

j20►

k10:28►

lActs 2:38►

m20:21►

nMark 1:15►

o6:12►

‏ Mark 10:21

10:21 ^a Instead of having an extended discussion about what it means to truly keep the commandments, Jesus focused on the specific issue that revealed this man’s problem. He still lacked one thing: He loved riches more than he loved God, thus breaking the first and most important commandment (12:29-30 ^b; Exod 20:3 ^c; Deut 6:5 ^d). Entering the Kingdom of God requires repentance (Mark 1:15 ^e; 6:12 ^f), and Jesus helped this man to understand exactly what repentance entailed for him. He did not need, as he might have thought, to attain a higher level of personal righteousness. He needed to enter God’s Kingdom through repentance and wholehearted love for God, thereby obtaining eternal life. He must deny himself (8:34 ^g) and love God first and foremost by giving away his money. For other commands involving a negative [sell all] and a positive [follow me] element, see 1:15 ^h, 18 ⁱ, 20 ^j; 10:28 ^k; see also Acts 2:38 ^l; 20:21 ^m.

• Jesus’ command to the rich man was not a universal requirement for entering the Kingdom of God but was addressed to his particular situation. It teaches anyone seeking eternal life that nothing else can come before God; repentance (Mark 1:15 ⁿ; 6:12 ^o) requires the removal of anything that we place above God.