The thing that’s just within your reach
Amos 5:6–7, 10–15 & Mark 10:17–31
In Mark’s gospel, only once is Jesus reported as loving someone, and it might not be someone you’d expect. The individual Jesus is said to have loved is not one of the disciples, nor is it a family member . . . not even his mom! Rather, it’s a man who runs up to him and kneels before him just as he’s about to start on a journey. (Carter, 462) The man wants to know what he must do to inherit eternal life. To his credit, he’s kept the commandments, so you’d suspect he’s in good shape when it comes to the afterlife.
That’s when Jesus looks at him, loves him, and says, “go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
Jesus often didn’t make things easy for those who approached him with what they considered straightforward questions. Throughout the gospel you’ll find him coming up with third options to seemingly binary questions, or offering other unexpected responses. In some ways, though, I’d suggest what Jesus was asking the wealthy man was simple, and entirely within his reach. At that time, most of the population under Roman occupation around Jerusalem was poor (Carter, 460), so there was no shortage of people in need. The better path for the wealthy man was clear, but his response suggests it proved too difficult for him to take; thus he goes away grieving.
Jesus then uses the interaction to teach on the topic of wealth in general. To illustrate the challenge involved in encountering the kingdom of God while burdened with wealth, he conjures an image of the largest animal and smallest aperture those in his audience had ever witnessed. (Placher, 146) How can a camel possibly go through the eye of a needle?
Some things in our culture are drastically different from those in the time of Jesus, and others not so much. It sounds like wealth falls into the latter category. Bible scholar Warren Carter writes that for those like the man who approached Jesus, “Wealth was a crucial expression of elite male identity and dominance.” (Carter, 460) So “Jesus’ framing of wealth as an obstacle contrasts greatly with elite social attitudes toward wealth.” (Carter, 464) As was so often the case, the words of Jesus ran counter to the ideals of the powerful.
Similar to our society, those with means used some of their wealth to shield themselves from those without. They didn’t even want to be exposed to people suffering the effects of poverty. But in a society where the last will be first, it is “the ‘last’ — the weak, the vulnerable, the poor, women, and those lacking status — [who] enter God’s empire and the ‘life of the age to come.’ . . The reign of God belongs not to the powerful, wealthy, and influential but to those of no account, without status, transitional, marginal, weak, vulnerable, the poor.” (Carter, 467, 464–465)
Jesus is challenging the very idea of being wealthy, because how will you encounter the kin-dom of God if you purposely avoid those who comprise it?
Peter chimed in on behalf of himself and his colleagues, reminding Jesus that they had given up everything they had to follow him. Jesus responds that they were already experiencing the benefits of their actions, having gained a hundredfold houses, siblings, mothers, children, fields . . . as well as the persecutions that come with being part of the kin-dom.
We don’t know what happened to the rich man. The passage suggests that, with God’s help, there was hope for him. Maybe the words of Jesus echoed in his heart until he did finally sell his possessions and give away his money. Maybe he did finally experience the peace that comes from an encounter with God’s kin-dom; after all, it was within his reach.
Jesus often didn’t make things easy for those who approached him with what they considered straightforward questions. His responses sometimes made people uncomfortable, and they might sometimes make us uncomfortable as well. Today’s gospel passage in particular has challenged many Christians over the years, to the extent that some have tried to explain it away.
The church establishment is most secure when it doesn’t threaten the powers that be, and when it has the support of the wealthy. Thus we’ve sometimes cushioned the message of Jesus in this passage by claiming it was highly contextual, or only applied to this individual in particular since he so valued his possessions. Some will say it’s the love of money that is the problem, and not the amassing of wealth. For many years, there was even a story going around that there was a particular gate in Jerusalem called the “eye of a needle” through which a camel could actually fit, although perhaps not at a gallop. Turns out that’s not the case, though; there is no evidence that there was a gate in Jerusalem with that name. (Placher, 146)
Jesus was not speaking of a specific instance of wealth; he was addressing a widespread problem in society. As Carter writes, “The command to divest is not a matter of his private or inner spirituality. It is a matter of social structures, practices, and vision. This rich man has too much; the poor do not have enough. Jesus orders a transfer or reallocation of resources.” (Carter, 463)
John Wesley would argue that there is a spiritual aspect as well. He “wrote that it is hard for the rich to be good Christians, since it becomes too easy for them to trust in their wealth and not think they need to trust in God, too easy to love the world when surrounded by all its allurements, and too hard to escape pride in a society that so values wealth.” (Placher, 147)
Certainly we are confronted with a lot of messaging around wealth and its accumulation. Have you ever wondered how much advertising you encounter in a day encouraging you to increase your wealth, or to acquire possessions you don’t need? I wonder how that compares to the amount of messaging we receive in a day telling us that we have enough. And how do we know how much “enough” is in a society where we’re always told we need more?
There’s a difference between “enough” and the wealth possessed by the man in today’s story. I suspect if that man lived today, he would make more money through investment vehicles than he did by working. He would have a car elevator and three homes. He would have no idea how much a gallon of milk or a dozen eggs cost.
That sort of wealth is what tips the scales to injustice in a society. Speaking out against such wealth is what makes today’s message from Jesus as much a general commentary as a personal challenge. It’s also the reason he included an ill-fitting word in the list of benefits his disciples would receive. As Carter writes, “the reference to ‘persecutions’ indicates that following Jesus often runs counter to values and practices of imperial society. The empire always strikes back at those who dissent from its program.” (Carter, 466–467)
It should not surprise us that Jesus so often spoke truth to power, considering he was a student of Hebrew scripture, including the words of prophets such as Amos. Amos was a farmer, but had a call placed on him by God, a call to do something that it turns out was within his reach. He traveled from his home in Tekoa to Bethel, which was a center of religious practice. There he shared a message that proved uncomfortable for those whose piety incorporated worship rituals but did not extend to the pursuit of justice.
He reminded his listeners that one who wishes to seek the LORD must champion righteousness and truth. He rails against those who would displace the unfortunate and persecute the poor. Seeking justice means loving what is good, and embracing what God created as the natural state of things. Either God created a world with enough, or God did not. If you believe the former, but then witness your neighbors suffering from deficiency, then there is trouble afoot.
Bible scholar Jörg Jeremias puts it this way: “Israel has wasted its greatest gift. . . . ‘Justice and righteousness’ in the book of Amos are not indications of the goal toward which the people of God would have to move; that is, they do not represent guiding ideals for behavior. Rather, these are entities already given by God . . . internally established qualities which Israel itself cannot create; it can, however, certainly corrupt them by changing their savory sweetness into the inedible bitterness of wormwood.” (Jeremias, 90)
Some of those who came to Bethel to worship were satisfied with the way things were. They bypassed the needy in the gate on their way to experience their beloved rituals. When doing so, their priorities conflicted with God’s. A better way of living — the one God intended — was within reach, but could not be realized as long as “the exploitation of the poor through taxes, bribery in the courts, and the silencing of those who would stand up to defend them” was built into the systems they had adopted. (R., loc. 27497)
Amos also devotes a lot of time to the consequences that will be suffered should God’s will not be done. Sadly, his warnings were not heeded, and the Northern Kingdom of Israel was later brutally conquered by the Assyrians. The people suffered greatly at their hands. It came to pass that some who built houses were indeed not able to live in them, and some who planted vineyards did not enjoy the wine produced by their grapes.
But I’d suggest the consequences of injustice aren’t always experienced so drastically. Sometimes they are realized by our living in a manner that falls so far short of its potential. What might it be like to live in a society where there wasn’t a stark discrepancy between those who had the most and those who had the least? Where our courts and legislatures were free from bribery? Where taxes were fair and funded the greater good? Is that society within our reach?
Sadly, there is resemblance between the injustices named by Amos and those we witness in our context. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Johnson v. Grants Pass decision that, in a manner of speaking, the poor may not only be pushed aside in the gate — they’re criminals for being there in the first place. (National Homelessness Law Center) And some of the judges who made that decision are documented as receiving bribes.
But you don’t have to go all the way to Washington to see such corruption in action. In Harrisburg, you’ll find one of only three state legislatures in the country without a gift ban. So if you want to get the attention of a state senator, house member, or even the governor himself, you can — legally — do so with the offer of Super Bowl tickets, lavish vacations, or any other bribe you think might curry favor.
Meanwhile, within a few blocks of the capitol building, unhoused people in Harrisburg are regularly forced to relocate from the sleeping spots they’re able to find. Some influential voices prefer that such people be less visible.
Jesus not only saw the poor among him — he elevated them, counted himself among them, and associated them with God’s kin-dom. His message in today’s gospel passage serves as a reminder that each of us has a role to play in realizing that kin-dom. Yes, he identified the wealthy man’s role as giving money to the poor, but his words to Peter demonstrate that even those of us without great wealth can contribute in meaningful ways.
I wonder if any of you have been experiencing a tug on your hearts. I suspect we all do from time to time. What might be just within reach of your talents, passions, and capabilities? Where do you see need and injustice in our midst? Perhaps you’re already contributing money or time to a cause, and perhaps you have nothing left to spare; but if you do, I wonder if you’re being called to something new?
One aspect of Intertwined that has surpassed my expectations is the manner in which it not only forms connections between people, but it helps connect people to opportunities as well. As our community has grown, we’ve helped each other identify the nudges we’ve felt from the Spirit. Then, when someone is ready to respond to such a nudge, they don’t have to do it alone, because someone else is already involved in that work. I’ve witnessed Intertwined sojourners participating in efforts as diverse as signing petitions to further ecological justice, to demonstrating in the capitol in opposition to corruption, to participating in litter cleanups, to rallying with the Poor People’s Campaign, to preparing meals for the unhoused in Harrisburg, to contributing financially to Intertwined and its ministry.
These efforts aren’t always made from an abundance of resources or time, but every instance helps, and a collection of small instances eventually proves formidable.
Jesus looked at the wealthy man, loved him, and offered him a path — one within his reach — to a better way of life. We’re offered such a path as well, one that sometimes includes encouraging those we love to respond to the nudges they might be experiencing.
God created a world with enough, and gifted us with an orientation toward righteousness and justice. Sisters and brothers, I pray you will know that truth even in the midst of brokenness and conflict, and that you’ll feel the presence of your fellow sojourners as we pursue God’s kin-dom together.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
Works Referenced
Carter, Warren. Mark (Wisdom Commentary Series Book 42). Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2019. Kindle Edition.
Jeremias, Jörg. The Book of Amos. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998.
National Homelessness Law Center. “Johnson v. Grants Pass.” Accessed October 10, 2024. https://johnsonvgrantspass.com.
Placher, William C. Mark. (BELIEF: A Theological Commentary on the Bible). Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010. Kindle edition.
R., M. Daniel Carroll. “Amos.” In Fortress Commentary on the Bible: The Old Testament and Apocrypha, edited by Gale A. Yee, Hugh R. Page, Jr., Matthew J. M. Coomber. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2014. Kindle edition.
