Quotes & Notes on:     Mark 10:21   

• John Wesley's Notes:
  Jesus looking upon him-And looking into his heart,
  
  loved him-Doubtless for the dawnings of good which he saw in him:
  
  and said to him-Out of tender love,
  
  One thing thou lackest-The love of God, without which all religion is a dead carcass. In order to this, throw away what is to thee the grand hinderance of it. Give up thy great idol, riches.
  
   

• Reginald Fuller's Preaching the Lectionary:

   To be posted.
   

• Massey H. Shepherd, Jr., Interpreter's Commentary:

   To be posted.
  
   

• Donald Guthrie, The New Bible Commentary (Revised 1970):

   To be posted.
   

• David Guzik, Study Guide for Mark:
  To be posted.
   

• Catechism of the Catholic Church:
  To be posted.
   

• The Fourfold Gospel:

  The command to sell all is not a general one, but a special precept needed in this case, 1. To dispel the ruler's self-deception. On the negative side his character was good, but on the positive it was deficient. He had done his neighbor no harm, but he had also done him very little good. 2. To show impartiality. The invitation of Jesus shows that the ruler desired to be in some manner a disciple, and hence he is subjected to the same test which the other disciples had accepted, and of which Peter soon after speaks (Mr 10:28). Paul also was rich in self-righteousness like this man, but cheerfully sacrificed all, that he might follow Christ (Php 3:6-9). The reference to treasure in heaven and the invitation to follow Christ tested the ruler's obedience to the first four commandments of the Decalogue as condensed in the great summary or first commandment. (Mt 22:37,38.) Though the ruler perhaps did not fully realize it, those who heard the conversation must afterwards have been impressed with the great truth that the ruler was called upon to make his choice whether he would love Christ or the world, whether he would serve God or mammon. The whole scene forms an illustration of the doctrine expressed by Paul, that by the law can no flesh be justified (Ro 3:20), for perfection is required of those who approach God along that pathway; those, therefore, who have done all, still need Christ to lead them.
  
   

• Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:

  * loved. Ge 34:19; Isa 63:8-10; Lu 19:41; 2Co 12:15
  * One thing. Lu 10:42; 18:22; Jas 2:10; Re 2:4,14,20
  * sell. Pr 23:23; Mt 13:44-46; 19:21; Lu 12:33; Ac 2:45; 4:34-37
  * treasure. Mt 6:19-21; Lu 16:9; 1Ti 6:17-19; Heb 10:34; 1Pe 1:4,5
  * take. Mr 8:34; Mt 16:24; Lu 9:23; Joh 12:26; 16:33; Ro 8:17,18; 2Ti 3:12
   

• Robertson's Word Pictures:
  Looking upon him loved him (emblepsas autôi êgapêsen). Mark alone mentions this glance of affection, ingressive aorist participle and verb. Jesus fell in love with this charming youth. One thing thou lackest (Hen se husterei). Lu 18:22 has it: "One thing thou lackest yet" (Eti hen soi leipei). Possibly two translations of the same Aramaic phrase. Mt 19:20 represents the youth as asking "What lack I yet?" (Ti eti husterô;). The answer of Jesus meets that inquiry after more than mere outward obedience to laws and regulations. The verb husterô is from the adjective husteros (behind) and means to be too late, to come short, to fail of, to lack. It is used either with the accusative, as here, or with the ablative as in 2Co 11:5, or the dative as in Textus Receptus here, soi.
   

• William Burkitt's Notes:

  Observe here, 1. Christ's compassion towards this young man. He loved him with a love of pity and compassion, with a love of courtesy and respect.
  
  There may be some very amiable and lovely qualities in natural and unregenerate man; and goodness, in what kind or degree soever it is, doth attract and draw forth Christ's love towards a person. If Christ did love civility, what a respect has he for sincere sanctity!
  
  Observe, 2. Our Lord's admonition: One thing thou lackest, which was, true self-denial, in renouncing the sin of covetousness, and the inordinate love of worldly wealth.
  
  We ought, upon God's call to maintain such a readiness of mind, as to be willing to part with all for God's sake which is dear unto us in this world.
  
  Observe, 3. Our Lord's injunction: Sell what thou hast, and give to the poor. This was not a common but a special precept, belonging particularly to this young man. It was a commandment of trial given to him, like that given to Abraham, Ge 22:1-24. to convince him of his corrupt confidence in his riches: yet it is thus far of general use to us all, to teach us so to contemn worldly possessions, as to be willing to part with them when they hinder our happiness and salvation.
  
  It follows, And take up thy cross; an allusion to the Roman custom, when the malefactor was to be crucified, he bore his cross upon his shoulder, and carried it to the place of execution. It is not the taking, but the patient bearing, of the cross, which is our duty.
  
  Learn, That all Christ's followers should prepare their shoulders for Christ's cross. To bear the cross, implies faithfulness and integrity without shifting, patience and submission without murmuring, joy and cheerfulness without fainting.
  
  Observe, 4. The effect which our Saviour's admonition had upon this young person: He was sad and grieved at that saying.
  
  Thence note, That carnal men are sad and exceeding sorrowful, when they cannot win heaven in their own way.
  
  2. That such as are wedded to the world, will renounce Christ rather than the world, when the world and Christ stand in competition.
   

• Family Bible Notes:

  Then Jesus--loved him; with that natural affection which good men feel towards amiable youth who are correct in their deportment, though destitute of true religion. One thing thou lackest; that one thing was supreme love to God. Persons may be amiable, kind, and moral in their deportment, and yet not be in heart truly pious. Such persons may at times feel anxious for their salvation, and yet not be willing to make the sacrifices and perform the duties which the gospel requires.
   

• 1599 Geneva Bible Notes:
  (No comment on this verse).
   

• People's New Testament Commentary:

  (No comment on this verse).
   

• Albert Barnes' Commentary:

   Jesus--loved him. What occurred afterwards showed that the young man did not love the Saviour, or was not a true disciple. So that this expression denotes, simply, natural affection; or means that Jesus was pleased with his amiableness, his morality, and his external regard for the law of God. At the same time, this was entirely consistent with deep sorrow that he would not give his heart to God, and with deep abhorrence of such a love of the world as to blind the mind to the beauty of true religion, and to lead to the rejection of the Messiah, and the destruction of the soul.
  
  One thing thou lackest. When the young man came to Jesus, he asked him, "What lack I yet?" Mt 19:20. This question Mark has omitted, but he has retained the answer. The answer means-- There is one thing yet wanting. Though all that you have said should be true yet to make the system complete, or to show that you really are disposed to keep the commands of God, go and sell your property. See whether you love God more than you do your wealth. By doing that, you will show that your love of God is supreme; that your obedience is not merely external and formal, but sincere and real; the thing, now lacking, will be made up.
  
  {r} "One thing" Jas 2:10
  {s} "treasure" Mt 6:19,20; Lu 12:33; 16:9
   

• Jamieson-Faussett Brown:

  (No comment on this verse).
   

• Spurgeon Devotional Commentary:

  If he loved God supremely, as the law required, here was a test for him. We are not all called to relinquish our property; but if Jesus bade us do so, and we refused, it would prove that we loved the world better than God, and therefore were very far from keeping the commandments.
   

• Adam Clarke's Commentary:

  Then Jesus, beholding him] Looking earnestly, or affectionately upon him, loved him, because of his youth, his earnestness, and his sincerity.
  
  One thing thou lackest] What was that? A heart disengaged from the world, and a complete renunciation of it and its concerns, that he might become a proper and successful labourer in the Lord's vineyard. See Mt 19:21. To say that it was something else he lacked, when Christ explains here his own meaning, is to be wise above what is written.
   

• Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:

   (No comment on this verse).