Comments on: The Rich Young Ruler Revisited http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/ The regnant gadfly of the theological blogosphere. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:26:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Claire Carlson http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11570 Claire Carlson Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:30:58 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11570 Many, many years ago I read the conjecture that the rich young ruler might be Barnabas, in a book entitled 'the Treasures of the New Testament'. I haven't been able to find the book again (can't remember the author) and I've not heard the suggestion again. I'd be very interested to hear more. Many, many years ago I read the conjecture that the rich young ruler might be Barnabas, in a book entitled ‘the Treasures of the New Testament’. I haven’t been able to find the book again (can’t remember the author) and I’ve not heard the suggestion again. I’d be very interested to hear more.

]]> By: Dan http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11530 Dan Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:56:10 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11530 The first time I saw Fiddler on the Roof when Tevye returns home, his horse having gone lame... and in the barn he dreams of being a rich man singing "If I Were a Rich Man." After naming all the benefits of being rich (including his wife having a proper double chin!) he comes to the ultimate benefit and the deepest longing of his soul - he'd be able to spend all his time at the synagogue with the Rabbi and other bible scholars and study the Word of God and pray and live a life of devotion. At that point the story of the rich young man came immediately to mind... If the rich, who have the time to learn and study and pray, and give alms can't be saved!!!??? where does that leave those of us who spend every minute of their days trying to keep food on the table with no time the study God's word. Good insight into this story and whose to say whether this young man may have been among the first to sale his possessions and lay the proceeds at the feet of the apostles if he hadn't already done so before the opening chapters of Acts The first time I saw Fiddler on the Roof when Tevye returns home, his horse having gone lame… and in the barn he dreams of being a rich man singing “If I Were a Rich Man.” After naming all the benefits of being rich (including his wife having a proper double chin!) he comes to the ultimate benefit and the deepest longing of his soul – he’d be able to spend all his time at the synagogue with the Rabbi and other bible scholars and study the Word of God and pray and live a life of devotion. At that point the story of the rich young man came immediately to mind… If the rich, who have the time to learn and study and pray, and give alms can’t be saved!!!??? where does that leave those of us who spend every minute of their days trying to keep food on the table with no time the study God’s word.

Good insight into this story and whose to say whether this young man may have been among the first to sale his possessions and lay the proceeds at the feet of the apostles if he hadn’t already done so before the opening chapters of Acts

]]> By: Chris TerryNelson http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11521 Chris TerryNelson Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:45:39 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11521 Very nice, Halden. Thanks for sharing! Very nice, Halden. Thanks for sharing!

]]> By: Charlie Collier http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11516 Charlie Collier Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:22:41 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11516 I.e., what Halden must often experience in light of the open comment policy on his blog. I.e., what Halden must often experience in light of the open comment policy on his blog.

]]> By: Halden http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11515 Halden Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:18:12 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11515 Can I call for a moratorium on moratoriums? Can I call for a moratorium on moratoriums?

]]> By: Hill http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11514 Hill Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:14:13 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11514 <b>dispossession</b> <i>n</i> bad shit that happens and makes you think about how crazy life is and how Jesus is awesome. Hopefully that clears things up. dispossession n bad shit that happens and makes you think about how crazy life is and how Jesus is awesome.

Hopefully that clears things up.

]]> By: myles http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11513 myles Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:01:22 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11513 Can I call for a moratorium on the word "dispossession?" Just like "the other", I find it a little nebulous and overused. Can I call for a moratorium on the word “dispossession?” Just like “the other”, I find it a little nebulous and overused.

]]> By: Charlie Collier http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11511 Charlie Collier Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:45:42 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11511 One of the most important parts of this passage comes at v. 21: "Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, 'You lack one thing. . .'" It's important to note that Jesus heaps no scorn or condemnation on the wealthy man. Rather, Jesus sees the man and who he is, and he loves him precisely in summoning him in this particular way. I suppose it is rather terrifying to imagine oneself seen and loved by Jesus in similar fashion. Who among us wants to be seen and loved in such a way that demands more of us than an adjustment here, a tweak there? Most of us would rather take the blue pill. Perhaps the "hardness" of discipleship can be put in these terms—it's not difficult because God somehow rejoices in difficulty, celebrates agony, or what have you; it's difficult because the unity of love and truth, the unity of grace and judgment, often casts the most deeply unflattering light on our lives. One of the most important parts of this passage comes at v. 21: “Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing. . .’” It’s important to note that Jesus heaps no scorn or condemnation on the wealthy man. Rather, Jesus sees the man and who he is, and he loves him precisely in summoning him in this particular way. I suppose it is rather terrifying to imagine oneself seen and loved by Jesus in similar fashion. Who among us wants to be seen and loved in such a way that demands more of us than an adjustment here, a tweak there? Most of us would rather take the blue pill. Perhaps the “hardness” of discipleship can be put in these terms—it’s not difficult because God somehow rejoices in difficulty, celebrates agony, or what have you; it’s difficult because the unity of love and truth, the unity of grace and judgment, often casts the most deeply unflattering light on our lives.

]]> By: Halden http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11510 Halden Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:35:44 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11510 Never heard that, Zack. Interesting indeed! Never heard that, Zack. Interesting indeed!

]]> By: Khegan http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11507 Khegan Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:54:28 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11507 Barth in his concluding digression which deals with the "The Form of the Divine Claim", says something similar concerning Mar. 10: 17-31 (CD II/2; pg. 613-630). Barth point is simply to say that without the power of God, the disciples would be in the same situation as the Rich Young Ruler. The fact that they are disciples is simply due to the grace of God. In light of this, the story should not be thought of as a hopeless one, but one that exhorts trust in a gracious God, with Whom the impossible is possible. The response of the Rich Young Ruler to the demand of Jesus does not seem to suggest an outright rejection of the message of the Kingdom, but neither does the response of the disciples suggest that they have fully understood the demand that the Kingdom has on the them (cf. 10: 26). In this regard, Jesus' concluding statement seems to imply an hopeful open-endedness: the first shall be last and the last shall be first (10: 31) Barth in his concluding digression which deals with the “The Form of the Divine Claim”, says something similar concerning Mar. 10: 17-31 (CD II/2; pg. 613-630). Barth point is simply to say that without the power of God, the disciples would be in the same situation as the Rich Young Ruler. The fact that they are disciples is simply due to the grace of God. In light of this, the story should not be thought of as a hopeless one, but one that exhorts trust in a gracious God, with Whom the impossible is possible. The response of the Rich Young Ruler to the demand of Jesus does not seem to suggest an outright rejection of the message of the Kingdom, but neither does the response of the disciples suggest that they have fully understood the demand that the Kingdom has on the them (cf. 10: 26). In this regard, Jesus’ concluding statement seems to imply an hopeful open-endedness: the first shall be last and the last shall be first (10: 31)

]]> By: Zack Allen http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/2009/10/12/the-rich-young-ruler-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-11506 Zack Allen Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:28:39 +0000 http://www.inhabitatiodei.com/?p=3009#comment-11506 Doesn't tradition identify the "Rich Young Ruler" as Barnabas? Doesn’t tradition identify the “Rich Young Ruler” as Barnabas?

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