Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Saturday, March 16, 2013 Read – Luke 18:18-30 Luke has never really left his concern about the threat of wealth in this section of his gospel although that concern has slipped into the background. At this point Luke’s concern about wealth comes into clear and bold focus – this whole story is about the perils of wealth. As we noted yesterday, Luke is now following Mark once again. Luke does not modify Mark to a great extent. Luke’s version is slightly shorter and more tightly written but the point is the same. The story is reminiscent of the lawyer who comes to Jesus seeking eternal life and winds up hearing the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Mark will tell about that man later in his gospel as part of the controversy in Jerusalem (Mark 12:28-34). We have every reason to believe that the man in this story comes with an honest request – he is not trying to trick Jesus but is sincere in his inquiry. That will not be the case in Jerusalem of those who question Jesus. Even when the man claims that he has observed all the commandments from his youth he is not being insincere. He is naïve however, since he fails to recognize that because of his great wealth he has failed to observe the very first and most important commandment of all – “You shall not have any God’s before me.” For Luke, this is an example of how the threat of wealth works – wealth has a way of blinding the wealthy. The same, of course, was true of the rich man in the Lazarus story – he couldn’t really see Lazarus. The man in the story leaves Jesus in sorrow, and in Luke’s version, the sorrow of Jesus is also noted as Luke tells us that Jesus looked at him and loved him. We are reminded of the lament of Jesus regarding Jerusalem – “How often I would have gathered you under my wings as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings but you would not!” This man will not be gathered under wing – his wealth prevents him. Having told the story, Jesus goes on to explain the perils of wealth in terms that are frightening to the disciples and likely to all of Luke’s hearers. “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” Unfortunately, later interpreters of Jesus have tried to explain this saying of Jesus by inventing a so-called camel’s gate through which a camel would crawl through on its knees having been relieved of its burden. Nothing could be further from the truth about this parable. The truth is camels cannot go through the eye of a needle! The invention of stories like the story of the camel’s gate are little more than the attempt of wealthy people trying somehow to find an excuse for their love of wealth! The hearers of Jesus get the point! And the point frightens them – “Then who can be saved?” Of course we all know the answer – “NO ONE!” However, Jesus goes on to say that what is impossible for human beings is possible for God – God can save even rich people – and the story of Zacchaeus that Luke will soon tell will be proof of it! Readers of Luke’s gospel are reminded of the words spoken to Mary when the announcement the coming birth of Jesus was made to her. How can this be? “With God nothing is impossible!” (Luke 1:37).