Mark 10:31-- priority vs. sequence?

[Sierra]

Has someone done scholarly biblical research? I am looking for the answer to this question:

Traditionally, Mark 10:31 ("But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first") is interpreted as a statement of priority/status rather than one of sequence. Other similar statements in the Bible have varying interpretations, but some seem to be treated as statements of sequence. Why is that?

Couldn't Jesus have meant, in that context, that those who rush toward materials things will be the last to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and that those who are last to receive earthly goods will be the first to inherit the Kingdom?

Why is it more often read as: those who have greater status now will have lesser status in the kingdom and vice versa?

[Sierra]

No one?

[genifer]

I dont know Sierra, Ive not done any 'scholarly' biblical research but I was thinking and meditating on this verse recently. What I understood it to mean was a matter of what people aspire to and who people look up to. I dont think of it as a matter of sequence. I think of it like this... Imagine we are entering heaven. We see all those who have lived lives in the public eye, doing all sorts of work in and for the Lord and who seemed to have done a 'mighty' work here on earth. Or those who may have recieved some kind of 'reward' or glory in this lifetime. Then you have those who are humbly serving the Lord cleaning toilets, who believe they've never done enough to 'please' the Lord, but are truely greatful for the gift of salvation. Those considered 'first' or those actually honored greatly in the next life are the bunch who had a life more like the second example. Those who believe they are doing God a service by being alive... they are the ones who may be disappointed. I point to parable about the workers who started later in the day getting the same wages as those who worked from the very start.

Or even the drunk who gives his life to the Lord genuinely,maybe even later on in life after squandering it and seeks His kingdom but maybe gets knocked down a few times, is judged bc of his former life as opposed to those christians who have made a habit all their christian lives to judge people.

Or the one who found the Lord on death row. Those who love the Lord but are condemned by the world and even sometimes His own. Those are the ones *I* believe the Lord may give special honor.

In other words, some believe they belong to the Lord for some special reason other then His grace and mercy, maybe they feel special bc they were 'chosen' (or think they were). I think Jesus often simply warned us about not getting complacent about being humble, genuinely humble, always learning to humble ourselves more as opposed to letting ourselves get 'puffed up' with some sort of arrogance of any kind...

If that makes any sense.

[Sierra]

genifer, that makes sense. Your understanding seems to be consistent with the common interpretation of this line in Mark. That is, your understanding is that it has to do with honor ("status") not sequence.

I am very interested in how and why it came to be interpreted that way.

The same line is in Matthew 19:30, Matthew 20:16, and Luke 13:30. Luke 13:30 is sometimes interpreted as a statement at least in part pertaining to sequence. For example, some people say that Luke 13:24-30 makes it clear that the line "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first” references entering the "gate."

As far as I can tell, the primary reason that Mark 10:31 is interpreted the way it is, is because Jesus is, in a way, talking about hardship and ease.

[genifer]

I have no idea why it came to be interpreted as that and to be honest I never thought about it as a matter of sequence. I think, or I wonder if it has to do with the understanding that there will simply be those who will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Which is, I think, something every christian has at least wrestled with and some dont believe. And in these verses Jesus is talking about those who do enter by faith in Him.

Very interesting question tho. I wonder if it would be helpful to do a key word study on those verses. That always produces some interesting revelations.

[Nazsmum]

If you look at chapter 10:23-31 Jesus is talking about people with money. So it would stand reason that the v. is talk about staus/wealth.

BUT the Lord could speak anything He wants to your heart.

[lilyka]

I have not heard it exclusively interpreted that way. I have always understood it in an "all things" kind of way.

So in context this passage starts with Jesus blessing the children and rebuking the grown ups. the rich young ruler who is a very well behaved young man. But Jesus pushes hom further in thie whole following Him business and says "go sell your stuff" but the guy was too attatched to his worldly possesions to obey Jesus and follow him. This is where Jesus says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter heaven but with God both of these things are totally possible. The desciples were amazed and probably confused and wanted to make sure they were doing whatever they needed to do. After all they had given up everything. family, money, security. Jesus assures them that they are good as well as anyone else who has given up much to follow him. Not only that they will recieve more in the next life than they ever had to give up in this life. And that those who think they have so much will find they may not have much, and those who have given uyp more than they thought they could will find they have many many treasures stored up beyond money and family and status and security.

[genifer]

I was studying it a bit over the weekend and thats what I came up with too, Lylika. That it seems to be about, as some have probably heard preached before, Jesus turning the status quo on its head. Those who are treated as unimportant, like the little children, are actually the ones we should become like. I think it is speaking about status actually. Im not sure I can see it as a matter of sequence? Would you be willing, Sierra, to explain what you mean?