A certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one: God. You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”
He said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.”
When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v21 The enticement of riches carrieth away many from the…
The enticement of riches carrieth away many from the right way.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv18–23 18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good…
18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Ver. 18. And a certain ruler] St Mark, Mar 10:17, saith that this ruler came running, which argues his earnestness, and in a man of quality was unusual, for such walk softly for most part, and in state, Gressu grallatorio.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v18 We have met with this story at large, Mat…
We have met with this story at large, Mat 19:16-26; and with (if not the same) very like to it. Mar 10:17-27. See Poole on "Mat 19:16", and following verses to Mat 19:26. See Poole on "Mar 10:17", and following verses to Mar 10:17. The history is of great use to us.
1. To show how far a man may go, that yet is a great way short of a truly good and spiritual state. He may know that nothing in this life will make him perfectly happy. He may desire eternal life, and salvation. He may go a great way in keeping the commandments of God, as to the letter of them. He may come to the ministers of the gospel to be further instructed. But herein he will fail, he will not come to Christ that he may have life, but fancy he should do something meritorious of it; he doth not aright understand the law, and that there is no going to heaven that way, but by the perfect observation of it, and therefore fancies himself in a much better state than he is.
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2. It instructs us in this, that there is no coming to heaven by works, but by a full and perfect obedience to the whole revealed will of God.
3. That every hypocrite hath some lust or other, in which he cannot deny himself. This ruler’s lust was his immoderate love of the world, and the things thereof.
4. That it is a mighty difficult thing for any persons, but especially such as have great possessions on earth, to get to heaven.
5. As difficult and almost impossible as it may appear to men, yet nothing is impossible with God. He can change the heart of the rich, and incline it to himself; as well as the, heart of the poor. The rich man hath more impediments; but be men rich or poor, without the powerful influence of God upon the heart, without his free grace, no soul will be saved.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On vv18–23 We have here a considerable person, a ruler, coming…
We have here a considerable person, a ruler, coming to Christ, with an important question in his mouth, What must I do to inherit eternal life?
Where note,
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1. He believes the certainty of a future state.
2. He professes a desire of an eternal happiness in that state.
3. He declares his readiness and willingness to do some good thing in order to the obtaining of that happiness.
Hence learn, that the light of nature, or natural religion, teaches men, that good works are necessary to salvation; or that some good thing must be done by them who at death expect eternal life; it is not talking well, and professing well, but living well, that entitles us to heaven and eternal life.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v18 In these verses we have,
In these verses we have,
I. Christ's discourse with a ruler, that had a good mind to be directed by him in the way to heaven. In which we may observe,
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1. It is a blessed sight to see persons of distinction in the world distinguish themselves from others of their rank by their concern about their souls and another life. Luke takes notice of it that he was a ruler. Few of the rulers had any esteem for Christ, but here was one that had; whether a church or state ruler does not appear, but he was one in authority.
2. The great thing we are every one of us concerned to enquire after is what we shall do to get to heaven, what we shall do to inherit eternal life. This implies such a belief of an eternal life after this as atheists and infidels have not, such a concern to make it sure as a careless unthinking world have not, and such a willingness to comply with any terms that it may be made sure as those have not who are resolvedly devoted to the world and the flesh.
3. Those who would inherit eternal life must apply themselves to Jesus Christ as their Master, their teaching Master, so it signifies here (didaskale), and their ruling Master, and so they shall certainly find him. There is no learning the way to heaven but in the school of Christ, by those that enter themselves into it, and continue in it.
4. Those who come to Christ as their Master must believe him to have not only a divine mission, but a divine goodness. Christ would have this ruler know that if he understood himself aright in calling him good he did, in effect, call him God and indeed he was so (Luk 18:19): "Why callest thou me good? Thou knowest there is none good but one, that is, God; and dost thou then take me for God? If so, thou art in the right."
5. Our Master, Christ himself, has not altered the way to heaven from what it was before his coming, but has only made it more plain, and easy, and comfortable, and provided for our relief, in case we take any false step. Thou knowest the commandments. Christ came not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to establish them. Wouldest thou inherit eternal life? Govern thyself by the commandments.
6. The duties of the second table must be conscientiously observed, in order to our happiness, and we must not think that any acts of devotion, how plausible soever, will atone for the neglect of them. Nor is it enough to keep ourselves free from the gross violations of these commandments, but we must know these commandments, as Christ has explained them in his sermon upon the mount, in their extent and spiritual nature, and so observe them.
7. Men think themselves innocent because they are ignorant; so this ruler did. He said, All these have I kept from my youth up, Luk 18:21. He knows no more evil of himself than the Pharisee did, Luk 18:11. He boasts that he began early in a course of virtue, that he had continued in it to this day, and that he had not in any instance transgressed. Had he been acquainted with the extent and spiritual nature of the divine law, and with the workings of his own heart, - had he been but Christ's disciples awhile, and learned of him, he would have said quite the contrary: "All these have I broken from my youth up, in thought, word, and deed."
8. The great things by which we are to try our spiritual state are how we stand affected to Christ and to our brethren, to this world and to the other; by these this man was tried. For, (1.) If we have a true affection to Christ, he will come and follow him, will attend to his doctrine, and submit to his discipline, whatever it cost him. None shall inherit eternal life who are not willing to take their lot with the Lord Jesus, to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. (2.) If he have a true affection to his brethren, he will, as there is occasion, distribute to the poor, who are God's receivers of his dues out of our estates. (3.) If he think meanly of this world, as he ought, he will not stick at selling what he has, if there be a necessity for it, for the relief of God's poor. (4.) If he think highly of the other world, as he ought, he will desire no more than to have treasure in heaven, and will reckon that a sufficient abundant recompence for all that he has left, or lost, or laid out for God in this world.
9. There are many that have a great deal in them that is very commendable, and yet they perish for the lack of some one thing; so this ruler here; he broke with Christ upon this, he liked all his terms very well but this which would part between him and his estate: "In this, I pray thee, have me excused." If this be the bargain, it is no bargain.
10. Many that are loth to leave Christ, yet do leave him. After a long struggle between their convictions and their corruptions, their corruptions carry the day at last; they are very sorry that they cannot serve God and mammon both; but, if one must be quitted, it shall be their God, not their worldly gain.
II. Christ's discourse with his disciples upon this occasion, in which we may observe, 1. Riches are a great hindrance to many in the way to heaven. Christ took notice of the reluctancy and regret with which the rich man broke off from him. He saw that he was very sorrowful, and was sorry for him; but thence he infers, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! Luk 18:24. If this ruler had had but as little of the world as Peter, and James, and John had, in all probability he would have left it, to follow Christ, as they did; but, having a great estate, it had a great influence upon him, and he chose rather to take his leave of Christ than to lay himself under an obligation to dispose of his estate in charitable uses. Christ asserts the difficulty of the salvation of rich people very emphatically: It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, Luk 18:25. It is a proverbial expression, that denotes the thing to be extremely difficult. 2. There is in the hearts of all people such a general affection to this world, and the things of it, that, since Christ has required it as necessary to salvation that we should sit loose to this world, it is really very hard for any to get to heaven. If we must sell all, or break with Christ, who then can be saved? Luk 18:26. They do not find fault with what Christ required as hard and unreasonable. No, it is very fit that they who expect an eternal happiness in the other world should be willing to forego all that is dear to them in this world, in expectation of it. But they know how closely the hearts of most men cleave to this world, and are ready to despair of their being ever brought to this. 3. There are such difficulties in the way of our salvation: as could never be got over but by pure omnipotence, by that grace of God which is almighty, and to which that is possible which exceeds all created power and wisdom. The things which are impossible with men (and utterly impossible it is that men should work such a change upon their own spirits as to turn them from the world to God, it is like dividing the sea, and driving Jordan back), these things are possible with God. His grace can work upon the soul, so as to alter the bent and bias of it, and give it a contrary ply; and it is he that works in us both to will and to do. 4. There is an aptness in us to speak too much of what we have left and lost, of what we have done and suffered, for Christ. This appears in Peter: Lo, we have left all, and followed thee, Luk 18:28. When it came in his way, he could not forbear magnifying his own and his brethren's affection to Christ, in quitting all to follow him. But this we should be so far from boasting of, that we should rather acknowledge it not worth taking notice of, and be ashamed of ourselves that there should have been any regret and difficulty in the doing of it, and any hankerings towards those things afterwards. 5. Whatever we have left, or laid out, for Christ, it shall without fail be abundantly made up to us in this world and that to come, notwithstanding our weaknesses and infirmities (Luk 18:29, Luk 18:30): No man has left the comfort of his estate or relations for the kingdom of God's sake, rather than they should hinder either his services to that kingdom or his enjoyments of it, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, in the graces and comforts of God's Spirit, in the pleasures of communion with God and of a good conscience, advantages which, to those that know how to value and improve them, will abundantly countervail all their loses. Yet that is not all; in the world to come they shall receive life everlasting, which is the thing that the ruler seemed to have his eye and heart upon.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv18–23 And a certain ruler asked him,.... A young man,…
And a certain ruler asked him,.... A young man, Mat 19:20 a ruler among the Jews, a civil magistrate, and a very rich man; he ran after Jesus, and overtook him in the way, as he was going towards Jericho, Mar 10:17
saying, good master; "Rabbi"; or doctor,
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what shall I do to inherit eternal life? See Gill on Mat 19:16.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv18, 20, 22 Matt. xix, 16; Mark x, 17.
Matt. xix, 16; Mark x, 17.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v18 Verse 18. - 23. A certain ruler] See the…
Verse 18. - 23. A certain ruler] See the case of this person largely explained on Mt 19:16-22, and Mr 10:21-22.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v18 Luk 18:18-30. And a certain ruler — The following…
Luk 18:18-30. And a certain ruler — The following account is given us both by Matthew and Mark; from whom we learn, that he was a young man, and very rich: but only Luke informs us that he was a ruler, or magistrate. For an explanation at large of this whole paragraph, see notes on Mat 19:16-30; Mar 10:17-27. Yet lackest thou one thing — Namely, to love God more than mammon. Our Saviour knew his heart, and presently put him upon a trial which laid it open to the ruler himself. And to cure his love of the world, which could not in him be cured otherwise, Christ commanded him to sell all that he had. But he does not command us to do this; but to use all to the glory of God.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v18 2. Jesus and the Rich Young Man (Luk_18:18-30)
2. Jesus and the Rich Young Man (Luk_18:18-30)
(Parallels: Mat_19:16-30; Mar_10:17-31.)
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18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master [Teacher], what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy 21mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute4 unto the poor, and thou shalt have [a] treasure in heaven [the heavens5]: and come, follow me. 23And when he heard this, he was [became] very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful [saw him6]: he said, How hardly shall [do7] they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? 27And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. 28Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all [what was ours8], and followed thee. 29And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, 30Who shall not receive [back] manifold more [many times as much] in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Luk_18:18. A certain ruler.—Ἄρχων, more particular specification of the indefinite εἷς in Matthew and Mark; perhaps the president of a neighboring synagogue, who, concealed among the people, had heard the instruction of the Saviour, been present at the blessing of the children, and excited by both to address himself with a weighty question to Jesus. According to no one of the Synoptics does he come πειράζων, like so many before and after him, but on the contrary with a good intention. Noticeable is the comparatively great fulness with which the three Synoptics communicate this occurrence; it has, as is evident, left a deep impression in the circle of the disciples.
Good Teacher.—It is not hard to sketch a somewhat vivid portrait of the youthful speaker. He is as little lacking in emotion and enthusiasm, as in fluency of speech and demonstration of honor before Jesus. He is better than the common dependers on works [Werkheiligen, lit., work-saints] of that time, under whose self-righteousness there flowed not seldom a current of hypocrisy, but he stands far below to God-fearing men of the Old Testament, in whose hearts, along with the strictest conscientiousness, there ever remained alive the feeling of the necessity of atonement. What he seeks is not grace but reward;—the eternal life in which he, probably a member of the sect of the Pharisees, believes, he will earn by his own virtue. Yet still an obscure feeling is ever saying to him that the treasure of his good works is not yet great enough; to his righteousness he wishes to add something more, altogether extraordinary, in order then to be able to be sure of the perfect certainty of his salvation. Before the Saviour departs, he wishes for once to hear from Him the answer to this great question of life. Thus does he stand before us as a man full of good intentions, but without deep self-knowledge; who takes pleasure in the law of God, but at the same time also has complacency in himself, whose words not only express his thoughts, but in a certain sense anticipate them; more worthy of love than of envy,—a curious mixture of honesty and of pitiable self-deceit. Not until he is considered from this point of view, is it possible wholly to understand the wisdom and love with which the Saviour treats him. He is in a certain sense the Nicodemus character of the Synoptics, comp. Joh_3:2, although his history, alas, ends less satisfactorily than that of this teacher in Israel.
Luk_18:19. Why callest thou me good?—Luke simply follows Mark, in giving this answer of our Lord. Respecting the famous various reading in Matt. ad loc. see Lange. We for our part are of the opinion that in Matthew the Recepta must be retained, and that the reading of Lachmann and Tischendorf has no higher value than that of an old interpretamentum. The grounds for this persuasion do not belong here, but as respects the Marcionitic reading of the second part of the answer in Luke: ὁ γὰρ ἀγαθὸς εἷς ἐστιν, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ πατήρ, it is nothing but a gloss, which does not even bear a strongly Marcionitic character.—As to the rest, we scarcely need to remark that the Saviour by this answer: οὐδεὶς ἀγαθ., κ.τ.λ., is as far from indirectly expressing His own Godhead (the old Dogmatici), as He is from decidedly denying it (the later Rationalists). He contents Himself with declining an epithet which in this mouth would have had no meaning whatever, even as He previously also did not wish from every one to be greeted as the Messiah. Thus does He here give on the one hand an example of modest humility, which contrasts not a little with the self-praise of the young man, and on the other hand He points him, if he will really do what is good, to the highest ideal of perfection.
Luk_18:20. The commandments.—The Saviour names the commandments of the second table, because when the rich man had once seen his lack of love to his neighbor, the conclusion as to his lack of love to God could not be difficult. According to Mark and Luke, the μὴ μοιχεύσῃς stands first, with internal probability, if we direct our regard to the youth of the questioner. According to the statement of Luke, the Saviour names only five commandments, the μὴ ἀποστερήση̣ς of Mark and the ἀγαπ. τὸν πλησ. σου ὡς σεαυτ. of Matthew, being wanting.
Luk_18:21. All these.—In vain hitherto has the Saviour endeavored to draw the attention of the young man to the contrast between his duty and his own ability. The youth is still so taken up with his own virtue, that he thinks that he is able to point courageously to his whole past life, although at the same time, in the obscure foreboding that he may yet perhaps come short, he adds (Matthew): τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ. The answer of the Saviour does not confirm the truth of his declaration, but only tells him what he, in case it is really so with him, has yet to do.
Luk_18:22. Distribute.—Διάδος, see the notes on the text. By the peculiar form of the injunction, the salutary strictness of the command becomes evident. He must not only sell his treasure, never to see it again;—even that perhaps in an heroic and high-wrought moment might have been possible;—but to distribute the precious wealth with his own hand, piece by piece, among the poor, and thus see the source of his earthly joy, pride, hope, as it were, drop by drop dry up. “Distribue, ipse id magnam lœtitiam afferre solet piis.” Bengel. Only when he has in this way killed his selfishness even to the root, may he view himself as perfect in love. Then is the Master ready to give him his recompense and highest good, the place of a disciple, His cross, His heavenly treasure.
Luk_18:23. Very sorrowful.—Περίλυπος: Matthew, λυπούμενος; Mark, στυγνάσας, λυπούμενος. These are all expressions which show that the answer of Jesus produces an intense impression upon the young man. No wonder, it was also very fitting to cure him forever of his foolish self-conceit. Up to this moment, he had thought that the external observance of the manifold commandments might open for him the way to heaven, while he yet had left the commune vinculum, the highest principle of all the requirements of God, until now unconsidered. And now it appears that his selfishness is mightier than his seemingly noble love, and that he his life through had already transgressed the first commandment, inasmuch as he offered base worship to Mammon. He becomes aware that to his fabric of virtue even the foundation is yet wanting, and still he had already been hoping to be able to put the capstone on his perfected work. The chasm which lies between knowing and willing, and between willing and doing, becomes to him now plain; he goes away, and it is not impossible that he afterwards returns again; but even though he saw Jesus no more, he has received an instruction which he his whole life long can no more forget. He knows now what is lacking to him, and even though the look of sadness which the Saviour let fall upon the departing one had been a look of irrevocable farewell, yet the lasting loss of this young man would still have been to the rest a gain, on account of the heart-Searching instructions and warnings which Jesus connected with this occurrence.
Luk_18:24. How hardly.—See on Mat_19:17-29; Mar_10:17-30. That the Saviour here teaches, it is true, a relative but by no means absolute impossibility that the rich man should be saved, shows again how far He, in the gospel of Luke, is removed from all Ebionitic contempt of riches. Only when money has us, instead of our possessing the money, does it close against us the entrance to the kingdom of heaven. Comp. besides the well-known golden tractate of Clemens Alexandrinus, Quis dives salvetur, also Pœdagogus, lib. iii. Luke 6. The double form in which Mark (Luk_10:23-24) communicates the saying of our Lord, is especially adapted to explain more exactly His actual meaning.
Luk_18:25. A camel.—See Lange on Mat_19:24, and Lightfoot, ad loc. Beyond doubt there here hovers before the Saviour’s soul, in particular, the image of the many rich and mighty in His day, whose earthly temper hindered them from receiving Him, while He in the rich young man saw a type of thousands, to whom the disciples in their Chiliastic dreams had already conceded a place of honor in the kingdom of heaven, but with reference to whom it was soon to appear that they, on account of their love to earthly goods, were not fit for the kingdom of God.
Luk_18:26. Who then can be saved?—As well this scene with the ruler, as also this earnest utterance of the Saviour, has taught the disciples to cast a deeper look into their own heart. They feel now that not earthly good in itself closes the entrance into the kingdom of heaven, but that it does so only when one hangs his heart upon it, and that one therefore, even without being in possession of riches, may yet be shut out as a rich man. In the living consciousness that even the poorest may have something of this earthly-mindedness which causes the ἄρχων to go sorrowful away, they now all, instead of surprise at others, feel concern about themselves, and venture the great question, which the Saviour answers with His compassionate look and a comforting word. Comp. Job_42:2; Jer_32:17; Zec_8:6.
Luk_18:18. Peter said.—According to all three Evangelists, it is Peter with whom first, in the place of concern, there follows not only recovered composure, but even self-complacency. Very characteristic is it, but at the same time amiable, that he here does not place himself exclusively first, but utters it as the collective consciousness of the apostolic circle, that all more or less had done what had proved too hard for the ἄρχων. The peculiar form of his utterance in Luke, “we have left τὰ ἴδια. that which is ours,” brings the greater difficulty of the sacrifice made still more strongly into view. Instead of the fear of not being able to be saved, there now springs up within them the hope of extraordinary reward; and it is entirely unmistakable that in this whole utterance, an egoistic love of reward expresses itself, of which it is even more easily conceivable how it could arise in the heart of Peter, than how it could be approved by Jesus. Before, however, we find difficulty in this latter fact, let us notice first that the assertion of Peter was no idle vaunt, but pure truth; that the Saviour Himself had just before attached to the renunciation of earthly good the possession of the heavenly treasure, and that with Peter the craving of reward did not exclude love, but was most intimately connected therewith; and secondly, that our Lord not only approves the hope of recompense, inasmuch as He promises to it the richest satisfaction, but also tempers it and sanctifies it, by the immediately following parable, Mat_21:1-16.
Luk_18:29. Verily I say unto you.—Luke gives the answer of the Saviour less precisely and less in detail than Matthew and Mark, yet with all, the chief thoughts are the same, in which, however, we have to consider that the strictly Israelitish form in which the hope of hundredfold reward is uttered in Matt. Luk_19:28, is less prominent in the Hellenistic gospel of Luke.
Luk_18:30. Receive back, ἀπολάβῃ.—See notes on the text. A still stronger form than in Matthew, and a fitting expression to intimate that he receives what belongs to him as a reward. Afterwards the Saviour expressed the same thought in another form, Luk_22:25-30. The clause: “Many last shall be first,” which Matthew and Mark subjoin here, Luke had already given, Luk_13:30. As a proverb, its frequent repetition is easily intelligible.
In this time, and in the world to come life everlasting.—This passage is one of those in which the distinction between the common Synoptic and the Johannean signification of the word ζωὴ αἰώνιος appears most strongly marked. Here, also, as, e.g., Mat_19:29; Mat_25:46, and elsewhere, it is something absolutely of the other world.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. See on the parallel passages in Matthew and Mark.
2. In the Pauline gospel of Luke also, the history of the rich young man occupies a prominent place, inasmuch as this word serves as a palpable proof of the absolute impossibility of being justified by the works of the law. When the Saviour says to a sinner, in view of the requirements of the law: Do this and thou shalt live, this is done for the very purpose of awakening, by the despair of fulfilling such a requirement, the consciousness of deep sinfulness, and the slumbering longing for grace. In this respect also, the history of the rich young man is a rarely equalled type of the pædagogic wisdom of our Lord, and at the same time a key to the Pauline declaration, Rom_7:7-24.
3. For the apologetics of the Evangelical history, it is of moment to compare the form in which this occurrence is related in the gospel of the Hebrews. Comp. on this the happy remark of Neander, L. J. ad loc., and respecting this whole narrative, the dissertation of K. Wimmer, Stud. u. Krit. 1845, i. p. 115.
4. The evangelical idea of the sinlessness of our Lord is in no way endangered by the negative: τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν. “The declaration is the expression of the same humble subordination to God, penetrated by which Jesus also, although knowing Himself one with the Father, yet designates the Father as the One sending Him, teaching Him, sanctifying Him, glorifying Him,—in one word, as the greater. Ever, indeed, is the Father the original source, as of all being, so of all goodness; the absolutely Good, in His holiness ever the same, while in contrast with Him even the Son, as Man, is one developing in goodness and holiness, perfecting Himself through prayers, conflicts, sorrows, and suffering, unto Divine glory.” Ullmann.
5. The whole history of the rich young man is a powerful testimony to the spirit of the first commandment in the Decalogue. Evidently the Saviour was not concerned with the wealth of the ἄρχων in itself,—for some misfortune or other might then have easily freed him from his possessions; but He wished to detach him from the idol to which his heart was bound. If his idol had been something else, e.g., ambition, the Saviour would not have given him this commandment; he would have fulfilled it without trouble, nay, perhaps would even have boasted of his beneficence; but since his weak side is the love of money, the commandment of self-denial approaches him precisely in this relatively accidental form, that it may become evident to. him how only he who can renounce that which is highest, is on the way to gain that which is best. Hard was the requirement, but it was the severity of love.
[After all, our Lord only required of this young man what the apostles, as Peter declares, had already done; and even worldly wisdom does not now venture to dispute that the preëminent honor which they have gained to all ages of the world thereby, has of itself been a hundred times over worth the sacrifice. What emperor in Christendom would dare for a moment to compare his dignity with that of an apostle, or an evangelist, or even the helper of an apostle? And certainly we may believe that the young ruler, who could have made a still greater sacrifice, and whom Jesus, even at His first and only meeting with him, came to regard with so peculiar an affection, was fitted to occupy no mean place in the kingdom of God. So true is it, that even as respects this world, he missed the opportunity of placing himself on such an eminence, as no potentate of his age ever came within sight of.—C. C. S.]
6. The promise of manifold reward for the sacrifice made for the kingdom of heaven, had already been given to the disciples in another form, Luk_6:23; Luk_12:35-37. Here, In particular, must be considered how the Saviour, after He had promised them more than the most glowing imagination could expect, makes haste to oppose every narrow self-seeking and false rest in their soul. He takes from them therewith at once the fancy of their being the only ones so highly distinguished. In an entirely general way He promises for all following times to all a hundredfold recompense who should renounce anything for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. They should not lack companions of the high fortune which they desired above all things. But that they might not now too early rest upon their laurels, they are on the other hand disquieted by the thought: Those who are now the first, may afterwards very possibly become the last. How thoroughly in earnest, moreover, the Saviour was as to this promise of the hundredfold recompense even in this life, appears from the history of the kingdom of God in all times, comp. e.g., what Paul offered for its sake and afterwards gained. Or consider the French refugees who for the cause of truth and reformation left their native country, and even yet in their posterity are visibly and wonderfully blest! [What blood more honorable in our country than the blood of the Huguenots?—C. C. S.]
7. The whole instruction of our Lord, as well concerning the dangers of riches as concerning the rich recompense of that which is offered up for Him, acquires an additional and peculiar importance if we consider that this was uttered in the presence of Judas, only a few days before the germinating in him of the dark plan of betrayal.
[8. We must bear in mind that while as yet the might of Christian love had scarcely begun to be felt in the world, riches were to their possessors a temptation to hard-hearted voluptuousness in a degree scarcely possible now. In Christendom, imperfect as it is, even a worldly man, in spite of himself, is forced in some measure to take a Christian view of his wealth. This does not, by any means, remove the danger of riches, but it increases the probability, in each particular case, that those dangers will be surmounted.—C. C. S.]
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Sacrifices for the kingdom of heaven are: 1. Required, Luk_18:18-22; Luke 2. refused, Luk_18:23-27; Luke 3. made, Luk_18:28; Luke 4. rewarded, Luk_18:29-30.—The ruler of the synagogue at the feet of Him who is the Lord of the temple.—Jesus, over against the rich young man, truly the Good Master, although He declines this honorable appellation.—The rich young man the type of the man who has much that is needed for his salvation, but not all: 1. His portrait; 2. his fate.—How little even the knowing of the commandments helps us.—The strictness of the Saviour towards the virtuous, His mildness towards the deeply-fallen sinner, and in both cases His heavenly love.—The advantage of an untroubled retrospect upon a well-spent and unspotted youth: 1. A rare; 2. an inestimable; 3. a dangerous, advantage.—One thing thou yet lackest: 1. A kindly intended felicitation, because only one thing; 2. an earnest warning, because in the one all is lacking to him.—What the rich young man really lacks is love to God above all things.—Whoever will teach others to recognize their own sins against God, does best when he begins with their duties towards their neighbor, 1Jn_4:20.—The treasure in heaven: 1. Its high value; 2. its dear price.—True care for the poor must be a personal one.—The rich young man: 1. Trebly rich, a. in treasures, b. in virtues, c. in self-conceit; 2. trebly poor, a. in self-knowledge, b. in love, c. in heavenly possessions.—The ruinous power of a single darling sin, Ecc_10:1; Mat_5:29-30.—How earthly-mindedness: 1. Contemns the King of the kingdom of God; 2. despises the fundamental law of the kingdom of God; 3. forfeits the blessedness of the kingdom of God.—How the Saviour will cure man of his earthly-mindedness by leading him to the way: 1. Of self-knowledge; 2. of self-denial; 3. of self-surrender to Him.—The love of Christ over against the might of the ego: 1. How deep it looks; 2. how much it requires; 3. how richly it rewards.—Why is it harder for the rich than for so many others to enter into the kingdom of heaven?—“How hardly,” &c.: 1. A word of terror for the earthly-minded wealthy; 2. a word of comfort for the heavenly-minded poor; 3. a word of thanksgiving for rich and poor who have really overcome the difficulty and have entered into the kingdom of heaven.—The being saved: 1. On its humanly impossible; 2. on its Divinely possible and easy, side.—How far the question, “What shall we have therefore?” from the Christian point of view is permitted or censurable.—The recompense in the kingdom of heaven: 1. Its extent, a. in this, b. in the future, life; 2. its conditions: one must, a. really have left all, and this then, b. not out of mercenariness, but out of love.
Starke:—Canstein:—Our first and chiefest question should be concerning everlasting life.—Brentius:—The law is spiritual, and requires internal and external obedience.—In religion nature and grace must be well distinguished.—Let man be taught to distinguish well the general and the special calling of God.—Hedinger:—Woe to you, ye rich, Luk_6:24; 1Ti_6:9; Jam_5:1.—Bibl. Wirt:—Let not thy mouth water too much after worldly goods, because they are more a hindrance than a help to salvation, Pro_30:8.—Rising concern for salvation must be regarded and welcomed as a messenger of grace.—Hedinger:—All lost, all gained.—Brentius:—The lust of reward here cleaves even, it seems, to the best dispositions.—To the children and servants of God belongs all the good which the kingdom of grace and glory possesses; what would they more? 1Co_3:21-23.
Palmer:—What lack I yet? 1. What answer our own heart would be glad to give; 2. what the Lord answers thereto.—Of the unhappy contradiction in which so many men are involved with themselves.—W. Hofacker:—Good labor brings noble recompense.—C. J. Nitzsch:—No one is good saving God alone: 1. In what sense the expression is meant; 2. how in the light of it Jesus Himself appears to us; 3. whether, then, where it holds good, there yet can be any well-grounded confidence in our neighbor.
Footnotes:
[4]Luk_18:22.—Διάδος. The simple δός, which A., D., L., M., Δ., and some others have, and also Lachmann, is taken from the parallels.
[5]Luk_18:22.—According to B., D., ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. [Cod. Sin., ἐν οὐρανοῖς.] The singular of the Recepta is from Matthew and Mark.
[6]Luk_18:24.—E. V.: “saw that he was very sorrowful.” [Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτόν ὁ Ἰ. εἶπεν, according to B., Cod. Sin., L. Accepted by Tischendorf, Tregelles, Alford.—C. C. S.]
[7]Luk_18:24.—Εἰςπορεύονται [according to B., L. Cod. Sin. has εἰςελεύσονται.—C. C. S.]
[8]Luk_18:28.—Τὰ ἴδια (without πάντα), according to Griesbach, Lachmann, [Tischendorf, Tregelles, Alford,] on the authority of B., L., 157. Πάντα is taken from the parallels.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv19–23 THE RICH YOUNG RULER AND DISCOURSE THEREON. (Luk 18:18-30)
THE RICH YOUNG RULER AND DISCOURSE THEREON. (Luk 18:18-30)
Why, &c.--Did our Lord mean then to teach that God only ought to be called "good?" Impossible, for that had been to contradict all Scripture teaching, and His own, too (Psa 112:5; Mat 25:21; Tit 1:8). Unless therefore we are to ascribe captiousness to our Lord, He could have had but one object--to raise the youth's ideas of Himself, as not to be classed merely with other "good masters," and declining to receive this title apart from the "One" who is essentially and only "good." This indeed is but distantly hinted; but unless this is seen in the background of our Lord's words, nothing worthy of Him can be made out of them. (Hence, Socinianism, instead of having any support here, is only baffled by it).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv18–23 18-30. The Great Refusal. The Young Ruler who loved…
18-30. The Great Refusal. The Young Ruler who loved Riches more than Christ.
18. a certain ruler] St Matthew (Mat_19:20) only calls him “a young man.” He was probably the young and wealthy ruler of a synagogue. The touch added by St Mark (Luk_10:17), that he suddenly ran up and fell on his knees before Him, seems to imply that he was eager to catch the opportunity of speaking to Jesus before He started on a journey, probably the journey from the Peraean Bethany, beyond Jordan (Joh_10:41-42), to the Bethany near Jerusalem, to raise Lazarus.
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Good Master] This title was an impropriety, almost an impertinence; for the title ‘good’ was never addressed to Rabbis by their pupils. Therefore to address Jesus thus was to assume a tone almost of patronage. Moreover, as the young Ruler did not look on Jesus as divine, it was to assume a false standpoint altogether.
what shall I do to inherit eternal life?] In St Matthew the question runs, ‘what good thing shall I do?’ Here, again, the young ruler betrays a false standpoint, as though ‘eternal life’ were to be won by quantitative works, or by some single act of goodness,—by doing and not by being. It was indeed the fundamental error of his whole class. Rom_9:32.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv18–23 (18-23) And a certain ruler asked him, . .…
(18-23) And a certain ruler asked him, . . .—See Notes on Mat_19:16-25; Mar_10:17-22. St. Luke alone describes the inquirer as a “ruler.” As used without any defining genitive, and interpreted by Luk_23:13; Luk_23:35, Joh_3:1; Joh_7:26; Joh_7:48, et al., it seems to imply that he was a member of the Council or Sanhedrin. The term “youth,” in Mat_19:20, is not at variance with this inference. It is defined by Philo as including the period between twenty-one and twenty-eight—an age at which a place in the Council was probably open to one who was commended both by his wealth and his devotion. St. Paul obviously occupied a position of great influence at a time when he is described as a “young man” (Act_7:58).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv18–23 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master,…
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life! This incident is related in the three synoptical Gospels. St. Matthew speaks of him as the young man. St. Luke here styles him a ruler; by some the title is supposed simply to denote that he was the ruler of a synagogue or congregation; others, however, consider that it denotes that the subject of the narrative was a ruler of the Jews, and possibly, but this is of course doubtful, a member of the Sanhedrin. His youth (Mat_19:20) is not at variance with this inference. Youth is defined by Philo as including the period between twenty-one and twenty-eight. All the three evangelists mention his great wealth. Dean Plumptre suggests that his large possessions and evident devotion had probably opened to him, at a comparatively early age, a place in the great council. His question concerning eternal life indicates that he was a Pharisee, and he evidently represented the noblest phase of this religious party. Ire had sedulously followed out the precepts of the best rabbinic schools of his day, but there was something lacking, he felt, and his intercourse with Jesus and the influence of the Master"s words led him to take this question point-blank to the famous Teacher, who he felt alone of any master whom he had met was able to satisfy this longing desire of his heart.
Vers. 18-25. The ruler who refused the crown.
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It is a certain ruler, a young man, who accosts our Lord. And the question which he asks represents one of the deepest cravings of the human breast. Is it only in the Gospels that we find this question? It is written into all the religions, into the best of all the philosophies, the poetries, the guesses at truth, which have commanded the thought of the ages, It is as old as human nature, as manifold in its complexion as the human experience, as abiding in its persistence as the human need. It is our question one compared with which the hundred things which claim our attention are only as strivings after wind. Let us listen. The eternal life: what is it? and how is it realized?
I WHAT DID THE YOUNG MAN MEAN when he came running and kneeling and asked, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" The answer may indicate the essential features of the desire that has haunted the breast. Clearly he meant three things:
1. A real, personal existence one implying distinct consciousness and activity. He is too prosaic, too selfishly in earnest, to mean less than this.
2. An existence removed from the imperfections of the present time. His notions of immortality may have been crude; but he certainly desired a life which, as contrasted with the changeful and limited, is an eternal life.
3. A life in relation to a moral or spiritual system. He has possessions. Sirens are ever luring him to the fateful shores of pleasure. Against them "the categorical imperative" of conscience is ever dominant. It says, "Root thy conduct in the everlastingly true. The eternal life is not mere endlessness. It is endless goodness, truth. And to be in harmony with this is to live eternally." Now, such being the contents of his thought, the burden which he brings to the Master is how it comes that, although the harmony of his conduct with this system is complete, he is still unsatisfied; nay, that the more he seems to approach the ideal the more conscious he is that it is far ahead of him. Explain it to me" is the passionate entreaty; and who does not love him for this sublime passion? "What is the missing quantity? What is the plus yet to be possessed that I may have eternal life?
II Turning to THE ANSWER OF CHRIST, and connecting it with words elsewhere, WHAT IS CHRIST"S EXPOSITION OF THE ETERNAL LIFE? The question is, "What shall I do?" And to this the specific reply is, "Be free. Your]ire does not consist in the abundance of your possessions. Can you part with them, that you may the more unreservedly obey the vision which has dawned on you?" (ver. 22). Thus the truth probed him. He might not have been called actually to sell his estate, any more than Abraham was called to offer up Isaac. But the trial of his will was made; and, in the trial, he was found wanting (ver. 23). Do we blame him? we whom the truth is proving every day, only to find that we are caught up by all kinds of vanities! He turned away; and, alas! what of us? But the demand of the Lord reminds us of the requirement essential to the eternal life. Life, we are told by scientists, consists in an adaptation of organism to surrounding. When the adaptation is complete, and the surrounding nourishes the organism, there is health. When it is impaired, there is sickness; when it is broken, there is death. Human life has both a spiritual and a material environment. As the ruler rightly supposed, the eternal life implies correspondence to the spiritual environment.-Where there is no such correspondence, where, in Scripture phrase, the life is "without God," there is death. Where the correspondence has been formed, and the inner life is nourished by the system which surrounds it, there is spiritual, eternal life. But are not the phrases, "systems," "environments," too vague and abstract? Do we not need something more concrete, something nearer us, than such abstractions? This is more concrete, this is nearer us, "Take up the cross; come, follow me" (ver. 22). A perfect Man has walked this earth One in whom the correspondence with the heavenly environment was complete, who lived in and with a Father in heaven, and whose meat was to do his will. His existence, in its details, we cannot copy; but his life, in its principles, inspirations, in all that gave it its beauty and glory, we can realize, under varying conditions. To be joined to him; to live in his light; to be the manner of person that he was; to be affianced to him as the Lord and Friend and Brother of our perfect choice; and have his flesh as meat indeed, and his blood as drink indeed; this is the way to the eternal life. But what is this life whose way is thus defined? It must be kept always in view that eternal is not merely another name for endless. Endless time would not be eternity. The eternal is the timeless. Everlasting existence may be involved; but this is because the life is what it is Divine, and therefore imperishable. Christ has supplied many unfoldings of this Divine life. (see Joh_3:1-13 Joh_6:32-53 Joh_17:3) May the guidance of the Holy Spirit illumine this teaching! and may we all realize the secret of St. John: "He that hath the Son hath the life!
III THIS RULER INTERESTS US. The narrative concerning him suggests reflections which may be dwelt on with profit.
1. The difficulty, the hindrance, to salvation that is interposed by riches. (Vers. 24, 25) Great possessions, Christ declares, increase the risk of losing the true spiritual health, are apt to stand in the way of the eternal life. It is not the riches themselves that are evil; it is, as one of the evangelists explains, the trust in them, the sensation of them, that is the evil. And may there not be a trust in riches, even when they are not actually possessed? We may have very little, and yet have such a craving for more as proves that the ungotten wealth stands for our best. More than this, with little there may be as much of earthliness and love of the world as when there is much. It is a wretched slavery which one often sees, and the feeling of which one often detects in one"s own breast. Persons are miserably ruled over by the sense of wealth. Neither do they get the good, nor does the world get the full good, of what they have. On the other hand, the poor cannot rise to the real dignity of their being because they set possessions on the height which they regard as the summum bonum. Social life is honeycombed by that trust in riches. "How hard it is," says Christ, "for those that have riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" (ver. 24).
2. A crown is refused. Who the ruler was we cannot tell. On a sudden he appears, on a sudden he disappears. Is he wrecked, like a ship with full sail, at the harbour-bar? It is noticeable that Jesus "loved him;" in this distinction he is bracketed, in the Gospels, with Martha and Mary and Lazarus. For a moment the crown hangs over his head. Did he finally reject it? But he waves it aside. Oh, not the last who has missed the flood-tide the blessing offered to the man, and the man turning from it! Young men, all, reflect!
Vers. 18-22. The golden chance: a sermon to the young.
Many features combine to make this incident one of peculiar interest.
I THE PRINCIPAL ACTOR IS THE SCENE A YOUNG MAN. Matthew tells us this quite incidentally, (Mat_19:22) but it adds great interest to the occurrence. For our hearts are drawn towards youth. Youth is innocent, ingenuous, frank, trustful, hopeful, loving. There is, moreover, some mystery about it. We know what the old man has been; we know what the man of middle life will be; but of youth we cannot tell; it may accomplish great things; it is covered with the delicate buds, with the beautiful flowers of promise.
II A YOUNG MAN OF WEALTH AND INFLUENCE. This might not make him more interesting to Christ; but it does to us. The rich young heir may be of no more intrinsic worth than the beggar by the wayside; but because he is the heir of fortune, we care about him, we watch his career; we are specially glad if he takes a wise course, and are specially grieved if he goes astray.
III A YOUNG MAN WITH SOME OF THE NOBLER QUALITIES OF YOUTH.
1. We note his reverence. Youth should be reverent. Ignorance and inexperience should pay to knowledge and wisdom the regard which is their due. We like this young man because he saw in that homeless Teacher a wisdom superior to his Own, and came and prostrated himself before him in becoming homage.
2. We note his ardour. He came running (Mar_10:17) to meet and to learn of Christ. Youth should be, as in the person of this inquirer it was eager, ardent, enthusiastic, sanguine of good things.
3. We note his religiousness. "Heaven lies about us in our infancy," etc. Youth is the time when heavenly visions are most and best seen; when Divine claims, spiritual realities, are strongest and clearest to the soul; then "life eternal" has the deepest meaning. So was it with him. To him life held something larger and better than all his lands and houses; other and higher voices than those of debtors and stewards reached his ear; he had a vision of a holy service in which he might be engaged; of a Divine life he might be living; and running in his eagerness, and kneeling in his reverence, he looked up into the face of Christ and said, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
IV A YOUNG MAN IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST, exciting his special interest. A young man, with his life before him and a soul not yet stained by the evil which is in the world, standing in the very presence of him who knew what human life might include and what the human soul was worth, who could tell him how to enlarge the one and how to ennoble the other, and who (Mar_10:21) took a tender and loving interest in this earnest spirit, what could we have more profoundly interesting than this?
V JESUS CHRIST REVEALING TO HIM THE TRUE STATE OF HIS HEART. Our Lord"s treatment of inquirers differed much; it was, no doubt, determined by the state of their heart, as he alone knew it. He replied to this young man as he did, because he wished him to know where he actually stood; he wished to show him that, in order to be prepared to lay hold on eternal life, it was not only necessary to have such sincerity as he had, and such earnestness as he had, but such earnestness as would make him ready to yield everything to the Lord of his life; and that this he had not. So, after leading him up to the point, he said, "Sell all that thou hast," etc. And then the inquirer knew that he lacked one thing one essential thing; he wanted that thoroughness of purpose toward God which made self-surrender possible to him. It was a glorious, golden chance, then used or then lost when this interview was held. It must have been the crisis of his career, on which everything hung for all the future. Similar in its nature, though not alike in its circumstances, is the opportunity offered to each one of us.
1. All the life of Christian privilege is the golden chance of our existence. "Now is the accepted time," the period when everything is open to us, when a noble and immortal future stretches Out before us and is within our power.
2. Youth is the golden chance of life. It is in the days that are now passing, when the heart is warm, and the mind is open, and the conscience tender, and the life unburdened and unembarrassed, that Christ should be approached and his lasting friendship gained.
3. The day of Divine visitation is the golden chance of youth that day when the truth and the grace of Jesus Christ are most powerfully felt, and a voice from heaven is heard saying of the path of life, "This is the way: walk ye in it. C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v18 Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal…
Luk_18:18-30
Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
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--
The rich youths address to Christ
I. THE FAVOURABLE TRAITS OF CHARACTER EXHIBITED IN THE QUESTION PROPOSED BY THIS YOUNG MAN.
1. The question itself was of supreme importance.
2. The question was a personal one.
3. The question was put at an interesting period of life.
4. The question was put by one who possessed an abundance of riches.
5. The question was put with feelings of great modesty and respect.
6. The question was put with great sincerity and earnestness of spirit.
II. THE DEFECTS WHICH WERE ELICITED BY THE SAVIOUR.
1. He evidently expected salvation by the works of the law.
2. He was held in bondage by one reigning idol.
3. He was unwilling to yield to the extensive requirements of the Saviour.
III. THE LESSONS WHICH HIS HISTORY FURNISHES.
1. The exceeding deceitfulness of earthly riches.
2. That we may go far in religious practices, and yet not be saved.
3. We are in great danger from spiritual deception.
4. Religion requires a total surrender of ourselves to God. (J. Burns, D. D.)
Thou knowest the commandments
Keep the commandments
I. INQUIRE INTO THE DESIGN WITH WHICH OUR SAVIOUR SPOKE THESE WORDS. His aim was to expose ignorance, self-righteousness, and insincerity, in one whom the spectators were doubtless admiring for his apparent devotion.
1. The man was ignorant of Christs real character.
2. He expected life as the reward of his own merit.
3. He was not sincerely willing to sacrifice anything for the kingdom of heavens sake.
II. ENDEAVOUR TO PROMOTE A SIMILAR DESIGN BY A FAITHFUL APPLICATION OF THEM TO OURSELVES. If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. These words, duly considered, may--
1. Convince us of sin. There is no doubt, that we ought to keep the commandments. But, have we done so?
2. Drive us to Christ as a Refuge.
3. Guide the steps of the justified believer. The curse of the law it at an end--not its obligation. (J. Jowett, M. A.)
Yet lackest thou one thing
One weak spot
When Jesus tells us that we cannot be His disciples so long as we lack one thing, does He mean that we must have supplied every moral defect, must have attained every grace, must have vanquished every spiritual enemy, and, in fact, have ceased to sin, before we can be His disciples? That would be simply saying that none of us can hope to be a Christian unless he is morally perfect; and that of course involves the converse, that every true Christian is thus morally perfect, The shock this statement gives to our common sense, and its manifest contradiction of the whole drift of the New Testament, at once drives us from any such interpretation. We find a consistent meaning, I suppose, if we understand Him as declaring that no heart is really Christianized, or converted, so long as there is any one conscious, deliberate, or intentional reservation from entire obedience to the Divine will. So that if I say, Here is one particular sin which I must continue to practise; all the rest of my conduct I freely conform to Gods law, but this known wrong I must continue to do--then I am no Christian. If you single out some one chosen indulgence, however secret--a dubious custom in business, a fault of the tongue or temper--and, placing y our hand over that, reply to the all-searching commandment of the Most High, This I cannot let go; this is too sweet to me, or too profitable to me, or too tightly inter woven with my constitutional predilections, or too hard to be put off--then the quality of a disciple is not in you. There is a portion of your being which you do not mean, or try, to consecrate to heaven. And that single persistent offence vitiates the whole character. It keeps you, as a man, as a whole man, on the self side or world-side, and away from Christs side. For it not only shuts off righteousness from one district of your nature, and so abridges the quantity of your life, but it inflicts the much more radical damage of denying the supremacy of the law of righteousness, and thus corrupts the quality. It practically rejects the heavenly rule when that rule crosses the private inclination. And that is the essence of rebellion. (Bishop F. D. Huntington.)
The test-point
When Jesus spoke thus of one thing fatally lacking to the Jewish ruler, He spoke to us all. But with this difference: that one subtle passion which spoils the whole character for us may not be his passion. With him it seems to have been avarice; he could not bear to turn his private property into public charity. His religion broke down just there: in other respects he had done admirably; he had kept other commandments to the letter--aye, to the letter; not perhaps in the spirit, for all true obedience has one spirit. But so far his literal, formal obedience came, and there gave out. But then you may happen to be so constituted that such an abandonment of wealth would be a very small sacrifice--one of the least that could be required of you; you are not naturally sordid; you are more inclined to be prodigal; and so this would not be a test-point with you. But there is a test-point about you somewhere. Perhaps it is pride; you cannot bear an affront; you will not confess a fault. Perhaps it is personal vanity, ready, to sacrifice everything to display. Perhaps it is a sharp tongue. Perhaps it is some sensual appetite, bent on its unclean gratification. Then you are to gather up your moral forces just here, and till that darling sin is brought under the practical law of Christ, you are shut out from Christs kingdom. I have no right to love anything so well that I cannot give it up for God. God knows where the trial must be applied. And we are to know that wherever it is applied, there is the one thing lacking, unless we can say Thy will be done, and bear it. The gospel does not propose itself as an easy system--easy in the sense of excusing from duty. Were we not right then, in the ground taken at the outset, that the power of Christianity over the character is proved by the thoroughness of its action rather than by the extent of surface over which its action spreads? It displays its heavenly energy in dislodging the one cherished sin, in breaking down the one entrenched fortress that disputes its sway. At the battle of Borodino, Napoleon saw that there was no such thing as victory till he had carried the great central redoubt on the Russian line. Two hundred guns and the choicest of his battalions were poured against that single point, and when the plumes of his veterans gleamed through the smoke on the highest embrasures of that volcano of shot, he knew the field was won. It matters very little that we do a great many things morally irreproachable, so long as there is one ugly disposition that hangs obstinately hack. It is only when we come to a point of real resistance that we know the victory of faith overcoming the world. Finally, our renewing and redeeming religion delights to reach down to the roots of the sin that curses us, and spread its healing efficacy there. It yearns to yield us the fulness of its blessing; and this it knows it cannot do till it brings the heart under the completeness of its gentle captivity to Christ. Submission first; then peace, and joy, and love. Jesus beholding him, loved him; yet sent him away sorrowing. How tender, and yet how true! tender in the sad affection--true to the stern unbending sacrifice of the Cross! It is because He would have us completely happy that He requires a complete submission. One thing must not be left lacking. Whosoever would enter into the full strength and joy of a disciple must throw his whole heart upon the altar. (Bishop F. D. Huntington.)
How hardly shall they that have riches enter
The danger of riches
Rather, if one asked, What peril have riches? one might ask, What peril have they not? First, then, they are wholly contrary to the life of Christ and His passion. That cannot be the safe, the happy lot, which is in all things most opposite to His. Unlike Him, we must ever here be; for we are sinners, He alone, as man, was holy; we are His creatures, He our God. But can it be safe not to be aiming, herein also, to be less unlike? Can it be safe to choose that which in all its pomp and glory was brought before His eye as man, to be wholly rejected by Him; to choose what He rejected, and shrink back from what He chose? This, then, is the first all-containing peril of riches. They are, in themselves, contrary to the Cross of Christ. I speak not now of what they may be made. As we, being enemies, were, through the Cross, made friends, so may all things, evil and perilous in themselves, except sin, become our friends. The Cross finds us in desolation, and they, He says, have received their consolation; it finds us in evil things, and they are surrounded by their good things; it comes in want, and they have abundance; in distress, and they are at ease; in sorrow, and they are ever tempted even to deaden their sorrows in this worlds miserable joys. Happy only in this, that He who chasteneth whom He loveth, sprinkles His own healthful bitterness over lifes destructive sweetness, and by the very void and emptiness of vanity calls forth the unsatisfied soul no more to spend money on that which is not bread, or its labour on that which satisfieth not. But if it be so hard for the rich to seek to bear the cross, it must be hard for them truly to love Him who bore it. Love longeth to liken itself to that it loves. It is an awful question, my brethren; but how can we love our Lord if we suffer not with Him?
2. Then it is another exceeding peril of riches and ease that they may tend to make us forget that here is not our home, Men on a journey through a strangers, much more an enemys, and linger not. Their hearts are in their home; thither are their eyes set; they love the winds which have blown over it; they love the very hills which look upon it, even while they hide it; days, hours, and minutes pass quickly or slowly as they seem to bring them near to it; distance, time, weariness, strength, all are counted only with a view to this, are they nearer to the faces they love? can they, when shall they reach it? What then, my brethren, if our eyes are not set upon the everlasting hills, whence cometh our help? what if we cherish not those inward breathings which come to us from our heavenly home, hushing, refreshing, restoring, lifting up our hearts, and bidding us flee away and be at rest? What if we are wholly satisfied, and intent on things present? can we be longing for the face of God? or can we love Him whom we long not for? or do we long for Him, if we say not daily, When shall I come and appear before the presence of God?
3. Truly there is not one part of the Christian character which riches, in themselves, do not tend to impair. Our Lord placed at the head of evangelic blessings, poverty of spirit, and, as a help to it and image of it, the outward body of the soul of true poverty, poverty of substance too.
The only riches spoken of in the New Testament, except as a woe, are the unsearchable riches of the glory and grace of Christ, the riches of the goodness of God, the depth of the riches of His wisdom, or the riches of liberality, whereto deep poverty abounded.
4. Poverty is, at least, a fostering nurse of humility, meekness, patience, trust in God, simplicity, sympathy with the sufferings of our Lord or of its fellow (for it knows the heart of those who suffer). What when riches, in themselves, hinder the very grace of mercifulness which seems their especial grace, of which they are the very means? What wonder that they cherish that brood of snakes, pride, arrogance, self-pleasing, self-indulgence, self-satisfaction, trust in self, forgetfulness of God, sensuality, luxury, spiritual sloth, when they deaden the heart to the very sorrows they should relieve? And yet it is difficult, unless, through self-discipline, we feel some suffering, to sympathize with those who suffer. Fulness of bread deadens love. As a rule, the poor show more mercy to the poor out of their poverty, than the rich out of their abundance. But if it be a peril to have riches, much more is it to seek them. To have them is a trial allotted to any of us by God; to seek them is our own. Through trials which He has given us He will guide us; but where has He promised to help us in what we bring upon ourselves? In all this I have not spoken of any grosser sins to which the love of money gives birth: of what all fair men would condemn, yet which, in some shape or other, so many practise. Such are, hardness to the poor or to dependents; using a brothers services for almost nought, in order to have more to spend in luxury; petty or more grievous frauds; falsehood, hard dealing, taking advantage one of another, speaking evil of one another, envying one another, forgetting natural affection. And yet in this Christian land many of these are very common. Holy Scripture warns us all not to think ourselves out of danger of them. (E. B. Pusey, D. D.)
The deceitfulness of riches
Notice the deceitfulness of all kinds of riches. Riches may corrupt the very simplest of you. Take care. How many men have received hold of the gallows and hanged themselves just through the deceitfulness of riches. We could trace the history of many a man, and see how he died in the bank, that great mortuary. The man began simply, and was a right genial soul. He brought with him morning light and fresh air wherever he came; and as for cases of poverty, his hand knew the way to his pocket so well that he could find that pocket in the dark. As for religious services, he was there before the door was opened. He never thought the Sabbath day too long. He loved the sanctuary, and was impatient until the gates were opened unto him. He even went to the weekevening services. But then he was only a working man, and only working men should go out into the night air! What does it matter about a few working men being killed by the east wind? The man whose course we are tracing doubled his income and multiplied it by five, and then doubled it again, and then found that he must give up the prayer-meeting. Certainly. Then he proceeded to double his income, and then he gave up the Sunday evening service. There was a draught near where he sat, or there was some person in the third pew from his the appearance of whom he could not bear. How dainty my lord is becoming! Oh, what a nostril he has for evil savour! He will leave presently altogether. He will not abruptly leave, but he will simply not come back again, which really means practically the same thing. He will attend in the morning, and congratulate the poor miserable preacher on the profit of the service. Did he mean to do this when he began to get a little wealthier? Not he. Is he the same man he used to be! No. Is he nearer Christ? He is a million universes away from Christ. He is killed by wealth. He trusted in it, misunderstood, misapplied it. It is not wealth that has ruined him, but his misconception of the possible uses of wealth. He might have been the leader of the Church. There was a lady, whose husbands personalty was sworn at millions, who was unable to attend one of the ladies meetings organized for the purpose of making garments for the poor, and she said that she could no longer attend, and therefore her subscription would lapse. Let it lapse. If it were a case in connection with this Church I would not have named it. It is because distance of space and time enable me to refer to it without identification that I point the moral, and say that where such wealth is, or such use of wealth, there is rottenness of soul. (J. Parker, D. D.)
You cannot take your riches with you into the kingdom if you are going to trust in them
If you are going to offer them to Christ and sanctify them to His use, let us know of it. You cannot bring your intellectual pride with you. If you are going to consecrate your intellect to the study of the profoundest mysteries, if you are going to cultivate the child-like spirit--for the greater the genius the greater the modesty--bring it all! You can bring with you nothing of the nature of patronage to Christ. It is because He has so little, He has so much; because He is so weak, He is so strong. You cannot compliment Him: He lies beyond the range of eulogy. We reach Him by His own way--sacrifice, self-immolation, transformation. A great mystery, outside of words and all their crafty uses, but a blessed, conscious, spiritual experience. Blessed are those to whom that experience is a reality. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Who, then, can be saved?--
Who, then, can be saved?
The difficulties of salvation, however, do not arise from the want of power in God, for nothing is too hard for Him; He can as easily save a world as He could at first create one. Nor does it arise from any want of sufficiency in Christ, for He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him; yes, to the uttermost of our desires and necessities, and in the last extremity. The difficulties therefore arise from the nature of salvation itself, and our sinful aversion to It.
I. LET US NOTICE MORE PARTICULARLY SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF OUR SALVATION.
1. The truths to be believed are some of them very mysterious, and, as Peter says, Hard to be understood.
2. The sacrifices to be made are also in some degree painful. That which cost our Saviour so much must surely cost us something.
3. The dispositions to be exercised are such as are contrary to the natural bias of our depraved hearts.
4. The duties to be performed. Is there no difficulty more especially in renouncing a customary or constitutional evil, and keeping ourselves from our own iniquity?
5. The trouble and danger to which religion exposes its professors.
II. ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE INQUIRY IN OUR TEXT. Who, then, can be saved? If men were left to themselves, either in a natural or renewed state, and if God were not to work, or to withhold His hand after He had begun to work, none would be saved, no, not one.
1. Such shall be saved as are appointed to it. Of some it is said, God hath chosen them to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.
2. Those shall be saved who are truly desirous of it.
3. Those who come to Christ for salvation shall be sure to obtain it.
4. Such as endure to the end shall be saved. (B. Beddome, M. A.)
Lo, we have left all and followed Thee
The happiness of self-denial
I. SELF-DENIAL IS TO BE EXPLAINED.
1. In the first place, it does not consist in giving up one temporal and personal good for a greater temporal and personal good. For this is self-gratifying instead of self-denying. Any entirely selfish person would be willing to do this. One man will sacrifice his property to gratify his ambition, which he esteems a greater good. Another man will sacrifice his property to gratify his appetite, which he esteems a greater good. Another will sacrifice his property to gratify his revenge, which he esteems a greater good. But none of these persons, in these cases, exercise the least self-denial.
2. Nor, secondly, does self-denial consist in giving up a less temporal and personal good for a greater personal and eternal good. The most corrupt and selfish men in the world are willing to give up any or all their temporal and personal interests for the sake of obtaining future and eternal happiness.
3. But, thirdly and positively, self-denial consists in giving up our own good for the good of others. Such self-denial stands in direct contrariety to selfishness.
II. TRUE SELF-DENIAL IS PRODUCTIVE OF THE HIGHEST PRESENT AND FUTURE HAPPINESS. This will appear if we consider--
1. The nature of true self-denial. It consists, as we have seen, in giving up a less private or personal good for a greater public good; or in giving up our own good for the greater good of others. And this necessarily implies disinterested benevolence, which is placing our own happiness in the greater happiness of others. When a man gives up his own happiness to promote the greater happiness of another, he does it freely and voluntarily, because he takes more pleasure in the greater good of another than in a less good of his own.
2. Those who have denied themselves the most have found the greatest happiness resulting from their self denial.
3. The great and precious promises which are expressly made to self denial by Christ Himself.
Conclusion:
1. It appears, then, that self-denial is necessarily a term or condition of salvation.
2. It appears, also, that the doctrine cannot be carried too far.
3. If Christianity requires men to exercise true self denial, then the Christian religion is not a gloomy, but a joyful, religion. It affords a hundredfold more happiness than any other religion can afford.
4. It appears from the nature of that self-denial which the gospel requires that the more sinners become acquainted with the gospel, the more they are disposed to hate it and reject it. All sinners are lovers of their own selves, and regard their own good supremely and solely, and the good of others only so far as it tends to promote their own private, personal, and selfish good.
5. It appears from the nature of that self-denial which the gospel requires why sinners are more willing to embrace any false scheme of religion than the true. (N. Emmons, D. D.)
Christian discipleship
I. TO BE THE FOLLOWERS OF THE SAVIOUR, IS TO SUSTAIN A CHARACTER OF HIGH AND ESSENTIAL IMPORTANCE.
1. We cannot hold this relationship to the Son of God without believing the testimony given concerning Him, in the Scriptures.
2. Believing in Christ, we must be excited to a practical obedience to His commands, and an imitation of the excellences displayed as an example to man.
3. That same principle of faith will excite also to public profession of the Saviours name, and active exertion in His cause.
4. Combine in your own characters the principles and the conduct to which we have now adverted. Believe on the Son of God; give an obedience to His perceptive will, and imitate the excellences He displayed; profess publicly that you will be His, and be active and zealous in the promotion of His designs; and then will you indeed and honourably be among those who follow Him.
II. THAT IN SUSTAINING THIS CHARACTER, PAINFUL SACRIFICES MUST OFTEN BE MADE. Sacrifices for the names sake of the Son of God are justified and called for, by reasons which might be expanded in very extensive illustration. Remember for whom they are made. For whom? For Him who built the fabric of the universe, and over whose wondrous creation the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. For whom? For Him who is the brightness of the Fathers glory, and the express image of His person, in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. For whom? For Him who was rich, but for your sakes became poor, etc. Remember for what these sacrifices are made. They are made for the enjoyment of peace of conscience. They are made for a restoration to the image and the friendship of God. They are made for the refinement and ennobling of the nature. It is to be observed again--
III. THAT PRESENT SACRIFICES IN THE CAUSE, AND AS THE FOLLOWERS OF THE SAVIOUR, ARE TO ISSUE IN A GLORIOUS REWARD.
1. The Saviour promises advantage to be possessed in the present life. In following Christ, we are blessed with repose of conscience; we are exalted to fellowship with God; we are endowed with capacities for improving in the knowledge of mysteries, identified with the highest welfare of our being; we become the companions of the excellent of the earth, and the innumerable company of angels; we are urged to a rapid increase in the graces which dignify the character, and are a pledge of the sublimity of the final destiny; we are supplied with strong consolation for sorrow, and firm support for death; and prospects are opened which stretch away to the immensities of immortality. Are not these a hundredfold? Here is the pearl of great price: and well may we resolve to be as the merchant, and sell or forsake all we have, and buy it!
2. The Saviour promises advantage to be possessed in the life to come. It is a wise regulation in the decisions of Providence, that our chief reward is reserved for another state of existence. The Almighty intends that, in this world, our lives shall be those of trial; and that the stability of our graces should be proved, by the rigid and sometimes painful discipline to which we are exposed. (J. Parsons.)
Christian relationships
Homes, parents, brethren, wives, children, are things to be desired, because they call forth the highest and purest affections, the exercise of which sheds abroad in the heart the highest and sweetest human joy and satisfaction. Now a mans conversion to the faith of Christ, though it at times, perhaps almost always, estranged him from a heathen home and family, gave him another home, and a far wider family, attached to him in far firmer and closer, and withal more holy bonds, and these were brethren and sisters, fathers and mothers in Christ. The exercise of purified love and affection, and, we may add, reverence towards these, would diffuse through his heart a far holier and deeper joy than he had ever experienced in his former unholy heathen state. Take, for instance, the last chapter of the Epistle to the Romans; look at the number of Christians to whom the apostle sent salutation. In no one case were these salutations a mere heartless form. In every case they were accompanied by the overflow of Christian love, by memories of how they had laboured and suffered together in the same holy cause; in most cases, perhaps, they were the greetings of a father to his children in the faith. What a sea of satisfaction and holy joy does all this disclose! And so it was, though, of course, in different degrees, and under various forms, with every Christian who had given up any worldly advantage for Christs sake. (M. F. Sadler.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On v18 18–30. And a certain ruler asked him. For notes…
18–30. And a certain ruler asked him. For notes on the case of the Rich Young Ruler, see Matt. 19:16–30; also Mark 10:17–31. The ruler was probably ruler of a synagogue. See Matt. 4:23.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain On v18 Mat 19:16-30; Mar 10:17-31; Luk 18:18-30. Mark: “And He,…
THE RICH YOUNG MAN
Mat 19:16-30; Mar 10:17-31; Luk 18:18-30. Mark: “And He, traveling along the road, one running and kneeling clown asked Him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One; God.” This statement of our Savior is generally woefully misunderstood and erroneously construed, even preachers, standing up in the pulpit, having the audacity to look the people in the face and find here an unanswerable argument against holiness, alleging that even Jesus refused to be called good, deducing the conclusion, with an air of triumph, that nobody can be good, much less holy. May the blessed Holy Spirit now flash the light through your mind, and give you the true exposition of this passage! Jesus was almost constantly turning the edge of His opponent’s argument into the admission of His own Divinity. The high and primitive sense of the adjective “good” is only applicable to Go. The word “God” is a contraction of “good,” because God is the very essence, quintessence, and concentration of all good. Now when the young man calls Jesus good, instead of correcting him, He accepts the situation: “You call Me good, and so I am. Now since God alone is good, you call Me God, which is right,” thus turning the admission of the young man into the substantial affirmation of His Divinity; not only for his benefit, but that of the multitude who followed Him from day to day. While in the primitive sense, God alone is good, and all goodness emanates from Him (as John says, “God is light; yet the sun shines, but he shines by the light which God gives him); and while no man is good in a primary sense, because a good man would mean one who had never sinned; yet we may be righteous, because a righteous man is simply a justified sinner; and it is equally true that we may be holy, because a holy man is nothing but a sanctified sinner. The term good is variously used in subordinate senses, and not only applied to saints, but in common parlance even to sinners, animals, and things without life; however, in those cases, all the good they have has emanated from God.
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“You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor thy father and thy mother.” Matthew says, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” “And he, responding, said to Him, Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth. Jesus looking on him loved him, and said to him, One thing is wanting unto thee.” Here Matthew says, “If thou dost wish to be perfect, go, sell as many things as you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven.” This interview took place out in Perea, east of the Jordan.
Though our Savior is constantly surrounded by the Pharisees, you must not conclude that this young man is one of them. The truth of the matter is, he is far from them, even at the opposite pole of the battery. While the Pharisees were full of pride, haughtiness, and self-righteousness, this young man is very humble, as we see him come kneeling down before Jesus, and making earnest inquiry, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Luke tells us he is a ruler of the people. He certainly shows up a very beautiful, moral, and religious character, in the fact that he has kept the commandments of the Decalogue from his youth. No wonder Jesus loved him. The simple solution of the whole problem recognizes this young man as a paragon Old Testament saint, walking in all the commandments of the law and the prophets blameless. He evidently has lived up to all the light of his day and dispensation. So he has nothing to do but receive Jesus, and move forward into the gospel dispensation — i.e., the kingdom of God whose normal standard is perfection, as you here see specified. Jesus responds to him, “If you wish to be perfect,” illustrating the fact that His dispensation requires perfection i.e., spiritual manhood, the standard of the old dispensation being spiritual infancy. There was no trouble in the case of this amiable and promising young ruler till he declined to accept the Savior’s condition of discipleship, thus halting in the old dispensation after it had expired and become null and void. He was certainly a very fine subject of gospel grace, having nothing to do but meet the condition, which is Christian perfection, and pass from the law and the prophets into the kingdom of heaven.
“And he, being grieved at the word, went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.” Jesus knew his heart, and went for his idol unhesitatingly. Adam the First must die before you can become a perfect Christian, with Adam the Second enthroned to reign without a rival. All the unsanctified have their besetting sin, in which the diversified appetites and passions, constituting the members of old Adam, concentrate their forces, make a general rally, and turn loose all the impetuosity of earth and hell to break the power of grace and ruin the soul, world without end. While this young man, having kept all of these commandments faithfully from his youth, living in beautiful harmony with his dispensation, exhibits the irreproachable character of a paragon Old Testament saint, yet that phase of inbred sin which he was weakest to resist, as it held a tighter grip on him than any other, was the love of money, which had been augmented and intensified by his vast possessions.
When the contractors began the Queen & Crescent Railway, they went to King’s Mountain, because they had a solid mile of tunnel to excavate, by far the heaviest job on the route of fifteen hundred miles. A wise general, invading a country, always attacks the chief citadel first. Jesus knew that money-love was the serious trouble of this young man, and if he yielded there, victory flashed all along the embattled line, and He could rely on him as a paragon disciple. O how many preachers studiously avoid those things against which they feel assured their people will kick! Jesus, our only Exemplar, gives the trumpet no uncertain sound. This young man would have yielded outright if He had not put the sword to the throat of his idol. Luke says, “He went away very sad.” O how wonderfully history repeats itself! This young man lost his justification because he refused to consecrate all his possessions, the necessary antecedent to Christian perfection. Multitudes of the Jewish Church, in a similar attitude, enjoying justification before God because they walked in all the light they had, keeping all of the commandments, living under the law, without reprehension, faithfully anticipating the coming Messiah, forfeited their justification because they did not walk in the new light thrown on their way by the Shiloh of prophecy. If this young man had not met Jesus, doubtless he would have lived and died an irreproachable Old Testament saint and made his way to Abraham’s bosom.
God holds us responsible for all the light we receive. If we do not walk in it appreciatively, we invariably backslide. Therefore Jesus is called “the Stone of stumbling,” because multitudes, like this young man, stumbled over Him and fell, and they are still doing the same. God raised up Luther to pour new light upon the Church in his day and time. While his reformation was a blessing to many, it was the occasion of many stumbling and falling. The same is true of every great revival. While the present holiness movement is a God-send to myriads, it is the death-knell to multitudes, who unfortunately reject the light it brings, like this man stumbling over entire consecration.
“Jesus, looking round, says to His disciples, How shall those having riches with difficulty enter the kingdom of God! But the disciples were amazed at His words. Jesus again, responding, says to them, Children, how difficult is it for those having put their confidence in riches to enter into 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 into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished exceedingly, saying to one another, Indeed who is able to be saved? And Jesus, looking on them, says, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” So far as the record warrants, there is not a presumption in favor of the salvation of this amiable young man, who is not only a member, but an officer in the Church, and, most consolatory of all, his religious character utterly irreproachable. It is a simple case of stumbling over perfection, and thus failing to pass from the dispensation of the law and the prophets into that of Christ — i.e., the kingdom of heaven whose standard is perfection. I believe, the reason why the disciples were so astonished over the utterances of Jesus, in reference to the difficulty in the way of salvation to the rich, was because the patriarchs in many instances were very wealthy; e.g., Abraham and Job, millionaires. There has been an awful squirming and dodging, twisting and floundering, especially on the part of the popular clergy, to evade and explain away these plain statements of Jesus relative to the difficulties in the way of saving the rich. Some have said that “camel” means rope, used about a ship, which of course could go through the eye of a large needle. Kamilos means “rope.” Though that word looks much like kamelos, “a camel,” you see they are entirely different words. Hence there is no truth in the exegesis. It is a miserable dodge to evade a square issue.
Again, I have heard, over and over, that there are small gates entering through the wall of Jerusalem, called the “Needle’s-eye.” This is utterly untrue. I have made two visits to Jerusalem — the one ten days, and the other seven — in which I was very active, running all over it and round it repeatedly, so that I am this day better acquainted with Jerusalem than any other city in the world. As it symbolizes heaven, whither I am a pilgrim journeying, I studied it with a flaming enthusiasm, diligently investigating everything that could throw light on the Word of God. The city has but eight gates leading through the wall: The Joppa gate, on Mount Zion, looking westward, opening through the west wall, a short distance from the northwest corner. Then, as we proceed, turning eastward, we next come to the New Gate, leading through the north wall. Then, proceeding eastward, we come to the Damascus Gate, looking toward the north. Pursuing the north wall, we next arrive at Herod’s Gate. Now, passing the northeast corner and turning southward, we come to St. Stephen’s Gate, so called because it is said that the mob dragged him out through that gate when they stoned him to death. It is known in Scripture as the Sheep Gate. (John 5.) Proceeding southward, we next arrive at the Beautiful Gate. (Act 3:2.) This gate has been closed twelve hundred and sixty years, since the Mohammedans captured the city, on account of a Moslem prophecy that they can hold the city no longer than that gate is kept closed. Now the wall is on the high summit of Mount Moriah, the deep and impassable Valley of Jehoshaphat yawning beneath. Consequently there are no gates in this region, as there could be neither egress nor ingress. Pursuing the wall southward, turning the corner, we now travel westward, along the south wall, still on the summit of Moriah, till we reach a high valley between Moriah and Zion, where we arrive at the Excrement Gate, which leads out into the deep Valley of Jehoshaphat, and is used to carry, the offal out of the city; hence its name. Now the wall ascends Mount Zion westward, with a number of angles and offsets southward, by way of accommodation to the trend of the mountain. High up on the summit, in the City of David, we come to David’s Gate. These are the only entrances through the wall, with the exception which was made in 1898, when the emperor of Germany visited the city. They actually removed a section of the wall near the Joppa Gate for his convenient royal ingress and egress. Hence, you see, the report about the Needle’s-eye and the camel, ex necessitate divested of his burden in order to enter, is a fond fabrication to comfort the rich, but utterly untrue.
I hope you have no sympathy with any attempt to explain away the plain Word of God. What an insult to Jesus thus utterly to emasculate, eviscerate, and excoriate His Word till it is utterly divested of all its force! Remember you have to meet it at the judgment-bar precisely as it is. So I entreat you to take it now, without addition or subtraction, and never encourage any attempt to explain it away. I emphasize this point because I have heard more preaching on this subject than any other; i.e., a labored effort to explain away the plain and unmistakable Word of God. All such evasion is foolish, fanatical, and Satanic. Jesus specifies in this paragraph that, while the salvation of the rich is impossible with man, with God all things are possible. What is the solution of this? God can give the millionaire grace to consecrate all on His altar, unreservedly and eternally to be used for His glory. In that case the millionaire becomes as poor as Lazarus. “Without the sanctification no one shall see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14.) Hence, as God is no respecter of persons, we all stand on the same platform. If we do not consecrate all to God, we can not “be perfect,” as Jesus here tells the young man. Heaven is a perfect world, consequently nothing imperfect can enter there. In this statement we do not mean Divine perfection, which belongs to God only, nor angelic perfection, which belongs to angels alone; but Christian perfection, which means a complete work of grace in the elimination of all evil out of the spiritual organism. As Jesus alone can do this, we must unreservedly consecrate all to Him, in order that He may sanctify us wholly. As Jesus here says, the impossibility is with man, in case he does not make a perfect consecration, which God can not do for him, as that would ignore his free agency; but He can and will give him all the grace he needs to do it himself, of his own free will and accord. Then, when man puts all on God’s altar, there is no trouble about sanctification, as that is the work of Omnipotent Grace. This whole subject, as delivered by the Savior, is perfectly lucid and consistent. O how many, like this rich young Church officer, hesitate to put all their possessions on God’s altar, and go away sorrowing! Happy is the poor man who has s~ little to consecrate! Yet multitudes of them fail just like the rich. Jesus saves none but beggars. If you own a gold-mine, and do not turn it over to God to be used for His glory, you can not be saved.
Mat 19:27. “Then Peter, responding, said to him, Behold, we have left all things, and followed Thee; what then shall be to us? Jesus said to them, Truly I say unto you, that you who have followed Me in the regeneration, when the Son of man may sit upon the throne of glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” The regeneration here mentioned does not mean that personal spiritual birth peculiar to all the children of God, but it is a continuation of the subject under consideration with reference to this rich young Church officer, whose life was so beautiful under the law and the prophets; and his qualification to pass out into the new dispensation, receiving his own Christ with joyful enthusiasm, and becoming a citizen of His kingdom, a bona fide member of the gospel Church, had all failed because of his delinquency in meeting the condition, i.e., consecrating all his vast wealth to God — and thus getting in position for the fiery baptism to sanctify him gloriously at the Pentecost then speedily coming on. So the regeneration here means the transition out of the old into the new dispensation. As Peter well knew that he and his apostolical comrades had forsaken their fishing-boats, nets, companions, homes, employment, and everything to follow Jesus, and now having seen the sad failure of this eminently promising young man, at the very point of total abandonment where Peter knew that he and his brethren had succeeded, he proceeds to interview the Savior in reference to what is coming. There, amid the contrast of the two diametrically opposite attitudes the faithful disciples, on the one side, meeting the condition; and the young ruler signally failing and going away — our Lord proceeds to answer Peter’s inquiry by the thrilling assurance that when He shall sit upon the throne of his glory, they shall all sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. We know that our Lord was soon glorified when He ascended from Mount Olivet; and in due time these apostles did divide up the world, and go to their diversified fields of labor — the Jameses taking Judea; Matthew, Ethiopia; Mark, Egypt; Matthias, Judas’s successor, Abyssinia; Thomas, India; Jude, Tartary; Bartholomew, Phrygia; Philip, Syria; Simon Zelotes, the British Islands; Andrew, Armenia; John, Ephesus; Peter, Rome; and Paul, Western Asia and Eastern Europe. Of course, they all enjoyed episcopal supremacy in their diversified fields of labor.
But you must bear in mind that this wicked world did not let them live very long till they all suffered martyrdom, John being miraculously delivered, and, as we believe, finally translated. Hence this was but a preliminary fulfillment of our Savior’s glorious promise, whose verification is evidently reserved for the Millennial Theocracy, when the saints will rule with Christ (Rev 20:6), the apostles in their normal attitude enjoying the supremacy, and Israel populating the whole earth, Satan having been removed, and the glory of the Lord inundating the world, and, as He says here, when He shall sit upon the throne of His glory, then shall you “sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel;” i.e., ruling them. Christ came the first time, in His humiliation, to suffer and to die; but He comes the second time, on the throne of His glory, to conquer and to reign. Here we certainly do see a recognition of apostolical supremacy in the rulership of the world. There are now just about twelve national divisions on the globe. So the world seems to be getting ready for these twelve apostolical thrones. Of course, our Lord must come in His glory, cast out Satan, raise the dead members of the bridehood, and reunite soul and body and translate the living. The first resurrection, at the pre-millennial coming of our Lord, will prepare the way for His glorious kingdom, when He shall sit on the throne of His glory, and the saints will judge the world (1Co 6:2); i. e., rule the world. I am so glad that I believe the whole Bible. Therefore I am looking for wonderful things.
“And every one, whosoever has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundred fold, and inherit eternal life. But many first shall be last, and last shall be first.” Here you see again that the Jews are coming into the kingdom after all of the Gentiles. One of the cheering omens of the Lord’s near coming is the rapid gathering of the Jews into the Holy Land, and their conversion to Christianity in all the world. Luke says that the one leaving all and following Jesus shall receive a hundred-fold at this time, and in the age to come eternal life. We find some people certifying that there is no coming age after the present. Here, in Luk 18:30, we have it positively specified. You find the same in Heb 6:5, and also in Mat 12:32. I am satisfied it occurs elsewhere in the New Testament, but certainly three clear and unequivocal witnesses are sufficient. In these passages, the E. V. says “world to come;” but the Greek used by our Savior is not cosmos, “world,” but aion, “age.” Hence these are certainly plain allusions, not only to the coming millennium, which will be the Edenic Age of the world restored back, but the Celestial Age, that shall follow the final glorification of the earth subsequently to its purification by the great fiery baptism simultaneously with the final judgment, the glorification following, transforming it into a new earth and a new heaven, or firmament
(Revelation 21), and finally conferred, as a soldier’s bounty, on the glorified saints, here to enjoy an eternity of heavenly bliss with myriads of unfallen angels, with whom, as our loving escorts, we will wing our flight from world to world, admiring the glory of Omnipotence, bespangling millions of bright celestial spheres which never knew sin nor sorrow. At the same time, with our angelic escorts, and accompanied by our sainted friends, always delighted to visit the New Jerusalem, the celestial metropolis, honored with Jehovah’s throne, and the center of universal gravitation, around which all celestial worlds speed their flight, and which this world, on her final restitution and celestialization, will so approximate as to enjoy a grand and conspicuous view, and to receive the copious illuminations of the Divine glory. (Rev 21:9-27.)
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On v18 J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [C. The Rich…
J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [C. The Rich Ruler].
C. THE RICH RULER. PERIL OF RICHES. REWARD OF SACRIFICE. PARABLE OF THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD. (In Peræa.) aMATT. XIX. 16-XX. 16; bMARK X. 17-31; cLUKE XVIII. 18-30.
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b17 And when he was going forth into the way, abehold, bthere ran acame bone ca certain ruler bto him, and kneeled to him, and asked aand said, csaying, bGood Teacher, awhat good thing shall I do, that I may have bmay inherit cto inherit eternal life? [The action of this young man in running and kneeling shows that he was deeply anxious to receive an answer to his question, and also that he had great reverence for Jesus. He seemed to think, however, that heaven could be gained by performing some one meritorious act. He made the mistake of thinking that eternal life is a reward for doing rather than for being, a mistake from which the Roman Catholic Church [543] developed the doctrine of "works of supererogation."] 19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, i even God: aWhy askest thou me concerning that which is good? One there is who is good [To the address of the young man, viz.: "Good Master," Jesus replies, "Why callest," etc., and to his question, "What good thing," etc. Jesus replies, "Why askest," etc. The ruler using the inconsiderate, conventional language of the thoughtless, had taken an unwarrantable freedom with the word "good." Jesus shows that if his language had been used sincerely it would have committed him to a declaration of great faith, for he had addressed Jesus by a title which belongs only to God, and he had asked Jesus the question concerning that of which God alone was fitted to speak. As the ruler had not used this language sincerely Jesus challenged his words. The challenge showed the ruler that he had unwittingly confessed the divinity of Jesus, and thus startled him into a consideration of the marvelous fact which his own mouth had stated. This is done because the young man would need to believe in the divinity of Jesus to endure the test to which he was about to be subjected-- 1Jo_5:5.] but if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments. [By referring the ruler to the commandments, Jesus not only answered the question as to obtaining life, but he emphasized the confession of his divinity contained in the question, "Why askest," etc. God, who knows what is good, had revealed that good in the commandments which he had given. Yet the ruler had asked Jesus to be wise above God's revelation, and to propound a law or rule of goodness in addition to that already given, and of such a nature as to more fully insure the attainment of life by obeying it. The ruler's question reveals that common weakness in man which prompts him to look to his fellow-men for religious and moral instruction; forgetting that only God can propound the absolute standards of goodness. We should note, too, that the young man, being under the law given through Moses, was bidden to attain life by keeping the law. After the death of Christ a new law [544] was given. Had the man waited until that time, he would have been directed to this new law, and obedience to it would have been required. Compare Act_2:37, Act_2:38, 2Th_1:8, et al.] 18 He saith unto him, Which? And Jesus said, c20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do aThou shalt cnot commit adultery, Do aThou shalt cnot kill, Do aThou shalt cnot steal, Do aThou shalt cnot bear false witness, bDo not defraud, a19 Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. [The ruler still sought for some prominent commandment, but was referred to the last six of the Decalogue, these being at that time more frequently violated than the first four. For the last commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," Jesus substitutes its equivalent, "Do not defraud," and "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," the last being a summary of all the six-- Rom_13:9.] b20 And he a20 The young man saith bsaid unto him, Teacher, cAll these things have I observed from my youth up. awhat lack I yet? [He had kept these commandments as far as he knew his heart and as far as he understood their import.] b21 And Jesus cwhen he heard it, blooking upon him [gazing earnestly and searchingly at him] loved him ["agapan." See Jam_2:10], go, sell that which thou hast, csell all bwhatsoever thou hast, cand distribute bgive cunto ato the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. [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 [545] test which the other disciples had accepted, and of which Peter soon after speaks. Paul also was rich in self-righteousness like this man, but cheerfully sacrificed all, that he might follow Christ ( Phi_3:6-9). Moreover, 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. ( Mat_22:37, Mat_22:38.) 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 ( Rom_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.] a22 But when the young man heard that saying, cthese things bhis countenance fell at the saying, che became exceeding sorrowful; band he went away sorrowful: cfor he was very rich. bhe was one that had great possessions. [He was not offended at the extravagance of Jesus' demands, for he was not one of the most hardened of the rich. He belonged to that class which hold Christ and their wealth in nearly an even balance. The narrative shows us how uncompromisingly Jesus held to principle. Though the ruler was sorry to turn away, and though Jesus loved him, yet the Lord did not modify his demand by a hair's-breadth to gain an influential disciple.] c24 And Jesus seeing him blooked round about, and saith asaid unto his disciples, bHow hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! aVerily I say unto you, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. [ 1Ti_6:9, 1Ti_6:10, 1Ti_6:17-19. It should be remembered that Judas heard these words only a few days before he sold his Lord.] b24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in [546] riches to enter into the kingdom of God! [The possession and use of riches is permitted to the Christian, but their possession becomes a sin when the one who owns them comes to trust in them or in any way suffers them to interfere with his duties toward or relations to God.] a24 And again I say unto you, c25 For it is easier for a camel to enter in bto go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. [The needle's eye here is that of the literal needle, and the expression was a proverbial one to indicate that which was absolutely impossible. Lord George Nugent (1845-6) introduced the explanation that Jesus referred to the two gates of a city, the large one for beast of burden, and the small one for foot-passengers. This smaller one is now called "The Needle's Eye," but there is no evidence whatever that it was so called in our Saviour's time. In fact, as Canon Farrar observes, we have every reason to believe that this smaller gate received its name in late years because of the efforts of those who were endeavoring to soften this saying of Jesus.] a25 And when the disciples heard it, they were astonished exceedingly, c26 And they that heard it said, bsaying unto him, aWho then bThen who can be saved? a26 And Jesus blooking upon them saith, c27 But he said, bWith men this is impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with God. cThe things which are impossible with men aree possible with God. [The Jews were accustomed to look upon the possession of riches as an evidence of divine favor, and the heads of the apostles were filled with visions of the riches and honors which they would enjoy when Jesus set up his kingdom. No wonder, then, that they were amazed to find that it was impossible for a rich man to enter that kingdom, and that, moreover and worse than all, riches appeared to exclude from salvation itself: that even this virtuous rich man, this paragon of excellence, could not have eternal life because he clung to his riches. But they were comforted by the assurance of Jesus that though the salvation of some men might present more difficulties than the salvation of others [547] --might, as it were, require a miracle where others only required simple means, yet the gracious, mighty God might still be trusted to overcome the obstacles. It is impossible for any man to save himself, so that in every case of salvation God is called upon to assist man in accomplishing the impossible. God can so work upon the rich man's heart as to make him a dispenser of blessings.] a27 Then answered Peter c28 And bbegan to say unto him, aand said unto him, bLo, we have left all, cour own, band have followed thee. awhat then shall we have? [The negative conduct of the rich man reminded the disciples of their own positive conduct when confronted with a similar crisis ( Luk_5:11), and the "all" which they had left was by no means contemptible, though perhaps none of them could have been said to have held great possessions. The mention of treasure in heaven, therefore, set Peter to wondering what manner of return would be made to them to compensate them for their sacrifice.] 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. [By the term "regeneration," Jesus in this case means the period in which the process of regenerating men would be in progress; i. e., the period of the mediatorial reign. After his ascension Jesus sat upon his throne ( Act_2:33-35, Heb_1:13, Mat_25:31, 1Co_15:24-28). And on the day of Pentecost next following, he began this process of regeneration. Having enthroned himself, Jesus enthroned the apostles also, not as kings but as judges, having jurisdiction over all questions of faith and practice in the earthly kingdom. During their personal ministry, they judged in person; and since then they judge through their writings. True, we have written communications from only a part of them, but judgments pronounced by one of a bench of judges with the known approval of all, are the judgments of the entire bench. Moreover, the passage must be construed metaphorically, for the apostles are [548] judges in the church of Christ--the true Israel--and not over the literal twelve tribes of Jacob. And again, the twelve who then heard Jesus speak were not all enthroned, Judas having fallen from his position before the day of enthronement, and Matthias and Paul were afterwards added to the group. Jesus here causes the number of the judges to correspond to the number of the tribes, to indicate that there will be a sufficiency of judgment commensurate to the need.] 29 And every one { bThere is no man that ahath left houses, bhouse, cor wife, or brethren, bor sisters, or mother, or father, cor parents, bor children, or lands, for my sake, amy name's sake, band for the gospel's sake, cfor the kingdom of God's sake, 30 who shall not receive manifold more in this time, and in the world to come eternal life. b30 but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come ashall inherit eternal life. [The rewards of Christian self-denial are here divided into two parts--the temporal and the eternal. The earthly joys--the rewards "in this time"--shall outweigh the sacrifices made for the kingdom. The return, of course, will not be in kind, houses for house, and fathers for father, etc., but spiritual relationships and blessings which compensate abundantly for whatever has been resigned ( Mat_12:49, 1Ti_4:8). But these joys shall be mingled with the bitterness of persecution, for no pleasure is perfected in this world, but only in the inheritance which lies beyond-- 1Pe_1:4.] 30 But many shall be last i that are first; and first that are last. b31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. [The promise of large recompense which Jesus had just given was apt to tempt some to labor not for love, but for the rewards which might be reaped thereby. Jesus corrects this spirit by the statement, and the parable that follows which illustrates it, and which ends with the same sentiment. See Lev_19:13, Deu_24:15], the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward [his overseer], Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. [Thus following the order indicated by Mar_7:22, 1Sa_18:9, Pro_23:6-8, Pro_28:22, Deu_15:9). The lord had done no wrong to those who had labored longest, for he had paid them what they had bargained for and earned. If he chose to be generous with those whose misfortune had prevented them from being hired earlier in the day, no one had any just cause to murmur.] 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last [The meaning of this parable has often been misunderstood by those who fail to note the maxim with which Jesus begins and ends it. This maxim acts as a safeguard in the interpretation of it; the parable also in turn guards against misunderstanding the maxim. The maxim can not be applied to Judas; for, though he then stood high in honor and afterwards fell into disgrace, yet he stands outside the pale of the maxim as interpreted by the parable, for in the parable both the first and the last were received and rewarded by their master, while Judas was rejected of Christ and received no reward. The term "last," therefore, must be applied to those who were included among the accepted laborers, and not those who were excluded from that class. In the parable, the denarius or shilling stands for the gift of [551] eternal life. The vineyard represents the Lord's field of work in the world. The evening is the close of the Christian dispensation, and the coming of Christ to judgment. The parable as it unfolds and develops suggests that in no case was the reward earned by the inherent merits and toil of the laborers, but was rather bestowed because of a desire on the part of the householder to that effect, just as eternal life is bestowed, not by merit, but by covenant grace ( Rom_2:6, Rom_2:7, Rom_4:3-5, Rom_5:16-21). The main object of the parable is to show that longer labor does not necessarily, as the apostles and others might think, establish a claim to higher reward. Degrees of difference there no doubt will be, but they form no account in the general covenant of grace in which the one great gift is offered to us all. As the gift can be no less than eternal life, there must of necessity be a difference in the ratio of service which is rendered for it, since it will be bestowed on the octogenarian and the child, upon Paul who made good the confession of his faith through years of toil, and the dying thief who passed to his reward while his voice of confession was, as it were, still ringing in the ears of those who heard it ( 1Co_15:8-11, 2Ti_4:6-9). The murmuring and envy of those who had labored longest is merely part of the parabolic drapery, introduced to bring out the answer of the householder, and to make plain the point to be illustrated. There will be no envy among those who inherit eternal life. By thus speaking of the envy, however, and showing how ineffectual it was, Jesus warns us to be prepared not to cherish it. The parable is not intended to teach that the characters of men will be exactly similar in the world to come. Paul will not be Peter, nor will Martin Luther be identical with Hugh Latimer and John Knox. God may award eternal life to the character which we are forming, but we should be careful what kind of character we bring to receive the gift. The lesson is that works are valued qualitatively and not quantitatively. Nor may the parable be rightly used to encourage hope in death-bed repentance. It certainly does teach that, however little the labor which a man does in the Lord's vineyard, he will receive the final reward if only he [552] be really in the vineyard; that is, if he be really a child of God. But whether a man who repents on his death-bed actually becomes a child of God is a different question, and is not touched by the parable. Certainly the eleventh-hour laborer who had stood idle all day only because no man had hired him, and who came into the vineyard as soon as he was called, can not represent the man who has been called by the gospel every hour of his life, but has rejected every call until his sun has sunk so low that he knows he can do but little work when he comes. In order to represent this class of sinners, the eleventh-hour men should have been invited early in the morning, and should have replied, "No, it is too early; we will not go now." Then they should have been invited at the third, the sixth, and the ninth hours, and should have made some equally frivolous excuse each time, then, finally, at the eleventh hour, they should have said, "Well, as you pay a man just the same for an hour's work as for a day's work, and as we are very anxious to get your money, we believe we will now go." Had they acted thus, it is not likely that they would have found the vineyard gates open to them at all. Yet such is the sharp practice which some men attempt in dealing with God.]
[FFG 543-553]
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v18 Denying All for Christ’s Sake.
Denying All for Christ’s Sake.
The rich young ruler:
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v. 18. And a certain ruler asked Him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
v. 19. And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? None is good save one, that is, God.
v. 20. Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother.
v. 21. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
v. 22. Now when Jesus heard these things, He said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.
v. 23. An/d when he heard this, he was very sorrowful; for he was very rich.
See Mat 19:16-22; Mar 10:17-22. Jesus was still on the eastern side of the Jordan when the incident occurred which is here narrated. A young rich ruler of a local synagogue came to him and asked him, with all marks of respect and esteem: Good Master, by the doing of what. will I inherit eternal life? The question gave Jesus one of the best opportunities of confessing Himself to be coequal with God the Father. For He did not decline the honor which lay in the word "good. " But He called the attention of the ruler to the word he had used. Jesus was not only good in the sense commonly associated with the word, that of a virtuous man and wise teacher. He is the Good in the absolute sense. So much for the form in which the young man had addressed Him. As for his question, he had mentioned works, he had expressed his belief that the inheriting of eternal life depended upon something that he could do. Jesus takes him up at this point. He reminds him of the commandments which, as ruler of the synagogue, he certainly must be familiar with. Note: Jesus does not quote the commandments in the order which is generally followed, thus showing that not the order of the precepts of God, but the keeping of their contents, is the important matter. But when Jesus had named five of the commandments, all of them from the second table of the Law, the ruler made the astounding statements: These all have I kept from my youth, thereby proving that he had no true idea of the spiritual understanding of the Law of God. His conception of his duty according to the commandments was that universally held among the Jews, namely, that a mere outward observance of the letter of the Law was equal to its fulfillment; Only transgressions in deeds and, under certain circumstances, in words were accounted sin; transgressions in desires and thoughts were not taken into consideration. The ruler had evidently made his declaration in good faith, and Jesus loved him for it, Mar 10:21. Nevertheless, it was necessary for the great Physician to cut deeply in this case, in order to lay bare the tumor of false sanctity. So Jesus told him that he still lacked one thing in order to be perfect and thus to lay claim to the inheritance of heaven. Everything that he had he should distribute to the poor; then he would have a treasure safely laid away in heaven, then, also, he could be the Lord’s disciple in truth. The Lord’s object was to show the man how far he still was from keeping the commandments as he should, how far from perfect his love toward God and his neighbor was, how completely his heart was still bound up in the things of this world. The advice of Jesus strikes the heart of the matter, and finds its application in the case of every person. We should love God above all things, and if He demands it, if the welfare of the kingdom of God makes it necessary, we should be ready to sacrifice all earthly goods and life itself; and we should at all times serve our neighbor with our money. The test was too much for the young man. He was deeply grieved, he became very sorrowful on account of the words of Jesus. He had been touched in his weakest spot; he was very rich. In giving up his riches he would be denying himself that which his heart placed even above the love and service of Jesus. Thus many people that once heard the Word of God and were attracted by some phase of church work, have turned their backs upon the Church, and everything it stands for and offers, because their Pharisaic hearts were struck by some sermon concerning their special sinful hobby. It is necessary at all times that the Word of God, the Law, tear the mask of self-righteousness from the face of the sinner before he can become a disciple of Jesus in deed and in truth.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv18, 22 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
This is the next event in the part of the story which began in Luke 17:20. Jesus begins to talk with a ruler about entering the kingdom of heaven.
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A certain ruler
This introduces a new character in the story. It only identifies him by his position. (See: Introduction of New and Old Participants)
what must I do
"what do I need to do" or "what is required of me"
inherit eternal life
"receive life that does not end." The term "inherit" usually refers to the property that a man left to his children when he dies. Therefore, this metaphor may mean he understood himself to be a child of God and desired for God to give him eternal life. (See: Metaphor)
Why do you call me good? No one is good, except God alone
Jesus asks the question because he knows that the ruler will not like Jesus' answer to the ruler's question in verse 18. Jesus does not expect the ruler to answer Jesus' question. Jesus wants the ruler to understand that Jesus' answer to the ruler's question comes from God, who alone is good. AT: "You know that no one is good, except God alone, so to call me good is to compare me with God" (See: Rhetorical Question)
do not kill
"do not murder"
All these things
"All of these commandments"
translationWords
rule
good
teacher
inherit
eternity
Ten Commandments
adultery
corrupt witness
honor
obey
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv18–22 18:18-30 The story of the rich religious leader warns…
18:18-30 The story of the rich religious leader warns against trusting in riches rather than pledging complete allegiance to God.
18:18 The man was probably a religious leader (traditionally ruler), not a political ruler. • what should I do to inherit eternal life? This question was commonly discussed by the rabbis of Jesus’ day (see 10:27).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.