Text:
16 And suddenly one came and said to him, “Good Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. But if you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which commandments?” he said to him. “You shall not murder,” Jesus said, “You shall not commit adultery.” Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. 19 Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself. 20 The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 And when the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When his disciples heard this, they were greatly amazed, saying, “Then who can be saved?” 26 Then Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
the explanation:
{magictabs} My Parish Newsletter::
The discussion of entering the kingdom of heaven covers the entire context from which this Gospel passage is taken. First comes a discussion of marriage, at the end of which Jesus says that there are those who abstain from marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (19:12). This is followed by a discussion of children, of whom Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven belongs (19:14). Then comes our Gospel passage, followed by a question from Peter about the result of the disciples following Jesus, to which Jesus answers by emphasizing this following for the inheritance of eternal life (19:29).
The truth is that all these elements are interconnected with each other in a way that makes it difficult to understand one without the other. Jesus’ statement that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children in 19:14 is based on a strong theology that characterizes the Gospel of Matthew, which is the fatherhood of God. If God is the Father, this means that the relationship of believers with Him is like the relationship of children to their father, that is, a relationship of complete dependence. Just as a child cannot do anything of his own, but rather everything he has comes from his father, so the believer lives only through God, who cares for him as a father cares for his child (see, for example, Matthew 6:8, 25-33; 7:7-10, etc.). Therefore, it is inconceivable for a believer to have a lot of money, cling to it and not do without it, and claim that God is his father. This is because he relies on himself and his wealth, not on God. Therefore, it was natural for Jesus to say, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
This is the background against which we should read the story of the rich young man. This young man asks what he must do to attain “eternal life.” The Law had already answered this question when it said that attaining life is by keeping the commandments: “All the commandments which I command you today you shall observe to do, that you may live…” (Deuteronomy 8:1; see also 4:1; 5:32-33; 6:1-3). Life here refers to a long life in the land that God has given as a blessing and grace to his people.
Jesus’ answer to the young man was in accordance with the Law: “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Jesus did not add anything new to the Law. However, his answer does not stop there, but rather proceeds from it to lead the young man to admit that there is still something missing. Keeping the commandments of the Law confirms righteousness. This is what every Jew strives to do. But it is not everything. What is required is perfection: “You, therefore, must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). This perfection can only be achieved by following Jesus, that is, as the Teacher and Master, and by keeping his word. But this following requires abandoning everything that stands in the way of it, such as being attached to the people and things of this world.
In the story of the young man, money and riches stand in the way. Jesus asks the young man to sell everything and follow him. As is clear from this text, leaving money and riches is not an end in itself but a preparation to follow Jesus. Because you cannot submit yourself to God while you are the slave of another master. This is what Jesus said. Following is the goal and the guarantee of the kingdom of heaven.
The young man was sad. He was not happy to leave his money to follow a new master who is the giver of life. In continuation of what Jesus said before about not being able to serve two masters, God and money, he says here that it is impossible for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven, because of their unwillingness to give up their money, which is a necessary condition for following Jesus.
At the end of the Gospel passage, the disciples ask Jesus who can be saved. He answers that what is impossible for men is possible for God. This does not mean that God will “arrange” the affairs of the rich and bring them into the Kingdom of Heaven despite their wealth. This contradicts everything previously said about the necessity of leaving everything to follow Jesus. It means that God is able to inspire the rich to be convinced that their entry into the Kingdom of Heaven can only be achieved by giving up their wealth and riches and following Jesus Christ, and to do so.
So from our reading of the text we know that the young man was sincere in his request, but he was also a lover of money, and thus he lost everything. When a person maintains all the virtues and falls in love with money, he then loses all the virtues he has acquired. Therefore the Apostle Paul rightly said, “For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:1).
“What good must I do to have eternal life?” This young man’s question stems from the Jewish idea that eternal life can be acquired by a person through good deeds. Jesus’ answer to him was that goodness is an attribute of God alone. No human being, no matter how perfect, can do anything good apart from God.
“If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “What commandments?” The young man did not intend to test Jesus, but rather believed that there were other commandments besides those in the Law that could give him eternal life. After Jesus asked him to keep the commandments of the Law, he replied, “What else do I lack?” This indicates that this young man believed that Jesus had brought a new teaching, and that the commandments of the Law were not sufficient to achieve what he desired.
“If you want to be perfect”: Christ’s answer reveals to us that the young man had indeed kept the commandments and therefore deserved eternal life, but Jesus wanted greater perfection from him and wanted to include him among his disciples, so he asked him to sell his possessions and distribute them to the poor. This is the teaching of self-denial that Christ laid out in the Gospel, and which he sets as a condition for following him.
This young man rejected the advice of renunciation because he was too attached to earthly goods. This man knew Jesus and was attracted to Him, and sincerely desired to join Him, but an obstacle prevented him from following Jesus. This man was sad because he loved Jesus and wanted to devote himself to Him, but he found it difficult to give up money. He was sad because he had to leave everything to follow Jesus.
Wealth is not bad in itself, nor is poverty good in itself. Wealth can be transformed into good or evil according to a person’s intention and will. Wealth becomes evil when it is worshipped as a god: “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24). Poverty is the state of the soul that accepts abandonment, renunciation, and separation from everything that prevents one from reaching God. Therefore, before poverty is material, that is, abandonment of matter, it is spiritual poverty, that is, freedom from all attachment to worldly matters.
Jesus asked him to separate himself from wealth, a heroic act that he was unable to perform. It is easy to pray, fast, offer sacrifices, tithe money, and keep all the commandments that God has commanded, but to give up our money, our power, this is very difficult, and it requires heroism to achieve. Giving up good things is not a goal in itself, but following Christ, walking in Christ’s footsteps, for discipleship to Jesus is eternal life.
“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” The ability of man to be free from everything for the sake of Christ and to leave wealth and power in order to follow Him is a special blessing from God. God alone is able to overcome difficulties and remove obstacles. Christ concluded with a new teaching that overturned the prevailing thought, which is that man who wants to attain eternal life does not have to do any work but rather give up everything for the sake of that goal.
Quoted from my parish bulletin
Sunday, August 22, 1999 / Issue 34
Sunday, August 25, 1996 / Issue 34
|||| Lattakia Diocese Bulletin::
The teaching of this Gospel astonished and astonished the apostles to the point that they cried out, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 25:19). As for Julian the atheist, who left the Christian religion due to his loss of reason and blindness of vision, he was so astonished by these teachings that he said they were impossible. What do the Christians of this age believe? Some of them are astonished by them like the apostles, and others do not believe like Julian the atheist.
But in truth there is no reason for astonishment, amazement or disbelief, because we have before us countless examples of people who have despised riches and glory and have reached the level of perfection. And of other people from the rich and noble of the world who have kept God’s commandments and inherited the heavenly kingdom and eternal life. There is no doubt that Christ’s teaching toward perfection is difficult for man, but it is possible and easy by the grace of God, which is capable of everything, as Christ said: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Questions about the Gospel passage:
- Why did Christ refuse to be called good by the rich man?
If the young man had believed that Jesus Christ was God, Jesus would not have said to him, “Why do you call me good?” In other words, he was saying, “You do not believe that I am God, so why do you call me good?” Christ refused to be called this as a mere title unless he truly believed that he alone was good. The Jews were accustomed to calling their clergy by titles that were only appropriate for God, and the Lord wanted to warn them in an indirect way. It was as if the Lord was saying to him, “If you believe that I am God, then call me this way, otherwise do not.” The Lord himself confirmed that he was good, saying, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), and he also said, “Which of you convicts me of sin?” (John 8:46). The rich are known for their outward appearances and love of honor, and it was as if the Lord Christ wanted to direct the rich to purify their hearts from the love of wealth in an indirect way, while rejecting the love of exaggerated honors and titles. - What is the difference between achieving eternal life and achieving divine perfection?
It appears from the Lord’s saying, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments,” that keeping the divine commandments saves believers in Christ and brings them into eternal life. However, it does not raise them to the level of perfection. Those who keep the commandments have been promised by the Lord to enter eternal life, as He said, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” As for the perfect, He promised them treasure in heaven, that is, a very great heavenly glory, as He said, “You will have treasure in heaven.” The Lord made this clear when He said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 2:14). Just as all people do not see the same light equally, but some more and some less according to the strength of their sight, so the righteous do not enjoy the same divine glory equally.
From here we learn that keeping the commandments is so necessary that no one can be saved without it. As for evangelical perfection, it is a voluntary act that gives a person very great glory. If I keep the commandments, I will be saved, and if I disobey them, I will be condemned to torment. If I attain evangelical perfection, I will become a perfect and holy disciple of Jesus Christ. Eternal life requires keeping the commandments, but divine perfection requires renunciation of the world and selling everything so that Christ Himself will be the treasure. - Why is it difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven?
The passion of “the love of money” does not enslave those who have little as well as those who have a great deal in the same way. For in the latter case the desire for money is more dominant, and what is often said happens: the more a man’s wealth increases, the more it burns him, makes him poorer, instills in him a greater lust for money, and makes him feel his poverty more. For he who came to the Lord with joy and desire, when Christ prompted him to deny money, became so weak and lost his strength that Christ left him no room to give any answer, and he went away silent, sad and gloomy. - Why were the students upset since they were poor?
Because they were suffering for the salvation of others and felt very compassionate towards them, considering themselves their teachers. Therefore, they trembled and were seized with fear for the sake of the whole world. But the Lord gave them the answer and reassured them, not with the aim of making them despair and abandon the struggle with the idea of impossibility, but with the aim of making them easily rush to struggle and invoke God’s help in their struggle to obtain eternal life after realizing the greatness of the matter and its accomplishment.
Quoted from the Lattakia Diocese Bulletin
Sunday 26-8-2001 / Issue 30
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