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Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will be no means enter it."
Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' " And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth." So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For 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." And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
- Luke 18:15-30
On Saturday, we read that Jesus gave a parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. This is the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will be no means enter it." My study bible says, "The blessing of children by respected rabbis was customary. Jesus uses the image of the child to convey the ideal of childlike simplicity and humility required to enter the Kingdom." A priest I heard recently taught that children, in Jesus' time, were thought of quite differently than we in the West think of our children now. They were very much more disciplined, and a precocious child was not necessarily one seen in light of tolerance. So, not to forbid the children is something important and notable here. Children are an image of the eminently teachable, the ones ready for learning and instruction, to forgo their own ways of thinking for something better. This is a question of natural receptivity to a true Parent, the capacity to "change our minds" and accept a better way.
Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." In Jesus' reply, He gives us an example of the humility my study bible mentions as belonging to those who would enter the Kingdom. He first points to God the Father, away from Himself as man. There's a sort of play on a sense of power here: Jesus is speaking to a ruler, and guides him to the true power of the universe, of justice, of all we think of as good. This hierarchy must be something a ruler would grasp as an innate sense of his daily life. And at the same time, the graciousness of Christ is evident.
"You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' " Again, Jesus defers to proper authority before setting before the man His own commandment in a very personal encounter. This time, it is the authority of the Law. We know that Christ is both God and Lawgiver, but He is speaking to this ruler as son of Man, and "Good Teacher" or Rabbi.
And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth." So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." My study bible notes: "A rich ruler is challenged by Jesus not only to observe the Ten Commandments but also to sacrifice all things and follow Him. St. John Chrysostom teaches that because Jesus loved the man (see Mark 10:21), He named these conditions for his particular need."
But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For 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." Let us consider this story in light of the earlier verses, about the children who come to Christ for a blessing. Children, we said, are those who are highly teachable, ready to learn new things they don't already know. They can easily "change their minds" -- the literal meaning of the Greek word we translate as "repentance." Here the attachment to worldly things is in the form of the riches possessed by this ruler. We remember St. Chrysostom's teaching that Jesus loved this young man, referring to Mark 10:21. To find his way into the Kingdom as a child is to turn his life toward something else as fulfillment, a different way of life. In his sorrow, we can see how difficult this command really is. Jesus' saying about the camel and the eye of the needle illustrates Jesus' understanding of his difficulty.
And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." My study bible notes: "God's power can save even a rich man. And those who have turned their backs on riches and forsaken earthly good altogether for the cause of the Kingdom will reap abundant rewards from God."
Today's reading couples a teaching about children and the "mindset" needed for entry into the Kingdom, along with the teachings to a rich ruler. In my opinion, there are many parallels to study. There is first of all the humility and "teachability" of children to consider. They are ready to be taught, to be made into an image in the world. In this case, we enter into the Kingdom in order to be made into the image of God placed within us at our creation, to learn true God-likeness in order to reflect that image into which we grow more deeply through Christ's leadership and teaching. Such is the way of entry "as a child," one who is malleable and capable of changing one's mind. Again, as we note so often in commentary, there is the exchange of one life for another, for acquiring the ways of the Kingdom in exchange for the ways of the world -- our worldly image, for God's image and likeness. The story of the wealthy ruler becomes, in light of this context, an illustration of Christ's teaching. The ruler is a young man whom Jesus loves, like a child. His instruction and discipline is for the young man's good, so that he may grow into the likeness of Creator, the true Parent who wishes to shape the young ruler into His true image, in His name, the true lineage of this Kingdom. But there must be an exchange, one form of goods in one perspective for another. And that is the child-likeness that Jesus praises for those who would enter this Kingdom. This is the one thing necessary; in this specific case, it is his goods and riches for treasure in heaven. For others, this is a metaphor for the things we treasure that stand in our way. We remember that rebuke and correction come in the context of love, as a true parent for a beloved child. But that requires a particular mindset on our part. Can we see ourselves in this light? Remember, it is Christ, God who comes to us. Through His graceful condescension, He enters into our lives if we allow it, and helps us to change in the ways He desires. We don't do this of ourselves. Can we open the door to God's work in us? To the Spirit who creates in us a place for the Kingdom, and guides us into "God-likeness?" As He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will be no means enter it." My study bible says, "The blessing of children by respected rabbis was customary. Jesus uses the image of the child to convey the ideal of childlike simplicity and humility required to enter the Kingdom." A priest I heard recently taught that children, in Jesus' time, were thought of quite differently than we in the West think of our children now. They were very much more disciplined, and a precocious child was not necessarily one seen in light of tolerance. So, not to forbid the children is something important and notable here. Children are an image of the eminently teachable, the ones ready for learning and instruction, to forgo their own ways of thinking for something better. This is a question of natural receptivity to a true Parent, the capacity to "change our minds" and accept a better way.
Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." In Jesus' reply, He gives us an example of the humility my study bible mentions as belonging to those who would enter the Kingdom. He first points to God the Father, away from Himself as man. There's a sort of play on a sense of power here: Jesus is speaking to a ruler, and guides him to the true power of the universe, of justice, of all we think of as good. This hierarchy must be something a ruler would grasp as an innate sense of his daily life. And at the same time, the graciousness of Christ is evident.
"You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' " Again, Jesus defers to proper authority before setting before the man His own commandment in a very personal encounter. This time, it is the authority of the Law. We know that Christ is both God and Lawgiver, but He is speaking to this ruler as son of Man, and "Good Teacher" or Rabbi.
And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth." So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." My study bible notes: "A rich ruler is challenged by Jesus not only to observe the Ten Commandments but also to sacrifice all things and follow Him. St. John Chrysostom teaches that because Jesus loved the man (see Mark 10:21), He named these conditions for his particular need."
But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For 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." Let us consider this story in light of the earlier verses, about the children who come to Christ for a blessing. Children, we said, are those who are highly teachable, ready to learn new things they don't already know. They can easily "change their minds" -- the literal meaning of the Greek word we translate as "repentance." Here the attachment to worldly things is in the form of the riches possessed by this ruler. We remember St. Chrysostom's teaching that Jesus loved this young man, referring to Mark 10:21. To find his way into the Kingdom as a child is to turn his life toward something else as fulfillment, a different way of life. In his sorrow, we can see how difficult this command really is. Jesus' saying about the camel and the eye of the needle illustrates Jesus' understanding of his difficulty.
And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." My study bible notes: "God's power can save even a rich man. And those who have turned their backs on riches and forsaken earthly good altogether for the cause of the Kingdom will reap abundant rewards from God."
Today's reading couples a teaching about children and the "mindset" needed for entry into the Kingdom, along with the teachings to a rich ruler. In my opinion, there are many parallels to study. There is first of all the humility and "teachability" of children to consider. They are ready to be taught, to be made into an image in the world. In this case, we enter into the Kingdom in order to be made into the image of God placed within us at our creation, to learn true God-likeness in order to reflect that image into which we grow more deeply through Christ's leadership and teaching. Such is the way of entry "as a child," one who is malleable and capable of changing one's mind. Again, as we note so often in commentary, there is the exchange of one life for another, for acquiring the ways of the Kingdom in exchange for the ways of the world -- our worldly image, for God's image and likeness. The story of the wealthy ruler becomes, in light of this context, an illustration of Christ's teaching. The ruler is a young man whom Jesus loves, like a child. His instruction and discipline is for the young man's good, so that he may grow into the likeness of Creator, the true Parent who wishes to shape the young ruler into His true image, in His name, the true lineage of this Kingdom. But there must be an exchange, one form of goods in one perspective for another. And that is the child-likeness that Jesus praises for those who would enter this Kingdom. This is the one thing necessary; in this specific case, it is his goods and riches for treasure in heaven. For others, this is a metaphor for the things we treasure that stand in our way. We remember that rebuke and correction come in the context of love, as a true parent for a beloved child. But that requires a particular mindset on our part. Can we see ourselves in this light? Remember, it is Christ, God who comes to us. Through His graceful condescension, He enters into our lives if we allow it, and helps us to change in the ways He desires. We don't do this of ourselves. Can we open the door to God's work in us? To the Spirit who creates in us a place for the Kingdom, and guides us into "God-likeness?" As He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
