With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible

 

 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  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."  When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?"  So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Matthew 19:23-30 

 

Yesterday we read that little children were brought to Jesus that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"  So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."  He said to Him, "Which ones?"  Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"  The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth.  What do I still lack?"  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; and come, follow Me."  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

 

 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  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."  When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."   My study Bible reminds us that there have been various interpretations suggested for the impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Some have said the word (in Aramaic) was not camel, but "rope" which sounds similar in that language.  Others have suggested that the eye of a needle was the name for a city gate through which a camel might barely squeeze if it were first unloaded of its baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  In the Talmud there is the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  Wherever the phrase is from, it shows the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  My study Bible says that this is clearly evidenced by the disciples' response, "Who then can be saved?"  Yet by God's grace, even the impossible for human beings can come to pass.

 

 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?"  So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."  My study Bible quotes St. Ambrose of Milan (commenting on Luke 22:30):  "Christ judges by discerning the heart, and not by examining deeds.  So also the apostles are being shaped to exercise spiritual judgment concerning faith, and in rebuking error with virtue."  My study Bible adds that the apostles will judge not with earthly judgment, but by the witness of their own lives.  Since God's kingdom begins with Christ's Resurrection, the authority of judgment has already been given to the apostles and their successors in the journey of the Church on earth.  

 

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  My study Bible comments here that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  According to St. John Chrysostom, it says, this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly, but a spiritual sense:  we have the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of fellowship and worship.

In yesterday's reading Jesus encountered the rich young ruler who wanted to know what he must do to attain eternal life (see above).  Jesus taught him that he must sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him.  The young man went away dejected, for he had great possessions.  Today's reading is the continuance of that story, and we're given the responses of the apostles.  Their astonished response is, "Who then can be saved?" and we should all be right there with them.  For to understand that "hard saying" of Jesus is also to approach some of His other "hard sayings," such as when He uses metaphors of amputation to speak about cutting away our impulses to sin, even though they may feel as integral to us as parts of our bodies (see this reading, in which Jesus speaks of amputating a hand or eye or foot if it causes offense).  For the rich young man in yesterday's reading, his great possessions -- although perhaps considered to be great blessings -- formed a stumbling block to his attaining of eternal life, his capacity to truly follow and to love Christ.  These apostles understand this perfectly well, as is evidenced in their response.  For all of us are called upon to give up what is precious -- even what is seemingly an inseparable part of ourselves -- if it gets in the way and forms a stumbling block to the depth of faith that Christ calls us toward.  These disciples "get it," and so should we.  Our faith is not necessarily simple or without its difficulties and struggles.  Sometimes we're called upon to separate ourselves from our deepest attachments, so that Christ Himself may take the place of the things we think are indispensable, and so that our faith grows that much deeper into that place of deep attachment.  We are called upon to rely on God.  But, as Jesus indicates to the disciples, we are also given much to find in place of the things we leave behind -- and each of us may be quite surprised to find how that new thing fills us up once we do.  Devotion has a strange way of sufficing for itself, of giving us meaning and purpose and dedication, and providing us with rewards of the heart that are surprising.  How else could a persecuting, "fire-breathing" Saul turn into St. Paul?  How can we explain it?  Jesus gives us the answers to such questions, both in His teaching about what we might have to leave behind to get to the kingdom of heaven, and also in His powerful teaching that "with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."   The reference to the apostles sitting on twelve thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel is intriguing in this context, because it indeed implies the great things that await those who enter into this Kingdom and enter into that eternal life sought by the rich young man.  "But," Jesus cautions, once more emphasizing the necessary humility, "many who are first will be last, and the last first."  Let us follow, with the help of God.