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  Christ 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 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 tells us that there have been various interpretations suggested for this impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Among the various theories suggested is included the idea that the word was not "camel" but "rope" (for these words sound alike in Aramaic), or that the "eye of a needle" was a name used for a particular city gate, through which a camel might just squeeze if it were first unloaded of all its baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  There is also an expression in the Talmud "for an elephant to go through the eye a needle."  Whatever this phrase refers to, my study Bible says, it expresses the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  This is made clear by the response of the disciples, "Who then can be saved?"  But by God's grace, even what is impossible with men 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 has a very illuminating explanation for what it means to judge in this context.  It quotes St. Ambrose of Milan as saying of Christ's judgment, that "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."  These apostles, it says, will not judge with earthly judgment, but rather by the very witness of their own lives.  As God's kingdom begins with the Resurrection of Christ, so the authority of judgment is already given to the apostles and their successors in the journey of the Church on earth.  See also Matthew 16:19; Luke 22:30; John 20:23.

 

 "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 says that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  St. John Chrysostom asserts that this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  My study Bible says that it also means one must accept that unbelieving family members may cut of ties due to the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but in a spiritual sense -- the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

 

Jesus' words about it being "easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" affirm for us the interpretation of yesterday's reading, in which Jesus told a rich young ruler (whom He loved) that if he wanted to be perfect he should, "go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure heaven; and come, follow Me."  In accordance with my study Bible, the problem with an abundance of riches is not in the riches themselves, nor even in ownership, but rather in the attachment to riches that is so common to humanity.  That is, such attachment becomes a stumbling block to salvation, as it leaves a person tied to the possessions in ways that may become a hindrance or obstacle to following and seeking Christ in all things.  It affirms the need for grace and the working of the Holy Spirit ("With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible") and it is yet another image of the life of the Cross, in which we will be called upon to separate from ourselves even things we consider quite dear if they stand in the way of Christ's directions for us.  In the New Testament, prominent and wealthy Jews, members of the Sanhedrin, became devoted followers of Christ (Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea) so the problems is not ownership or wealth per se, but rather when love of money (or anything else) keeps us from loving God as fully as we're called.  The disciples confess here in today's reading that they "have left all and followed You."  For them, that included the things Jesus mentions here, such as "houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands."  In each example we're taught something about the life of the Cross that each of us may be called to in faith, and each in our own way, with our own particular cross for salvation.  We note again that the rich young ruler in yesterday's reading (see above) was not an immoral person, neither was his wealth immoral, nor used for immoral purposes.  Quite the opposite, he was a person who had observed the commandments of the Law the whole of his life.  But Christ calls us to "perfection" ("if you want to be perfect"), and for that the impossible becomes possible through the grace of God.  And there we come to the expression of judgment that Christ makes in today's reading, and what it means to judge according to my study Bible.  This is not about "passing judgment" on someone else, but simply about living a life as an example and standard that sets a bar.  In and of itself, this is what Jesus means by "judging."  The life of the kingdom that we are all called to, even here and now in this world as my study Bible points out, is made possible through grace.  God calls us each in a particular way, and makes that path possible for each of us.  May we be truly grateful.