Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may 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,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter 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 the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Mark 10:17–31 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus arose from Galilee and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "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 by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His  hands on them, and blessed them.  

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may 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,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"   My study Bible comments that this man does not come to test Jesus, but to seek advice from one whom he considers no more than a good Teacher.  It says that Christ's response does not deny that He is God, but is designed to lead the rich man to this knowledge.  The commandments quoted by Jesus are found at Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20.  Let us note that this man who approaches Jesus is often referred to as the "rich young ruler."  Jesus is now in Judea, and is going out on the road, perhaps toward Jerusalem, so this young ruler is likely connected to one of the important families of the temple leadership. 

 

And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  My study Bible comments that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  This young man had an earnest desire for eternal life, and sensed that he still lacked something.  So, he continues to press Jesus for the answer.   

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.   My study Bible says that to be perfect, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  Nothing is gained, it says, unless this sacrifice is given freely.  But the specifics for each person of how one follows Christ will be different.  Here, wealth had such a grip on this rich young ruler, his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  According to St. John Chrysostom, giving away his possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here -- to follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling.  

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter 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 the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  My study Bible comments that there are various interpretations which have been suggested for this impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Some suggest that this word was not "camel," but rather an Aramaic word that sounds similar but means "rope."  Others have said the "eye of a need" was the name of a city gate through which a camel might barely squeeze if it were first unloaded of all its baggage, symbolizing wealth.  There is an expression in the Talmud "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  But, whatever this phrase refers to, my study Bible says, it displays the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.   It notes that this is clearly evidenced by the response of the disciples, "Who then can be saved?"  But through the grace of God, even what's impossible for human beings can come to pass.

 

 Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, 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 or to abandon children.  Again, my study Bible cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who says that this refers to keeping faith under persecution, even if it means to lose one's family.  It means also to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of a believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, my study Bible says, but in a spiritual sense -- the father's and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

This story of the rich young ruler appears in all three Synoptic Gospels.  Therefore it forms a kind of highlighted, central story in the ministry of Jesus Christ.  We should be careful not to confuse a principle of sacrifice with an elevation to a purpose of modern concepts of sacrifice per se.  In other words, Jesus calls upon this young man to give up his wealth, sell it, and give to the poor, and to follow Him -- all in that order, and for an important intention.  As my study Bible points out, the whole purpose of this is because of his deep clinging to wealth as if it were an ineluctable part of his life and identity, so much so, that it gets in the way of his desire for eternal life and to follow Christ.  And this is the purpose of Christ's command to him, so that he may be able to find the eternal life he seeks.  There is nothing in particular that is inherently evil in wealth.  St. Paul writes that it is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil, not money in itself (1 Timothy 6:10).  Neither is Jesus suggesting that wealth is meant to be distributed for particular purposes of a social or political or even moral nature (for that one presumes that following Christ teaches and leads us in what to do with our wealth).  This young man is in earnest and truly seeks out Jesus as a good Teacher.  But there is one aspect we might consider about his identity.  As he's called a rich ruler, it's likely he's connected to the temple, and his possessions may in fact by the result of inherited position.  The Sadducees, for example, formed a kind of aristocracy around Jerusalem, and they were connected to the priestly families of the temple.  So, one aspect of wealth is its pervasive grip upon personal identity.  Who are we without our possessions?  Possessions also give us social status of a particular kind, and this in turn forms identity.  How others think of us forms a highly pervasive sense of who we are, but Christ calls us out of that place.  Let us keep in mind, for example, the experience of Jesus in His hometown, and how pervasive social status is within community.  So much so, that when He preached in Nazareth, the neighbors clung to their old ideas of Jesus and His family, and could not receive His gracious words, nor could Jesus perform any great work there (see Mark 6:1-6).  His wisdom both astonished and offended His old neighbors.  So important is this event that Christ's saying, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house" is found in some form in all four Gospels (see also Matthew 13:57; Luke 4:24; John 4:44).  This young man's wealth likely ties him to his family and community in some particular way.  But Christ calls us out of our worldly identity and into one that He gives us in this sense of the eternal life.  Jesus points to that life when He teaches the young man that by giving up his wealth, selling it, and giving to the poor, he will have "treasure in heaven."  For we are called, as this young man is, to take up our crosses in order to exchange one type of life for another, just as we may have treasure in heaven by giving to those in need, a blessing for a blessing.  In the case of this man, that giving will set him free to follow Christ, for this is his particular need at this stage.  Let us note also that the text tells us Jesus gave this command out of love for this young man (Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him . . .).  The difficulties of giving up his wealth seem to keep him from becoming another beloved disciple of Christ, but of course we don't know what he did later on in his life.  For record, we should also note that there are wealthy people in the Gospels who become exemplary followers of Christ.  These are Joseph of Arimathea who donates an expensive tomb (likely made for himself) in order to honor Christ in burial, and Nicodemus the Pharisee.  Both give up a considerable amount to honor Jesus publicly, both endanger, and likely lose, wealth and position in so doing; both were among the rulers in the temple.  In fact, my study Bible notes that according to some early sources, Nicodemus was baptized by St. Peter and consequently was removed from the Sanhedrin and forced to flee Jerusalem.  As we read in the text, the disciples, while not men of great wealth, are also those who have left all to follow Jesus, exchanging their places, work, hometowns, and life for the life they are called to by Christ, to become disciples and apostles.  To follow Jesus is to be called out of past identity in one form or another, and to find oneself in His life, His Kingdom.  As my study Bible says, that calling will be different for each, the specifics of each one of us taking up our cross will depend upon the things God calls us out of, and how we're called forward.  For today, let us consider the pitfalls of wealth and even of what we moderns call progress, for so much of this is linked to possessions, to "keeping up."  For the world will always seek to dictate to us whom we are supposed to be, what we need to have and to do, how we look before others, what our social status is and where we fit.  This rich young ruler is directed by Jesus to follow the commandments of the Law as a good thing.  But he's also asked to go further and take up his cross. How does Christ call you forward, to follow Him?

 

 

 

Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me

 

 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 by 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."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed you."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many ties more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

 

- Luke 18:15–30 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "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 by no means enter it."  My study Bible comments that infants are the standard of faith by which adults receive the kingdom of God, and not the other way around.  It quotes the commentary of Theophylact:  "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in complete simplicity." 

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."  My study Bible comments that this young ruler comes to Christ not to test Him, but to seek advice from one he considers no more than a good Teacher.  Jesus' response does not deny that He is God, but is rather designed to lead the rich man to this knowledge. 

"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."   According to my study Bible, normal observance of commandments doesn't make a person righteous before God.  

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.  To be perfect, my study Bible notes, one must willingly sacrifice all follow Christ.  Nothing is gained, it says, unless this sacrifice is given freely.  Importantly, it notes that the specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  Because wealth had such a grip on this rich man, his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  St. John Chrysostom says that to give away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling. 

 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."   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.  Some have saig that the word was not camel, but a word that means "rope" in Aramaic; or that the eye of a needle was the name for a city gate so small that a camel might barely squeeze only if it were first unloaded of all its baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  The Talmud uses the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  My study Bible comments that, whatever this phrase refers to, it displays the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  It says that this is clearly evidenced by the disciples' response, "Who then can be saved?"  Yet by God's grace, even what is impossible to human beings can come to pass.  

 

  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and fallowed you."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many ties more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."  My study Bible indicates that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  According to St. John Chrysostom, it notes, this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  Moreover, it 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 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 gives us an image of the Cross in today's reading.  It is the Cross that leads to life, and in teaching this rich young ruler to sell his great possessions, and distribute them to the poor, Jesus is teaching this man about eternal life, and how to find it.  Even though he is perfect in following the commandments, this alone will not give him the eternal life he asks for.  St. Mark's Gospel tells us that, "Jesus, looking at him, loved him" (Mark 10:21) as He gives this advice to sell what he has and give to the poor.  We have come across this idea already several times in Luke's Gospel, regarding this type of exchange in which the good that we do in this world through charitable help to the poor becomes a currency of wealth in the kingdom of God, a treasure in the heavens.  As such, Jesus teaches this rich man the same principle.  But. St. Chrysostom also has an important contribution to make here in this particular case, when he suggests that to give away his possessions is the least of the commands of Christ; and indeed, this is, in the telling of the story, merely the first stepping stone to following Christ for this young ruler.  There's a popular expression one may have heard, that it's not in having possessions that there is danger, but in those possessions having us.  That is, it's more than likely that this man's possessions are linked to his status in his society and even an inherited wealth, for he is a ruler as described in the Gospel.  This may indicate that he was from one of the priestly landowning classes in Jesus' society of the time, a young member of the ruling Council, with inherited wealth being integral to his identity.  Jesus will know what will be required of His followers when He is persecuted and sent to the Cross, and what will come after His Passion.  Therefore, to be truly free to follow Christ, this young ruler would quite likely have to be free enough to leave behind the same things St. Peter and the apostles have, and will go on to leave after Pentecost when the gospel is spread to all the world.  In this quite tangible sense, this young ruler must allow himself to be freed of his great possessions to truly follow Christ in all things.  My study Bible is wise to suggest that the cross of each one of us is separate; each one will find things that bind us and form a stumbling block to following where Christ leads us to go -- and I would venture to say that each one must make that sacrifice in order to be truly free to do so (see John 8:32).  Finally, let us consider the love we're called to with Christ.  This is a love that asks total trust, and the freedom to truly love.  One sacrifices for what one truly loves, whether that be a spouse, a child, a parent who needs care, a friend, or a loved one of any kind.  Christ calls us to a depth of relationship of this type of reliance and of love.  He will go to the Cross out of love for each one of us; our love in return will be given with our own sacrifices from the heart, and in so doing we find ourselves, that our joy may be full.
 

 

Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may 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,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "   And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter 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 the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Mark 10:17-31 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus arose from Capernaum in Galilee and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'   For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.   Therefore what God has joined  together, let not man separate."  In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "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 by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

 

  Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may 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,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "   And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."   My study Bible comments that this man does not come to test Jesus, but to seek advice from one he considers to be no more than a good Teacher.  Jesus' response is not to deny that He is God, but rather to lead the rich man to that knowledge.   Note also that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God; however, as my study Bible suggests here, this man had an earnest desire for eternal life and sensed that he still lacked something.  Therefore, in such a context, he continue to press Christ for the answer. 

 

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.   It's important that the text tells us specifically that Jesus loved him.   My study Bible comments that to be perfect ("one thing you lack") one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  It adds that nothing is gained unless this sacrifice is given freely.  But the specifics of how a person follows Christ will vary for each one.  In this case, wealth had a great grip on this rich man and his identity, so his only hope was to sell and give away his possessions.  According to St. John Chrysostom, my study Bible notes, to give away his possessions is the least of Christ's instructions to this man.  To follow Jesus in all things is a much greater and more difficult calling.  

 

 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter 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 the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  My study Bible cites various interpretations which have been suggested for this impossible image of a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  One suggestion has been that the word wasn't "camel" but an Aramaic word that sounds alike and, in fact, means "rope."  Another has been offered that the "eye of a needle" was actually the name of a very narrow city gate, through which a camel might barely squeeze if it were unloaded of all of its baggage (symbolizing wealth).  There is an expression in the Talmud, "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  In any case, the image shows the impossibility of salvation for those attached to riches.  And the key is really in the understanding of what it is to be "attached" in this sense.  My study Bible says that this is made clear by the disciples' response, "Who then can be saved?"  But by God's grace, even things which are impossible for us of our own efforts alone can come to pass.

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  My study Bible remarks that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children here.  Again, it cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who explains this as referring 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).  Moreover, here believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but rather in a spiritual one.  That is, the fathers and mothers of the Church, sisters and brothers in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

Of course this story is always somewhat shocking, no matter how many times we have heard it before.  Imagine being asked to give up everything one owns.  The concept is striking, for in our lives we seem to depend upon accumulating, saving, amassing things we need -- and not only for ourselves but for our families.  It is imaginable here that these possessions aren't really things this young man has accumulated by himself, but that he has inherited from his family.  In Matthew's Gospel, we're told that this is a young man (Matthew 19:20), and even in this story here in Mark's Gospel, we can see from the way he seeks out Christ, and the way Christ advises him, the youth in this person.  The idea that Jesus loves him tells  us about a kind of tenderness toward a young person who sincerely seeks the good.  But to give up wealth and possessions, particularly what we may assume is family wealth, and likely inherited property (as this society is not the upwardly mobile industrial period we know), speaks to how difficult this command might really be for the young man.  To give up these possessions likely means giving up family identity, for inherited wealth played a great role in this society, especially on the Council (particularly among the Sadducees).  Luke tells us, in fact, that this young man is a ruler, and so likely occupies an important and possibly inherited place in the society (Luke 18:18).  All of these things combine to tell us of the difficulties, hurdles, and obstacles this young man (whom Jesus loved, let us remember) had to struggle with in order to follow Christ's command to sell whatever he had and give it to the poor.  But those things illuminate struggles that may come our way, too, if our faith leads us to follow a different set of values than our parents or family would prefer.  Perhaps we also are led to follow a path where our lives are not dominated by the struggle for wealth, or to gain social position or status.  For these pursuits still play a great role in our world, in the status and esteem in which we're held by others, and in the ambitions parents, family, and loved ones -- even friends -- may have for us or wish to share.  In yesterday's commentary, we explored to an extent what it means to "make your eye single" in the command Jesus gives in Matthew 6:22.  That is the language of the King James Version, which is much closer to the Greek.  In the same passage (and also in the Sermon on the Plain in Luke's Gospel), Jesus continues with this illustration of single-minded focus by teaching, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24).  In this context, we can see how the demands placed upon this young man by his wealth and possessions can get in the way of following Christ with a single-minded focus.  His family ties, his inherited position, his place as a ruler linked to to his wealth -- all of these would easily create a conflict of interest with the discipleship required by Christ of His followers, particularly at this time.  We can imagine the struggle ahead as Christ's ministry becomes one perceived with hostility by the religious rulers, and Christ is persecuted and killed, as His followers will become persecuted in the synagogues.  We know that Christ had other followers with a wealthy or prominent background, such as Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea, but in the tradition of the Church it is assumed they left these things behind to follow Christ and instead played significant roles in the early Church.  St. Paul is the other great example we have of a man who left everything behind, including his life as a Pharisee, to follow Christ.  In today's passage, the disciples themselves speak of all the things they have left behind to dedicate themselves to following Christ as they are led by Him to do so.  All of these things should combine to sober us to the possibilities regarding where Christ will lead us, to the things we might even be led to give up ourselves.  As. St. Chrysostom teaches, the ways in which we are taught to give up things in our lives that stand in the way of following Christ in a single-minded and fully committed manner will be different for each.  We don't all share the same task, the same pursuit which Christ asks of us.  Neither do we share the same types of attachments to let go.  But one thing He asks for is our full hearts, with nothing kept back.  The process of faith is that lifelong honing down by casting aside the things that stand in the way of its growth, the things we don't need, and taking up instead the way He asks of us.  With sober hearts, let us consider where He teaches us to go, and what it means to grow into the fullness of the life He offers.

 

Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life

 

 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 by 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 hard 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."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

 

- Luke 18:15–30 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "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 by no means enter it."  My study Bible comments that infants are the standard of faith by which adults receive the kingdom of God, and not the other way around.  Theophylact explains:  "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in complete simplicity."  

 

 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."    My study Bible comments that this man does not come to test Jesus, but to seek advice from one he considers to be no more than a good Teacher.   Christ's response does not deny that He is God, but it's designed to lead the rich man to this knowledge.  Regarding Jesus' answer, my study Bible explains that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  This man had an earnest desire for eternal life and clearly sensed that he still lacked something.  Therefore, he continued to press Christ for the answer.   

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 hard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20).  Here the call to this rich young ruler is all about leaving his past life, and particularly his wealth, behind, giving up all to follow Christ.  My study Bible comments that nothing is gained unless one's sacrifice is given freely.  The specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  Because wealth had such a grip on this rich man, my study Bible explains, his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  St. John Chrysostom says that giving away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling.

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."  Here my study Bible refers us to the story of Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, which is found at Luke 19:1-10.  In the presence of Christ as He comes through Jericho, Zacchaeus has a great transformation of heart, and in repentance makes the commitment to give generously of his wealth to the poor, restoring right relationship.  Jesus responds, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he is also a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."  Moreover, my study Bible notes that there have been various interpretations suggested for the impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  For example that the word was not camel, but a similar-sounding word that means "rope."  Some say the "eye of a needle was a city gate through which a camel might squeeze if it were first unloaded of all of its baggage, symbolic of wealth.  In the Talmud there is an expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  Whatever the phrase refers to, it shows the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches, which my study Bible says is evidenced by the disciples' question, "Who then can be saved?"  Yet by God's grace, even what is impossible for human beings can come to pass.

Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."  St. Peter evokes the understanding that the disciples have left all and followed Christ.   This is not a command that everyone must leave family behind.  But in His reference to leaving house, parent, brothers, wife, and children for the sake of the kingdom of God, Jesus is referring to the wealth of home, elders, brothers and sisters, and spiritual children to be found in the Church, which will certainly be fulfilled for these disciples.  

 

 Let us think about sacrifices for the kingdom of God.  It seems clear that wealth, and perhaps especially inherited wealth, is bound up with personal identity.  It is also bound with commitments that come within such a position of wealth.  This rich young ruler must hold an important position within the religious establishment (hence he's called a ruler in Israel), and we might make an assumption that, based on his age, his wealth and even his position of authority is inherited.   We don't know the specifics for this man, but we can understand how wealth plays a role in social position and also that he was both wealthy and a ruler.  His place among the community therefore would have been well-known, and quite possibly his reputation as one who follows the commandments.  This story tells us about Christ's statement that to enter the kingdom of God, one must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, also among the "rulers" in the religious establishment.  For with this young man, to start with his good foundation, means that the next step that leads to spiritual perfection, is giving up these material trappings of his life in order to more deeply pursue the love of God, and to follow Christ in freedom from the obligations that wealth brings.  It means going a step further, to total dependence upon God.  We also know that this was a young man (Matthew 19:20), who was loved by Jesus (Mark 10:21).  Therefore we understand Christ's command to be in the nature of the paternal or elder in some sense, and inspired by love to mentor a future path for the young man's spiritual well-being.  Therefore we presume that Jesus is not asking an older man with family responsibilities and children to give up his wealth, but a young man at an early stage of his life, who has the possibility of going on to serve the Church as do St. Peter and the disciples.  At any rate, we are called to find within our own lives the ways in which a dependence upon Christ, and service to God, brings about change in us, and transformation.  A change in identity and orientation, no matter how subtle, necessarily entails a sacrifice.  That is, a giving up of a way of thinking and being in the world, a change in our circumstances, and replacement with new ways of living and a changed outlook.  We will be called to sacrifice the things that get in the way of following where God would lead us in life.  Are we attached to a particular possession as a kind of idolatry that keeps us stuck in a place of immaturity?  Do we pursue things in life that aren't really good for us, but because we're used to it, or we cling to habits from the past?  Sometimes God calls us to begin to break free of certain social expectations, or habits which proscribe our way of interacting in the world, in order to reach out to those less fortunate, or to spend time serving God's purposes.  We might work very hard for our families, but perhaps God calls us to sacrifice time or wealth to help orphans or elderly who are in need.  Let us consider sacrifice for the sake of the kingdom of God in the light of giving up time, effort, resources, or any other type of "wealth" in order to spend more time serving the Kingdom, serving God's purposes to which we are called.  For these are sacrifices that bring us surprising joy at knowing we have done something not only to please God, but to truly help others, a truly good use of the resources at our disposal, including volunteering our time and our attention.  Let us consider the ways that such an exchange enrich us, even as Christ teaches the disciples.  

 

 

With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good teacher, what shall I do that I may 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,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"   And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter 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 the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time  -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Mark 10:17-31 

 

Yesterday we read that, after passing through Galilee, Jesus came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 'and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "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 by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.  

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God."  In contrast to the Pharisees and others who come to test Him, this man is looking for advice from one whom he considers to be simply a good Teacher.  My study Bible comments that Jesus' response does not deny that He is God, but is designed to lead the rich man to this knowledge.  

 

"You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"   And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."   See Exodus 20:12–16; Deuteronomy 5:16–20 for these commandments cited by Jesus.  My study Bible comments that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  This man had an earnest desire for eternal life and sensed that he still lacked something.  Therefore, he continues to press Jesus for the answer.

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  My study Bible explains that to be perfect (Matthew 19:21), one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  Nothing is gained unless this sacrifice is given freely.  It notes that the specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  As wealth had such a grip on this rich man, his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  St. John Chrysostom suggests that giving away possessions is actually the least of the instructions Christ gives here.  To follow Him in all things, my study Bible says, is a fare greater and more difficult calling.  

 

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter 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 the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  My study Bible notes that there have been various interpretations suggested for this impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Some say that the word was not camel, but "rope" (the Aramaic word sounds alike); or that the eye of a needle was actually the name of a city gate through which a camel might barely squeezed if it were first unloaded of all its baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  Additionally, there is an expression in the Talmud which is similar:  "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  But whatever the source of the phrase, it shows the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  My study Bible says that this is clearly evidenced by the response of the disciples, "Who then can be saved?"  But by God's grace, even what is impossible for human beings can come to pass.  

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time  -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  Here my study Bible comments that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  According to the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, it says, this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  But also, it means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).   My study Bible adds that 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.  

 

One would presume that this was a rich young man (Matthew's Gospel tells us that he was young) because his wealth was inherited, or due to family position within the society.  He might have been among the wealthy landowning class of Jerusalem at that time, many of whom were members of the Sadducees, and held high positions within the ruling Council and the Temple.  But, be that as it may, it seems safe to assume that with such possessions also went family and social structure.  In short, in such an economy, especially as compared to our own, great possessions did not come easily outside of social position and inherited wealth.  We live in a world where in recent memory a robust economy and certain economic structures can give a promise of upward mobility, of wealth through hard work, and acquired education or specialized business skills.  But Jesus did not live in such a world.  Nonetheless, even in our time of economic fluctuation, possessions and family structure still seem to go hand in hand.  Let us note that when the disciples speak of what they have left behind to follow Jesus, those possessions such as homes also include leaving family behind.  So, this young man's great attachment to his possessions, we can assume, is something other than a kind of selfishness or greed.  It is about how difficult it is to give up what we think we have, and how attached we become to the things we own that define us and give us a sense of who we are.   While in Christ's time societies were far more stratified than in modern economies, we still tend to associate identity and status with possessions, perhaps even more so than at any other time in the past.  So let us give deep consideration to what Christ teaches here.   So many problems seem to hinge on an inability to let go of attachments of one sort or another, and here Jesus is offering an alternative:  "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  If one follows modern programs dealing with addiction and a host of other problems, one is familiar with what is called the Twelve Steps.  Such a program hinges on reliance on a higher power, and stems originally from programs with a Christian orientation.  We still suffer from similar maladies today, as human beings, that Jesus addresses in the Gospels.   Not least of such problems are attachments:  things upon which we rely which are impermanent, which can disappoint, but more importantly, which can get in the way of a deepening reliance upon God.  It is this deepening reliance upon God which is where our faith leads us and teaches us to go, for this is the substance of the gospel of the Kingdom which Jesus preaches.  While we may not all be in the circumstances of this rich young man whom Jesus loved, we may all face similar struggles of attachment and the need for growth, especially the kind of growth that feeds our souls and psyches, a reconciliation with God and with our circumstances.  We all have choices to make, and Christ is here to teach us what those choices come down to, and what we might rely on.  Let us remember His love and His teaching, for it all still applies, even in new and modern circumstances.  For even with persecutions, God's love remains the worthy exchange for what ails us.

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 by 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 become 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."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

 

- Luke 18:15-30 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "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 by no means enter it."  My study Bible comments that infants are the standard of faith by which adults receive the kingdom of God, and not the other way around.  It quotes Theophylact, who writes, "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in complete simplicity."  

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.'"   My study Bible reminds us that this man does not come to test Jesus, but rather to seek advice from one he thinks of as a good Teacher.  In Jesus' response, my study Bible says, we see not a denial that He is God, but rather a design to lead the rich man to this knowledge. 

 

 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 become very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  My study Bible notes that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  It says that this man had an earnest desire for eternal life, but sensed that he still lacked something, despite his adherence to the commandments.  But to be perfect, my study Bible comments, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  Nothing is gained, it says, unless this sacrifice is given freely.  But the specifics of how a person follows Christ will be different for each one, just as one's particular cross to bear will be unique.  But as wealth had such a grip on this rich man and his identity, his only hope was to sell and give away his possessions.  My study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom, who comments that giving away possessions is actually the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Christ in all things is a much greater and more difficult calling.  

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."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."  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.  For example, some suggest that the word is not really "camel," but one that sounds alike in Aramaic, which means "rope."  Others suggest that the "eye of a needle" was the name of a city gate, through which a camel might barely squeeze if it were first unloaded of all its baggage (a symbol of wealth).  There is even an expression in the Talmud which is similar, "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  But whatever this phrase is reference to, it shows us the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches, to possessions.   This is evidenced clearly, my study Bible comments, by the response of the disciples, "Who then can be saved?"  But with God's grace, even what is impossible with human beings can come to be.

 What does it mean that "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"?  There are many people who will say to themselves that simply by virtue of great wealth, we know a person has committed some kind of sin or another, possibly stealing from others or cheating.   But I don't think this is what Christ means at all by His statement, for this passage is not on the topic of morality.  Possibly this is why it is already included in the details of the story that this rich young ruler (possibly of a synagogue or even a member of a party in the temple) is quite sincere, and has followed the commandments all of his life.  So Jesus' statement really has nothing to do with how we might judge this person simply by virtue of his wealth.  Moreover, we can see how the disciples -- none of whom are rich men -- respond to this statement by asking, "Who then can be saved?"  Why would they ask such a question if they believed that having possessions or wealth was a far away concept?  So, it's not a good idea to substitute modern economics and wealth concepts of the 21st century for what we're reading here.  The issue is possessions and our attachment to them, wealth and our attachment to wealth.  So much depends upon what comes first in our lives and in our hearts.  Do we do with our wealth what Christ would ask of us?  Moreover, is our identity really tied up with the things we have, or do we rely on Christ to teach us who we are and in this sense "separate" us from wealth?  Does our wealth become a  stumbling block to faith, keeping us from the deeper relationship to Christ we might be called toward?  The truly important thing here is Christ's command to "follow Me."  Let us note also how wealth is often tied to family in the Gospels.  Here, Peter seems to have a startling realization:  "See, we have left all and followed You." And Jesus ties family relations and wealth or possessions together in His response as well:  "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."   The disciples have left behind all these things in order to obey His command to "follow Me."  These disciples are examples of the greatest devotion, but we should note how our possessions and our identity are so often tied together:  family, home, place of birth, heritage, the work we do in life -- all of these things can be what we receive as identity, and yet we may be called to separate ourselves from some aspect in following and devoting our hearts to Christ.  Indeed, Peter's family home would become Christ's first headquarters in Galilee.  We have Christ's teaching to the fishermen (their work)  that they would become fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). Here, as my study Bible explains, for this rich young ruler, possessions had gained the upper hand.  They were the thing he could not sacrifice to follow Christ.  For each of us, there are crossroads in life where we must make a choice for identity.  We find ourselves either in the identity that Christ offers to us, and so can separate ourselves from some aspect of life we once relied upon to tell us who we are -- or we decide we must cling to what we know.  I would say this is a pattern of what is meant when it is said that we each carry our own cross.  Either way, we make choices to follow Him, or the sacrifice seems too great.  Jesus nears Jerusalem, where He will make the ultimate sacrifice for all, but in so doing His true identity will be revealed as Son and Savior.  Let us consider how we follow Him, and His teaching that "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

 

 

 

Who then can be saved?

 

 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 comments that there are various interpretations which have been suggested for this impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Perhaps the word in Aramaic was not camel, but rather "rope" (the words sound alike); one could see an analogy there.  Possibly the "eye of a needle" was actually the name of a narrow city gate, through which a camel might barely squeeze if it first were unloaded of all of its baggage, which would symbolize wealth.  In the Talmud there is a similar expression:  "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  But whatever it refers to, it expresses the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  This is clearly shown by the response of the disciples:  "Who then can be saved?"  But by God's grace, even what is 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 cites a commentary on Luke's Gospel by St. Ambrose of Milan, which may also be applied here:  "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."  The apostles will judge not with earthly judgment, my study Bible says, but by the witness of their own lives.  Since God's kingdom begins with the Resurrection of Christ, the authority of judgment has already been given to the apostles and their successors in the journey of the Church on earth (see also Matthew 16:19, 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 comments here that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  According to St. John Chrysostom, this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  It also means that we must accept that unbelieving family members might cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  My study Bible notes that believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but rather in a spiritual one:  the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.

Jesus notes, along with St. Peter, that the disciples have already left everything behind for the sake of His gospel and ministry.  As has been consistent, he speaks for the disciples in their concern about what their future will be in Christ's kingdom (see also this reading).  They still do not know what sort of kingdom it will be.  But after Christ has warned them twice about what is to come in Jerusalem, and this episode with the rich young ruler (in yesterday's reading, above) whom Jesus told to sell all his wealth and give to the poor, it seems their perspective is being slowly altered.  They are coming to realize not only their own sacrifices but also that the reward for participation in the Kingdom might not be the worldly positions of greatness they understand from earthly kingdoms.  Indeed, we can read their astonished question to Jesus after Christ's comment that it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God:  "Who then can be saved?"  Jesus' answer to the rich young ruler was not only disconcerting (and seemingly impossible) for the young man who went away in yesterday's reading, but also has a great effect upon the disciples who are still just beginning to understand the nature of Christ's kingdom and the task before them.  They, too, have made sacrifices but not necessarily for a worldly return in conventional terms.  And this again, as we noted in yesterday's commentary, is the nature of what it is to follow Christ.  In a deep commitment of a prayerful life, we place all things in the hands of God and we ask for direction.   In this way, all our possessions, talents, and other sorts of worldly goods might be given to God for direction, used hopefully for God's purposes, to serve God's kingdom.  When we help the poor, it isn't simply to do a "good deed," but to serve God by so doing.  For as Christ taught, "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me" -- and this applies to all who are poor in spirit, humble, or "little ones," all those without great currency of any kind.  It is an act of loving neighbor as oneself, which is based in loving God first.  For this reason, the detachment from riches becomes an imperative.  For if we believe that our possessions define who we are, then we are not free in our hearts to be identified in Christ, as children by adoption.  Rather, as Christ has said, we have a first commandment to love God, and a second commandment which is "like it" to love neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:36-40).  In today's reading, we can see the disciples' seemingly staggered response to Christ's comment about the difficulty of salvation for one who is very rich, as they themselves are still struggling on the road to understanding what their own participation in Christ's kingdom will really mean for them.  In St. Peter's follow up question ("See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?"), we seem to see the dawning understanding that Christ's kingdom will not be a worldly one with the earthly rewards of conventional kingdoms.  We shouldn't think that the struggle of the rich young ruler who asked what he must do for eternal life in yesterday's reading is so dramatically different from the struggle of the disciples or of all the rest of us.  For what, really, do we expect from our discipleship?  What sacrifices will we be asked to make so that we become more truly children (and heirs of the Kingdom) by adoption?  Let us not minimize the difficulties of detachment nor the love God has for us which we return as those who are His children to be shaped in God's image for us.

 

 

 

 

With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may 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,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter 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 the kingdom of God."   And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

- Mark 10:17-31

Yesterday we read that Jesus went from Capernaum and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."    In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "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 by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

 

 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to Him, "Why do You call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God."  My study bible comments here that this man doesn't come to test Jesus, but rather to seek advice from one whom he considers to be simply a good Teacher.  Jesus' response does not deny that He is God, but rather is designed to lead the rich man to such knowledge.

 

"You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."   My study bible says that formal commandments does not make a person righteous before God.  This man had an earnest desire for eternal life.  But he sensed that he still lacked something.  Therefore, he continues to press Jesus for the answer.  Jesus responds in a very instructive way, by naming the commandments with which this man is already familiar:  "You know the commandments."  In this way, Jesus both affirms he is already seeking holiness, but leads him toward the desire for a fuller answer.

 

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.   In order to be perfect, one must be willing to sacrifice all and follow Christ, my study bible tells us.  It says that nothing is gained except if that sacrifice is given freely.  But the specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  As wealth had a great grip on this person, his only hope was to sell all and give away his possessions.  According to St. John Chrysostom, my study bible says, giving away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling.  

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter 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 the kingdom of God."   And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."   There are various interpretations of the image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.   Some suggest the possibility that the word was not camel, but the Aramaic word for "rope" sounds alike, and one can see a parallel to "thread" in that image.  Some suggest the "eye of a needle" was a name for a city gate that a camel might get through if first it were stripped of its baggage, which would symbolize wealth and possessions.  In the Talmud there is the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."   My study bible adds that whatever the phrase refers to, it displays the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  It says that this is clearly evidenced by the response of the disciples:  "Who then can be saved?"  Yet through the grace of God, even those things that are impossible for human beings can come to pass.

Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  My study bible explains that Jesus is not commanding believers to divorce spouses or abandon children.  Once again, it cites St. Chrysostom, who says it 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 hoses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but rather in a spiritual sense.  These are the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship of fellowship.  Neither do we leave out of our consciousness the entire communion of saints, angels, and an entire creation that groans and labors with birth pangs for the renewal in Christ (see Romans 8:19-23).

It's important to understand the sense in which we place all things in the hands of God.  According to my study bible, this man -- whom we are told is young elsewhere (see Matthew 19:16-22) -- was too attached to his wealth and possessions.  It seems likely that the hold they have on him is part of his identity in the society.  Those possessions, for a young person, likely tie him to family and position.  So, when we understand Christ's command, I think it's important that we put these things, as well as the difficulty of doing them, in the context of identity.  So often, our call to a closer communion with Christ is all about a willingness to give up something that is cherished not simply because of the comfort it brings us, or the ease in our lives, or any other benefit, but those things also constitute part of what we consider to be our identity.  They are things we rest upon to know and define who we are.   We say to ourselves, for example, "These are my friends," or "this is my home," or "my group."  But in truth, we are often called out of those aspects of identity to a greater or deeper walk in faith, so that we are drawn closer to God.  At times, we might experience a great loss does not come about voluntarily, and that also constitutes a particular loss of identity.  If we lose a job this can easily happen; we may find ourselves stripped of something by which we identified ourselves, both to ourselves and to the world.  When any sort of political event or current state of affairs gets very intense, we find people identifying with political party or country, or one side in a battle, or any other element at play in a significant happening.  To lose faith in someone or something is a painful experience, because it involves a rethinking of the personal identity we have tied up in whatever that is.  Whether it is voluntary or involuntary, when we lose something to which we are attached, we also must adjust to the stripping of notions of identity that go with it.  And therein comes our faith, therein comes Christ.  This young man is attached to his riches.  It's not just that he is rich, but he is defined by it.  He goes away sorrowful, not simply because Christ has asked him to sell all he has and give to the poor, but because the choice is too great for him to make -- and the choice is between his life as that particular rich young man, and a life in Christ.  No matter how much he thinks he wants the eternal life Christ offers, in the end he goes away sorrowful.  Everything comes down to this sort of a choice.  Sooner or later, we come up against a choice about identity that involves what we love and cherish, and that which tells us who we think we are.  This is the profound nature of the call of Christ, which goes deeper than everything else we're attached to.  St. Paul writes, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).  It doesn't matter what we've set our heart on as identity:  that great job or promotion, the big house everybody will admire, the perfect family.  Neither does it matter how nominally "good" that choice is.  The call of Christ will come to ask us, at times, which is more important to us, which place has our loyalty:   our closeness and faith in Christ as identity, or our cherished identity that comes from something else in our lives, and frequently from what we might regard as possessions.  The disciples, over the past several readings, have just been instructed to give up their aims of being "great" in terms of worldly honor and kingdoms and positions of power,  and now here we are presented with this rich young man, who is told to sell what he has and follow Christ.  Let us note that Jesus is not minimizing that sacrifice, nor is He telling this young man lightly what He needs to do.  This is a sincere young man.  The text tells us that Jesus loved him.  There is no telling where a life in Christ, after such a great sacrifice, could have led him.  We certainly know where it led for the apostles, and the honor in which they are held in the Church for all of her history.  It becomes of the greatest importance to consider this rich young man when we find ourselves facing loss in our own life, because in itself this story teaches us to turn to Christ in our emptiness and vulnerability.  We are not stripped bare of possessions for the sake of loss, nor left empty for the sake of emptiness.  Sometimes we may find ourselves facing a loss even through a great tragedy.  But such times become an opportunity for forming and shaping a deeper identity and dependence on Christ, for filling that loss with pure gain.  As Christ said, that gain is "a hundredfold" now and in the age to come.  But we have to be willing first to tolerate that "the first shall be last, and the last first."  That is, there will be times that demand our humility as a way of advancing forward and seeing our way through to the life Christ offers us in place of the past.  We do this with God's help and grace, but He also asks for our cooperation in this work.