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

 

 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on the 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 the 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 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.

 

- Matthew 19:13-22 

 

On Saturday we read that it came to pass, when Jesus had finished His sayings on mutual correction and forgiveness in the Church, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"  And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, '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."  They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"  He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."  His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."  But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

 

  Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on the 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 the and departed from there.  My study Bible comments that the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ both because their manner was "unruly" and also because they thought that, according to Theophylact, children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  Jesus rejects such thinking, and sets little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of heaven.  (See also the readings from Wednesday and Thursday of last week regarding "little ones.")  Therefore, my study Bible notes, children are invited -- even as an example to adults -- to participation in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  

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

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 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?"  My study Bible notes here that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  This man had an earnest desire for eternal life, but sensed that he still lacked something.  So, therefore, he continues to press Jesus for the answer.

 

 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.  In order to be perfect, my study Bible notes, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  There is nothing gained except this sacrifice is freely given.  The specifics of how one will follow Christ, however, will be different for every person.  In this case, wealth had such a grip on this rich young man that his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  According to St. John Chrysostom, 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.  

In tomorrow's reading, we will receive Christ's response and teaching to the disciples regarding this episode of the rich young ruler who seeks eternal life.  In it we will read Jesus' rather astonishing response regarding the pull of wealth, which will astound the disciples.  But for now, let us focus on this young man who comes to Christ with what seems a very earnest seeking for eternal life.  Although the young man does not understand that Christ is divine, he calls Him a good Teacher, which expresses sincerity.  But the great stumbling block here is his possessions, which are great in the description of the Gospel.  Although it is possible to read this passage as if Jesus' pronouncement that the young man must sell all his possessions and give to the poor is something standard and almost flippant, it is really nothing of the kind, as my study Bible and patristic commentary notes.  In Mark's Gospel, we're told that Jesus, "looking at him, loved him," before giving this teaching (see Mark 10:21).  Therefore this teaching to the young man is given by Jesus with love, and what we can understand as the deepest insight for him.  So the emphasis falls here on the type of hold that wealth can have on us, and also that in this case it forms a stumbling block to the young man's salvation, his hope of eternal life for which he asks.  Let us begin by noting that once again Jesus speaks of an exchange here.  He counsels this young man to sell what he has and give to the poor so that he will, instead, have treasure in heaven.  This is an important sense of exchange for each of us in our lives, for it is what taking up our own crosses means.  We make a sacrifice of the things that stand in the way of our own salvation, and in so doing receive the things of the Kingdom, treasure in heaven.  In this case, as my study Bible explains, wealth has such a grip on this person that it will form a stumbling block, and indeed it does, as this young man goes away sorrowful at Christ's teaching, unable to accept it.  We can surmise perhaps that, as we know he is young, his possessions are a hint that he comes from one of the wealthier landowning families, and therefore is connected through family position within the temple and the society.  Therefore his identity is at any rate -- as we can see from his response -- bound up with his wealth.  He considers it too far of a sacrifice for him, even for eternal life.  Possibly Jesus gives him this counsel because in the Church, there will eventually come a time when all of Christ's followers will be persecuted by the religious leadership, and they will necessarily need to make this kind of hard choice to remain in the faith, and part from what they know.  For even the nation, in this sense, will reject Christ at His trial before Pilate.  These are -- or rather they may be for each of us -- the kinds of hard choices that appear for us in following our faith, and therefore taking up our own crosses in order to follow Christ.  These are the sacrifices that come up in a life of faith, where whatever we are asked to sacrifice acts as an attachment and stumbling block to following in faith.  As my study Bible indicates, these things will be different for every person, and can involve just about anything.  But the key, as with this rich young man, is our attachment to them in opposition to the way Christ would ask us to go forward in life toward a deeper communion with Him and the life He offers and asks of us.  In the Bible, we can read of the sacrifices the disciples will undergo themselves as they become apostles and pillars of the Church, having to choose between the deepest ties of earthly life and where they will go as Christ's servants.  Jesus asks of us personal sacrifices in terms of our own habits and proclivities to selfishness as well (see this reading, in which Christ uses the example of amputation necessary to save the whole body).  For these are the ways in which we are transfigured in the image He offers us, to the person He calls us to become more truly as our Lord.  Let us consider how the sacrifices we might be called upon to make draw us more closely to Him and to the life He offers, to treasure in heaven, to more closely following Him.   Note that the young man has already made a great discipline in his life of following the commandments, and this one given by Christ is that which is given if he desires to be perfect.  Perhaps it is an example to us of Christ's teaching, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more" (Luke 12:48).  But then again, Christ has asked the disciples, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"    Today's reading suggests that we must each ask ourselves this same question.

 

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

 

 Then little children were brought to Him 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.

 

- Matthew 19:13-22 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"  And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' said, '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."  They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"  He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."  His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."   But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

 

Then little children were brought to Him 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.  My study Bible cites the commentary of Theophylact, who writes that the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ both because their manner was "unruly" and because they thought children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  Christ rejects this thinking, setting little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, my study Bible notes, children are invited -- even as an example to adults, to participate in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  In a commentary on a similar passage found at Luke 18:15-17, Theophylact writes about the characteristics of little children which suit the kingdom of heaven: "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 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."   My study Bible comments that this man does not 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 designed to lead the rich young man to this knowledge. 

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?"  To observe the commandments formally does not make one righteous before God, my study Bible explains.  This man had an earnest desire to attain eternal life, and sensed that he still lacked something.  So, he continues to press Christ for the answer.

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.  My study Bible says that to be perfect, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  There is nothing gained unless this sacrifice is freely given.  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.  According to St. John Chrysostom, to give away possessions is the least of Jesus' instructions here.  To follow Christ in all things, he says, is a far greater and more difficult calling.  

In tomorrow's reading, Jesus will continue speaking to the disciples about the statements He makes here to the rich young man.  If we note carefully, he's called a rich young ruler in the subtopic notations of our Bibles, and explicitly called a "ruler" in the text of Luke's version of this event (Luke 18:18).  This tells us that he is from one of the ruling parties of the Council, and it possibly makes him one of the landowning classes which formed the Sadducees, traditional aristocrats of the Jerusalem area.  His vast possessions -- at his time and place -- make it likely that his possessions are connected to inheritance, and thus his family name and place within the society.  So the first thing it might be necessary to consider here is that when we think of the importance of his possessions to him, they are deeply tied in to his identity and social position.  So while we may make a simple conclusion that this man was greedy or selfish, that doesn't seem to be the precise conclusion we should draw.  After all, he has already followed the commandments all of his life, which does not indicate a selfish disposition, or a lazy one.  Moreover, in Mark's Gospel, we're told that  "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'" (Mark 10:21).  It seems unlikely that Mark's text would go out of its way to tell us that Jesus loved this person if he had a defective character that was simply selfish or miserly.  Instead, what we are invited to do here is consider both the difficulty and necessity of what Jesus is teaching to one whom He apparently loved.  In other words, Jesus' word -- this difficult assignment -- comes because Jesus loves this young man, and therefore deeply desires to lead him to salvation.  He is not a lost cause, incapable of repentance or change, but one to whom Jesus would desire to open the kingdom of heaven.  In that light, what we find is that the Gospel is calling us to think about why this is difficult and why it is also necessary.  In yesterday's reading and commentary, we displayed the icon of Christ the Bridegroom, because although the topic was ostensibly marriage and divorce, in the traditional understanding of the Church, marriage asks us for sanctifying sacrifice which helps mold character.  Perhaps we are to see today's teaching by Jesus to this young man in the same light.  He also is asked for a sacrifice in order to come to a deeper communion with Christ, to attain the eternal life he seeks.  Sacrifice is not easy; in fact to one whom Jesus loves, and who is obviously dedicated enough to faith to follow the commandments all of his life, perhaps the next great step is just that much more difficult a sacrifice -- to leave his great possessions, which no doubt carry family ties and position within the society, behind him in order to more fully follow Christ and enter into that Kingdom.  Indeed, we will hear the disciples come to terms with their own sacrifices for following Christ as well -- and Jesus will have something to say about what it is that makes such sacrifices possible.  We might also note here that at the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD (within one generation), the entire group of the aristocratic landowning Sadducees would disappear into history, and ponder what this might have meant for this young ruler's future at any rate.  Christ's advice, if taken, would possibly have planted him in the early Church, and stood him in good stead for how to live through such a debacle.  To train one's focus on treasure in heaven rather than treasure on earth would prove no doubt of great value for such circumstances.  At any rate, it was ironically "treasure in heaven" that this rich man still lacked.  But in the meantime, let us stop to consider what we give up in order to become a part of this Kingdom, to participate as deeply as possible in the life of Christ, and to rely upon our faith as we grow in the identity that He offers us instead of what we already know.  In this sense, we are to become like "little children," who follow where Christ would lead them, and we are born again through His guidance and teaching for a new life and new identity. 

 

 

 

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"

 

 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 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 that this man does not come to test Jesus, but instead to seek advice from one whom he considers to be a "good Teacher."  Christ's response does not deny that He is God, but is designed to lead this rich man to such knowledge.

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 suggests that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  It says that this man had an earnest desire for eternal life and sensed that he still lacked something; thus, 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 states that to be perfect (see Matthew 19:21), one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  There is nothing gained unless this 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 notes, his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  According to St. John Chrysostom, the giving away of possessions are the least of Christ's instructions here; to follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling.  Let us note also that Mark's Gospel explicitly tells us that this command was given as Jesus loved him.

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 that have been suggested for the impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  One possibility is that the word was not "camel," but one that sounded similar in Aramaic that meant "rope."  Perhaps the eye of a needle was in fact a city gate, through which a camel might barely squeeze if it were first unloaded of all baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  In the Talmud, my study Bible says, there is an expression used "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  Whatever it is to which the phrase refers, it shows the impossibility of salvation when attached to riches.  My study Bible adds that this is clearly evidenced by the disciples' response, "Who then can be saved?"  But with 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."  My study Bible says that Christ does not command 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.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but in a spiritual one.  That is, the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

Jesus speaks today of what we would immediately term sacrifices.  But He does not do so with the understanding that sacrifice is good for its own sake, or in and of itself.  Rather, in Christ's perspective, there is something far better, infinitely preferable, that is only possible through what we see as sacrifice.  In asking this rich young man, whom we're told that Jesus loved, to sell whatever he has and give to the poor -- and then follow Christ -- He's telling the young man the answer to his question.  He's telling him what he lacked in order to find eternal life.  He's not telling him that he is in some way "bad," neither is He exploiting this young man for some personal, political, or otherwise-motivated reason, and neither is He giving him this advice simply because it would be a good or moral thing to do.  He's telling him how to find the life he wants, because his possessions are actually keeping him from becoming a person who is capable of receiving that eternal life of the Kingdom that he desires.  Effectively, we may say, in accordance with yesterday's reading (above), that Jesus is teaching this young man how he may receive the kingdom of God "as a little child" and in accordance with His teachings.  Let us note carefully here that Jesus addresses His own disciples as "Children," adding, "how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  Note also the word "trust" that Jesus uses here, for this is the root of the word that also indicates "faith" in the Greek of the Bible.    For if we review the perspective we discussed in yesterday's commentary on the attitudes of little children, what we find is the absence of the ways in which money skews our social perspectives, defining worthiness based on cost or material wealth.  Indeed, any attitude of entitlement seems to obscure our capacity to recognize gifts, or the good things others may do for us, even through the love of God, or the love of goodness or generosity.  Possessions mean that we are responsible for them and for their upkeep; the more possessions one has, ostensibly the greater determination of time, attention, and effort must be put into such maintenance.  This, in turn, becomes a part of one's identity.  To be able to give freely and without attachment becomes a part of our capacity to be obedient to God, to help others less fortunate, and particularly to express compassion. We don't know who this rich young man is.  In Luke's version of this story, he's called a "ruler" (Luke 18:18), meaning that he's likely on the ruling Council, and possibly there because of his wealth.  He's young, so there's good reason to assume the wealth is inherited.  Although his intentions are good, he can't see past the possessions enough to give them up (something which would be difficult for any of us!), even for the promise of eternal life.  Moreover, what Christ is teaching here is that His commands are for our good, and there is nothing that should come between those commands and what is best for us.  He warns the disciples, "Our loyalty to Christ must come first.  As St. Chrysostom says, this command isn't the hardest one Christ could give; to follow Him in all things is harder.  And quite possibly, this is the new command necessary specifically for this rich young ruler.  As we see, the rest of the disciples speak of what they have given up to follow Christ, almost as an afterthought or recognition in light of this teaching.  But Jesus assures them that we have far more in our faith, and there we come to a substance we haven't named.  That substance is meaning.  It is beauty, goodness, and truth itself.  The concept of eternal life may be something hard to grasp, but the substance of our souls is not.  If we've got something troubling our conscience, we know that this colors the quality of our lives.  If we have sunk down into growing selfishness, or observed others do so, we can see also what this does to a person's life.  In considering such things, we should keep in mind that what Jesus is trying to do is to save this man's life, to save it for what will bring him a greater joy even than what he has.  Let us think, then, where our own greatest joy might be.  In our heart of hearts, who is the person Christ has created us to be, and to realize in our lives?  If we can help to redeem a world, would it give us gratitude and satisfaction for such a good mission in life, or its accomplishment?  If we give up the responsibility we feel to maintain wealth and position, and pleased Christ instead first, would that make our lives more fulfilled, less anxious, more greatly blessed?  These are the important question to consider.  Perhaps the greatest choice of all is something hidden, and that is the question of our freedom  For in being free to follow Christ, we will find the most thrilling freedom of all to choose, set apart from the demands the world would place upon us.  Let us consider each of these things carefully, and in our prayers commit to Christ and His freedom in our hearts.  For that is how we'll find His commands specifically and personally to us.  Treasure in heaven may sound far away and unknown; but the reality is that it is truly in our hearts, with us and with our faith.

 

 

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

 

 Then little children were brought to Him 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.

 

- Matthew 19:13-22 

 

On Saturday we read that Jesus departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"  And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male female,' and said, '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."  They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"  He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."  His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."  But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

 

  Then little children were brought to Him 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.  My study Bible cites Theophan's commentary, who says that the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ both because their manner was "unruly" and because they thought children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  But Christ rejects this thinking, and He sets little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore children are invited -- even as an example to adults -- to participate in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  See also this reading in which Christ gave a little child as an example to the disciples. 

 

 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."   My study Bible says that this an does not come to test Jesus, but to seek advice from one whom he considers to be no more than a good Teacher.  Jesus' response doesn't deny that He is God, but it is designed to lead this rich man to that knowledge.  It is also an expression of humility -- even by God Incarnate.

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?"   My study Bible comments that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  It notes that 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.  

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.  To be perfect, my study Bible says, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  Nothing is gained unless this sacrifice is given freely.  It's important to understand 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 tells us 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.

 

 There are a number of times where Christ emphasizes mercy over sacrifice in the Gospels.  In chapter 9 of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus has called Matthew the tax collector to "Follow Me," and makes him a disciple.  He is later eating in Matthew's home, together with many "tax collectors and sinners."  The Pharisees see this and complain, asking His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"  Jesus replies, quoting from the prophet Hosea, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.   But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'  For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" (see Matthew 9:9-13, Hosea 6:6).  So, in the context of His teachings, it is interesting that in today's reading, the rich young man (whom Mark tells us Christ loved) indicates that he has followed the commandments Jesus names all of his life, and asks what he still lacks.  But instead of telling him some other thing to do, a commandment to follow, a kind of good deed to add upon his already good life, Jesus tells him to give something up, to make a sacrifice.  He doesn't really lack anything, but he does need to give something away, and that is the great wealth that is clearly a stumbling block for him, that gets in the way of his relationship to God.  We see this by the fact that he is unwilling to let go of it in order to fully follow Christ's commands.  So, in this case, it is a sacrifice that is called for as something he "lacks."  But it is not sacrifice per se that Christ wants.  What He wants is for this young man, whom He loved, to fully rely on God and the to which He will be called as a disciple of Christ, even before the great wealth with which he is blessed.  Clearly (or so it seems to me) his wealth has a hold on his identity.  Luke tells us that he is a "ruler" (Luke 18:18), indicating a significant position in the society.  Possibly he is among the ruling parties in the temple, a young man whose family inheritance is linked to such a position.   In that case, to give away his wealth to the poor is more than a question of simply making a sacrifice of wealth, but identity is linked to that wealth -- status, and family, and one's place in the culture and society.  What it tells us is a deep and radical truth about Christ, that so often God may ask us to start from "zero," so to speak, from "nothing" in terms of who we are in God's sight, in making us into the people God calls us to become.  So often, as is our inclination, we think we are the ones who want to call the shots to God; we will accept to love God so long as we can have this or that, or retain this thing that particularly is ours, so long as worship fits into our lives in the particular way we want it to.  But a deep calling from God goes deeper than the surface, even more than our nominal identities and the things we think are "sacred" to us, the things that define who we are to ourselves.  This young man's wealth no doubt connects him also to family and relationships deeply structured in the society.  When Jesus gives the example to the disciples of cutting off eye or hand or foot (see this reading) in order to avoid abuse of their power in the future Church over the "little ones," He's speaking figuratively about things they might think are essential to themselves, but which they will have to discard in order to be good stewards and shepherds over His flock.  The "hand" or "eye" or "foot" refers to a type of behavior, such as covetousness, or abuse of power, that must be done away with in order to fulfill their roles He chooses for them.  We don't know the place this young ruler whom Jesus loved would have in His Church as one of His disciples.  But we do know what Christ asks him to give up first in order to be free to follow Him, and that is a tall order.  It proves to be too much for the young man.  The possibilities are seemingly endless for us to speculate on why Christ asks him to do this.  One thing is clear, it would lead to complete dependence upon God for life, for identity, for sustenance, and lay a radical foundation down upon which Christ could build the identity of the disciple.   At any rate, what we should keep in mind os that there are times in our lives when we are asked truly to sacrifice in order to receive our place in Christ's Church, in His economy of salvation.  As a devout Jew, this young man likely already followed every command regarding help to the poor, donation to the temple, and the nominal ways that already existed in which people were called to share wealth.  But Christ calls him here not simply to help the poor, but to make a radical break in his life.  As St. John Chrysostom's commentary on this passage indicates, this is the least of His instructions, the beginning of the call to discipleship, and that each one will be called differently.  In tomorrow's reading, Jesus will expand with a famous phrase regarding the difficulty for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.  But let us keep in mind the consistency of Christ's teachings.  Everything begins with humility; and for this young man, wealth holds such a grip on who he is that he cannot part with his wealth, even for the eternal life he so desires.  Christ's command gives him a way to become like the "little children" about whom He says, "of such is the kingdom of heaven."   Let us consider the ways in which we might be asked to give up what we think we can't live without, and the life beyond in which we are changed, strengthened, transformed.

 

 

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 and the disciples departed from Capernaum and came to the region of Judea by the other side (east) 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 notes that this man does not come to test Jesus, but rather to seek advice from one whom he considers to be no more than a good Teacher.  Jesus' response is not to deny that He is God, but 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,' '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 formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  It says that 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.  It's very important that Mark tells us that Jesus loved him.  Therefore His next word to the man, to "sell whatever you have and give to the poor," and have treasure in heaven, and to take up the cross, and follow Him, is a product of Christ's love.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus tells him to do these things "if you want to be perfect."   To "be perfect," my study Bible comments, one must willing sacrifice all and follow Christ.  Nothing is gained unless this is a sacrifice which is given freely.  The specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person, it says.  As wealth had such a great grip on this rich man (and his identity), his only hope was to sell and give away all of his possessions.  In the commentary of St. John Chrysostom on the similar passage in Matthew, he tells us that to give away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Christ 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 various interpretations have been suggested for the impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  For example, that the word was not camel, but "rope" (which sounds similar in Aramaic); or that the eye of a needle was a city gate through which a camel might barely squeeze if it were first unloaded of all of its baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  In the Talmud there is the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  Whatever this phrase is referring to, it shows the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  This is clearly evidenced, my study Bible says, by the disciples' response, "Who then can be saved?"  But by God's grace, 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."  My study Bible comments that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  St. John Chrysostom says that this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but rather in a spiritual sense -- the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.

What do possessions mean to this man?  Certainly the disciples understand the great difficulty of salvation as reflected in today's story, as indicated by their question to Jesus, "Who then can be saved?"  The disciples, also, would go on to leave family and possessions behind for the sake of the gospel.  But this young man, whom we're told Jesus loved, is clearly tied to his possessions in a way that makes it impossible for him to think about parting from them.  Perhaps his whole identity, including that of his family and place in society, is likely bound up in those possessions, as we might assume they take the form of inherited wealth and property.  He is sincere, but the sacrifice Christ asks of him is something from which he doesn't want to part, and is dear enough so that he cannot make this decision.   If we look with a close eye on this text, we see that Jesus is reminding the disciples of words that He's said to them before:  "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."   In Monday's reading, we were told that the disciples were disputing among themselves while they were on the road about who would be greatest in the kingdom which they no doubt expect will be established by Jesus as an earthly kingdom of Israel.  Jesus said to them then, ""If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."   He then went on to vividly illustrate (in Tuesday's reading) the kinds of sacrifices they would have to be willing to make to be truly great in His Kingdom, and as those who will serve His Church as its leaders.  So, with this statement that "many who are first will be last, and the last first," He's reminding them of the sacrifices it takes to fully enter this Kingdom, and what will characterize those who will be "first" in it.  It is the attitude necessary for those who will be its most prominent members, its greatest and "first."  St. Peter adds a sobering statement that seems to take all of the apostles to the recollection of what their lives are now about, that they have left all and followed Him.  But then Jesus promises the "hundredfold" bounty of the Kingdom, the reality of His promise.  For me, this reality has proven true; although disappointed in "earthly" family or life in many ways, I have found great treasure in the Church, including the joy shared with many brothers and sisters and the love between them which is given by Christ, houses of worship numerous and more beautiful than one could have imagined, the glory of the saints and the illuminated beauty of holy books and holy art, and all the richness found in the Church in so many ways, so many languages, so many countless believers.  This is the glory of God and the Kingdom that we are given, but it does come with a responsibility, that we are asked to mature in Christ, to be willing to give up the things He wants us to leave behind, including those things that would seem to define our identity, things even that are precious to us.  As He illustrates in Tuesday's reading by speaking about amputation of hand, or eye, or foot, there are things that seem to be so deeply a part of us that they are inseparable, and yet we must decisively leave them behind.  These include selfish habits, those that hurt others, or in the case of this young man, the wealth that so has him in its grip, especially while he is yet unaware of the great joy to be found in faith in Christ.  Jesus does not minimize the difficulty!  We can be assured that He understands what He asks of each of us, and our own struggles in faith.  And yet, He calls us forward with Him, where all things become possible.

Who then can be saved?

 

 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 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 writes that this man doesn't 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 is designed to lead the rich man to this knowledge.  To observe the commandments formally does not make a person righteous before God, it adds.  This man had an earnest desire for eternal life, and he sensed that he still lacked something.  Therefore, he continues 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.  This man lacks one thing.  To be perfect, my study Bible says, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  Nothing is gained unless the 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, his only hope is to sell and give away his possessions.  St. John Chrysostom comments that giving away possessions is the least of the instructions Jesus gives 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 explains 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 "rope" (which sounds similar in Aramaic); or that the eye of a needle was actually the name of a city gate through which a camel might squeeze if it were first unloaded of all of its baggage, symbolizing wealth.  There is even an expression in the Talmud:  "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  But whatever the phrase indicates, it is an expression of the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached the riches.  Clearly the disciples understand it, as we can see from their response:  "Who then can be saved?"  But, my study Bible says, with God's grace, even what is impossible to 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 remarks that Christ does not command believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  St. John Chrysostom suggests that this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  It also means that one must accept that unbelieving family members may cut off tie 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 senses, my study Bible explains, but in a spiritual sense:  the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

When Peter says, "See, we have left all and followed You," he is indicating the start of a new life in the faith of Christ.  While the apostles themselves clearly have taken on this new life in an extraordinary way, following a life of faith can offer to all of us a number of ways in which we take up a "new life" in Christ.  We often overlook that Jesus does not merely tell this man to sell all that He has and to follow Him.  He says to him, "Come, take up the cross, and follow Me" (italics added by me for emphasis).  The story of the Cross is the story of transformation and new life.  It is the story of death and Resurrection:  dying to an old way of life in some way, and a resurrection in the new life offered by Christ.  What Jesus recommends for this rich young man, whom He loved we are told, is necessary for him to break away from his old life.  Possessions take a powerful hold on people to the point at which they themselves become identified with the possessions.  Possibly this rich young man who kneels before him is a person with titles and property, and great inherited wealth.  This would suggest that family, titles, position and all the rest that goes with his great possessions defines who he is within the society.  What Christ asks us is to find our identity in our devotion to Him.  This does not mean that we will all be asked to make the kind of radical external transformations that the disciples have done, or that this particular man is asked to make.  But in one way and another, we might find that our faith asks of us to make some hard choices, especially around the things we are more attached to than we are attached to Christ.  As my study Bible indicates, there will be relationships tested:  there are those that are healthy and support our faith and what is best for us in life; but there might also be those that do the opposite, that seek to take us in a direction that is harmful or self-destructive or abusive, and therefore not supported by our faith and what is best for us.  There are relationships -- and attachment to possessions -- that will take us in a destructive path, one that limits who we are and excludes where our faith would lead us.  Whatever it is, a life of faith and prayer will often lead us to make changes in life, choices that others around us won't necessarily be happy with or expect of us.  These are the sacrifices of the cross.  But Jesus also asks us to see the new life in Him and the blessings of that life, the new way forward and beyond what we know.  There are times when the cross we bear seems like a terrible burden; the things we are asked to choose seem unbearable in terms of the disruptions they may cause in life, or family members that make the strange changes in us seem like onerous trauma.  We may no longer go along with what they want of us, or easily accept ways of life that are in some way abusive or harmful.  But we mustn't let this bearing of our cross obscure the great blessings we are given -- even when it's hard to see the forest for the trees.  Peter begins to ask from this perspective on behalf of all of the disciples, "See, we have left all and followed You," just as the bewildered disciples earlier ask one another, "Who then can be saved?"  These responses reassure us that even those who will be the pillars of His Church have had the same responses we do, and borne the same difficulties in carrying their own crosses.  Yet each serves as an example of devotion, having found throughout their own lives the great rewards and richness of life that made them continue in service to Christ, to the Church, and in faith.  So each of us will find the rewards of a life in Christ, a life of prayer and the blessings that come with our own cross.  For He calls us forward, not back, to a life of rewards beyond what we leave behind, and it is there we also will find our own resurrection in Him.  St. Paul indicates this is a daily process when he writes, "I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31).  Each day we give our lives to Him in prayer and worship, and we find our way forward; this is the life of the Cross.  Let us walk in His light and find His blessed way of life for ourselves.

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.