18-30. <\/strong> The Great Refusal. The Young Ruler who loved Riches more than Christ.<\/p>\n 18<\/strong>. a certain ruler<\/em> ] St Matthew (Mat 19:20<\/span>) only calls him “a young man.” He was probably the young and wealthy ruler of a synagogue. The touch added by St Mark (Luk 10:17<\/span>), that he suddenly ran up and fell on his knees before Him, seems to imply that he was eager to catch the opportunity of speaking to Jesus before He started on a journey, probably the journey from the Peraean Bethany, beyond Jordan (Joh 10:41-42<\/span>), to the Bethany near Jerusalem, to raise Lazarus.<\/p>\n Good Master<\/em> ] This title was an impropriety, almost an impertinence; for the title ‘good’ was never addressed to Rabbis by their pupils. Therefore to address Jesus thus was to assume a tone almost of patronage. Moreover, as the young Ruler did not look on Jesus as divine, it was to assume a false standpoint altogether.<\/p>\n what shall I do to inherit eternal life?<\/em> ] In St Matthew the question runs, ‘what good<\/em> thing shall I do?’ Here, again, the young ruler betrays a false standpoint, as though ‘eternal life’ were to be won by quantitative works, or by some single act of goodness, by doing<\/em> and not by being.<\/em> It was indeed the fundamental error of his whole class. Rom 9:32<\/span>.<\/p>\n Luk 18:18-30<\/span><\/p>\n Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?<\/em><\/p>\n —<\/p>\n The rich youths address to Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> The question itself was of supreme importance. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> The question was a personal one. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> The question was put at an interesting period of life. <\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> The question was put by one who possessed an abundance of riches.<\/p>\n 5.<\/strong> The question was put with feelings of great modesty and respect. <\/p>\n 6.<\/strong> The question was put with great sincerity and earnestness of spirit.<\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> He evidently expected salvation by the works of the law. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> He was held in bondage by one reigning idol. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> He was unwilling to yield to the extensive requirements of the Saviour. <\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> The exceeding deceitfulness of earthly riches. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> That we may go far in religious practices, and yet not be saved. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> We are in great danger from spiritual deception. <\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> Religion requires a total surrender of ourselves to God. (J. Burns, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Thou knowest the commandments<\/strong><\/p>\n Keep the commandments<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> The man was ignorant of Christs real character. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> He expected life as the reward of his own merit. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> He was not sincerely willing to sacrifice anything for the kingdom of heavens sake. <\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> Convince us of sin. There is no doubt, that we ought to keep the commandments. But, have we done so? <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> Drive us to Christ as a Refuge. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> Guide the steps of the justified believer. The curse of the law it at an end–not its obligation. (J. Jowett, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Yet lackest thou one thing<\/strong><\/p>\n One weak spot<\/strong><\/p>\n When Jesus tells us that we cannot be His disciples so long as we lack one thing, does He mean that we must have supplied every moral defect, must have attained every grace, must have vanquished every spiritual enemy, and, in fact, have ceased to sin, before we can be His disciples? That would be simply saying that none of us can hope to be a Christian unless he is morally perfect; and that of course involves the converse, that every true Christian is thus morally perfect, The shock this statement gives to our common sense, and its manifest contradiction of the whole drift of the New Testament, at once drives us from any such interpretation. We find a consistent meaning, I suppose, if we understand Him as declaring that no heart is really Christianized, or converted, so long as there is any one conscious, deliberate, or intentional reservation from entire obedience to the Divine will. So that if I say, Here is one particular sin which I must continue to practise; all the rest of my conduct I freely conform to Gods law, but this known wrong I must continue to do–then I am no Christian. If you single out some one chosen indulgence, however secret–a dubious custom in business, a fault of the tongue or temper–and, placing y our hand over that, reply to the all-searching commandment of the Most High, This I cannot let go; this is too sweet to me, or too profitable to me, or too tightly inter woven with my constitutional predilections, or too hard to be put off–then the quality of a disciple is not in you. There is a portion of your being which you do not mean, or try, to consecrate to heaven. And that single persistent offence vitiates the whole character. It keeps you, as a man, as a whole man, on the self side or world-side, and away from Christs side. For it not only shuts off righteousness from one district of your nature, and so abridges the quantity of your life, but it inflicts the much more radical damage of denying the supremacy of the law of righteousness, and thus corrupts the quality. It practically rejects the heavenly rule when that rule crosses the private inclination. And that is the essence of rebellion. (Bishop F. D. Huntington.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The test-point<\/strong><\/p>\n When Jesus spoke thus of one thing fatally lacking to the Jewish ruler, He spoke to us all. But with this difference: that one subtle passion which spoils the whole character for us may not be his passion. With him it seems to have been avarice; he could not bear to turn his private property into public charity. His religion broke down just there: in other respects he had done admirably; he had kept other commandments to the letter–aye, to the letter; not perhaps in the spirit, for all true obedience has one spirit. But so far his literal, formal obedience came, and there gave out. But then you may happen to be so constituted that such an abandonment of wealth would be a very small sacrifice–one of the least that could be required of you; you are not naturally sordid; you are more inclined to be prodigal; and so this would not be a test-point with you. But there is a test-point about you somewhere. Perhaps it is pride; you cannot bear an affront; you will not confess a fault. Perhaps it is personal vanity, ready, to sacrifice everything to display. Perhaps it is a sharp tongue. Perhaps it is some sensual appetite, bent on its unclean gratification. Then you are to gather up your moral forces just here, and till that darling sin is brought under the practical law of Christ, you are shut out from Christs kingdom. I have no right to love anything so well that I cannot give it up for God. God knows where the trial must be applied. And we are to know that wherever it is applied, there is the one thing lacking, unless we can say Thy will be done, and bear it. The gospel does not propose itself as an easy system–easy in the sense of excusing from duty. Were we not right then, in the ground taken at the outset, that the power of Christianity over the character is proved by the thoroughness of its action rather than by the extent of surface over which its action spreads? It displays its heavenly energy in dislodging the one cherished sin, in breaking down the one entrenched fortress that disputes its sway. At the battle of Borodino, Napoleon saw that there was no such thing as victory till he had carried the great central redoubt on the Russian line. Two hundred guns and the choicest of his battalions were poured against that single point, and when the plumes of his veterans gleamed through the smoke on the highest embrasures of that volcano of shot, he knew the field was won. It matters very little that we do a great many things morally irreproachable, so long as there is one ugly disposition that hangs obstinately hack. It is only when we come to a point of real resistance that we know the victory of faith overcoming the world. Finally, our renewing and redeeming religion delights to reach down to the roots of the sin that curses us, and spread its healing efficacy there. It yearns to yield us the fulness of its blessing; and this it knows it cannot do till it brings the heart under the completeness of its gentle captivity to Christ. Submission first; then peace, and joy, and love. Jesus beholding him, loved him; yet sent him away sorrowing. How tender, and yet how true! tender in the sad affection–true to the stern unbending sacrifice of the Cross! It is because He would have us completely happy that He requires a complete submission. One thing must not be left lacking. Whosoever would enter into the full strength and joy of a disciple must throw his whole heart upon the altar. (Bishop F. D. Huntington.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n How hardly shall they that have riches enter<\/strong><\/p>\n The danger of riches<\/strong><\/p>\n Rather, if one asked, What peril have riches? one might ask, What peril have they not? First, then, they are wholly contrary to the life of Christ and His passion. That cannot be the safe, the happy lot, which is in all things most opposite to His. Unlike Him, we must ever here be; for we are sinners, He alone, as man, was holy; we are His creatures, He our God. But can it be safe not to be aiming, herein also, to be less unlike? Can it be safe to choose that which in all its pomp and glory was brought before His eye as man, to be wholly rejected by Him; to choose what He rejected, and shrink back from what He chose? This, then, is the first all-containing peril of riches. They are, in themselves, contrary to the Cross of Christ. I speak not now of what they may be made. As we, being enemies, were, through the Cross, made friends, so may all things, evil and perilous in themselves, except sin, become our friends. The Cross finds us in desolation, and they, He says, have received their consolation; it finds us in evil things, and they are surrounded by their good things; it comes in want, and they have abundance; in distress, and they are at ease; in sorrow, and they are ever tempted even to deaden their sorrows in this worlds miserable joys. Happy only in this, that He who chasteneth whom He loveth, sprinkles His own healthful bitterness over lifes destructive sweetness, and by the very void and emptiness of vanity calls forth the unsatisfied soul no more to spend money on that which is not bread, or its labour on that which satisfieth not. But if it be so hard for the rich to seek to bear the cross, it must be hard for them truly to love Him who bore it. Love longeth to liken itself to that it loves. It is an awful question, my brethren; but how can we love our Lord if we suffer not with Him? <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> Then it is another exceeding peril of riches and ease that they may tend to make us forget that here is not our home, Men on a journey through a strangers, much more an enemys, and linger not. Their hearts are in their home; thither are their eyes set; they love the winds which have blown over it; they love the very hills which look upon it, even while they hide it; days, hours, and minutes pass quickly or slowly as they seem to bring them near to it; distance, time, weariness, strength, all are counted only with a view to this, are they nearer to the faces they love? can they, when shall they reach it? What then, my brethren, if our eyes are not set upon the everlasting hills, whence cometh our help? what if we cherish not those inward breathings which come to us from our heavenly home, hushing, refreshing, restoring, lifting up our hearts, and bidding us flee away and be at rest? What if we are wholly satisfied, and intent on things present? can we be longing for the face of God? or can we love Him whom we long not for? or do we long for Him, if we say not daily, When shall I come and appear before the presence of God? <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> Truly there is not one part of the Christian character which riches, in themselves, do not tend to impair. Our Lord placed at the head of evangelic blessings, poverty of spirit, and, as a help to it and image of it, the outward body of the soul of true poverty, poverty of substance too. <\/p>\n The only riches spoken of in the New Testament, except as a woe, are the unsearchable riches of the glory and grace of Christ, the riches of the goodness of God, the depth of the riches of His wisdom, or the riches of liberality, whereto deep poverty abounded. <\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> Poverty is, at least, a fostering nurse of humility, meekness, patience, trust in God, simplicity, sympathy with the sufferings of our Lord or of its fellow (for it knows the heart of those who suffer). What when riches, in themselves, hinder the very grace of mercifulness which seems their especial grace, of which they are the very means? What wonder that they cherish that brood of snakes, pride, arrogance, self-pleasing, self-indulgence, self-satisfaction, trust in self, forgetfulness of God, sensuality, luxury, spiritual sloth, when they deaden the heart to the very sorrows they should relieve? And yet it is difficult, unless, through self-discipline, we feel some suffering, to sympathize with those who suffer. Fulness of bread deadens love. As a rule, the poor show more mercy to the poor out of their poverty, than the rich out of their abundance. But if it be a peril to have <\/em>riches, much more is it to seek <\/em>them. To have them is a trial allotted to any of us by God; to seek them is our own. Through trials which He has given us He will guide us; but where has He promised to help us in what we bring upon ourselves? In all this I have not spoken of any grosser sins to which the love of money gives birth: of what all fair men would condemn, yet which, in some shape or other, so many practise. Such are, hardness to the poor or to dependents; using a brothers services for almost nought, in order to have more to spend in luxury; petty or more grievous frauds; falsehood, hard dealing, taking advantage one of another, speaking evil of one another, envying one another, forgetting natural affection. And yet in this Christian land many of these are very common. Holy Scripture warns us all not to think ourselves out of danger of them. (E. B. Pusey, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The deceitfulness of riches<\/strong><\/p>\n Notice the deceitfulness of all kinds of riches. Riches may corrupt the very simplest of you. Take care. How many men have received hold of the gallows and hanged themselves just through the deceitfulness of riches. We could trace the history of many a man, and see how he died in the bank, that great mortuary. The man began simply, and was a right genial soul. He brought with him morning light and fresh air wherever he came; and as for cases of poverty, his hand knew the way to his pocket so well that he could find that pocket in the dark. As for religious services, he was there before the door was opened. He never thought the Sabbath day too long. He loved the sanctuary, and was impatient until the gates were opened unto him. He even went to the weekevening services. But then he was only a working man, and only working men should go out into the night air! What does it matter about a few working men being killed by the east wind? The man whose course we are tracing doubled his income and multiplied it by five, and then doubled it again, and then found that he must give up the prayer-meeting. Certainly. Then he proceeded to double his income, and then he gave up the Sunday evening service. There was a draught near where he sat, or there was some person in the third pew from his the appearance of whom he could not bear. How dainty my lord is becoming! Oh, what a nostril he has for evil savour! He will leave presently altogether. He will not abruptly leave, but he will simply not come back again, which really means practically the same thing. He will attend in the morning, and congratulate the poor miserable preacher on the profit of the service. Did he mean to do this when he began to get a little wealthier? Not he. Is he the same man he used to be! No. Is he nearer Christ? He is a million universes away from Christ. He is killed by wealth. He trusted in it, misunderstood, misapplied it. It is not wealth that has ruined him, but his misconception of the possible uses of wealth. He might have been the leader of the Church. There was a lady, whose husbands personalty was sworn at millions, who was unable to attend one of the ladies meetings organized for the purpose of making garments for the poor, and she said that she could no longer attend, and therefore her subscription would lapse. Let it lapse. If it were a case in connection with this Church I would not have named it. It is because distance of space and time enable me to refer to it without identification that I point the moral, and say that where such wealth is, or such use of wealth, there is rottenness of soul. (J. Parker, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n You cannot take your riches with you into the kingdom if you are going to trust in them<\/strong><\/p>\n If you are going to offer them to Christ and sanctify them to His use, let us know of it. You cannot bring your intellectual pride with you. If you are going to consecrate your intellect to the study of the profoundest mysteries, if you are going to cultivate the child-like spirit–for the greater the genius the greater the modesty–bring it all! You can bring with you nothing of the nature of patronage to Christ. It is because He has so little, He has so much; because He is so weak, He is so strong. You cannot compliment Him: He lies beyond the range of eulogy. We reach Him by His own way–sacrifice, self-immolation, transformation. A great mystery, outside of words and all their crafty uses, but a blessed, conscious, spiritual experience. Blessed are those to whom that experience is a reality. (J. Parker, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Who, then, can be saved?<\/strong>—<\/em><\/p>\n Who, then, can be saved?<\/strong><\/p>\n The difficulties of salvation, however, do not arise from the want of power in God, for nothing is too hard for Him; He can as easily save a world as He could at first create one. Nor does it arise from any want of sufficiency in Christ, for He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him; yes, to the uttermost of our desires and necessities, and in the last extremity. The difficulties therefore arise from the nature of salvation itself, and our sinful aversion to It. <\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> The truths to be believed are some of them very mysterious, and, as Peter says, Hard to be understood. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> The sacrifices to be made are also in some degree painful. That which cost our Saviour so much must surely cost us something. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> The dispositions to be exercised are such as are contrary to the natural bias of our depraved hearts. <\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> The duties to be performed. Is there no difficulty more especially in renouncing a customary or constitutional evil, and keeping ourselves from our own iniquity? <\/p>\n 5.<\/strong> The trouble and danger to which religion exposes its professors. <\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> Such shall be saved as are appointed to it. Of some it is said, God hath chosen them to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> Those shall be saved who are truly desirous of it. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> Those who come to Christ for salvation shall be sure to obtain it. <\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> Such as endure to the end shall be saved. (B. Beddome, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Lo, we have left all and followed Thee<\/strong><\/p>\n The happiness of self-denial<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> In the first place, it does not consist in giving up one temporal and personal good for a greater temporal and personal good. For this is self-gratifying instead of self-denying. Any entirely selfish person would be willing to do this. One man will sacrifice his property to gratify his ambition, which he esteems a greater good. Another man will sacrifice his property to gratify his appetite, which he esteems a greater good. Another will sacrifice his property to gratify his revenge, which he esteems a greater good. But none of these persons, in these cases, exercise the least self-denial. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> Nor, secondly, does self-denial consist in giving up a less temporal and personal good for a greater personal and eternal good. The most corrupt and selfish men in the world are willing to give up any or all their temporal and personal interests for the sake of obtaining future and eternal happiness. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> But, thirdly and positively, self-denial consists in giving up our own good for the good of others. Such self-denial stands in direct contrariety to selfishness. <\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> The nature of true self-denial. It consists, as we have seen, in giving up a less private or personal good for a greater public good; or in giving up our own good for the greater good of others. And this necessarily implies disinterested benevolence, which is placing our own happiness in the greater happiness of others. When a man gives up his own happiness to promote the greater happiness of another, he does it freely and voluntarily, because he takes more pleasure in the greater good of another than in a less good of his own. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> Those who have denied themselves the most have found the greatest happiness resulting from their self denial. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> The great and precious promises which are expressly made to self denial by Christ Himself. <\/p>\n Conclusion: <\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> It appears, then, that self-denial is necessarily a term or condition of salvation. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> It appears, also, that the doctrine cannot be carried too far. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> If Christianity requires men to exercise true self denial, then the Christian religion is not a gloomy, but a joyful, religion. It affords a hundredfold more happiness than any other religion can afford. <\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> It appears from the nature of that self-denial which the gospel requires that the more sinners become acquainted with the gospel, the more they are disposed to hate it and reject it. All sinners are lovers of their own selves, and regard their own good supremely and solely, and the good of others only so far as it tends to promote their own private, personal, and selfish good. <\/p>\n 5.<\/strong> It appears from the nature of that self-denial which the gospel requires why sinners are more willing to embrace any false scheme of religion than the true. (N. Emmons, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Christian discipleship<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> We cannot hold this relationship to the Son of God without believing the testimony given concerning Him, in the Scriptures. <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> Believing in Christ, we must be excited to a practical obedience to His commands, and an imitation of the excellences displayed as an example to man. <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> That same principle of faith will excite also to public profession of the Saviours name, and active exertion in His cause. <\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> Combine in your own characters the principles and the conduct to which we have now adverted. Believe on the Son of God; give an obedience to His perceptive will, and imitate the excellences He displayed; profess publicly that you will be His, and be active and zealous in the promotion of His designs; and then will you indeed and honourably be among those who follow Him. <\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> The Saviour promises advantage to be possessed in the present life. In following Christ, we are blessed with repose of conscience; we are exalted to fellowship with God; we are endowed with capacities for improving in the knowledge of mysteries, identified with the highest welfare of our being; we become the companions of the excellent of the earth, and the innumerable company of angels; we are urged to a rapid increase in the graces which dignify the character, and are a pledge of the sublimity of the final destiny; we are supplied with strong consolation for sorrow, and firm support for death; and prospects are opened which stretch away to the immensities of immortality. Are not these a hundredfold? Here is the pearl of great price: and well may we resolve to be as the merchant, and sell or forsake all we have, and buy it! <\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> The Saviour promises advantage to be possessed in the life to come. It is a wise regulation in the decisions of Providence, that our chief reward is reserved for another state of existence. The Almighty intends that, in this world, our lives shall be those of trial; and that the stability of our graces should be proved, by the rigid and sometimes painful discipline to which we are exposed. (J. Parsons.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Christian relationships<\/strong><\/p>\n Homes, parents, brethren, wives, children, are things to be desired, because they call forth the highest and purest affections, the exercise of which sheds abroad in the heart the highest and sweetest human joy and satisfaction. Now a mans conversion to the faith of Christ, though it at times, perhaps almost always, estranged him from a heathen home and family, gave him another home, and a far wider family, attached to him in far firmer and closer, and withal more holy bonds, and these were brethren and sisters, fathers and mothers in Christ. The exercise of purified love and affection, and, we may add, reverence towards these, would diffuse through his heart a far holier and deeper joy than he had ever experienced in his former unholy heathen state. Take, for instance, the last chapter of the Epistle to the Romans; look at the number of Christians to whom the apostle sent salutation. In no one case were these salutations a mere heartless form. In every case they were accompanied by the overflow of Christian love, by memories of how they had laboured and suffered together in the same holy cause; in most cases, perhaps, they were the greetings of a father to his children in the faith. What a sea of satisfaction and holy joy does all this disclose! And so it was, though, of course, in different degrees, and under various forms, with every Christian who had given up any worldly advantage for Christs sake. (M. F. Sadler.<\/em>)<\/p>\n Verse 18. – 23<\/span>. A certain ruler<\/B><\/I>] See the case of this person largely explained on Mt 19:16-22<\/span>, and Mr 10:21-22<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n We have met with this story at large, Mat 19:16-26<\/span>; and with (if not the same) very like to it. Mar 10:17-27<\/span>. See Poole on “Mat 19:16<\/span>“, and following verses to Mat 19:26<\/span>. See Poole on “Mar 10:17<\/span>“, and following verses to Mar 10:17<\/span>. The history is of great use to us. <\/P> 1. To show how far a man may go, that yet is a great way short of a truly good and spiritual state. He may know that nothing in this life will make him perfectly happy. He may desire eternal life, and salvation. He may go a great way in keeping the commandments of God, as to the letter of them. He may come to the ministers of the gospel to be further instructed. But herein he will fail, he will not come to Christ that he may have life, but fancy he should do something meritorious of it; he doth not aright understand the law, and that there is no going to heaven that way, but by the perfect observation of it, and therefore fancies himself in a much better state than he is. <\/P> 2. It instructs us in this, that there is no coming to heaven by works, but by a full and perfect obedience to the whole revealed will of God. <\/P> 3. That every hypocrite hath some lust or other, in which he cannot deny himself. This rulers lust was his immoderate love of the world, and the things thereof. <\/P> 4. That it is a mighty difficult thing for any persons, but especially such as have great possessions on earth, to get to heaven. <\/P> 5. As difficult and almost impossible as it may appear to men, yet nothing is impossible with God. He can change the heart of the rich, and incline it to himself; as well as the, heart of the poor. The rich man hath more impediments; but be men rich or poor, without the powerful influence of God upon the heart, without his free grace, no soul will be saved. <\/P> <\/p>\n And a certain ruler asked him<\/strong>,…. A young man,<\/p>\n Mt 19:20<\/span> a ruler among the Jews, a civil magistrate, and a very rich man; he ran after Jesus, and overtook him in the way, as he was going towards Jericho, Mr 10:17<\/span><\/p>\n saying, good master<\/strong>; “Rabbi”; or doctor,<\/p>\n what shall I do to inherit eternal life<\/strong>?<\/p>\n [See comments on Mt 19:16]<\/span>.<\/p>\n Riches a Spiritual Hindrance.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> 18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is<\/I> good, save one, that is,<\/I> God. 20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they that heard it<\/I> said, Who then can be saved? 27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. 28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. 29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, 30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.<\/P> In these verses we have,<\/P> I. Christ’s discourse with a ruler, that had a good mind to be directed by him in the way to heaven. In which we may observe,<\/P> 1. It is a blessed sight to see persons of distinction in the world distinguish themselves from others of their rank by their concern about their souls and another life. Luke takes notice of it that he was a ruler.<\/I> Few of the rulers had any esteem for Christ, but here was one that had; whether a church or state ruler does not appear, but he was one in authority.<\/I><\/P> 2. The great thing we are every one of us concerned to enquire after is what we shall do to get to heaven, what we shall do to inherit eternal life.<\/I> This implies such a belief of an eternal life after this as atheists and infidels have not, such a concern to make it sure as a careless unthinking world have not, and such a willingness to comply with any terms that it may be made sure as those have not who are resolvedly devoted to the world and the flesh.<\/P> 3. Those who would inherit eternal life must apply themselves to Jesus Christ as their Master,<\/I> their teaching<\/I> Master, so it signifies here (didaskale<\/B><\/I>), and their ruling<\/I> Master, and so they shall certainly find him. There is no learning the way to heaven but in the school of Christ, by those that enter themselves into it, and continue in it.<\/P> 4. Those who come to Christ as their Master must believe him to have not only a divine mission,<\/I> but a divine goodness.<\/I> Christ would have this ruler know that if he understood himself aright in calling him good he did, in effect, call him God<\/I> and indeed he was so (v.<\/I><\/span> 19<\/span>): “Why callest thou me good?<\/I> Thou knowest there is none good but one, that is, God;<\/I> and dost thou then take me for God? If so, thou art in the right.”<\/P> 5. Our Master, Christ himself, has not altered the way to heaven from what it was before his coming, but has only made it more plain, and easy, and comfortable, and provided for our relief, in case we take any false step. Thou knowest the commandments.<\/I> Christ came not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to establish them. Wouldest thou inherit eternal life? Govern thyself by the commandments.<\/P> 6. The duties of the second table must be conscientiously observed, in order to our happiness, and we must not think that any acts of devotion, how plausible soever, will atone for the neglect of them. Nor is it enough to keep ourselves free from the gross violations of these commandments, but we must know these commandments,<\/I> as Christ has explained them<\/I> in his sermon upon the mount, in their extent and spiritual nature, and so observe them.<\/P> 7. Men think themselves innocent<\/I> because they are ignorant;<\/I> so this ruler did. He said, All these have I kept from my youth up,<\/I> v.<\/span> 21<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. He knows no more evil of himself than the Pharisee did, v.<\/I><\/span> 11<\/span>. He boasts that he began early<\/I> in a course of virtue, that he had continued in it to this day, and that he had not in any instance transgressed. Had he been acquainted with the extent and spiritual nature of the divine law, and with the workings of his own heart,–had he been but Christ’s disciples awhile, and learned of him, he would have said quite the contrary: “All these have<\/I> I broken from my youth up, in thought, word, and deed.”<\/P> 8. The great things by which we are to try our spiritual state are how we stand affected to Christ and to our brethren, to this world and to the other; by these this man was tried. For, (1.) If we have a true affection to Christ,<\/I> he will come and follow him,<\/I> will attend to his doctrine, and submit to his discipline, whatever it cost him. None shall inherit eternal life who are not willing to take their lot with the Lord Jesus, to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. (2.) If he have a true affection to his brethren,<\/I> he will, as there is occasion, distribute to the poor,<\/I> who are God’s receivers of his dues out of our estates. (3.) If he think meanly of this world,<\/I> as he ought, he will not stick at selling what he has,<\/I> if there be a necessity for it, for the relief of God’s poor. (4.) If he think highly of the other world, as he ought, he will desire no more than to have treasure in heaven,<\/I> and will reckon that a sufficient abundant recompence for all that he has left, or lost, or laid out for God in this world.<\/P> 9. There are many that have a great deal in them that is very commendable, and yet they perish for the lack of some one thing;<\/I> so this ruler<\/I> here; he broke with Christ upon this, he liked all his terms very well but this which would part between him and his estate: “In this, I pray thee, have me excused.” If this be the bargain, it is no bargain.<\/P> 10. Many that are loth to leave Christ, yet do leave him. After a long struggle between their convictions and their corruptions, their corruptions carry the day at last; they are very sorry that they cannot serve God and mammon both; but, if one must be quitted, it shall be their God, not their worldly gain.<\/P> II. Christ’s discourse with his disciples upon this occasion, in which we may observe, 1. Riches are a great hindrance to many in the way to heaven. Christ took notice of the reluctancy and regret with which the rich man broke off from him. He saw that he was very sorrowful,<\/I> and was sorry for him; but thence he infers, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!<\/I> v.<\/span> 24<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. If this ruler had had but as little of the world as Peter, and James, and John had, in all probability he would have left it, to follow Christ, as they did; but, having a great estate, it had a great influence upon him, and he chose rather to take his leave of Christ than to lay himself under an obligation to dispose of his estate in charitable uses. Christ asserts the difficulty of the salvation of rich people very emphatically: It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God,<\/I>Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>THE FAVOURABLE TRAITS OF CHARACTER EXHIBITED IN THE QUESTION PROPOSED BY THIS YOUNG MAN. <\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>THE DEFECTS WHICH WERE ELICITED BY THE SAVIOUR. <\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>THE LESSONS WHICH HIS HISTORY FURNISHES. <\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>INQUIRE INTO THE DESIGN WITH WHICH OUR SAVIOUR SPOKE THESE WORDS. His aim was to expose ignorance, self-righteousness, and insincerity, in one whom the spectators were doubtless admiring for his apparent devotion. <\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>ENDEAVOUR TO PROMOTE A SIMILAR DESIGN BY A FAITHFUL APPLICATION OF THEM TO OURSELVES. If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. These words, duly considered, may–<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>LET US NOTICE MORE PARTICULARLY SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF OUR SALVATION. <\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE INQUIRY IN OUR TEXT. Who, then, can be saved? If men were left to themselves, either in a natural or renewed state, and if God were not to work, or to withhold His hand after He had begun to work, none would be saved, no, not one. <\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>SELF-DENIAL IS TO BE EXPLAINED. <\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>TRUE SELF-DENIAL IS PRODUCTIVE OF THE HIGHEST PRESENT AND FUTURE HAPPINESS. This will appear if we consider–<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>TO BE THE FOLLOWERS OF THE SAVIOUR, IS TO SUSTAIN A CHARACTER OF HIGH AND ESSENTIAL IMPORTANCE. <\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>THAT IN SUSTAINING THIS CHARACTER, PAINFUL SACRIFICES MUST OFTEN BE MADE. Sacrifices for the names sake of the Son of God are justified and called for, by reasons which might be expanded in very extensive illustration. Remember for whom they are made. For whom? For Him who built the fabric of the universe, and over whose wondrous creation the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. For whom? For Him who is the brightness of the Fathers glory, and the express image of His person, in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. For whom? For Him who was rich, but for your sakes became poor, etc. Remember for what these sacrifices are made. They are made for the enjoyment of peace of conscience. They are made for a restoration to the image and the friendship of God. They are made for the refinement and ennobling of the nature. It is to be observed again–<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>THAT PRESENT SACRIFICES IN THE CAUSE, AND AS THE FOLLOWERS OF THE SAVIOUR, ARE TO ISSUE IN A GLORIOUS REWARD. <\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
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