(please note I did not write this article but the writer Dr Wilson brings up many interesting biblical points worth a prayer and serious study, remember the bible rightly divide must have the final word Victor Blog owner God Bless)
Luke 18:18-23 (with the context of vss. 24-30 also)
[18] A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
[19] "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good -- except God alone. [20] You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"
[21] "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
[22] When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
[23] When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
[24] Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! [25] Indeed, 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."
[26] Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?"
[27] Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
[28] Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!"
[29] "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God [30] will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
Exposition
This passage is a troubling one. It was troubling for the disciples, for the wealthy young ruler, and for us. It seems too radical, too abrupt, too ... well, too immoderate to suit our tastes. But it's easy to miss the truth when it is delivered in moderation. The truth, however, can be unmistakable when delivered unvarnished, undiluted. And that kind of powerful truth-telling Jesus is known for.Luke places this event in the midst of a series of incidents and parables designed to indicate the character of discipleship. All the Gospel-writers place it near the end of Jesus' public ministry, and Mark supplies a bit of the context: "As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him" (Mark 10:17a).
Jesus is about to leave the town. It is the man's last chance to ask his question, to meet Jesus face-to-face. And so he runs up to him and falls on his knees before him. It is a picture of urgency and earnestness and humility.
Profile of the Rich Young Ruler (18:18a)
We pick up the story in Luke's account:"A certain ruler asked him, 'Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' " (18:18)The word translated "ruler" is Greek archon, "generally, one who has administrative authority, 'leader, official.' " It is used of various Jewish leaders, including those in charge of a synagogue and members of the Sanhedrin.[1]
Matthew's account (19:22) adds another detail and refers to the ruler as a "young man," Greek neaniskos, "a relatively young man, 'youth, young man' (from about the 24th to the 40th year)."[2] Luke 18:23 tells us "he was a man of great wealth." "Wealth" is Greek plousios, "pertaining to having an abundance of earthly possessions that exceeds normal experience, 'rich, wealthy.' "[3] The adjective "great" translates Greek sphodra, "a very high point on a scale of extent, 'very (much), extremely, greatly.' "[4]
And so we have an earnest young man, wealthy -- very wealthy, indeed -- and probably because of his wealth and earnestness about spiritual matters, a person entrusted with governance in the synagogue, a ruler, a respected person in the community.
And in his fine robes, immaculately groomed, he is kneeling in the dirt of the roadside at the edge of town, with a burning question on his heart.
Inheriting Eternal Life (18:18b)
"A certain ruler asked him, 'Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' " (18:18)Most of the wealthy, religious people who asked Jesus public questions were trying to trick him into some imprudent statement -- "Should we pay taxes to Caesar?" (Luke 20:22). "Why do your disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath?" (Luke 6:2). "This lady was caught in the very act of adultery. Shouldn't we stone her as Moses directed?" (John 8:4). But this man's question was no trick. It was a sincere question to which he needed to know the answer -- how to inherit eternal life.
The word translated "inherit" is Greek kleronomeo, "acquire, obtain, come into possession of something, 'inherit.' "[5]
The question tells us several things about the young man:
- He must be feeling inadequate in his spiritual preparation somehow or he probably wouldn't ask the question.
- He sides with the Pharisees rather than the Sadducees (another religious party in First Century Judaism) because the Sadducees didn't believe in life after death, and this question clearly implies that he does.
- He believes that eternal life is something that one earns or merits by what he does.
The young man's question betrays both his superficial understanding of inheriting eternal life, and his superficial understanding of a person's ability to do good deeds that are pure, unmixed by ulterior motives. The Prophet Isaiah scathing words 750 years before -- "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) -- have somehow escaped the young man. :
Notice that in the brief scope of a few verses salvation is spoken of in various terms and figures: "eternal life" (18:18, 30), "treasure in heaven" (18:22), "entering the Kingdom of God" (18:24, 29), and "being saved" (18:26).
No One Is Good -- Except God Alone (18:19)
And so, in this sincere young man's superficial way, he addresses Jesus as "good teacher," a somewhat improper way to address a Rabbi. We don't see this expression elsewhere in Rabbinical literature until the Fourth Century. The word "good" in both verses 18 and 19 is Greek agathos, "pertaining to meeting a high standard of worth and merit, 'good.' "[6]Jesus rebukes the young man concerning his careless address:
" 'Why do you call me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good -- except God alone.' " (18:19)The young man can't understand anything else Jesus will tell him unless he grasps that our relative standards of goodness are much, much different than God's absolute goodness and God's standards of righteousness.
Some have felt that, by these words, Jesus is somehow denying his divinity. If Jesus had meant to do so he would have replied simply that he was a sinner. But Jesus' divinity isn't the issue. Jesus is calling the young man to reflect on his words. Jesus is trying to teach him. Perhaps Jesus is trying to prompt him to refelect on who Jesus is, too. As Jesus said to the woman at the well of Sychar, "If you knew ... who it is that asks you for a drink...." (John 4:10). But the man can't see, can't understand.
Comparisons to Jesus' Interview with Nicodemus
I can't help but recall another conversation Jesus has with an earnest Jewish ruler, Nicodemus, related for us in John's Gospel:"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, 'Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.'I notice three points of comparison:
"In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.' " (John 3:1-3)
- The ruler greets Jesus with gracious praise.
- Jesus' response is not the expected gracious reply, but seemingly off-the-wall, jarring, and unanticipated.
- Lack of spiritual understanding.
Keeping the Commandments (18:20-21)
After pointing out the young man's inadequate understanding of "goodness," Jesus proceeds to inquire more of this man's -- and his culture's -- measure of righteousness."You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'The verb "kept" is Greek phulasso, "to continue to keep a law or commandment from being broken, 'observe, follow.' "[7] The commandments Jesus mentions all relate to the man's relationships with other people. Jesus will approach in another manner commandments that relate to God.
'All these I have kept since I was a boy,' he said." (18:20-21)
The young man's response is immediate: "All these I have kept since I was a boy" (18:21), and his answer should not surprise us. The rabbis held that the law could indeed be kept in its entirety. This might be true if you were defining the commandments as the Pharisees did, but we know from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17-48) that Jesus' view of keeping these commandments goes far beyond the legalistic interpretations of his time. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus relates murder to its root in anger and adultery to its root in lust.
Sell Everything, Give to the Poor (18:22a)
The young man has kept all the commandments, but still senses a lack, an incompleteness, or else he wouldn't have come to Jesus in the first place. Now Jesus speaks to the young man's point of need:"When Jesus heard this, he said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' " (18:22)Jesus affirms the young man's sense of need. The word translated "lack" is Greek leipo, "to be deficient in something that ought to be present for whatever reason, 'lack.' "[8]
But Jesus' prescription is unpalatable -- to the young man and to us. "Sell everything" and give the proceeds to the poor. The word translated "give" is Greek diadidomi, "apportion among various parties, 'distribute, give.' "[9]
If the man does this, Jesus assures him, he will have treasure in heaven. "Treasure" is Greek thesauros, "that which is stored up, 'treasure.' "[10] It is an ironic exchange that Jesus proposes -- exchanging fabulous wealth here on earth for fabulous wealth in the Kingdom of God. Many in history have tried to buy their way into God's good graces -- many of the world's beautiful cathedrals, temples, and mosques are inscribed with the names of generous benefactors. But Jesus is not proposing buying anything or doing anything glorious. He isn't proposing a massive contribution to the Jesus Christ Evangelistic Association that will spread the Gospel in perpetuity.
Jesus proposes the man selling all his property and giving the proceeds to those who are least able to reciprocate -- the poor. St. James is right when he characterizes true religion: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27).
How Money Corrupts
The truth is that money itself has a way of polluting us, that is, tempting us to compromise our values in order to gain and retain it. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:10).Recently, Jesus has taught his disciples about the importance of faithfulness with regard to money: "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money" (Luke 16:13). Now his disciples have an object lesson to learn from -- an actual rich man, fabulously wealthy. Can he -- will he -- become a disciple?
Money, however, isn't the only thing that Jesus asks the young man to give up:
- Possessions, what money will buy, the accouterments of wealth. A new car, a nice house, a membership in the country club, and fashionable clothing.
- Status and influence that wealth affords. People make way for the wealthy, hoping that some of that wealth might rub off on them. At the very least, people kowtow to the wealthy to keep from becoming their enemies.
- Power. Wealth is power. It buys influence. It buys others who will now let the wealthy have their own way.
- Community leadership. The man isn't very likely to continue as a respected ruler without his wealth. If he gives up his wealth he will be misunderstood and resented by the other influential people in his community. No, he won't be a ruler for long.
- Family. The young man probably comes from a wealthy family. But if he disposes of a huge chunk of the family wealth, will his siblings understand and accept it? Will his wife and family? His father or mother if they are still living?
Why Jesus' Words Upset Us
But Jesus' words don't just upset the rich young ruler. They also upset us. As a pastor I have heard many times the response to this passage: "That doesn't mean everyone should sell what they have, does it? If everyone did that it would result in chaos."Obviously. But why are we even worried with the question? Do we, too, feel possessive of what we have? Do we fear that Jesus may require us to do something that would cost us too much? What are we afraid of? And why do we fear?
We fear because we sense that we are not fully surrendered, that's why. Jesus' words to the rich young ruler are quite consistent with what he has been saying to his disciples throughout his journeys:
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life -- he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26-27).
"In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:33)
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it" (Matthew 13:44-46).
"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it" (Luke 9:24).
"Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it" (Luke 17:33)
Then Come, Follow Me (18:22b)
The story of the rich young ruler exposes a raw nerve in us that causes a reaction. But disposing of wealth was not all that Jesus asked the man to do."When Jesus heard this, he said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' " (18:22)He concludes with two commands. "Come" is Greek deuro, an adverb functioning as an interjection, "here, (come) here, come!"[11] The word "follow" is the characteristic word of discipleship, Greek akoloutheo, "' follow,' figuratively, to follow someone as a disciple, 'be a disciple, follow.' "[12]
However, I don't think that the following Jesus invites this man to do is just figurative. Jesus looked at this man and loved him (Mark 10:21). I think he is inviting the rich young man to join him on his journeys, to become one of the disciples who enjoy the immense and unspeakable privilege of spending time with Jesus and learning from him on a day-by-day basis. What a wonderful invitation!
But the invitation implicit to us is no less wonderful. We, too, are invited to come to Jesus, and then to follow him on a spiritual life journey. To enjoy his company, his presence. To be taught along the way by his Word and Spirit. To become part of his great extended family, the Body of Christ throughout the world. And to be filled with hope in the closing days of our journey as we know his promises and feel his comfort with us.
"Come, follow me," is the invitation Jesus extends to you and me.
He Became Very Sad (18:23)
But this radical call to discipleship is too much for the rich young ruler."When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth." (18:23)The word translated "sad" is Greek perilupos, "very sad, deeply grieved."[13] Matthew and Mark note that the man went away sorrowful. Jesus remains standing where he is, on the verge of continuing his journey. But the earnest and rich young ruler, his face stricken with grief ("the man's face fell," it says in Mark 10:22), rises from his knees. He averts his eyes from Jesus, as I see it, turns slowly, and moves away from the band of disciples.
He cannot go with them. He cannot go with Jesus, as much as he would love to. Because he loves one thing more, and he cannot leave that to serve God.
In a very real sense he has broken the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). Nor can he obey the Shema which, as a devout Jew, he recites twice a day: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Jesus has pierced the man's naivete, and has proved to him, and those who were privy to this conversation, that you cannot serve God and Money! "Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other" (Luke 16:13). It is true. And for the young man, sadly true.
There is more -- Jesus comments on the rarity, the impossibility of the rich or anyone being saved. We'll examine that next week.
But the challenge for disciples remains. My dear friend, is there anything, any hindrance, that you are unwilling to give up to follow Jesus? You may not be wealthy, but if there is something you possess, or that possesses you, laying it down is a vital part of following the Master. He must have your all. And he calls gently to you: "Come, follow me."
Prayer
Dear Father, Jesus' words have a way of piercing our hearts and defenses we have built up against you and doing things your way. Make us tender-hearted. Gently expose the reservations of our hearts, as you did for that wealthy young man those many centuries ago. But give us grace to be able to obey you, the Great Physician, who alone can heal our corrupt and deceitful hearts, and make us whole. Forgive us, O Lord, for clinging to the remnants of a life independent of you, and make us wholly yours. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.Key Verse
"You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Luke 18:22)Questions
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- What does the scripture tell us about this man? What do we know about him from his words, his manner, and his actions? (Feel free to include parallels from Matthew and Mark in your profile of the man.)
- What do we learn about Jesus from this encounter? What does this account tell us about him?
- Why does Jesus challenge the man's seemingly innocent form of address: "Good teacher"? What is Jesus' point? Why does Jesus interrupt answering the man's question to make a big thing about something so small?
- Why does Jesus tell him to sell all his possessions? Is this something Jesus requires of everyone? If not, why single out this man?
- How are we to generalize about "selling all our possessions"? What application does this have to us?
- Why did Jesus designate the poor to be the recipients of the man's wealth, do you think?
- Could the man have followed Jesus without divesting himself of what he held dear? Can you? Can anyone?
[22] When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
[23] When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
[24] Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! [25] Indeed, 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."
[26] Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?"
[27] Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
[28] Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!"
[29] "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God [30] will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
[31] Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. [32] He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. [33] On the third day he will rise again."
[34] The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.
Exposition
The very wealthy young ruler has heard Jesus' direction to him: "Sell everything you have and give to the poor.... Then come, follow me."Mark's Gospel records: "At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth" (Mark 10:22). The man is moving away now, and Jesus, who Mark says "loved him," is watching him as he goes.
I can hear a sigh, a sorrow, in Jesus' voice as he reflects on the encounter. "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" (18:24).
Camel Going Through the Eye of a Needle (18:25)
I'm going to take Jesus' sayings out of order for a moment, because to understand what he is saying in verse 24, we need to understand his figure of speech in verse 25:"Indeed, 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." (18:25)Camels were a curiosity to Israelites. Farmers didn't use them -- the donkey was their animal of choice. But camels were used by traders whose caravans would travel through Galilee on their way to Jerusalem and the trading centers of Egypt. Nevertheless, the camel was the largest animal in they regularly saw in Palestine. I can imagine Israelites looking up at these towering beasts as the caravans made their way through town.
The eye of a sewing needle was a tiny opening. If you've ever tried to thread a needle, then you know just how tiny it is. In some rabbinical writings we see a similar phrase: "Draw an elephant through the eye of a needle."[1] Both this saying and Jesus' saying share the same contrast between the huge beast and the proverbially small eye of a needle. The point of both these figures of speech is impossibility; they are proverbs of impossibility. We know this because Jesus uses the word "impossibility" (Greek adunatos) in verse 27.
The Gate of Jerusalem Myth
For hundreds of years there have been various explanations floating around to soften Jesus' teaching of "impossibility" to some kind of "you can do it if you really try" approach. One of these pseudo-explanations imagines a gate through the wall of Jerusalem called "the needle's eye," so small that a laden camel couldn't get through unless it were to be unloaded and kneel down. Preachers and tour guides love the story. It is very picturesque. But it has absolutely no support in fact. It also distorts what Jesus is trying to say from "impossible for man" to "possible by man." Note that the disciples' reaction was surprise at the impossibility of salvation for the rich.I have researched this considerably and found that nothing that provides any support whatsoever for the "gate in the wall" theory. All my sources -- from older commentators such as Matthew Henry (1710), to respected scholars in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1974), to my newest scholarly commentaries on Matthew, Mark, and Luke -- all of them, discredit the story as unsupported, if they mention it at all.[2]
How Hard for the Rich to Enter the Kingdom (18:24-27)
"Jesus looked at him and said, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, 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.'Riches and prosperity were commonly seen as a sign of God's blessing. Remember Job? When he was wealthy his friends saw him as righteous. But when he had a turn of fortune and lost his family, his wealth, and his health, his friends concluded -- wrongly -- that he must have sinned.
"Those who heard this asked, 'Who then can be saved?'
Jesus replied, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God.' " (18:24-27)
For this reason Jesus' hearers questioned, as if to say, "If the rich can't be saved, then can anyone?"
Jesus teaches the impossibility of salvation through one's own merits. The word "hard" in 18:24 is Greek duskolos, "pertaining to that which is difficult to fulfill or do, 'hard, difficult.' "[1] But entering the Kingdom (18:25) -- used synonymously with "being saved (18:26) -- is more than difficult. Jesus gives a common parable of impossibility. And then concludes, "What is impossible with men is possible with God" (18:27).
The rich trust in their wealth to open doors for them. But the net value of their estates in heaven is Zero. Only if they become as little children will they enter the Kingdom -- humble, trusting.
You've probably heard the story about how to capture a monkey. You attach a chain to a cage with narrow bars -- just wide enough for the monkey's hand to slip through. In the cage you place a piece of food. The monkey reaches through the bars and grasps the food, but his fist is too big to slip back through the bars -- and he is determined not to let go of the food he is holding. He is now captive, and can be led around by the chain on the cage.
I've never tested this out with a real monkey, but it illustrates how our grasping desire to hold onto our wealth can enslave us and render us prisoners to our possessions. Only when we release them can we be free. The rich young ruler could have become free. But unwilling to let go, he remains a captive.
Salvation is impossible for men to achieve by their own efforts. But God does the impossible in rescuing us, cleansing us, making us holy, and changing our hearts. How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom -- impossible, in fact. But possible through God.
Leaving All We Have (18:28)
"Peter said to him, 'We have left all we had to follow you!' (18:28)Peter, often the spokesman for the group, sees the rich young ruler who is unwilling to give up everything to follow Jesus. The man has been unable. But impetuous Peter says, "We've left everything! We've done what this rich man has been unable to do." Matthew's Gospel adds the implied question, "What then will there be for us?" (Matthew 19:27b).
I don't think Peter's question arises from greed. Peter has just heard Jesus offer the rich young ruler "treasure in heaven." I think Peter is really asking, "If the rich young ruler can exchange all of his fabulous wealth for treasure in heaven that allows him to inherit eternal life, what will we receive since we haven't given up anywhere nearly as much."
Peter says, however, "We have left all we had." They have no more to give but their all. Yes, Peter may have still owned a boat rented out to other fisherman. And his wife probably still lives in the family home in Capernaum. Peter doesn't irrevocably distribute all his money to the poor. But Peter and his friends do give up everything they have of value to follow -- the comfort of their homes and wives and children, their status in the community, a place to sleep at night, relative security compared to the death-threats of Jesus' growing list of enemies. Peter and his friends have given up everything they had to give in order to follow Jesus -- everything that has dimensions of space and time.
I wonder if we can fail give up less than our all to serve Jesus and still be counted as disciples. As we considered in last week's lesson, to enter the Kingdom will take all we have and more. The Kingdom with its promise of salvation is like the Pearl of Great Price for which the merchant exchanges everything he has (Matthew 13:45-46). The Kingdom with its promise of salvation is like Hidden Treasure for which a man sells all he has and purchases the field in which treasure is buried (Matthew 13:44).
Jesus has specifically told his disciples, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple" (14:33). This isn't just a requirement of the rich young ruler, it is required of all us disciples.
Rewards of Following (18:29-30)
Jesus answers Peter's question simply and fully:" 'I tell you the truth,' Jesus said to them, 'no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.' " (18:29-30)He doesn't say that somehow the rich young ruler will receive more in the Kingdom. Jesus lists the various kinds of sacrifices his disciples have made for the sake of the Kingdom -- leaving homes, wives, brothers, parents, and children -- and promises that they will receive many times as much in this age, that is, in this present life.
Mark and Matthew are even more specific: 100 times as much. In other words -- super abundantly, far more than they have given up! But Mark reminds us that these temporal rewards have a complement -- "and with them, persecutions" (Mark 10:30).
Is this a literal promise or a figurative one? The persecutions are literal enough! I think the promise IS figurative, that Jesus is referring to precious relationships in the family of God that compensate for the natural family relationships we may need to give up so we can choose to follow Jesus. In some Muslim countries today, when a person becomes a Christian his family considers him to be dead -- and some feel duty-bound to help him towards death. The bonds of love of Christians are our reward. How much we Christians must fulfill Jesus' saying, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35)!
But there is a sense in which Jesus' promise is literal, too. In Mark's Gospel Jesus includes "lands." The cliché is actually true! We can't outgive God. Whatever we give him he returns many-fold, in this life AND in eternity.
Jesus' Third Prediction of His Death (18:31-34)
At first glance the third prediction of Jesus' death may seem unconnected to Jesus' teaching that precedes it regarding giving up everything:"Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.'Certainly, this is a different topic. But in another way it concludes this section by Jesus sharing with his disciples how very much he is willing to give up for their sakes. It isn't just we who are asked to give. Jesus gave his all to follow the Father's will and to give us eternal life, the greatest treasure of all. Jesus disciples can't comprehend this -- it makes no sense to them at all. But after it takes place they remember that he had said it. His death is no fluke, his resurrection is no after thought. It is part of God's plan.
The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about." (18:31-34)
Lessons for Disciples
What are we disciples to learn from this week's lesson?- The reality that our possessions can make it impossible to inherit eternal life.
- That we must give up everything we have to follow Jesus. Following is not just a religious phrase, it will cost us everything we have.
- God makes salvation possible, though achieving salvation is impossible to us. Salvation is the gift of God.
- God will reward us in this life for whatever sacrifices we are called on to make. We cannot outgive God. He will also reward us in the age to come with eternal life. Sacrifices have both a temporal and eternal reward.
- Through Jesus, God, too, gives that which is most precious to him. Jesus is willing to give his all. This talk of giving is not one-sided, but is integral to the very nature of the Gospel itself.
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