THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN
VOLUME 5
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Beyond the Jordan at the Sea of Galilee. Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 19
- Chapter 258 -
The wealthy youth.
When we were a short hour's journey from the place where we had been, a young man from the very same place came to us along the path. He had also been a witness the evening before of My deeds and teaching and had been even a very competent scribe for his young age, but not by profession. When he saw and recognized Me, he stopped Me and asked Me to allow him to ask Me a question.
2
I did that and he spoke: "Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life, of which your disciples told so many wonderful and certainly very true things yesterday at the Greek innkeeper Rauris', and achieve it on a shorter path than the one that your disciples described?" (Matt. 19:16)
3
But I looked at him seriously and said to him, "Why are you calling Me, who as far as you know am only a man, as a scribe yourself, good? Do you not know that apart from God no one is good? But if you want to enter into eternal life, then keep the commandments!" (Matt. 19:17)
4
Then the man asked further and said, "Which commandments then?" But he asked this question because he thought that I had some very new and fully unknown commandments.
5
But I said to him, "Those which Moses gave: You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness! (Matt. 19:18) Honor you father and mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself!" (Matt. 19:19)
6
Then the young man asked, "But who should or can I see as my neighbor?"
7
At this I told him the familiar comparison of the compassionate Samaritan, and he now understood who was to be seen as his neighbor.
8
But when he had heard such things from Me and also accepted them, he then said, "If it is so, then I give you the fullest assurance that I have kept these things since my childhood! What am I still lacking?" (Matt. 19:20)
9
And I answered him, "If you want to be complete, go and sell all your earthly possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me; become My disciple and learn from Me the secrets of the kingdom of heaven! (Matt. 19:21)
10
But when the young man had heard such a thing from Me, he became grieved, because he had many and great goods, turned his back to Me and went on his way. (Matt. 19:22)
11
The disciples were surprised and they said, "But that is very strange! The man seemed to be very sure that the spirit of God was speaking from You; but for the sake of the vain treasures of the world he preferred to turn his back on the all-powerful spirit of God than to obey His command! Strange, extremely strange! What will happen to such a person one day?"
12
I said, "It is hard for a rich man like this to enter the kingdom of heaven! (Matt. 19:23) Pay attention to what else I will say to you all! Truly, 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!" (Matt. 19:24)
13
And when the disciples heard such a thing from Me, they were very astonished and said, "Oh dear "if it is so, then who can enter the kingdom of heaven and be saved?!" (Matt. 19:25)
14
But I looked at the very embarrassed disciples in friendship and gave them comfort by saying, "With men such a thing would indeed be impossible; but with God all things are possible!
15
But I have already spoken at length about this issue with the fisherman Aziona, how it is possible that the souls of even more terrible people can become saved on God's secret path, and so it would be quite superfluous here to say another word about it. You will still know something about it, I hope?"