Matthew 19:16: “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”
Is it just me or I am the only one who sees that elephant standing in the room whenever we hear this passage of Scripture read? What elephant you ask? I am talking about that elephant trumpeting out that Jesus is telling the man seeking eternal life that his good works (keeping the law) and giving up all he owns and following Jesus will bring him salvation. I’ve been taught as just a little splinter on the bench in Tiny Tots that you are saved by the finished work of Jesus Christ, that all our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) and that it is by grace we are saved, not of ourselves, not by works it is through faith alone and the finished work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Say what? Is Jesus now teaching that the good works of keeping the law will grant us a place in heaven? This creates one scary scenario that if we blow the law we are heading down. At least I don’t have to worry about that giving up of wealth business since I am very close to setting off lights and alarms on the poverty meter. But this keeping the law is one tricky matter. I can’t say like this guy in the story that I have been that faithful.
I think the answer to this apparent contradiction can be found if we stop thinking like a 21st Century Western cultured individual and start thinking like a first century Near Eastern Semitic Jew. The first question that come to my mind is who is this young man? In Luke 18 he is called a ruler. Many commentators feel he is a young prodigy who serves a key position in the synagogue and possibly sits with the local Sanhedrin. He is a man on the way up. Before long those books contracts, TV interviews, mega churches will be calling for him.
Yet, if keeping the law is all he needs to do to be saved why does he say in verse 20 that he has kept the law but he is still lacking. I mean if this master teacher told him that is all he needed then why does he doubt?
I think we are too quick to assume eternal life is a reference to heaven. The word eternal life in Greek is zoen (life spiritual and physical) and aionion which is an age or unending. That sounds like heaven to me. He obviously isn’t asking what to do to go to hell. In the Aramaic eternal life is chaya (life spiritual and physical) and ‘alma, again like the Greek an age or a length of time as well as eternity. Yet, was the Jewish mindset of that day focused on heaven or something else when they heard the words eternal life?
I went to the Talmud, a record of the Oral Teachings that was common during the day of Jesus. I found an interesting take on the expression eternal life. In the Babylonian Talmud Sabbat 10a I found this comment by Rabbi Hamnuna where he said about those with prolonged prayers: “They forsake eternal life and occupy themselves with temporal life.” The times for prayer and the study of Torah (the Word of God) are distinct from each other. Rabbi Zera supports this by quoting Proverbs 28:9: “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer [shall be] abomination.” In other words if your abandon the study of the Word of God for prayer you are committing an abomination. Let’s face it, you cannot really pray unless you know the Word of God. But Rabbi Zera saw more to this passage. He is pointing out that the Word of God is eternal and has eternal life when prayer only speaks to the temporal, that which will pass. Thus when one spoke of the Torah or the Word of God they were speaking of eternal life. Could it be that this young rich young ruler was seeking a perfect or complete understanding of the Word of God but to accomplish this he must follow the Word of God or its commandments. That is one possible conclusion.
Looking further into the Talmud I found this passage in Tractate ‘Abodah Zarah 20b Rabbi Judah R. Meir states that: “saintliness leads to the possession of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit leads to eternal life.” This is a reference to not only receiving eternal life but giving of eternal life. It is the Holy Spirit who gives eternal life. A footnote in the Talmud indicates that this also refers to the possessor of the Holy Spirit as one endowed with the power of restoring life to the dead (footnote 11).” If one had the power to restore life he could provide everlasting life as he could continually restore life once it is exhausted. Indeed Elijah raised a child from the dead. Paul raised a man from the dead who fell off his balcony when he fell asleep during one of Paul’s sermons. Of course Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Biblically the power to raise one from the dead is possible through the possession of the Holy Spirit.
You know, this is just my thought and a good message for us today. I don’t believe this rich young ruler wanted to know how to get to heaven, he probably felt he had that one all sewed up with his obedience to the law. He had seen or heard that Jesus had raised the dead and performed other signs and wonders and I believe he wanted to know how Jesus did all that including raising the dead. He wanted this power for himself. If he could perform some signs and wonders that would pretty well guarantee his future as a religious superstar. When Jesus said he was to sell all he owned and follow Him, well that flew in the face of the man’s entire motive for wanting this power. Come on, how many of us with our little floundering ministries see some powerful, influential minister perform signs and wonders and think, “Yeah, that’s for me. Boy if I could pull a genuine miracle out of the hat, like a resurrection, then, oh boy, I’m on my way with book deals, speaking gigs, TV appearances and press coverage. Why I can see it now my name on everyone’s lips, if I just had that power to raise the dead.”
Yeah, you live a good life, you study the Word of God, you pray, you are devoted and then you wonder what it is that you lack that you are not able to raise the dead. Maybe Jesus has a point in verse 21: “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me.” Jesus is telling us that we need to forget the book deal, movie rights, speaking gigs, and TV appearances. You want this power you will have to give full honor and credit to God which means you may raise the dead and no one will even know it was you who prayed that prayer.” You know you can go before someone with a great healing ministry and he can pray over you and suddenly you are healed. You give honor to God of course but you also become an avid follower of this faith healer, giving him much praise as a man of God, you bestow honor upon and share your financial resources with him. Then one day you get to heaven and you run across a humble servant of God who was just your average Joe Christian that no one paid attention to, never preached a sermon in his life, hardly noticed by anyone who says: “You know that day you were healed? I was at that meeting and I saw you up there seeking a healing. I prayed to God that He would heal you and God instantly healed you.” Jesus will stand right there and confirm, “Yep, it was his prayer not the old wind bag standing up front that brought about your healing, you want to say thank you now?”
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