St Matthew Chapter XIX : Verses 16-26
Contents
- Matt. xix. 16-26. Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
- Notes on the text.
- Additional Notes: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Sell what thou hast, and give to the poor.
Matt. xix. 16-26
 |
| He went away sad: for he had great possessions. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
Et ecce unus accedens, ait illi : Magister bone, quid boni faciam ut habeam vitam æternam?
17 Who said to him: Why asketh thou me concerning good? One is good, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Qui dixit ei : Quid me interrogas de bono? Unus est bonus, Deus. Si autem vis ad vitam ingredi, serva mandata.
18 He said to him: Which? And Jesus said: Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Dicit illi : Quæ? Jesus autem dixit : Non homicidium facies; non adulterabis; non facies furtum; non falsum testimonium dices;
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
honora patrem tuum, et matrem tuam, et diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum.
20 The young man saith to him: All these I have kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?
Dicit illi adolescens : Omnia hæc custodivi a juventute mea : quid adhuc mihi deest?
21 Jesus saith to him: If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come follow me.
Ait illi Jesus : Si vis perfectus esse, vade, vende quæ habes, et da pauperibus, et habebis thesaurum in cælo : et veni, sequere me.
22 And when the young man had heard this word, he went away sad: for he had great possessions.
Cum audisset autem adolescens verbum, abiit tristis : erat enim habens multas possessiones.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples: Amen, I say to you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus autem dixit discipulis suis : Amen dico vobis, quia dives difficile intrabit in regnum cælorum.
24 And again I say to you: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Et iterum dico vobis : Facilius est camelum per foramen acus transire, quam divitem intrare in regnum cælorum.
25 And when they had heard this, the disciples wondered very much, saying: Who then can be saved?
Auditis autem his, discipuli mirabantur valde, dicentes : Quis ergo poterit salvus esse?
26 And Jesus beholding, said to them: With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible.
Aspiciens autem Jesus, dixit illis : Apud homines hoc impossibile est : apud Deum autem omnia possibilia sunt.
Notes
16. one came and said. St Luke speaks of him as a certain ruler. From St Mark we learn further details : When he was gone forth into the way, a certain man running up and kneeling before him (x. 17). Jesus had left the house in which He had blessed the children, and apparently set forth on His last journey towards Bethania. St Matthew speaks of this ruler as a young man. He was either one of the heads of the synagogue or a member of the Sanhedrin. As the “ rulers ” were mostly men of a certain age, though not necessarily “ old men,” it is more likely that he belonged to the Sanhedrin. Only men of irreproachable morals and of wealth and influence were elected to this office.
what good shall I do, etc. ? The ruler, accustomed to the minute observances and rigid formality of the Pharisees, probably expected our Lord to impose some ritual precept. On a previous occasion, a certain lawyer stood up tempting Jam, and saying. Master, what must I do to possess eternal life? (St Luke x. 25), but this scribe had very imperfect dispositions.
17. Why askest thou me, etc. ? The other Synoptists give the question in another form : And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good ? None is good but one, that is God (St Mark). Jesus answers as though He would lead the ruler to think further. Since he called Jesus good, and none but one, that is God, is good, it looks as though our Lord would have the young man recognize Him as God, or else omit the superficial use of. the word “good.” This reply of our Lord is not discouraging, since He immediately answers the question.
One is good, God. The word “ God ” is not found in the Greek (εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός).
keep the commandments. The Jews were taught that the keeping of the commandments was the means of salvation. Jesus Himself, speaking of the first and great commandment, said to the scribe, this do and thou shalt live (St Luke x. 28), and to the young ruler He here repeats the same truth. The ruler, in reply, asked Which ? but Jesus pointed out that not one, but all were to be observed. The word here translated “ which ? ” (Ποίας), means literally “ of what kind ? ” rather than “ which one or ones ? ”
18. Thou shalt not commit adultery, etc. Our Lord only quotes the commandments concerning our duty towards our neighbour. He omits to mention the ninth and tenth, since these are respectively included in the sixth and seventh.
19. Thou shalt love thy neighbour, etc. St Matthew alone thus summarizes the commandments given.
20. All these have I kept, etc.
Evidently the young man merely intended to state that he had always endeavoured to keep the Law, although his refusal to follow Christ and to give up his possessions shewed that he was far from keeping the first and greatest commandment, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart (St Luke x. 27). Had he been inordinately self-righteous, Jesus would not have looked on him with so much love. Cf. Jesus looking on him, loved him and said to him: One thing, etc. (St Mark). Had the young man not felt dissatisfied with his spiritual state he would not have asked, What is yet wanting to me?
Note. — Our dear Lord seems to have gazed intently on the young man, as though He would win him by that look of love. As perfect man, Jesus had human sympathies ; thus St John was the beloved disciple, and our Lord loved Lazarus and his sisters. As God, He has, over and above, an infinite love for all His creatures. St Mark alone records this look of love. Possibly Jesus shewed His love by some exterior mark of affection, such as the kiss on the forehead which rabbis were accustomed to give to those pupils whom they especially favoured. Thus Simeon the Just kissed one of his pupils who had greatly pleased him and said, “ O son, may such as you be multiplied in Israel.”
what is yet wanting to me ? The second gospel pictures out the scene graphically. And Jesus looking on him, loved him, and said to him : One thing is wanting unto thee, go, sell, etc.
21. If thou wilt be perfect. This was a crucial test, which revealed to the young man how imperfectly he had kept the commandments. It was a counsel, not a precept. The ruler willed the end, but had not the courage to take the means. Possibly our Lord saw that his attachment to worldly possessions was endangering his salvation. Riches are not an evil to those who use them well, but they are a terrible temptation to those who abuse them.
go, sell what thou hast. In order not to be involved in worldly matters, which are incompatible with apostolic life. In like manner monks and nuns, when they take a vow of poverty, give up the power of disposing of their goods, except with the permission of their legitimate superiors, but in view of the difficulties which have arisen with the different Governments where the property of religious has been confiscated, in most religious houses the members no longer renounce their rights as proprietors. Many of the primitive Christians took these words of our Lord literally, as we learn from Acts iv. 34, 35. They did this in the generosity of their hearts and the glow of their first fervour. That this was not exacted of them, we gather from St Peter’s words to Ananias : Whilst it remained, did it not remain to thee ? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power ? (Acts v. 4).
give to the poor. Not necessarily distributing it freely and indiscriminately, but devoting it in some way to their use.
thou shalt have treasure in heaven. A repetition of the Beatitude : Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (supra, v. 3). Jesus here promises a rich reward to those who renounce all, but the ruler was unwilling “ to give earth to purchase heaven.”
come, follow me. This was an invitation to an apostolic life, a special call to a life of poverty and obedience to Christ, and a call which necessarily included celibacy.
This verse, if it did not persuade the rich young ruler to follow Christ, has been the means of peopling numerous religious houses with consecrated souls. Far down the ages, Jesus must have seen in spirit Francis of Assisi hearing these words read in church, and obeying them to the letter.
22. he went away sad. Note the effect of Jesus’ words. Being struck sad at that saying, went away sorrowful ; for he had great possessions (St Mark has the graphic expression (στυγάσας, “with cloudy or gloomy visage.” Our Lord’s words were a revelation to him. He had not the courage to follow, but made what Dante calls “ the great refusal.” We are not told if he ever repented of his refusal, but we have no right to infer that he did not obtain eternal life, since many who are capable of observing the commandments cannot rise to the counsels. Most certainly it was cowardly and possibly dangerous on his part to refuse our Lord’s invitation. He had Christ’s assurance that by keeping the commandments he could enter into life, but the question is, could he with his love of wealth continue to use without abusing it ?
for. This gives the grounds of his refusal, because he had great possessions, which he preferred to treasure in heaven.
Note. — From this narrative we should learn —
(1) to give up all for Christ if we feel ourselves called to religious life.
(2) to sacrifice whatever is a hindrance to our eternal salvation.
23. Jesus said to his disciples. Jesus spoke on seeing the young man become sad, and after looking round about at His disciples.
a rich man shall hardly, etc., — i.e. “with difficulty” ( δυσκόλως). Not because riches are sinful in themselves, but because they are often a very great temptation to many, since —
(a) With them are procured so many pleasures and comforts which attach the soul to earth.
(b) Men are apt to trust in riches rather than in God.
(c) They foster pride, laziness, and other vices.
(d) Those who possess them are often unjust stewards, and thereby incur condemnation.
(e) To acquire or keep them, men frequently commit great sins ; and when men lose their wealth, they often give way to despair.
It is the love of riches that ruins souls ; hence the poorest miser, whose only ambition it is to amass money, is in danger of losing heaven, as well as the man who clings to his millions.
Note. — Here we must place a detail which St Mark alone gives. The disciples hearing our Lord’s words concerning the difficulty that besets the salvation of the rich, were astonished at his words, but Jesus again answering, saith to them : Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches, to enter into the kingdom of God (x. 24).
Christ’s words are full of love and tenderness. He fully realized how much His disciples had to learn, and how repugnant these doctrines were to their preconceptions. Jesus softens the hard saying by His tenderness, but He does not retract it. Like the words of our Lord concerning His Passion, the disciples could not grasp this truth at once. False preconceptions are difficult to remove, and they cause dulness of apprehension.
24. It is easier for a camel, etc. These words were doubtless familiar to the Jews. They shew how impossible it is for a man, who loves riches inordinately, to save his soul. A like proverb is found in the Talmud concerning an elephant. Thus two rabbis were disputing, and one of them asserted “ something that was incongruous,” to which the other replied, “ Perhaps thou art one of those .... who can make an elephant pass through the eye of an needle,” that is ... . who speak things that are impossible (Lightfoot’s Horæ Hehraicæ).
Some commentators have understood “ camel” to stand in the original for “ camilon,” an anchor-rope ; others take “needle” as a side gate for foot passengers, which in the East generally stands close to the principal entrance to a city ; but there is no good authority for such interpretations, especially as many such proverbs are found in the Talmud, and also in Holy Scripture, — e.g. Sand and salt and a mass of iron is easier to bear than a man without sense, that is both foolish and wicked (Eccles. xxii. 18).
25. the disciples wondered very much. They were accustomed to hear the rabbinical teaching on poverty, according to which it was worse than all the plagues of Egypt collectively, the greatest misfortune that could befall a man ; it was an affliction which rendered life intolerable, and he who was poor ought to be numbered among the dead (Edersheim). Possibly, too, the disciples had little hopes that a kingdom founded on poverty, such as their Master taught and practised, could ever succeed.
Who then can be saved ? These words were said among themselves, but in our Lord’s hearing. The disciples’ thoughts seem to pass from the one case under consideration, i.e. that of a rich man, to the difficulty of salvation for all men.
26. Jesus beholding said to them. Three times, in relating this one incident, St Mark (ch. x.) records a “ look ” of our Lord —
(a) Jesus looking on him loved him (verse 21).
(b) Jesus looking round about saith to his disciples (verse 23).
(c) Jesus looking on them, saith: “ With men,” etc. (verse 27).
The first betokened love, the second sadness, the third encouragement. The “look” of Jesus, like His every word, had a deep meaning, and generally signified a strong affection for the one, on whom He thus gazed. Thus we read that when He appointed St Peter to be the Head of the Church, Jesus looking upon him said : — Thou art Simon the son of Jona, thou shalt be called Cephas (St John i. 42) ; and again, when Peter had denied his Master, the Lord turning looked on Peter (St Luke xxii. 61).
With men this is impossible. God alone can give the necessary graces to surmount the many obstacles that impede our journey along “ The narrow road.”
Additional Notes
17. If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. We notice that our Lord, in answer to the ruler, quotes only the commandments of the 2nd Table, which concern our duty to our neighbour. Possibly He did this because —
(a) The love of our neighbour is the crucial test of our love of God.
(b) No man can observe the commandments respecting his neighbour from a proper motive, without observing the commandments of the 1st Table, for, as St John says, “If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother : he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not ? ” (1 St John iv. 20).
21. Sell what thou hast, and give to the poor. The Pharisees were very strict theoretically as regards almsgiving. They taught that, according to the Lav/, all Jews were bound to shew mercy. As regards personal help (i.e. “ bodily labour ”) no special measure was prescribed, but as regards money we find it stated in the Talmud that a man was bound to give one-fifth of his income to the poor. If he did more it was done “out of extraordinary devotion.” It is not probable that many Jews observed this rule, since the Pharisee in the Temple boasted that he gave one-tenth of his income, and evidently considered this great generosity. The law of Moses does not specify any particular portion to be given in alms. In the “ Gemara,” a certain Rabbi Ishbab is mentioned as having distributed all his worldly possessions to the poor (see Lightfoot, Horæ Hebraicæ, p.264).
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
No comments:
Post a Comment