'The
Rich Young Ruler' ( Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30)
I.
His Seeking Spirit
A. He came running and kneeled (Mark
10:17)
B. He wanted to know the truth concerning
eternal life (Matthew 19:16)
II.
His Incomplete Understanding
A.
He thought Jesus just a Good Master (Teacher) (Matthew 19:16)
B. He thought he could do a 'good thing'
to inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:16)
C. He thought he kept the commandments
(Matthew 19:20)
III.
Jesus Attempting to Draw Him In
A. Points to his incomplete understanding
(Matthew 19:17 'there is none good but One)
B. Gives him an impossible task (Matthew
19:17 'keep the commandments')
C. Jesus beholding him loved him (Mark
10:21)
D. The LOVE (added the sixth commandment)
was The Lord's focus (Matthew 19:19 'love thy neighbor as thyself')
(the first five are from the original
10 Commandments)
E. Exposes the Rich Young Rulers real
love: 'love of money(I Tim 6:9,10/deceitfulness of riches 6:22' (Matthew 19:21)
F. The Lord's LOVING invitation ('Come and
follow Me'
IV.
Rich Young Ruler's Response (Matthew 19:22)
A. But when the (rich) young (ruler) man
heard (that saying: the logos-the whole concept) (Matthew 19:22)
B. He went away sorrowful (grieved Mark
10:22)
Although
this Rich Young Ruler had incomplete understanding he was a sincere seeker and
the Lord knowing his heart condition sought to draw him in with His great love,
yes, He beheld Him with a longing gaze(Mk 10) seeing the futile attempts of the
young man to satisfy the commandments without forsaking his riches. Jesus knew
he could not keep the commandments to inherit eternal life, He was using this
to draw him in. The Lord also added the sixth command which is not part of the
original Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) even though the first five are found in
the Decalogue. He added this command to LOVE his neighbor which is the
fulfillment of all the other five mentioned (another impossible task without
the Holy Spirit) using it to show that this LOVE was missing and was the key to
unlocking/releasing the love he had for his riches 'great possessions'. But
Jesus only used these 'impossible tasks' to uncover the young man's attachment
to his wealth and the ! ! ! ! things which money can buy because neither
sacrifice of possessions nor obedience to the commandments will give you
eternal life. The young man had to deal with this inordinate love for his
possessions before he could perceive the real Gospel which Jesus continued to invite
him to partake of through His invitation to 'come and follow Me.'
The
Difficulty for the Rich to Enter the Kingdom
I.
Trusting in Riches (Mark 10:24)
II.
Having Riches (Matthew 19:23)
III.
Requires Special Miracle of God (Matthew 19:24-26)
Earthly
and Eternal Rewards to the Ones Forsaking All (Matthew 19:27-30)
I.
Peter's Spiritual Perception and Question (Matthew 19:27)
A. Understood the Lord's Command to the
Rich Young Ruler to Forsake All
B. Asked for Definite Answer Concerning
Reward
II.
The Lord Jesus' Thorough Response
A. Only the Regenerate/Saved Will Receive
Reward
B. Refers to Millennial Kingdom Literal
Throne/LiteralOne Thousand Year Rule (Revelation 20)
C. Twelve Apostles will Judge the Twelve
Tribes of Israel
D. Those Forsaking Temporal Treasures will
Receive One Hundred Fold on Earth (Mark 10:30)
E. Those Forsaking Temporal Treasures will
Inherit Eternal Life (Matthew 19:29)
F. But many that are first shall be last
and the last shall be first. (Matthew 19:30)
This
concluding saying spoken by the Lord on more than one occasion (Matthew 20:16;
Luke 13:30) can have more than one meaning. Here it could refer to the Rich
Young Ruler as he was first in his position as a ruler but in the hereafter
will be last because he was unwilling to sacrifice temporal possessions to gain
eternal possessions or as it seems here it is the transition verse into the
parable providing an introduction to the parable.
Parable
of the Householder and Laborers (Matthew 20:1-16)
Lessons
from the Parable (Alfred Plummer: 'An Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel of
Matthew)
1.
A parable is always used to teach one main lesson and the details within the
parable must not be forced to mean something other than to support the main
lesson.
2.
The main lesson of this parable is: God keeps His promises to those who serve
Him, but He remains Master in His own world.
3.
He is the sole Judge of what each servant should receive, no one receives less
than He has promised, but many receive more; and in these uncovenanted awards
ther is much that, in man's eyes, seems to be unfair. But God sees not as man
seeth; and 'shall not the Judge of the earth do right?
4.
There is no need to find a separate meaning for those who were called at the
different hours of the day. An agreement was made with those who wer hired
early; the others trusted in the householder's fairness.
5.
At the time of payment only those with whom an agreement had been made and kept
found fault. The others were well satisfied with receiving full pay. Therefore
there are only two classes to consider:
1.
Those who came early and grumbled 2. Those who came later and were satisfied
6.
As to the householder's fairness there can be no question. He kept faith with
those he made agreement with and he was the sole judge of what the work of the
others was worth to him.
7.
Time was precious and labor became increasingly valuable as the day went on.
Fresh and vigorous workers would be specially valuable, but the best of those
who came later could not claim more than a full day's wages, and the
householder did not think it fair to pay less. It is quite possible that
considerations as this may enter into the distribution of spiritual rewards.
8.
God's service early gives no claim to more than He has promised.
9.
It ill becomes a servant of His to question His justice.
10.
All the laborers came as soon as they were called and of those who came last it
is expressly stated that they had no previous opportunity of working.
(v.30)
'So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called but few
chosen.'
This
does not say that the last will be preferred before the last, but that one
shall be treated as the other is treated. In the distribution of rewards no
distinction will be made between first and last. The devoted servant in the
twentieth century may equal the devoted servant in the first and the devoted
servant of half a lifetime may equal the devoted servant of a whole lifetime.
Some
say that the murmurers receive no rebuke or punishment for their attitude but
there is punishment inflicted upon themselves by their own choice to murmur
instead of enjoying what was promised them. They have lost the power of
enjoying the blessing of God due to their faulty view of what God has given to
others being unfair to them. The discontented are never happy, and jealousy is
one of the worst of torments!!