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The Rich Young Man
Matt. 19:16-30
(See also Mark10:17-31 and Luke18:18-3
What must I do to get eternal life? That's what the man was asking Yeshua. Yeshua's reply is, "Keep the commandments".
The man asks him, "Which ones?"
Yeshua responds, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you love yourself". Lev 19:18.
The man tells Yeshua, "I've kept all these since my youth. What do I still lack?"
Why would he think he lacked something? Apparently, there was something going on in this man's heart that signaled to him that even though he was doing the right things, as instructed and promised by God (Lev 18:5), he knew that something was missing but he didn't know what.
Yeshua's response is, "If you wish to be perfect sell everything, give it to the poor, and come join me."
The partial list from the 10 Commandments that Yeshua gave was the part that was relational to others. The other half is relational to God. The man was still dependant on his riches of money and property. Apparently, he could not see himself not having these things, so he walked away in sadness.
Yeshua tells his disciples, "it is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the Kingdom." Why? I think it's because the rich have no need (from their point of view anyway) to depend on God for anything. They also have a difficult time paring down their own needs to the basics and living off just what is necessary and giving the rest to others who truely need it.
Yeshua does not say it's a sin to be rich. Nor does he say that a rich man "can't" get into the kingdom, just that it is difficult because of their dependency on their own abilities to meet their own needs. Riches in the scriptures is a sign of God's blessing. The point of being blessed though is not for hording but for giving out to those in need. The man who came to Yeshua had an issue with giving.
"It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom" I've heard the story of an ancient gate in Jerusalem that supposedly was called the "Eye of The Needle" and about camels having to bow low to get through but I can find no proof of such a gate. According to, "The Jewish Annotated New Testament", it never existed. There is also an old Talmudic parallel using an elephant. "It's easier for an Elephant tp go through the eye of a needle."
Even the poor though can be dependent on riches. They don't have riches but their constantly thinking, "how can I get this or that?" or maybe, "I can get money from so n' so, then I'll be ok." It's human to be concerened about our needs being met but God being good, is the only One who can meet them. Physically, financially, and spiritually. We are to depend totally on Him. That does not mean that we sit back and do nothing but come to the understanding that our getting is still from God.
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Matt. 19:16-30
(See also Mark10:17-31 and Luke18:18-3
What must I do to get eternal life? That's what the man was asking Yeshua. Yeshua's reply is, "Keep the commandments".
The man asks him, "Which ones?"
Yeshua responds, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you love yourself". Lev 19:18.
The man tells Yeshua, "I've kept all these since my youth. What do I still lack?"
Why would he think he lacked something? Apparently, there was something going on in this man's heart that signaled to him that even though he was doing the right things, as instructed and promised by God (Lev 18:5), he knew that something was missing but he didn't know what.
Yeshua's response is, "If you wish to be perfect sell everything, give it to the poor, and come join me."
The partial list from the 10 Commandments that Yeshua gave was the part that was relational to others. The other half is relational to God. The man was still dependant on his riches of money and property. Apparently, he could not see himself not having these things, so he walked away in sadness.
Yeshua tells his disciples, "it is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the Kingdom." Why? I think it's because the rich have no need (from their point of view anyway) to depend on God for anything. They also have a difficult time paring down their own needs to the basics and living off just what is necessary and giving the rest to others who truely need it.
Yeshua does not say it's a sin to be rich. Nor does he say that a rich man "can't" get into the kingdom, just that it is difficult because of their dependency on their own abilities to meet their own needs. Riches in the scriptures is a sign of God's blessing. The point of being blessed though is not for hording but for giving out to those in need. The man who came to Yeshua had an issue with giving.
"It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom" I've heard the story of an ancient gate in Jerusalem that supposedly was called the "Eye of The Needle" and about camels having to bow low to get through but I can find no proof of such a gate. According to, "The Jewish Annotated New Testament", it never existed. There is also an old Talmudic parallel using an elephant. "It's easier for an Elephant tp go through the eye of a needle."
Even the poor though can be dependent on riches. They don't have riches but their constantly thinking, "how can I get this or that?" or maybe, "I can get money from so n' so, then I'll be ok." It's human to be concerened about our needs being met but God being good, is the only One who can meet them. Physically, financially, and spiritually. We are to depend totally on Him. That does not mean that we sit back and do nothing but come to the understanding that our getting is still from God.
You may reply to this post in the Peanut Gallery.
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