Hey everybody! Thank you for joining me in daily Bible reading as we seek to glorify Jesus, know Him more, and interpret the truth of His Word.
If this is your first time going through the Bible, I am incredibly excited to have you here. If this is your 5000th time, I am humbled that you are here and hope you grow in your relationship with Jesus along with me. May we all seek to know Him more and apply what we learn to further our mission of spreading the gospel. If you missed a day and want to catch up, visit the archives page HERE! But there is no shame if you start today! Day 220, Matthew 19:16 — The Rich Young Ruler Matthew 19:16 (NASB1995) “And someone came to Him and said, ‘Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?’” Discussion Yesterday, we read about Jesus blessing children. Following the conversation about marriage, divorce, and sexual abstinence with the Pharisees and disciples, some people brought children to Him for prayer and blessing. However, it was uncommon for children to take a forefront place among adults and other things in ancient Israel, leading the disciples to rebuke the children for disrupting Jesus’ miracles and teachings. Jesus corrects the disciples and allows the children to come to Him because He does not want them kept from receiving blessings. This is a tangible example of Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom of heaven receiving those who come to Him in genuine humility and faith. This does not mean children hold special authority or importance but that the kingdom receives those who wholly surrender to Christ with nothing to give. Jesus then lays His hands on the children to bless and pray for them before departing and continuing His journey toward Jerusalem. Today, we start reading the conversation between Jesus and the rich young ruler. Matthew writes, “And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” Before we dive in, let’s reference Mark and Luke’s accounts for some added context. Mark 10:17 clarifies that Jesus was setting out on a journey when the man approached Him, while Luke 18:18 describes the man as a “ruler.” Notably, we do not find out that the man is young and rich until later in their conversation. The initial image is of Jesus likely setting out from Perea, where He just taught about divorce and marriage, to continue toward Jerusalem. We do not know if the man was among the great crowd or came along later, but Mark adds that the man “ran” to and “knelt” before Jesus before asking Him this question. This act of reverence reveals that he has some moral character and understanding of Jesus’ authority. Overall, the man’s background is unknown other than Luke confirming that he is a ruler. However, it seems like he is a religious man, or at least well-educated in ancient Judaism, as he appropriately acknowledges Jesus as a “teacher” with the answer to eternal life. His question is THE question that transcends time, right? Even today, the richest people on earth seek to conquer death and extend human life expectancy. Since death is inevitable, the question of the afterlife haunts many. This man had the same uncertainty but came to the right person for clarity, as he yearned for the truth about eternal life. But there is a problem with his question from the start. He does not ask how to inherit eternal life, but ‘what he must do’ to earn it. Such is the sin that leaves many condemned in their sin as they seek to ‘do good’ rather than seek the One who is. The man’s thinking aligns with much of the Pharisees’ as they obey the law and boast in their works for righteousness. Yet, Jesus condemns them. Perhaps this man heard about Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees, which is why he came to Jesus for answers. It is as if he asks, ‘If the Pharisees, in all their works, cannot inherit eternal life, then what must be done? Surely, there is something I can do to earn my place in heaven?’ Thus, this man wants to know the secret to enter the kingdom of heaven and earnestly believes he can attain the ‘goodness’ needed to do so. His ask parallels the zealous scribe who asks to be Jesus' disciple in Matthew 8:19-22. In that passage, the scribe seeks to follow Jesus but does not properly count the cost to do so. We will reference that passage more in the coming days, as it parallels this one.[1] We will read and discuss Jesus’ response to the man tomorrow. Application I planned to cover this entire passage in a single post but ultimately decided to space it out. As mentioned, the man yearns for the answer to eternal life, as most of humanity still does. Scripture confirms man’s yearning for eternity in Ecclesiastes 3:11, stating that is it written on our hearts. We all know that one day we will face death and the reality of the afterlife. Whether you believe in it or not, you will face God on judgment day to account for your sins. Many people will face the LORD with the same mindset as this man, thinking they have done enough or attained enough to earn their righteousness. However, the LORD will condemn those who do this as they have not put their trust in Christ but in themselves—a most grievous sin. This man is not all that different from me in my early walk with Christ. I have spoken of it before, but I struggled with my identity in Christ when I first was born again. I became deceived by the notion that I needed to do things to keep myself in right standing with God. To me, it was my works and ‘holy living’ that made me righteous and any struggle or mistake immediately condemned me. I simply had a misunderstanding of the gospel, the truth surrounding the grace of God, and the lifelong journey of sanctification all believers take. Thankfully, God’s grace transformed my mind and saved me from that wrong way of thinking. Now, I understand it is not my ‘goodness’ or ‘works’ that make me righteous, but the blood of Christ. There is nothing I can do to attain this righteous standing before God, but genuinely believe in the One who makes me righteous. May we praise, worship, honor, and glorify Jesus every day in all that we do while continually pursuing righteousness, holiness, and forgiveness as He forgave us. Looking Ahead Thank you for joining today’s daily Bible reading! Next, we read Matthew 19:17. I hope you join me! I have made commenting available, so please feel free to discuss the reading and ask questions. If you do not want to discuss publicly, you can reach out to me privately. We are on this journey together. References [1] Doug O’Donnell, “New International Greek Testament Commentary.”
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