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Explanation for:
Matthew
19
:
20
The young man saith to him: All these I have kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?
13
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The young man utters a falsehood; truly, if he had genuinely adhered to the commandments, \\"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,\\" how is it that upon hearing the instruction, \\"Go and sell what thou hast and give to the poor,\\" he departs sorrowful, for he possessed great wealth?"},{"author-name":"Ephraem the Syrian","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88b589fc3e99eb7bb1839_Ephraem%20the%20Syrian.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"He anticipated that the Lord would soon disclose to him the remaining qualities that had completed his transformation, similar to what happened with Paul, who prior to his conversion held a form of righteousness based on the Law."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"This also reflected his deep longing for everlasting salvation. It is noteworthy that he felt he had not completed the task of his redemption, believing that his words alone were inadequate to achieve his aspirations."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Some criticize this young man for being arrogant and self-important. They question how he could genuinely love his neighbor while still being wealthy. They argue that anyone who truly loves their neighbor as themselves cannot possess more than their neighbor. The term \\"neighbor\\" encompasses all people. Others interpret it differently: If I had truly adhered to all of this, what would I be missing?"},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Yet some may question whether the young man spoke from the heart. How could he genuinely love his neighbor as himself when he possessed such great wealth? Did he extend his resources to those in need or to those who had nothing? What can be said in response to this? He did indeed strive to uphold this commandment to the best of his ability at that time. He loved his neighbor as himself, yet his compassion was limited; he caused no harm but withheld his wealth from others. Such an act surpassed the bounds of Jewish materialism. These are the commandments that were most crucial during that period. The rest can all be found in one location: Exodus (Exodus 20:12), while the commandment, \\"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,\\" appears in another: Leviticus (Leviticus 19:18). I consider this latter commandment to be of utmost importance. What else is lacking in me? Through this inquiry, he demonstrated his desire for greater righteousness. Therefore, as Mark recounts (Mark 10:21), Jesus looked at him, loved him, and declared, \\"You lack one thing.\\" Similarly, Luke (Luke 18:22) noted, \\"Thou hast not yet finished one thing.\\" He gazed upon him with kindness and loved him as one who sought salvation, despite being ensnared by the desire for wealth. Yet what else is still missing? To follow Him."},{"author-name":"Nicephoros (Theotokis)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8958407451968d9c204fb_Nicephoros%20(Theotokis).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":18,"exegesis-text":"He expressed these thoughts sincerely, yet as a test for Jesus Christ. If he had been insincere or deceitful, Christ would not have held love for him. Indeed, from a young age, he adhered to the commandments of the Mosaic Law; however, when contemplating the magnitude of the rewards, the limited effort he exerted in following the commandments seemed insignificant and unworthy of eternal life. Therefore, believing that he required further accomplishments, he asked, ‘What do I still lack?’ What must I do to be deemed worthy of eternal life?"},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Not everyone among us, even with the slightest look at his existence, could articulate what he expressed: THE YOUNG MAN SAID TO HIM, ALL THAT I HAVE GUARD FROM MY YOUTH. In a moment when an individual is seeking guidance for everlasting life, it is hard to suspect him of insincere self-praise before his teacher; in such a case, he would only deceive himself. Thus, we ought to believe that the young man in the Gospel honestly believed he had adhered to the commandments since his early years, although it is important to observe that his conscience, not yet cleansed or illuminated by the grace of Christ, did not accurately reflect the true spiritual nature and worth of his actions. He failed to probe the depths of his heart and, unknowingly, spoke a falsehood: if he had genuinely observed the commandment: love your neighbor as yourself, he would have desired for his neighbor the same joy and abundance he wished for himself, making it easier for him to share his riches with those in need. Yet, he found himself unable to do so. However, it is significant that he recognized his salvation work as incomplete and believed what he said to Jesus Christ was insufficient to attain his desires. The Pharisees of his time, the so-called teachers of the Law, thought differently. They took pride in their perceived righteousness, believing they had completed all that was required of them. The young man posed the question to the Lord, ‘What else do I lack?’ How insightful is this inquiry! As a mere adherent of the Law, he saw himself as having fulfilled the commandments, yet he did not consider himself worthy of eternal life based solely on that fulfillment. He understood that mere avoidance of serious sins could not suffice before God’s eyes, believing that something more noble and worthy of God's greatness was necessary to draw near to Him and attain His kingdom. This reveals a degree of humility and a glimmer of understanding of the spiritual law. These positive attributes led this Israelite to Christ, bringing him to the threshold of grace, where the path to salvation from eternal death and the pursuit of perfection—leading to eternal life and the highest happiness—was revealed to him. The Lord recognized his potential for deeper understanding of the path to perfection. Yet, the Divine Master discerned the hidden malady of his soul and, with keen wisdom and paternal love, gently addressed this sore point in his heart. The compassionate Teacher did not juxtapose words of self-praise with those of correction but instead guided him toward the path of perfection, allowing the young man to acknowledge his own shortcomings through his actions. In order to draw the young man closer to Him, He offers him a tremendous reward, urges St. Chrysostom, granting him the freedom to choose while casting a shadow over the more challenging aspects of His command."},{"author-name":"Ignatij (Briantchaninow)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ce37597540c9caa5df5_Ignatij%20(Briantchaninow).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"\\"But if you wish to enter into eternal life, observe the commandments,\\" said our Lord Jesus Christ to a young man who approached Him with a question, \\"Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?\\" This young man sought to understand what actions were necessary for his salvation. When he inquired again about the specific commandments, Jesus, acknowledging the young man as a Jew faithful to the true God, recounted the commandments pertaining to his neighbor. The young man asserted that he had adhered to all these commandments, yet he further asked, \\"What do I still lack?\\" The Lord responded, \\"If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me, taking up your cross.\\" From this exchange, we glean that the Lord has prepared two cherished states for believers: the state of salvation and that of Christian perfection. It is evident from His answers that while the blessed state of salvation is accessible to all Christians, perfection is reserved for those who selflessly share their possessions and, leaving worldly attachments behind, follow Christ by embracing the cross, willingly enduring trials, dishonors, and difficulties in the true spirit of Christ, while rejecting the excuses of worldly wisdom that opposes Christ and His cross.\\n\\nLet us reflect on the conditions for salvation, as it is a desire shared by all Christians. The Lord was teaching His holy doctrine to a Jew who believed in the true God, which is why He emphasized the commandments regarding one's neighbor and did not mention faith directly, although He spoke of it on other occasions. To attain salvation, one must believe in God, the Creator and Redeemer. \\"And this is eternal life,\\" our Savior declared, \\"that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.\\" \\"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; but he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.\\" It is imperative for those seeking salvation to belong to the Orthodox Church, the one true Church, and to adhere to its teachings. The Lord equated disobedience to the Church with being a Gentile, an outsider to God.\\n\\nWhen we profess the Creed, we affirm our belief in the One Holy and Apostolic Church, thereby acknowledging that outside of this One Church, there is no other true Church. Those wishing to be saved must receive baptism within the Orthodox Church in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was said, \\"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be condemned.\\" In the language of the New Testament, the term for baptism signifies immersion. Thus, wherever the terms \\"baptism,\\" \\"baptize,\\" or \\"baptized\\" appear in the New Testament, they denote immersion or submersion. This is why the immersion of vessels in water for cleansing is referred to in the Gospel as the baptism of vessels. The sacrament of Baptism was exercised through immersion for twelve centuries after Christ's Nativity, but from the twelfth century onward, the West began to adopt pouring, which eventually led to sprinkling in some Western communities.\\n\\nTo achieve salvation, individuals must repent of their sins and seek purification through confession, as stated in Scripture, \\"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He, being faithful and just, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\\" The sacrament of Penance is crucial in maintaining and renewing the purity granted at baptism, enabling us to uphold our union with Christ. The priest administering the sacrament reassures the penitent Christian, stating, \\"With this second baptism, you are renewed in the sacrament of Christianity.\\" However, in the West, this sacrament has been altered and largely rejected by Protestant denominations.\\n\\nAdditionally, for those seeking salvation, it is essential to partake in the Holy Sacraments, receiving the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. \\"Truly, truly,\\" the Lord proclaimed, \\"unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you.\\" The great sacrament of transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is accomplished through the invocation of the Holy Spirit during the Divine Liturgy. Without the Divine Liturgy conducted by an Orthodox bishop or hierarch, the bread cannot become the Body of Christ, nor the wine become His Blood. All ancient liturgies share essential characteristics, invoking the Holy Spirit for transubstantiation and blessing the prepared elements. In later years, the Roman liturgy removed this invocation, and Protestants rejected liturgy entirely.\\n\\nFor salvation, one must first have correct faith in God, belong to the Orthodox Church, receive baptism, be anointed, and cleanse oneself from sin through repentance while partaking in the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Secondly, as the Lord instructed the young man, adherence to God's commandments is required. The Lord highlighted the commandments that prohibit grave sins, reiterating what Moses conveyed to ancient Israel: \\"You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness,\\" followed by the command to honor father and mother, and ultimately to love one's neighbor as oneself. The absence of a direct command to love God is intentional; love for God is manifested through love for neighbor, and one who fosters love for their neighbor will inherently receive a profound spiritual treasure—love for God. \\"If we love one another,\\" declared St. John the Theologian, \\"God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.\\" \\n\\nWhat does it mean to inherit salvation, to be saved? It signifies aligning oneself with the Redeemer, maintaining this alignment throughout one's earthly life, and upon death, because of this union, being welcomed into the company of blessed spirits, where one may experience divine joy in anticipation of the final resurrection. At that resurrection, the righteous will be reunited with their bodies, restored and incorruptible, to share in everlasting bliss. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Life and Source of Life, and we partake in this life through faith in the teachings of Christ, through Baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and through the anointing of the baptized. The Apostles sealed Baptism with the laying on of hands, invoking the Holy Spirit upon the newly baptized. \\n\\nWe sustain our union with the Lord by repenting for our failings due to human frailty, by receiving communion of His Body and Blood, and by living in accordance with His holy commandments. Anyone who neglects to live by God's commandments, who fails to continually seek healing through repentance, and who does not maintain this union with Christ through communion cannot help but forfeit their connection to Him and thus lose their salvation. \\"If you keep My commandments,\\" said the Lord to His disciples, \\"you will abide in My love. Anyone who does not abide in Me will be cast out like a branch and wither; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.\\""},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"\\"I have adhered to all these precepts\\": this response indicates that the young man perceived the fulfillment of the commandments in a purely superficial manner, failing to grasp the essence of the commandments and the boundless nature of the commandment of love. Otherwise, he could not claim to have fully realized all these aspects from his youth, as true fulfillment of these commandments in their entirety and depth—spiritually and truthfully—is an infinitely lofty endeavor. Nevertheless, it is significant that he viewed himself as lacking in his pursuit of salvation and believed that what he expressed to Jesus fell short of achieving his desired outcome. Unlike him, the Pharisees of his era—those esteemed teachers of the law—were convinced of their own righteousness, believing they had accomplished everything necessary, leaving nothing unfulfilled. (Luke 18:11-12)"},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The young man declared, \\"I have kept all these commandments since my youth; what do I still lack?\\" Christ responded, \\"If you have indeed fulfilled these commandments, you will enter the kingdom of heaven; however, if you desire to be perfect, you lack one thing: go and sell your possessions, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come and follow me.\\" The specifics of how the wealthy young man adhered to the Old Testament commandments are not detailed, but it is reasonable to assume that his interpretation aligned with the understanding of the scribes and Pharisees of that time. His countenance fell when Christ challenged him to relinquish his greed, as his possessions had become a source of idolatry; he could not let go of them. Consequently, despite Christ's invitation to follow Him, he chose to depart. \\n\\nDeep within, he wrestled with the desire for eternal life while clinging to his idol of wealth, which proved to be mutually exclusive. Thus, the sorrowful young man was forced to make a decision, ultimately favoring his riches. This interaction between Christ and the young man illustrates that the path to the joy of eternal life remains rooted in the commandments of the Old Testament, which express the unwavering will of God. To attain this joy, one must observe these commandments with sincerity, especially the imperative to love one’s neighbor as oneself. However, the Jews misunderstood these commandments, particularly the crucial tenet of neighborly love, as they considered only fellow Jews to be their neighbors. As a result, Jesus sought to redefine and clarify their true intent. \\n\\nOne of the essential clarifications He made was the possibility of human perfection. One must forsake anything that distracts from the journey toward eternal life, including cherished relationships that lead astray, regardless of how dear they may be. Additionally, if the desire for wealth captivates the soul, it is far better to give away all that one possesses to the needy and not fear the illusion of poverty that may follow; doing so will result in greater riches in heaven. The command of Jesus, \\"Sell your possessions and give to the poor,\\" directed at the young man impeded by his wealth, bears a conditional understanding and should not be taken as an unconditional directive applicable to all. A wealthy individual who regards their possessions not as personal treasures for enjoyment but as assets entrusted by God for stewardship—as long as they manage them in alignment with divine will—can find salvation without having to relinquish every material possession assigned to them."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The young man clearly anticipated receiving exceptional and insightful guidance from such a remarkable Teacher and inquired, \\"What are the commandments?\\" When Christ listed the key commandments from the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Law, emphasizing the directive to love one’s neighbor as oneself, the young man expressed astonishment, noting that he had adhered to these from his youth, yet desired to pursue additional actions beyond them."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Unaware of the full significance of God's commandment (Psalm 118:96) and perceiving the fulfillment of the law solely on a superficial level, the young man believed that he had already met this expectation: \\"Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up; what lack I yet?\\" It is clear that the Evangelical youth did not, in bad faith, claim to have observed the commandments from his youth. However, it should be noted that the reflection of his conscience, unrefined and unilluminated by Christ's grace, did not accurately or faithfully convey the true spiritual quality and worth of his actions (St. Philaret of Moscow). Furthermore, he lacked the Pharisaic tendency towards self-exaltation through false righteousness. He recognized that in order to draw near to God and attain His kingdom, merely distancing oneself from blatant sins and offenses was insufficient; something more noble, more fitting for the majesty of God, was required."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"At last, a man approached the Lord, a diligent observer of God’s commandments. Although he was adorned with great honor as a chief ruler and enjoyed substantial wealth in his youth, he fervently aspired to achieve the highest spiritual excellence to secure eternal life. What more could one desire from an individual coming to the Lord? It appeared that he might gain entry into His kingdom by a different path than that of repentance, unlike others who were typically called. Even the disciples were involved in the discussion, as indicated by their subsequent inquiries. Yet, the Lord disclosed to them through two observations the extent to which this young man’s heart was not aligned with the ways of God. First, He indicated that by failing to recognize the divine nature of Jesus, the young man, in his adherence to the law, should not have addressed earthly teachers with titles meant solely for God. Secondly, He revealed his lack of genuine love for his neighbor by instructing him to relinquish his possessions and donate them to the poor. This request deeply troubled the young man, leading him to sorrowfully depart from the Lord. The Lord, in this instance, did not ask anything extraordinary from him that was not also required of others. The call to self-denial and sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel is a commandment for everyone."}]}
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