TJì E K I NG ' S BUS I NES S
52
(4)
Solemn Warning About Riches.
He had wrong ideas of the Master. He called Him “Good Teacher.” He failed to see that Jesus was really God manifest in the flesh, and Jeshs’ reply, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God,” is a claim to equality with God. (John 5:18.) “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because _he not only had broken the sab bath, but said also that God was ^his father, making him self equal w ith God.” (John 10:33.) “The Jews answered him saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because thou, being a man, m akest thyself God.” He had wrong ideas of eternal life. He wanted to know what good, thing he should do. He has an idea that1he can purchase or merit eternal life by some deed of his own. This error concerning salvation is universal. Everywhere men are seeking to do something that they may be saved, but the weary treadmill of works and effort is all in vain. It is not do, but done. Salvation has been wrought out a t a great price. It is finished. Nothing is left for the sinner to do but to accept what God has fur nished through the sacrifice of His own Son. (John 6:28-29.) “Then said they unto - him, W hat shall we do; that we m ight work the works - of God?” Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye m ight believe on him whom he hath sent.” Jesus answers the question, “What is eternal life?” in John 17:3:- “And this is life eternal that they m ight know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” (2) SENT TO THE LAW, vs. 17-20. If he wants to do something, Jesus turns him over to the law. If he can keep the whole law he shall have life, but it must be kept every whit. Not a jot or tittle can be omitted. “The man that doeth these things shall live by them” (Rom. 10:5). The young man’s reply, “All these have I kept from my youth up,” shows his real ignorance of the law and his ignorance of his own frailty. He is con scious of his own righteousness. He had lived a life of external obedience, of un-
23-26. : (5) Satistying Service, vs. 27-30; Introduction. The Lord is continuing His journey to Jerusalem. He had crossed into Perea, where He taught and where He blessed the little children. He is moving away when the young ruler LESSON comes in with his su- EXPOSITION preme question. The T. C. Horton incident is recorded in Mark and Luke also. The lesson can he treated from sev eral different points of view,— “Missing the Mark*’; “The Trust Test” or “The “Hindering Power of Wealth” ; “Lack ing One Thing” ; “Losing All Things” ; “Turning the Back Upon Christ.” The lesson is full of striking sugges tions for the earnest teacher. (1) SEEKING ETERNAL LIFE," v. 16. The first picture is inspiring. A rich young man, a ruler, on the run for sal vation. He was anxious—he ran. He was intent—he kneeled. He was rever ential—he looked up and called Him “Good Master.” He was honest—unlike the lawyer who asked a similar ques tion (Luke 10:25). "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” The young man was himself a teacher. He believed in the life to come. He had never found, in all his studies or prac tices, rest for the soul. He is to be high ly commended for his earnestness. He broke through all the customs of the Orient in his eagerness to reach the solution of his soul’s need. Judging from the words of the Lord to him and the statement which is made th a t “ looking upon him, He loved him,” we are sure that we have here an ex ceptional character,---one who was re ligiously moral. But he lacked one thing, and he had come to the right place to obtain th a t which he lacked.
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