-THE PEREAN MINISTRY

            -The Rich Young Ruler; Dangers of Riches; Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard

-Matthew 19:16-20:16; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30

-The Rich Young Ruler

-Mark tells us that this man came running to Jesus, knelt down before Him and asked the

 question, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17).

            -These actions reveal that he was anxious to meet Jesus, reverent toward Him and

             desirous of an answer to his question.

            -“Others had come to Jesus, but it was that their bodies might be healed, or it was a father

             pleading for his son, or a mother for a daughter.  But here was one who from trouble of

             soul alone sought him” (Dorris, pg 232).

-Jesus initially replied to this man’s question with a question:  “Why callest thou me good?

 there is none good but one, that is, God” (Mark 10:18).

            -There has been much discussion and debate as to the true import of this statement.

             However, it seems that Jesus was trying to build this man’s faith.  It seems that He is

             asking:  “Only God is Good.  Since you referred to me as Good Master, are you willing

             to concede the fact that I am more than a Teacher?  Are you willing to believe that I

             am Deity?”

            -“This is done because the young man would need to believe in the divinity of Jesus to

             endure the test to which he was about to be subjected” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 544).

-Jesus then answered, “Thou knowest the commandments…” and then referred to a

 portion of the Ten Commandments.  The answer to this man’s question was to be found in

 scripture.

            -The rich, young ruler was still comfortable at this stage of the conversation.  He felt

             that he had kept these things in accordance with his understanding of them.

-The young man then asked another, very good question:  “…what lack I yet?” (Matt 19:20).

 He has asked two very good questions that we should also seriously contemplate:  “What shall

 I do that I may inherit eternal life?” and “What lack I yet?”

            -“He hoped to receive other instructions that would assure him of his safety and give him

             peace; or he hoped to receive instructions that he might supply his deficiency” (Boles,

             Matthew, pg 393).

            -Mark tells us that Jesus, “…beholding him, loved him…” (vs 21).  “Jesus loved him for his

             character, and because he loved him, he gave him the further direction that would perfect his

             character, and fit him for higher blessings of God in the world to come.  His was a character

             approved by God so far as it went” (Dorris, pg 234).  Yet, there was something that he

             lacked. 

-Jesus then instructed the man to “…sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor…”

 (Mark 10:21).

            -Jesus, knowing the heart of this man, knew what stood as an obstacle to the self-

             sacrifice necessary for being His follower.  He knew the cross he needed to bear.

            -The requirement to sell all that a person has is not a general command.  Instead, it was

             specific to the situation at hand.  This man’s attitude toward his possessions served as a

             hindrance.  Therefore, the hindrance needed to be removed. 

                        -We, too, should try to identify our own hindrances and work toward removing

                          them for better service to our Lord and the church for which He died.

-In response to Jesus’ statement - and as a revelation of this man’s particular area of weakness -

 the rich, young ruler was “very sorrowful” (Luke 18:23) and “…went away grieved: for he had

 great possessions” (Mark 10:22).

            -What a contrast!  He had run to Jesus with exuberance.  He departed in sorrow. 

            -He was allowing his focus on material possessions to stand between Him and His God.

                        -How often the same can be said of individuals today!

-The Dangers of Riches

-When Jesus saw the sorrow of this man, He spoke of the dangers of riches - the hindrance that

 they can become.

            -“So he looked round about upon his disciples, to see the effect on their minds doubtless,

             and to prepare them for the truth he now wishes to enforce by this example” (Dorris, pg 237).

-History, both within scripture and outside of scripture, has shown us over and over again that

 people have struggled with placing trust in material wealth rather than in God.  With a false

 sense of self-reliance and self-security, people begin to forget their dependence upon God

 and the need to fully submit to His will.

            -“The possession and use of riches is permitted to the Christian, but their possession

             becomes a sin when the one who owns them comes to trust in them or in any way suffers

             them to interfere with his duties toward or relations to God” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 547).

            -“This means that, under the rule or laws of God, it is difficult for a rich man to do this,

             because the riches gain such a hold on his affections, and make such demand upon his

             time, that they leave neither disposition nor time to obey God” (Dorris, pg 237).

            -Let’s always remember, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some

             coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many

             sorrows” (1 Tim 6:10).

-For the apostles, this was difficult to digest.  Like many, they probably thought that material

 wealth was a sign of Divine blessings.  The thought of such serving as a barrier to the ultimate

 blessings was difficult to comprehend. 

            -In regards to the illustration of the camel and the eye of a needle, Coffman commented,

             “Of course, it is impossible for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, and the Lord’s words

              are therefore hyperbole, used for the sake of emphasizing the difficulty” (Mark, pg 213).

            -We must understand that the “rich man” in verse 25 is the equivalent of “those who

             trust in riches” in verse 24.  The illustration is not simply of a rich man but of a rich man

             who - like the rich, young ruler - continues to trust in those riches rather than in God.

-The apostles remained astonished but Jesus offered comfort with the statement, “With men it

 is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). 

            -If one depended only upon the wisdom of man and the wisdom of this world, a correct

             approach to riches would never be gained.  Yet, if one trusted in the wisdom of God and

             allowed himself to be influenced by God’s word, it would certainly be possible.

            -Peter’s Response

-In contrast to the rich, young ruler, the apostles had been willing to forsake all in order to

 follow Jesus.  Peter began to wonder about what they would receive in return - “…what shall

 we have therefore?” (Matt 19:27).

-Jesus reassured Peter and the rest of the apostles that they would be blessed for their self-

 sacrifice - both in this world and especially in the world to come.

-In Matthew’s account, as a part of His response to Peter, Jesus referred to a time of  

 regeneration” when He would sit on His throne and the apostles would also be upon thrones.

            -“By the term ‘regeneration’ Jesus in this case means the period in which the process of

             regenerating men would be in progress…After His ascension Jesus sat upon his throne…

             And on the day of Pentecost next following he began this process of regeneration.  Having

             enthroned himself, Jesus enthroned the apostles also, not as kings but as judges, having

             jurisdiction over all questions of faith and practice in the earthly kingdom.  During their

             personal ministry, they judged in person; and since then they judge through their writings”

             (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 548).

            -“Efforts to apply this passage to some kind of literal return of Jesus to the earth and which

             envisions Christ and the apostles actually occupying literal earthly thrones must surely be

             rejected in the light of the truth that Christ and the Twelve are now reigning in his kingdom”

             (Coffman, Matthew, pg 299).

-Some that are first (exalted in material wealth) will be last (spiritually bankrupt) and vice versa.

-The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard

-In regards to this parable, note that its last verse - Matthew 20:16 - corresponds to Matthew

 19:30.  So, the verse immediately preceding this parable is the same as its last verse.  Noting this

 fact helps us to understand the context and, therefore, the main point of the parable.

-The parable involves a man who hired laborers at different stages throughout the day.  Those

 who were hired first had agreed to a wage and received their rightful pay at the end of the day.

 Oddly, those who entered the vineyard last were paid first and vice versa.  As a result, the

 early laborers complained about the wages paid to the others.  Yet, these early laborers received

 what they agreed to.

-“’Do not be so much concerned about what you are going to get.  In the kingdom of heaven it is

 not a matter of punching the clock, so much work and so much reward.  If that is your attitude,

 great as your work may be, it will be small in the sight of God...When so understood, the parable

 becomes a warning to the apostles who, as the first workers in the vineyard, might through an

 improper spirit end up as last in the kingdom” (Lightfoot, pg 149).

            -“The parable also may be taken as a warning to the Jews…Very early they had entered the

             Lord’s vineyard.  All other nations were late-comers.  So according to this view, Jesus is

             saying that the Jews, like the early workers, would resent the gathering in of the Gentiles

             (ibid).