Rich Youth.

(Mat. 19:16-26; Mark 10:17-27 and Luke 18:18-27).

The first three Evangelists narrate on the youth (“ruler” as St. Luke calls him), who inquired of the Lord Jesus Christ as to what he can do to inherit eternal life. This discourse, as with the following one, took place on the way to Jerusalem, where the Lord was heading for His forthcoming sufferings. Turning to the Lord, the youth called Him: “Good Teacher.” The Lord responded: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God,'’ i.e. if you are referring to Me only as a “Teacher” — as an ordinary person — consequently, you shouldn’t call Me good, because this term is befitting to God only. The Lord offered the following answer to his question: “keep the commandments.”

Apparently, the youth assumed that the Lord was speaking of some special commandments unknown to him, and therefore asked: “Which ones?” But the Lord pointed out some of the ordinary commandments from the Decalogue — 6,7,8,9 and 5 — and then the general commandment on the love of one’s neighbor. To this, the youth answered that “all these things I have kept from my youth.” It has to be assumed that he had a Pharisee’s understanding of these commandments — otherwise he would not have respond in such a way. Still, it is important to note that he regarded himself as not having completed everything that is required, in order to be saved: evidently, his conscience was prompting him that it was not enough to just outwardly fulfill the commandments. The Lord then revealed to him the mystery of Christian completeness: “If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me." In response to this call toward a higher completeness, the youth walked away from the Lord, “sorrowful,” because he had great riches. Consequently, the riches that he had were such an idol to him that he was unable to part with them. He preferred this idol to eternal life, which he apparently, genuinely sought.

Bearing in mind that riches by themselves don’t enslave a person but the passion for it does, the Lord speaks: “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” And this is understandable, because riches are something that everybody desires, and according to the law, is God’s blessing to a person. At the same time, the Lord places it as a strong barrier along the path toward God’s Kingdom. So as to calm His disciples and explain to them in what sense this was stated, the Lord states: “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God.” As Saint Chrysostom explains: “The Lord doesn’t censure riches, but those that are attached to them,” because for the sinful nature of Man, riches present many temptations and impediments toward fulfilling God’s commandments. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God!” — is a popular saying, which is used to this day in the East, meaning that it is either impossible or extremely difficult to achieve.

Some understood the word “camel” to mean a ship’s hawser that was made out of camel fur. Others thought that “eye of a needle” meant the low and narrow gates through which a loaded camel found very difficult to pass through. Riches themselves are not dangerous, only when a person has all his expectations on them and relies on them for all his earthly happiness, so that it becomes an idol to him. However, the agitated Apostles continued to be baffled: “Who then can be saved?” To this, the Lord “looked at them,” i.e. calming them with His very look and said: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” I.e. God’s merciful and saving grace is powerful enough to do that, which a person is incapable of doing with his own strength: God can cure a rich man of his ulcerous avarice that is impeding his salvation.