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In this lesson:
Jesus blesses the children (19:13-15). Jesus teaches a rich man and us a lesson (19:16-39). Also - Don't kill, commit adultery, steal, or lie (19:18). Honor your parents and love your neighbor (19:19). Study Tip: As you read the Bible, make two lists - 1) Things you should do. 2) Things God promises to do. |
Jesus and the young, rich man.
By the German artist Heinrich Hoffman (1824-1911). |
The Gospel According to St. Matthew
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
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Matthew 19:13-30
Salvation through faith 13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. 16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. 23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. 27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. |
Margin notes:
"The disciples rebuked them." (19:13) - "The disciples reprimanded them." "Suffer little children." (19:14) - "Allow the little children." "And departed." (19:15) - Remember, Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem and crucifixion. "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." (19:17) - "If you want to enter heaven, obey the Ten Commandments" (Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 4:40). Of course, no one can obey all the commandments all the time. The Ten Commandments weren't meant to save us. They were meant to show mankind how far short we fall of God's standards. We can't save ourselves. That is why we need a Savior to save us by Grace. "All these things have I kept from my youth." (19:20) - The young man was mistaken. It is impossible to keep all the commandments. Like us, the young man was a sinner and unable to earn salvation by his own efforts. It is only by God's Grace that we can reach paradise. In verses 19:21-22, Jesus shows how this man put himself and his wealth above everything else. "What lack I yet?" (19:20) - "What else do I need to do?" "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor." (19:21) - See "Today's Question" number two below. "A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." (19:23) - "It is hard for a rich man to go to the Kingdom of Heaven." Why? Because we cannot rely on our wealth or fame to save us (Mark 10:24). In the pursuit of riches, many "fall into temptation and a snare" "which drown men in destruction" (1 Timothy 6:9). Remember, money is not the root of all evil, the love of money is (1 Timothy 6:10). See "Today's Question" number 3 below. "The eye of a needle." (19:24) - The "eye of a needle" was a small gate leading into a walled city. At night, the large main gates were securely locked. Anyone wanting to enter the city after sunset had to go through the small "eye of a needle" under the watchful eyes of guards. The gateway was so small that pack animals had to be unloaded and duck down to fit through. "They were exceedingly amazed." (19:25) - "They were bewildered." The disciples were dumbfounded to learn how difficult it is for a rich person to go to heaven. In Jesus' day, people believed that the rich were in God's good graces and the poor were being punished. Jesus' words went against everything the disciples had been taught. "With God all things are possible." (19:26) - It is impossible to earn eternal life through our own efforts (Romans 3:20). But for God, "there is nothing too hard" (Jeremiah 32:17). With faith in Jesus, mountains move, camels pass through the eye of a needle, and anyone can find heaven (Galatians 3:11). "In the regeneration." (19:28) - The word regeneration is translated from the original Greek, palingenesia, meaning new birth. "Ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (19:28) - This promise, made initially by God circa 700 BC (Isaiah 1:26), is repeated here by Jesus. Jesus will make the promise again at the Last Supper (Luke 22:30). "Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first." (19:30) - After death, the last will be first. Jesus reinforces this teaching in Matthew 20:16, Mark 10:31, and Luke 13:30. |
You can also find the story of the rich young man in Mark 10:17-27 and Luke 18:18-30.
New Living Translation
Matthew 19:13-30
Jesus Blesses the Children
13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
14 But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."
15 And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.
The Rich Man
16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?"
17 "Why ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. But to answer your question-if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" the man asked.
And Jesus replied: "'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely.
19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
20 "I've obeyed all these commandments," the young man replied. "What else must I do?"
21 Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
24 I'll say it again-it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"
25 The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.
26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible."
27 Then Peter said to him, "We've given up everything to follow you. What will we get?"
28 Jesus replied, "I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.
30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.
The "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Jesus Blesses the Children
13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
14 But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."
15 And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.
The Rich Man
16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?"
17 "Why ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. But to answer your question-if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" the man asked.
And Jesus replied: "'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely.
19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
20 "I've obeyed all these commandments," the young man replied. "What else must I do?"
21 Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
24 I'll say it again-it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"
25 The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.
26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible."
27 Then Peter said to him, "We've given up everything to follow you. What will we get?"
28 Jesus replied, "I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.
30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.
The "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Key verses from this passage
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." (19:24-26)
Today's Questions:
1. What mistake did the rich, young man make?
2. Does Jesus expect us to sell all our possessions? (19:21)
3. Can a rich person believe? (19:24)
"It is either (the Mosaic) law or Grace. To say we are saved through Grace but must keep ourselves by works is to deny Grace."
Harold G. Ihlefeldt (1920-1971)
1. What mistake did the rich, young man make?
2. Does Jesus expect us to sell all our possessions? (19:21)
3. Can a rich person believe? (19:24)
"It is either (the Mosaic) law or Grace. To say we are saved through Grace but must keep ourselves by works is to deny Grace."
Harold G. Ihlefeldt (1920-1971)
Answers: (Do you agree?)
1. "The rich young (man) made four mistakes, each of which was met by the Lord with unerring wisdom.
1) His mistake about the person of Christ, thinking Him only a good teacher, was answered by the inescapable dilemma - either He is God, or He is not a good man (19:17).
2) His mistake about the way of eternal life, supposing it could be earned by works, was met by confronting him with the high demands of divine law (19:17)
3) HIs mistake about himself, thinking he had kept the law (19:20), was answered by testing him as to works of righteousness (19:21) and opening his eyes to his failure (19:22).
4) And his most tragic mistake was in not heeding the final words of Christ, "Come and follow me" (19:21); for therein was offered gracious hope for a sinner. In the Lord's explanation to the disciples, after the incident, He made it clear that salvation is never won by human attainment, but that "with God all things are possible" (19:24-26) - even the salvation of those who love riches. Salvation has always been by God's grace to the sinner, through his faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice."
("The New Scofield Reference Bible," published by Oxford University Press, New York, New York; page 1025)
2. No, Jesus does not expect everyone to sell all their possessions, just those who worship wealth. The rich man in this passage coveted material things. Money was his God. Others allow fame, power, position, their good looks, or intellectualism to get in the way of a relationship with God. Addiction, lust, greed, jealousy, whatever we place above God, we must abandon, or it will trap us. We should have no other God before us (Exodus 20:3).
3. Yes, a rich person can be a believer. For example, there was -
Lydia - Lydia was a wealthy merchant from Thyatira who lived and worked in Philippi. She was one of the first Europeans to convert to Christianity. Paul, and his group stayed at her home several times when visiting Philippi (Acts 16:14-15; 16:40).
Joanna - Joanna was the well-connected wife of Chuza, King Herod's steward. Chuza managed the royal palace. After Jesus healed Joanna (Luke 8:2-3), she became a devoted follower. Along with Mary Magdalene and Mary (the mother of James and Joses), she was among the first to spread the news of Jesus' resurrection (Luke 24:10).
The man of Ethiopia - This unnamed Christian was a man of "great authority." He was a high-ranking government official who reported to Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. He was in charge of "all her treasure" (Acts 8:27).
Cornelius - Cornelius was a career army officer in the Roman army. He was a centurion, a rank equivalent to a captain, with the "Italian band" (Acts 10:1) with one hundred men under his command. Although he was part of the dreaded Roman occupation and a Gentile, Cornelius earned Jewish respect because he prayed to the God of Israel (Acts 10:2). Stationed in Caesarea, the capital of Palestine, Cornelius was the first Gentile to be baptized (Acts 10:46-48).
Manaen - A prophet and teacher. We learn in Acts 13:1 that Manaen was raised with King Herod. Some Bible scholars suggest they may have been close childhood friends or even stepbrothers.
Sergius Paulus - The Roman Governor of Cyprus (Acts 13:12). Historians have described Sergius as well-educated. He became a believer after witnessing Paul strike Elymas, the evil sorcerer, blind (Acts 13:8-11).
The leading women of Thessalonica - A notable group who believed (Acts 17:4).
Prominent, well-known Greek men and women of Berea (Acts 17:12).
Erastus - A devout Christian and the chamberlain (treasurer) for the city of Corinth (Romans 16:23). Erastus handled the city finances and was likely an influential town leader. After his conversion, he gave up his high-profile position to minister in Asia (Acts 19:22).
Emperor Nero's staff - Mentioned in Philippians 4:22.
Joseph of Arimathaea - Joseph was a well-connected Pharisee and wealthy (Matthew 27:57) member of the Sanhedrin, the powerful Jewish high council (Mark 15:43, Luke 23:50-51). He became a believer (John 19:38), but initially kept his faith secret out of fear of the Pharisees' (John 12:42). Joseph was not present the night the Sanhedrin convicted the Messiah of blasphemy and condemned Him to death (Luke 23:50-51). After the crucifixion, Joseph begged Pilate for Jesus' body, took Him down from the cross (Mark 15:43-46), prepared the Messiah for burial, and provided the tomb for Jesus to be buried in (Matthew 27:57-60). Joseph appears in all four Gospels.
Nicodemus - Like Joseph of Arimathaea, Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish high council. Unlike most of the Pharisees, Nicodemus believed that Jesus could perform miracles and was "from God" (John 3:1-2). He secretly visited Jesus in the dead of night and defended Him (John 7:50-51). When Nicodemus was absent, the Jewish high council convicted Jesus of blasphemy. After the crucifixion, when Jesus' disciples went into hiding, Nicodemus risked his position to help bury our Lord (John 19:39-42). Many Bible scholars believe that Nicodemus was one of the three wealthiest men in Jerusalem but lost everything to the persecution he suffered for following Jesus.
Application thought for the day:
We tend to put build walls between ourselves and God. For the rich man in this passage, wealth was his wall. Each of us has a weakness that tempts us - whether it's lust, greed, anger, jealousy, drink, drugs, pride, or simple laziness. Take some time to reflect on today's passage and identify the temptation that leads you away from God. Surrender it to Jesus.
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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen, published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series," published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur, published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham, published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Atlas of the Bible" edited by Joseph L. Gardner, published by Readers Digest, Pleasantville, New York; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible," published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The New Testament" Recovery Version, published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, California; "The Living New Testament," published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation," published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; the "Life Application Study Bible," published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible," published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The New Scofield Reference Bible," published by Oxford University Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2025 evolke
© 2025 evolke