The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-02-24
THE RICH YOUNG RULER.
LESSON TX, INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY
SCHOOL SERIES, FEB. 2e.

SCHOOL SERIES, FEB. 2e.
Text Of the Lesson, Matt. xir, 1926
Golden TeIt, Matt. vi, 24-Memorize
Verses 2o-ae-Comment by Rev. william
Newton, ID. ID.
From Lesson Helper Quarterly, by permission
of II. s. Hoffman, Philadelphia, publisherl
Notes. Game, |. O., out of the company
around Mark says, running. One, Luke
says ruler, or member of the Sanhedrim.
Master, or teacher. Enter into life, be saved
from death and have everlasting life Keep,
obey or live according to. Honor, this is
more than to obey, and no one word will de-
fine it. Reverence is perhaps the best.
Hardly, or, IL is hard for. A rich man, one
that trusts in riches. Exceedingly, very
much. Then, in that case, or, II that is so.
This, |. e., that rich men can he saved I'M
possible; possible |. e., men cannot do this,
but God can.
v. 10. Mark and Luke supply two very in
terestng features of this case. From one
we learn that he was a ruler, |. e., a member
of the Sanhedrim. From the other we learn
that he came running. He was in earnest,
and not afraid to have it known that he was.
He was not satisfied with what the doctors
of the law taught concerning this great
question. He felt, he was sure, there was
something more. But what was its Where
should he find the one who could lift the
veil and let in the light 1t would seem from
the narrative that he had been following
Jesus secretly, or without making himself
known. He wanted to hear what this great
teacher would say about it. And now, as
he hears his last words, he could restrain
n l. a.
Jesus, with the great question, Good Mas
teri what must do that may have eternal
lifer' or, "inherit eternal lifei'
V. II. Before answering his question our
Lord, gently yet pointedly, rebukes him for
the use of the title by which he addressed
him. Why did he use itl He did not mean
1t. He did not mean to say that he Uesus)
was the good. For that title belongs only to
one-ort God. And, as an unmeaning com.
pliment he could not receive it. Now this
does not mean that Jesus declined title be-
longing only to God; but that the young
ruler himself did not mean to intimate that
it SO belonged to him And therefore he
could not receive it fsom him. Now, in our
Lords answer to the young rulers question,
we must observe that he answered from his
standpoint He occupied the ground ON
which be stood. His question was, "What
shall do that may have, or inherit, eternal
hfef' He would have it as the result of his
own doings. He proposed to work for it He
wanted to have it, as Of debt, as a working
man receives his wages. And SO the master
replies to him, Keep the commandments "
He did not propose the difficulties Of the
case. He would have him ascertain these for
himself He would have him find out for
himself that obedience to the law, as tha
price Of eternal life, was a chain Of many
links, and IL one Of these was broken the
chain itself was worthless. 1t offered nc
connection between the man and the object
he had in view. But the young ruler did
not see this. And SO
v. 1890. When he heard the Lords an.
swer he at once asked which Of the com.
mandments he meant. And In answer the
Lord cited the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth
and fifth, while Mark adds the tenth. Now
all these were of tie second table of the law
Not q word is said about those Of the first
table. The young mans relation to God
seems to have been entirely left out Of the
question. Why was thisi And there seems
to be no doubt about the answer. For it l.
manifest that our Lord meant to show how
utterly hopeless his case was, even on hi,
own chosen ground. For, il he proposed t.
be saved by the works Of the law, OF to enter
must be very clear that he had obeyed tn,
law. Now, il it were question Of obedienc,
to mans law-i e., il it concerned the out
ward act alone--it would be very easily set
tied. But il that "law is spiritual" if tn,
lustful thought is adultery and the angr,
| thought is murder, then the case is q very
different one
| The young ruler proposed to win eterna
| life by the deeds Of the law. Now the sum
ming up of the second table of the law is
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself
| He said he did. And Jesus replied in effect
"If you do it is very easy to prove it. Yol
would not hesitate to part with anything yo1
have to relieve your own wants. Now VIII,
| should you hesitate to relieve the necessite
of your neighbori You would not if yo
loved him as you do yourself. Now, there
fore, go and do it, and prove your claim |
true. This was the simple issue; and ON
more clearly defined could not well be pre-
sented. And is that ala No. For tina
might spring from motive utterly inad
missable. And so the Master adds, "an
come and follow me-"
| V. 81. How true to the life this is Hov
clear the revelation it makes of the ruin
power in this young rulers heart Doubi
less he was attracted by the Meters t,..cl
ing; but the glitter of his gold had a brishtc
luster in his eyes! Doubtless he was COZ
cerned for his eternal life But clearly, til
present had for him the greater attraction
He was in 1.-THE valley of decision" an
quietly yielded to the power of the preser
and the scenl "Hc turned and went away
for he had great POSSESSIONS Tho preset
and the eternal life were weighed againl
each other, and the beam went down on t.
side of the present. Poor young man!
v, %, "a 1t is not hard to imagine the dee
compassion that moved in the Master
breast, as he turned TO his disciples and spoil
these words, Doubtless they had seen al
heard all that had passed. and he wou
shield them now from any wrong impre
sions the young rulers example might mai
upon them. And if We ask for the reasC
underlying the declaration of the Master,
why it is hard for a rich man TO enter Il
kingdom of God-there seems to be two re
sons, L. e.;
!. Riches beget a sense Of power in Il
holder Of them. Therefore the rich man
commonly pulled up with a sense Of his ii
portance He can do anything; and his pr
erects itself even against God.
2. Riches become an object of trust to the
possessor. They seem 10 break down t
simplicity of childlike faith in God. Hc
can he pray, "Give US this day our dai
bread, when he knows that his check is 20
in bank and his credit high on exchanr
| And so he learns to ''trust in riches as
ultimate good in life. How can he enter t
kingdomi
V. 25, 20. The disciples were beyond me
ure astonished. And to their question, "
then can be sayedi Jesus gave the answ
"With men this is Impossible, but with G
all things are possible" He alone can chan
the heart and bind the affections around hi
self as manifested in the finished work
Jesus, For when that is seen-i. e., when
love takes the heart captive-the aiTectiC
drop off from earthly things and twi
themselves around him, who redeemed
from this present evil world, with his o
precious blood.
|
Rescue of the Shipvrecked.