Sign in
MATTHEW 19:21 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 19:20Matt 19:22
“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.”
Jesus said to him: if you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. The specific command to the rich young man: sell everything, give to the poor, follow Jesus. The if you would be perfect communicates that this is the step that completes the young man's commandment-keeping. The sell-and-give addresses the specific commandment the young man has failed to love his neighbor as himself — his wealth is the specific obstacle to the love that the commandment requires. The treasure in heaven is the exchange: the earthly wealth surrendered is replaced by the kingdom's imperishable provision.

Church Fathers on Matthew 19:21

3: This man had, it may be, heard of the Lord that only they who were like to little children were worthy to enter into the heavenly kingdom; but desiring to know more certainly, he asks to have it declared to him not in parables, but expressly, by what merits he might attain eternal life.

Rabanus Maurus · 9th century · e Bed. in Luc., Matt 18

He that asks this question is both young, rich, and proud, and he asks not as one that desires to learn, but as tempting Him. This we can prove by this, that when the Lord had said unto him, 'If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments,' he further insidiously asks, which are the commandments? as if he could not read them for himself, or as if the Lord could command any thing contrary to them.

Jerome · 4th century

But I for my part, though I deny not that he was a lover of money, because Christ convicts him as such, cannot consider him to have been a hypocrite, because it is unsafe to decide in uncertain cases, and especially in making charges against any. Moreover Mark removes all suspicion of this kind, for he says that he came to Him, and knelt before Him; and that Jesus when He looked on him, loved him. [marg. note: Mark 10:17] And if he had come to tempt Him, the Evangelist would…

Chrysostom · 4th century · Hom., lxiii
Read all 27 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a reflection on this verse
No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!
Matthew 19:21 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy