A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
Matthew 19:13-30
Lesson #47
RICHES AND SALVATION
- Memory verse: Luk 6:38
- Read Mat 19:13-15
- We discussed the child-like nature that every Christian should have in Mat 18.
- We learn some interesting things about Jesus from this passage:
- Everyone is important to the Lord.
- People and their needs never bothered Jesus.
- The response of the disciples:
- Because they loved the Lord, their motive was to protect Him from those they thought were unimportant or bothersome.
- Read Mat 19:16-22 The rich young ruler
- Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us different details about this man.
- All three gospels tell us he was rich.
- Only Matthew tells us he was young.
- Luke (Luk 18:18) says he was a ruler; a man of importance.
- The story teaches us the difference between the right and wrong idea of real religion.
- The man came to Jesus seeking “eternal life“.
- However, the words of his question tell us his idea of religion.
- He said, ” What must I do to obtain eternal life?”
- Like many people he thought the only way to God was by doing good works.
- Notice that he had already lived a life of good works, but deep inside he knew it was not sufficient.
- Jesus’ response:
- We see Jesus’ supernatural personal knowledge of the condition of this man’s heart.
- He deals with him very personally.
- Jesus quotes five of the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20.
- It is important to notice which of the Ten Commandments Jesus quoted to the man as well as the order in which he said them.
- Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us different details about this man.
=1= Jesus quotes the commandments that have to do with man’s relationship to man. Evidently that was the weak area of the man’s life.
=2= Jesus places one commandment out of order. This tactic makes it obvious and therefore emphasizes it. Perhaps this was the weakest area of the man’s life.
The man claimed to have kept the commandments.
He probably kept the letter of the Law, but not the spirit of the Law.
You can keep the Law but have a wrong attitude while you do it.
We can see the man’s wrong attitude when Jesus tells the man to sell everything and follow him.
This man had an attitude of selfishness.
| The Ten Commandments Exo 20 | The Commandments Jesus Quoted in Mat 19 |
| Commandments that deal with man’s relationship to God: | |
| =1= “Thou shall have no other gods before me.” | |
| =2= “Thou shall not make any graven image or likeness and bow down to it and serve it.” | |
| =3= “Thou shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.” | |
| =4= “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” | |
| Commandments that deal with man’s relationship to other people: | |
| =5= “Honor thy father and mother.” | Jesus said this one fifth. (It is out of order to indicate emphasis.) |
| =6= “Thou shall not kill.” | Jesus said this one first. |
| =7= “Thou shall not commit adultery.” | Jesus said this one second. |
| =8= “Thou shall not steal.” | Jesus said this one third. |
| =9= “Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” | Jesus said this one fourth |
| =10= “Thou shall not covet anything that belongs to thy neighbor.” | |
| Jesus added this one that is not in the Ten Commandments of Exodus. “Thou shall love they neighbor a thyself.” | |
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- Jesus’ correct view of religion:
- Why does Jesus tell him to keep the commandments if it is not by works that a person is saved?
- Jesus knows that it is impossible to keep the letter of the Law. (Gal 2:16 Gal 3:24)
- The Law was to show man God’s standard and to point out how far man falls short of it. This man had to come to the end of his own striving works so as to look up to God.
- Jesus had set him up with a divine trap.
- Only when a person comes to the end of trying to do good works to be saved, will he then humble himself and turn to God.
- The word for “eternal” is aionios which does not mean = lasting forever.
- The word “eternal” means = something that is characteristic of and belonging to God.
- Eternal life is based on following an attitude of love and generosity. (Joh 3:16)
- Reproduce to other people God’s attitude of love, and you will experience the quality of “eternal” life characteristic of God’s kingdom.
- Why does Jesus tell him to keep the commandments if it is not by works that a person is saved?
- The tragedy of the story is that this man loved things of the world more than he loved people and he loved himself more than he loved others.
- Jesus’ correct view of religion:
- Read Mat 19:23-26 The peril of riches
- Why is it difficult, but not impossible, for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven?
- Riches encourage a person to false independence.
- Riches tie man to the world system. (Mat 6:21)
- Riches tend to make a man selfish. Once a man has experienced comfort and luxury, he fears the day when he might lose it.
- Riches tend to make a man forget God’s principle that he will lose what he keeps and gain what he gives away.(Luk 6:38)
- What is God’s attitude toward wealth?
- God blesses believers with wealth if he knows they can handle it properly and use it for the glory of God. Abraham is a good example.
- It’s not wealth that’s so bad, but one’s attitude toward it that counts.
- Wealth tends to lead to pride, indulgence, and selfish power. Some rich men who have succeeded in entering the kingdom of heaven:
- Zacchaeus was one of the richest men in Jericho. (Luk 19:9)
- Joseph of Arimathaea (Mat 27:57)
- Nicodemus (Joh 19:39)
- What is the answer to the disciples’ question, “Who, then can be saved?” (25)
- Anyone who is willing to humble himself, to be obedient to God by accepting Christ as his Savior, and to follow Christ.
- Parable of a Camel and a Rich Man (Mat 19:16-26)
- Who is the rich man in the parable (23)? Anyone whose God is wealth and material possessions.
- What does the camel through the eye of a needle represent?
- This is a figure of speech to illustrate impossibility.
- Background:
- Cities had a large main gate that remained open during the daytime.
- All the gates of the city would be closed at sundown for safety from marauding bands of robbers.
- However, there was always a small gate open through which one camel would be able to squeeze through if one first emptied the camel of its load and pulled him through on foot. That gate was called the “eye of the needle“.
- The rich young ruler must unload the camel of his possessions before he could enter the kingdom.
- What is the central truth of the parable?
- Wealth can be a deterrent to seeking and relying upon God.
- It makes one self-sufficient breaking the first commandment so that he in turn breaks the rest of the commandments out of selfishness.
- Notice the response of Peter (27-30):
- We have given up everything for you, so what do we get?
- That’s the wrong attitude for we follow Jesus giving up our own life of desires because we love him, not because we will get a reward in eternity. The joy in the Christian life is giving without thought to getting.
- Jesus concludes by saying that the first shall be last and the last first.
- What does that mean?
- Discussion:
- Three great laws of the Christian life:
- =1= It is always true that the person who shares Christ’s campaign, will share Christ’s victory.
- =2= It is always true that the Christian will receive far more than he ever has to give up.
- =3= It is true that God’s standard of judgment is not the same as man’s standard.
- Why is it difficult, but not impossible, for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven?
Homework
Matthew 20:1-19
- Application of Mat 19:13-30
- You don’t have to be rich to answer this question! What is your attitude toward possessions?
- What changes do you need to make in your attitude to make it correspond to Christ’s attitude of love?
- What can you do this week to share the love of God with another believer?
- What can you do this week to share the love of God with a non-believer?
- Preparation for Mat 20:1-19
- Read Mat 20:1-19 The parable of the householder and his servants
- Who does the “householder” represent (1)?
- Who do the laborers represent?
- What does the wage for a day (Denarius) represent (2)?
- What does the vineyard represent (2)?
- What does the market place represent (3)?
- What does the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hour represent?
- How do you explain that all the laborers received the same pay?
- What is the central truth of the parable?
- Read Mat 20:1-19 The parable of the householder and his servants
- Memory verse: 1 John 2:25
