The Story

Little children were brought to the Lord for His blessing. He was glad to have them come. And now a young man came running. He was a ruler, perhaps of a synagogue, and he was rich. He came asking a question. "Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" The Lord told him to do two things, first to remember and keep the Commandments. "Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother." Are they the same Commandments that we learn to obey? The young man said, "All these have I kept from my youth up." He had been taught the Commandments as a child. He thought that he had always kept them. Probably he had kept them in an outward way, thinking that he was good, like the Pharisees in other stories. But nothing was hidden from the Lord. He could read the young man's heart. "Yet lackest thou one thing," the Lord said. What was the one thing? "Sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor, and come, follow me." He must not be proud and trust in riches, and he must have kinder thoughts toward other people. What two things must the young man do? Keep the Commandments, and sell all and give to the poor. Perhaps you have a picture of the young man, with a sad face, turning away from the Lord. Why was he sad?

We know now where the Lord and the disciples were, on their journey to Jerusalem. They had come to Jericho. Can we find Jericho on the map? And Jerusalem, to which they were going? Jericho was in the edge of the sunny plain of Jordan. There was plenty of water, and the gardens of Jericho were famous. The name means "the fragrant place," and it was known in the old days as the city of palm trees. The Lord and the disciples were passing among the gardens, the way shaded by over-hanging trees, and the sweetness of flowers in the air. Many people, too, had gathered and were going with them. Here a poor blind man sat by the wayside begging, as they used to do, and still did so often for many years after this story in that country. Hearing the multitude passing by, he asked what it meant, and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. Read the rest of the story to the end of the chapter. Some people rebuked the blind man and told him to be quiet, as the disciples once told people not to bring little children to the Lord. But the Lord stood still and told them to bring the blind man to Him. The Lord gave him his sight, and he joined the company following the Lord, and they. all gave praise to God.

If verses 15-17 are a story for little children, the next verses of the chapter are a story for older children and young people. Here was a rich young man with great possessions, as we learn, and also rich in his high opinion of himself, for he had kept the Commandments, in an outward way at least, and thought that he was good. He was not poor in spirit.

Note carefully the two parts of the Lord's answer. First, keep the Commandments. That is the way to begin to live rightly. And then, to sell all and to give to the poor and to follow the Lord. He must stop trusting in his wealth and be humble in spirit. He must trust in the Lord and think of helping other people. We are told, in Mark 10:21, that the Lord looking upon the young man loved him. When we see him going away very sorrowful we wish we knew whether he afterward did as the Lord told him to do with his riches.

"And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, He said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God." Some who heard this found it hard to understand, and (Mark 10:24) the Lord said again, "How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God." It is not riches, but trust in riches, pride in having money or strength or learning or any other possession, that keeps one out of heaven. What a strong picture it is in verse 25, the camel and the needle's eye. Some people have thought that the needle's eye means a little gate which the camel might squeeze through, but we do not think so. The figure seems rather to say in the strongest way that by his own powers one cannot come into heaven. With the Lord it is possible; He can help even a proud man who is willing, to get rid of his pride and to become ready for heaven.

Read verse 30. The Lord tells us that even in this world, if we use possessions in a heavenly way they are much more precious and give much truer enjoyment, and besides, the enjoyment will continue in heaven. (Psalm 37:16; Proverbs 15:16, 17; Proverbs 16:8)

Look at your map as you read verses 31 and 35 and see where the Lord and the disciples were on their journey. Did the Lord know the trials which were before Him? But even when He told the disciples, how little they understood or remembered.

Read now of the healing of the blind man by the wayside near Jericho. (Verses 35-43) Why was the Lord called Jesus of Nazareth? Why was He called the Son of David? Compare verse 39 with verses 15 and 16 of this chapter. What glorious words for the blind man to hear: "Receive thy sight. Thy faith hath saved thee."

1. What lesson does this chapter have for young men and women?

2. What did the ruler ask?

3. What did he say when the Lord told him to keep the Commandments?

Spiritual Study

How often the Lord's first words touch the root of the matter, for He could read men's hearts. We have such a case in His first words to the rich young man: "Why callest thou Me good?" He called the Lord good in a careless way. He thought himself good; that was his trouble. He must become poor in spirit, which is represented in his getting rid of his riches. The young man showed a spirit which is present in many of our youthful efforts, a feeling that we know a good deal and are pretty strong. The Lord knows what is good in our efforts, and He loves us for them, but He wants us to gain the humility and dependence on Him, which is the secret of real strength. "To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." (Micah 6:8; E. 934)

The camel and the needle's eye mean impossibility, but the figure is chosen because of correspondence. The camel, an unfriendly and willful animal, but strong and hardy for desert travel, represents a power of natural thought and reason; and the needle represents a spiritual penetration, a perception of spiritual truth. One cannot, by his own power of natural reasoning, become spiritual and wise; one cannot make himself heavenly. It is the Lord's work, as the man keeps the Commandments and accepts His help. (H. 365; A. 3048)

In connection with verses 31-34, recall the story of the Lord's trial and crucifixion, and see in what way each particular of the prophecy in this chapter was fulfilled.

"Jesus of Nazareth" is one of the tenderest names of the Lord. "Jesus" means His saving love, and the words "of Nazareth" remind us how near the Lord came to us in this world, how fully He entered into the labors of the world. "The Son of David" is a kingly name. It acknowledges the power of the Lord's truth to conquer and to guide.

Why did the Lord ask the blind man "What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?" To know definitely our need and to confess it to the Lord prepares us for His help. There is this use in prayer. (N. 162) The blind man when he received sight followed Jesus in the way, the way up to Jerusalem. That journey pictures the Lord's advance into things Divine; and for those who follow, the advance into heavenly things. The Lord had been teaching the way to heaven in His words about little children, in His words to the young man. He had been teaching people to look up from things of earth to things of heaven. Were there some whose eyes were opened to see the way and to follow Jesus in it?

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