Matthew 19:25

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? For the exposition, see the notes at Luke 18:18....

25._And his disciples, when they heard these things, were greatly amazed. The disciples are astonished, _because it ought to awaken in us no little anxiety, that _riches _obstruct the _entrance into the kingdom of God; _for, wherever we turn our eyes, a thousand obstacles will present themselves. But let us observe that, while they were struck with astonishment, they did not shrink from the doctrines of Christ. The case was different with him who was lately mentioned; for he was so much alarmed by the severity of the commandment, that he separated from Christ; while they, though trembling, and inquiring_, who can be saved? _do not break off in an opposite direction, but are desirous to conquer despair. Thus it will be of service to us to tremble at the threatenings of God: whenever he denounces any thing that is gloomy or dreadful, provided that our minds are not discouraged, but rather...

23-30 Though Christ spoke so strongly, few that have riches do not trust in them. How few that are poor are not tempted to envy! But men's earnestness in this matter is like their toiling to build a high wall to shut themselves and their children out of heaven. It should be satisfaction to those who are in a low condition, that they are not exposed to the temptations of a high and prosperous condition. If they live more hardly in this world than the rich, yet, if they get more easily to a better world, they have no reason to complain. Christ's words show that it is hard for a rich man to be a good Christian, and to be saved. The way to heaven is a narrow way to all, and the gate that leads into it, a strait gate; particularly so to rich people. More duties are expected from them than from others, and more sins easily beset them. It is hard not to be charmed with a smiling world. Rich pe...

Verse Matthew 19:25. _WHO CAN BE SAVED?_] The question of the disciples seemed to intimate that most people were _rich_, and that therefore scarcely any could be saved. They certainly must have attached a different meaning to what constitutes a _rich man_, to what we in general do. Who is a _rich man_ in our Lord's sense of the word? This is a very important question, and has not, that I know of, been explicitly answered. A _rich man_, in my opinion, is not one who has so many _hundreds_ or _thousands more_ than some of his neighbours; but is one who _gets more_ than is necessary to supply all his own wants, and those of his household, and _keeps_ the residue still to himself, though the poor are starving through lack of the necessaries of life. In a word, he is a man who _gets_ all he can, _saves_ all he can, and _keeps_ al...

This account is found also in Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18. Matthew 19:16 ONE CAME - This was a young man, Matthew 19:20. He was a ruler (Luke); probably a ruler in a synagogue, or of the great council of the nation; a place to which he was chosen on account of his unblemished character and promising talents. He came running (Mark); evincing great earnestness and anxiety, He fell upon his knees (Mark); not to worship him, but to pay the customary respectful salutation; exhibiting the highest regard for Jesus as an extraordinary religious teacher....

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 19:1 _The beginning of the last journey to Jerusalem_._ The question concerning divorce_._ _(Mark 10:1.) MATTHEW 19:1 WHEN JESUS HAD FINISHED THESE SAYINGS. This is the beginning of a new section of the history, commencing, as usual, with the formulary, AND IT CAME TO PASS. "These sayings" must refer to what was recorded in Matthew 18:1. But St. Matthew's narrative omits many events that happened in the interval between the account of the Galilaean ministry and the history of these last days, that i

WHEN HIS DISCIPLES HEARD IT..... That is, the difficulty of a rich man's entering into the kingdom of heaven, aggravated by the above proverbial expression, THEY WERE EXCEEDINGLY AMAZED. They were surprised at his first words; but when he confirmed them by the proverb of a camel's passing through the eye of a needle, they were, as Mark says, "astonished out of measure": they did not imagine there was any difficulty of rich men coming into the kingdom of the Messiah, which they took to be a worldly one, and would be filled with rich men; for so they understood Christ; though he meant by the kingdom of heaven a spiritual kingdom, a Gospel church state here, or the heavenly glory, or both; but when he expressed, by the proverb, the impracticableness of such men becoming the subjects thereof, their amazement increased; SAYING, as in Mark, "among themselves", privately to one another, WHO...

All sorts of persons are invited to come to Christ, whatever their age may be. We begin here with the children. Matthew 19:13. _Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence._ The principal difficulty of children in coming to Christ frequently lies in their friends. Their parents or their other relatives think they are too young, and discourage them. Oh, that we all had a right idea of the possibility of the conversion of little children; nay, not only of the possibility, but that we looked for it, watched for it, and encouraged young children to come to Christ! You know that, in the parable I am going to read presen

SAVED (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 1:16). _ Compare (Matthew 13:3)....

7. DEPARTURE FROM GALILEE. Concerning Divorce. Little Children Blessed and the Rich Young Man. CHAPTER 19 _ 1. The Departure from Galilee. (Matthew 19:1 .) 2. Concerning Divorce. (Matthew 19:3 .) 3. The Blessing of Little Children. (Matthew 19:13 .) 4. The Rich Young Man. (Matthew 19:16 .) 5. The Rewards in the Kingdom. (Matthew 19:27 .)_ In the first part of the nineteenth chapter we find a continuation of teachings concerning the kingdom. This, we repeat, is not the same kingdom promised to Israel, as it w