ACC ~ Luke 18 v18 - 30

OVERVIEW:

A “certain ruler” shows his hostility toward Jesus, mixing flattery with fraud and deceit by addressing him with the neutral, noncommittal title teacher, a title for Jesus that is mostly used by his opponents (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). No one is good except the one true God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When one breaks these commandments by giving into sinful pleasures, he becomes like a thorn in fruitful ground that chokes out the Word that brings eternal life. He was not able to experience the joy of charity that comes from being freed from riches (AUGUSTINE).

Over the centuries, many have attempted to explain away the striking image of a camel going through the eye of a needle. Some commentators say that it refers to a large cable used in navigation (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA) or even to Gentiles or publicans who enter the kingdom through confession, unlike the Pharisee who will not enter because of his arrogance (AMBROSE). Most commentators affirm that Jesus intends the hearer to take it literally. Such an extraordinary statement has caused many of the saints to follow Jesus to the letter, selling all that they have and following him in a life of self-denial (JOHN OF DAMASCUS). The apostles serve as examples of those who have left everything behind, even family, in order to follow Jesus. To be a disciple one must be willing to give up property and family so that the pain of abandoning one’s possessions is great, whether those possessions be great or little (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA).

18:18-23 | Jesus Responds to the Question

FLATTERY MIXED WITH FRAUD AND DECEIT

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Jewish crowds … with their princes and teachers … looked at Christ as being a mere man like one of us, and not as God who had become man. They approached him to test him and lay the nets of their cleverness for him. …

He is called here a ruler. He fancied himself to have learned the law and supposed that he had been accurately taught it. He imagined that he could convict Christ of introducing laws of his own and of dishonoring the commandment spoken by most wise Moses. It was the Jews’ goal to prove that Christ opposed and resisted the former commandments and established new laws by his own authority, in opposition to those previously existing. Their wicked conduct toward him had a false pretext. He comes near and makes a pretense of speaking kindly. He calls him “Teacher,” designates him “good,” and professes himself desirous of being a disciple. He says, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Observe how he mixes flattery with fraud and deceit, like one who mingles vinegar with honey. He supposed that he could deceive him in this way. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 122. [1]

[1] CGSL 486-87**.

BEING UNCHANGEABLY GOOD A SPECIAL CHARACTERISTIC OF GOD

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: What reply is made by the all-knowing One of whom it is written that he “takes the wise in their craftiness”? [1] “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one, God.” You see how Christ proved immediately that the ruler was neither wise nor learned, although he was the ruler of a synagogue of the Jews. He says, “You did not believe that I am God, and the clothing of the flesh has led you astray. Why did you apply to me titles suitable to the supreme nature alone, while you still assume that I am a mere man like you and not superior to the limits of human nature?” In the nature that transcends all, God alone is found to be good by nature, that is, unchangeably good. … He says, “I do not seem to you to be truly God. Ignorantly and foolishly, you have applied to me the properties and virtues of the divine nature. Why do you then imagine that I, a mere man that never is invested with goodness but only gains it by the assent of the divine will, have the property of the unchangeable nature?” This was the meaning of what Christ spoke. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 122. [2]

[1] Job 5:13.

[2] CGSL 487**.

NO ONE IS GOOD EXCEPT THE ONE GOD

AUGUSTINE: The Father is good. The Son is good. The Holy Spirit is good. Still, there are not three goods but one good. He said, “No one is good except the one God.” The Lord Jesus Christ did not answer. He feared that the one who in addressing a man had said “good master” might understand him as only a man. He therefore did not say, “No one is good except the Father alone.” He rather said, “No one is good except the one God.” By the name Father, the Father makes himself known. The name God includes himself, as well as the Son and the Holy Spirit, because the Trinity is one God. ON THE TRINITY 8. [1]

[1] FC 45:186**.

THE JOY OF CHARITY

AUGUSTINE: The young man asked the Lord how to attain to eternal life and heard that he must sell all his goods and distribute them to the poor and have his treasure in heaven. Why else did he go away sad, except that he had, as the Gospel says, great riches? It is one thing not to wish to hoard up what one does not have. It is another thing to scatter what has been accumulated. The former is like refusing food; the latter, like cutting off a limb. LETTER 31. [1]

[1] FC 12:114-15*.

18:24-30 | All Things Are Possible with God

THE CAMEL IS A THICK CABLE USED IN SAILING

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The ruler was too weak in his intentions and could not be prevailed upon even to listen to the advice of selling his possessions, although it would have been good for him and full of reward. Our Lord lays bare the sickness that has its home in the rich, saying, “How hard it is for those that have riches to enter into the kingdom of God! I say to you, that it is easier for a camel to enter in through the eye of a needle than for a rich man into the kingdom of God.” Now by a camel he means not the animal of that name but rather a thick cable. It is the custom of those well-versed in navigation to call the thicker cables “camels.” COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 123. [1]

[1] CGSL 490**.

THE CAMEL REPRESENTS THE GENTILES AND THE PUBLICANS

AMBROSE: “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” This is great power. It has great weight in words. With what other words would he more vehemently express that a rich person must not boast in his riches than these by which a compassionate person is defined as against nature? … You can also understand it morally, about every sinner and haughty rich person. When he did not dare to raise his eyes to God, the tax collector, burdened with the awareness of his own sins, was like a camel. Through the help of his confession, he will pass more easily through the eye of a needle than the Pharisee will enter the kingdom of heaven. The Pharisee was arrogant in prayer, boasting of innocence, and overconfident of glory. He rebuked mercy, proclaimed himself, and accused another. He would rather confront the Lord than beg him. [1] If anyone trembles at the camel, let him shudder at him whose deeds are uglier than a camel. EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 8.70-72. [2]

[1] See Lk 18:9-41.

[2] EHG 360-61**.

A CALL TO SELF-DENIAL

JOHN OF DAMASCUS: “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God!” When all the saints heard this command, they thought they should withdraw from this hardness of riches. They parted with all their goods. By this distribution of their riches to the poor, they laid up for themselves eternal riches. They took up the cross and followed Christ. Some followed, being made perfect by martyrdom, even as I have already told you, while others by the practice of self-denial did not fall short of them in the life of the true philosophy. Know that this is a command of Christ our King and God that leads us from corruptible things and makes us partakers of everlasting things. BARLAAM AND JOSEPH 15.128-29. [1]

[1] LCL 34:217**.

THE PAIN OF ABANDONING POSSESSIONS

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: It says, “Peter said to him, ‘Look, we have left all and followed you.’” [1] …

I imagine, to this some may reply, “What had the disciples given up? They were men who gained the necessities of life by their sweat and labor, being by trade fishermen, who perhaps owned a boat and nets somewhere. They did not have well-built houses or any other possessions. What did they leave, or for what did they ask a reward from Christ?” What is our answer to this? For this very reason, they made this most necessary inquiry. Since they possessed nothing except what was trifling and of slight value, they would learn how God will reward and gladden with his gifts those who likewise have left but little for the sake of the kingdom of God. They desired to be counted worthy of the kingdom of heaven because of their love for him. The rich man, one who has disregarded much, will confidently expect a reward. He who possessed little and abandoned it, how was it not right to ask what hopes he might entertain? For this reason, as representing those in the same condition of their having left little, they say, “Behold, we have left all and followed you.”

It is further necessary to observe also this. Correctly considered, the pain of abandoning is the same whether one abandons much or little. Come and let us see the real meaning of the matter by a trivial example. Suppose two men had to stand naked. The one took off expensive clothes while the other put off only what was cheap and easy to get. Would not the pain of the nakedness be equal in both cases? What possible doubt can there be on this point? As far as regards obedience and good will, those who had different circumstances and yet practiced equal readiness and willingly sold what they had must be placed on an equal footing with the rich. The very wise Paul also takes up their cause. He wrote, “If there be a ready mind, it is accepted according to what a man has and not according to what he has not.” [2] Thus inquiry of the holy apostles was not unreasonable. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 124. [3]

[1] Mt 19:27.

[2] 2 Cor 8:12.

[3] CGSL 492-93**.