ACC ~ Matthew 19 v17

OVERCONFIDENCE UNDER THE LAW

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: With good reason we should ask here: when the young man had asked Christ, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” and the Lord had finished his explanation, why did he add at the end “But many that are first will be last and the last first”? No one doubts that it was said about the Jews and Gentiles. It is not by chance, therefore, that this young man is introduced as immature in the mystery. He is boasting and frivolous, showing features of a life lived too confidently under the law. Christ usually does this when he is going to speak about the mystery of some subject. First he introduces someone physically, so as to find an opportunity for reflecting spiritually out of the physical situation. He then explains the meaning of the matter. For example, when he was going to talk about restraining the pride of the Pharisees, [1] he first introduced the man with dropsy and healed him; the passage ends in midsentence but goes on: so that in the physical tumor of the man with dropsy the swollen pride of the Pharisees might be pricked. HOMILY 33. [2]

[1] Lk 14.

[2] PG 56:805-6.

ONE WHO IS GOOD

CHRYSOSTOM: Why therefore did Christ reply to him in these words: “No one is good”? Because he considered Jesus a mere man and one of the crowd, and a Jewish teacher. For this reason he spoke as a man to him. For often he answers the hidden thoughts of the questioner, as when he says, “We worship what we know” [1] and “If I bear witness of myself, my testimony is not true.” [2] Therefore when he says, “No one is good,” he does not say this to show that he is not good; far from it. For he does not say, “Why do you call me good? I am not good” but “No one is good,” that is, no human being. When he says this, he does not mean to exclude men from goodness but to make a comparison with the goodness of God. Therefore he adds, “Except God alone.” THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 63.1. [3]

[1] Jn 4:22.

[2] Jn 5:31.

[3] PG 58:603; NPNF 1 10:387.

KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS

APOLLINARIS: The teaching of the law is good, and Christ does not criticize it, but he says, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments,” indicating the beginning of this route but not its completion. Through this he shows that the law is not alien to himself, but perfection comes from himself. FRAGMENT 97. [1]

[1] MKGK 32.

SEEK THE LIFE THAT ENDURES

AUGUSTINE: The Lord said to a certain young man, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He did not say “If you would have life” but “If you would enter life,” defining that life as eternal life. Let us first consider then the love of this life. For this life is loved, whatever its quality; and however troubled it is, however wretched, people are afraid to end it. Hence we should see, we should consider, how much eternal life is to be loved, when this miserable life that must at some time be ended is so loved. Consider, brothers, how much that life is to be loved when it is a life you never end. You love this life, where you work so much, run, are busy, pant. In this busy life the obligations can scarcely be counted: sowing, plowing, working new land, sailing, grinding, cooking, weaving. And after all this hard work your life comes to an end. Look at what you suffer in this wretched life that you so love. And do you think that you will always live and never die? Temples, rocks, marbles, all reinforced by iron and lead, still fall. And a person thinks that he will never die? Learn therefore, brothers, to seek eternal life, when you will not endure these things but will reign with God forever. SERMON 84.1. [1]

[1] PL 38:519; NPNF 1 6:365-66 (Sermon 34).