The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 254

concerning that which ie good? One there ie who is good I" God only is good. Love him; do his holy will; ta.ke him for thy Portion. Eternal life is his gift; it is given to them who walk with God, who live in a.nd for God, who keep his commandments. St. Mark a.nd St. Luke have the words which some ancient authorities reacl in St. Matthew also, " Why callest thou me good? there ie none good but One, that is, God." The Lord had forbidden the apoetlee to tell men that he was the Christ, because the Jews looked for a human Messiah, an earthly king. In the same spirit he would not accept the title "Good" from this ruler, who regarded him simply as a wise Teacher, a great Rabbi. He bade him keep the commandments. The young ruler had been expecting to hear something lofty and extraordinary from so great a Prophet; he was surprised at a direction so simple and commonplace, as be doubtless thought it. He was disappointed again when, in answer to his inquiry, the Lord simply recited five commandments of the Decalogue, adding that general principle in which the whole second table is briefly comprehended, "Thou she.It love thy neighbour as thyself." The Lord had indicated the first and great commandment of the Law in his first answer. He now mentions those duties towards our neighbour which flow out of our duty towards our God. He would lead the young man to examine himself, to discover his deficiencies, to see for himself that he had not yet entered on the way that leadeth to eternal life. 3. The young ruler's rejoinder. He had done all this, he sairl; he knew it all; he wanted something more than elementary teaching. "All these things have I kept from my yonth up: what lack I yet?" He spoke the truth according to his light. He had been brought up in the narrow school of the rabbis, and, according to the mechanical interpretations of the scribes, was, like Saul the Pharisee, " touching the righteousness which is in the Law, blameless." He had lived all his days a life of external obedience, and he did not understand the spiritual meaning of these command- ments as taught by our Lord in his great sermon on the mount. He did not realize the wide range, the deep reach of that second commandment, which became, when illustrated by our Lord's example, the new commandment, the mark and test of Christ's disciples. He had kept the commandments as far as he understood them, as far as he had been taught; but he was conscious of a deficiency. He felt that some- thing, he knew not what, but certainly something higher than this external obedience, was necessary for the attainment of that eternal life which he sought. "What lack I yet?" he said. It was a fine character as far as it went; unspotted moral rectitude joined with aspirations for something better and nobler. The Lord saw the promise of much good. "He beheld him," St. Mark says. It was a deep searchicg look that read his heart; and he loved him-he regarded him with something of that esteem which any degree of real goodness produces in the good. "Goodness," Bishop Butler says," implies the love of itself, an affection for goodness. The really good recognize any spark of goodness in otheffil and cannot fail to love it." This special drawing forth of the Lord's love was a great honour to the young ruler ; it showed the natural excellence of his character. 4. The Lord's commandment. "Go, sell that thou hast, and give to the poor." It is not a counsel of perfection, not advice, but a commandment. This self- sacrifice was necessary for the young man-necessary for the attainment of that eternal life which he sought. "One thing thou lackest," the Lord said, according to the report of the conversation given by St. Mark and St. Luke. It must mean that when the Lord read the young man's soul, he saw much that was lovable; but he al;;o saw that the love of money, which is the root of all evil, was poisoning what should have been a very fine and noble character. It was necessary for him to make this great venture of faith. He perilled bis salvation by not doing so at the time; he may have done it afterwards. The Lord had a high reward for him-treasure in heaven here- after, and in this life a place near to himself: "Come, follow me," he said. It may be that the Lord saw in that young ruler the making of an apostle. He might have stood high in the roll of saints; perhaps afterwards he did. Can he have been lost whom the Lord Jesus distinguished with his love? But now he went away. He could not make the sacrifice required of him. He had thought that he might do some great thing, some noble deed, to gain eternal life, and the Lord had ta\,.en him at his word; but this was too great, too difficult; he could not bring himself to it. He went away Horrowful, not angry; he felt that the Lord was right. There was something good and noble in his character which responded to the Lord's invitation. lie felt the MATTHEW-0. Ii  258 TIIE GOSrEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [OIi. XliX. 1~ao.