I. THE YOUNG RULER WAS GENUINE AND srmuPLE. Christ rebuked nothing s0 severely as unreality. He exposed the Pharisees mercilessly, because they pretended to be what they were not. He declared that if a man’s eye was “single” his whole body would be full of light; that he who was of the truth (who was a true man) would hesr his voice. Such was this man. He expressed his real want. He felt that he had obeyed the commandments, and frankly said so; and when told to go and sell all that he had, he made no fallacious promise todo so. We should cultivate the grace of truthful- ness in all the relations of life. If we are engaged in a common occupation, we should be true enough not to be ashamed of it; if in Church relationships, we should never ignore them; if we have done a wrong, we should candidly confess it either to God or man, In proportion as we are true we are nearer to the kingdom of truth.
II. He was sIN@uLARLY courTEOUs. He kneeled before the peasant Teacher of Galilee, and addressed him reverently. Courtesy is a small thing if it be identical with outward mannerism, which observes a suitable deportment, and carefully discriminates between those in different social ranks. But true courtesy is consideration for others, thoughtfulness for their feelings, respect for their age and experience and character; and this was exhibited by the young ruler whom Jesus loved. There was no rudeness like that of the Sadducees and Herodians, nor any outburst of hot temper at the sacri- fice demanded of him. ;
Til. He was OF IRREPROACHABLE Lire. fo far, at least, as homan judgment could determine. A young man whose passions had not misled him; rich enough to indulge evil propensity, yet outwardly pure and without reproach, The morality of the noblest does not win heaven, but it is good in itself and in its source. The idea that a profligate is the happier after his conversion because of his sinful experience, is utterly false. His experience is more remarkable, but he is not so blessed, nor so strong for Christian service; for if evil thoughts stain the mind, and sinful habits are indulged, these have their effects.
IV. He was NoT sELF-8ATISFIED. Self-satisfaction is one of the greatest preventives of good: ¢.g. the lad who can do without his father’s counsel; the girl who scorns her mother’s advice; the children who drift away from Sunday schools, to live without God and without hope in the world. This is most perilous in spiritual things. No con- demnation is more severe than that of the Church which says, “I have need of nothing ;” no welcome is more loving than that given by our Lord to the children, who could give him nothing but love, or to the young ruler who wistfully asked, “ What lack I yet?” “He fills the hungry with good things, but the rich he sends empty away.” If your heart is hungry for the love of God, our heavenly Father is
MARK—IL.
| THE GUSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. {on. x. 1—52,
leased, just as an earthly father is when he knows his child wants him. If your son
ad run away and been hidden for years, and at last was found abroad, what would you wish to hear? Not that he was doing well, and had lost all care for you; but that, although he had everything to make him happy, he was sad because he wished to see his father, and obtain the assurance of his forgiveness.
V. He oame TO CHRIST WITH AN EARNEST QUESTION. What shall I do, not to gain wealth or fame, but eternal life? In the New Testament life is not spoken of as equivalent to existence, but it means life coupled with conditions which make it blessed, and therefore desirable. Life and holiness are correlatives, as are death and sin. Soa man may be dead in part, and alive in part. A person struck with paralysis may lie for months in a living death, unable to reason, to speak, or to move a limb. Sin does that to our moral being. It paralyzes sensitiveness to God’s presence, the power of speaking to him with naturalness and the capacity for hearing his voice. It is an endless existence, with the full enjoyment of these attributes (the exercise of which constitute the joys of heaven), which is involved in the phrase “‘ eternal life.”
VI. He BROUGHT HIS EARNEST QUESTION TO THE LorpD Jesus, It was @ great thing for a man in his position todo. He faced the scorn of his friends when he ran eagerly to Christ and humbly knelt before him, beseeching him to teach and guide him. “And Jesus beholding him loved him,” as he loves all who in this spirit fall at his feet.—A. R.
Ver. 21.—“ One thing thou lackest.” This incident occurred on a journey to Jerusalem, which our Lord undertook between the Feast of Dedication, at which the Jews sought to stone him, and the Passover, during which he was crucified. Hostility, therefore, was both before him and behind him, but his serenity was not ruffled, nor his willingness to bless impaired. There was never in him a sign of the indiscriminate judgment which leads us to condemn a whole nation or sect as being outside the bounds of Christian charity. He was, and still is, gracious to one seeker, even though he dwells among the heathen; and hears any prayer, though it rises from a godless home. We notice here also our Lord’s freedom from the pandering to popular passion, which has often been the snare of statecraft, and sometimes of the Christian Church. We naturally bend before an adverse current of opinion, and count it good policy to withhold the advocacy of our opinions for a season. But here was a crisis in Christ’s ministry which would lead to his reception or rejection, when the decision of each one would make a weight in the scale of popular judgment. Judicious hedging just then might avert hatred or win a convert. Here was a ruler of the synagogue—a man of wealth, position, and good repute—who was willing to become a disciple; but he was met with words of discouragement, and the great Teacher put his claims before him in the strongest form. The fact is, that he thought more of the suppliant than of himself, He would rather bring him to deep repentance than have his showy following. With all his estimable qualities, the young ruler had spiritual deficiencies, which were seen by the Searcher of hearts, and revealed to himse]f by the test applied to him. What were these ?