Read Luke 18 at Bible Gateway.
Luk 18 outline:
Luk 18:1-8, The parable of the persistent widow
Luk 18:9-14, The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector
Luk 18:15-17, Let the little children come to Me/ of such is the kingdom of God
Luk 18:18-30, The rich young ruler and the kingdom of God
Luk 18:31-34, Jesus foretells His death and resurrection
Luk 18:35-43, Jesus healed a blind man on the road to Jericho
Luk 18:18-30 chiastic structure:
1a) Luk 18:18, A certain ruler asked Him: “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
1b) Luk 18:19-22, Keep the Commandments + sell all for the poor + follow Me;
1) Luk 18:19-21, Jesus: You know the commandments (Ten Commandments)/ all these I have kept;
2) Luk 18:22a, Jesus: You still lack one thing. Sell all + give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;
3) Luk 18:22b, Jesus: And come, follow Me;
1c) Luk 18:23a, But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful;
central axis) Luk 18:23b, For he was very rich;
2c) Luk 18:24a, And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful;
2b) Luk 18:24b-28, How hard for the rich + what is impossible with men + we have followed You;
2) Luk 18:24b-25, Jesus: How hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God;
1) Luk 18:26-27, Who then can be saved?/ What is impossible with men is possible with God;
3) Luk 18:28, Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You;”
2a) Luk 18:29-20, Jesus: There is no one who has left house or family for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.
How do we inherit eternal life? Jesus answered, Keep the commandments, and then listed the five commandments (six through ten) which teach us how to love our neighbor as ourselves. The five commandments teaching us how to love God with all our heart (one through five) are implied.
Now what is amazing about this passage, is that keeping the commandments was not the hardest part, for the ruler answered, “All these I have kept from my youth.” What was hardest, was not loving riches more than God or the kingdom – and therein, of course, lies the ruler’s failure to keep the commandments.
But what is hard, is not keeping the commandments, but guarding the affection of our hearts, so that we love God alone with all our heart, having no idols before Him. And while perfect commandment- keeping is impossible with men, salvation is possible with God. A transformed heart is possible with God, so that we forsake all, even our lives, to follow Him, and in the age to come inherit eternal life. ♥
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