Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
Sometimes it is good to ask clarifying questions about why we have come to Jesus. Yes, he is good. But what does that mean? Have we understood the full ramifications of that fact? If it is true that Jesus is good, but that there is only One who is good, how do we respond? Are we content to make Jesus one source of advice and information among others? Do we defer to his teaching when it suits our fancy? Do we enthrone him partially, but not more highly than various idols in our lives? If we are to truly hear the words of Jesus we can't interpret them as if they were merely human words. If we are to be his disciples we must give him the central place in our lives that his goodness deserves.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
He asked him, "Which ones?"
The young man knew that he needed more than a mere external obedience. He sensed that there was a deeper issue that could not be corrected by superficially observing the commandments directed toward love of neighbor. No doubt he had truly believed that he observed all of those things, and yet still felt unsatisfied. He knew that even in obeying them there was something missing, some central unifying element that he lacked. He may have felt as though his efforts were insufficient, diffusing inadequate energy toward multiple unattainable goals. Without being able to put it into words, he may have sensed that he was not adequately able to practice love of neighbor, because his life was not properly ordered to the love of God as expressed in the other tablet of the commandments to which Jesus did not directly refer, but was conspicuous exactly for that reason. Had he been drawn to Jesus precisely because in Jesus he sensed the possibility of making this connection and at last ordering his life toward something eternal? There was a sense in which the second tablet of the law was superficially easy to obey, whereas the first seemed more nebulous. But the presence of Jesus, properly understood, made the first tablet concrete. In doing so it also added a new depth of meaning to the second tablet, since love of neighbor became a way to love Jesus himself. It was in fact the case that Jesus was the missing connection and central point that the young man desired.
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.
It wasn't so much the heroic selling of his goods that was essential. That preamble was just to remove some final obstacles that apparently still tied him down. The main thing the young man needed was the same as the one necessary thing, the better portion that Mary had chosen: Jesus himself. The otherwise abstract and unsatisfying nature of the first tablet of the law took on concrete form in the command to follow Jesus. This was not merely a performance or a ritual. It required giving Jesus the central place in his life, of allowing Jesus to reign in him, giving him the authority to direct his choices, not just once, but in an ongoing way. But sadly, as we so often do, the man chose comfort and familiarity over obedience. He did this even though the he immediately experienced the choice to be sad. We know that when people do decide to put Jesus first they experience just the opposite, as did Zacchaeus, who "received him joyfully" (see Luke 19:5) into his home. Let us not choose sin and disobedience when we know they lead to sadness. Let us instead make our constant choice to put Jesus himself on the throne of our hearts. This is the path, the only path, to eternal life, and lasting joy.
There is only One who is good.
Sometimes it is good to ask clarifying questions about why we have come to Jesus. Yes, he is good. But what does that mean? Have we understood the full ramifications of that fact? If it is true that Jesus is good, but that there is only One who is good, how do we respond? Are we content to make Jesus one source of advice and information among others? Do we defer to his teaching when it suits our fancy? Do we enthrone him partially, but not more highly than various idols in our lives? If we are to truly hear the words of Jesus we can't interpret them as if they were merely human words. If we are to be his disciples we must give him the central place in our lives that his goodness deserves.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
He asked him, "Which ones?"
The young man knew that he needed more than a mere external obedience. He sensed that there was a deeper issue that could not be corrected by superficially observing the commandments directed toward love of neighbor. No doubt he had truly believed that he observed all of those things, and yet still felt unsatisfied. He knew that even in obeying them there was something missing, some central unifying element that he lacked. He may have felt as though his efforts were insufficient, diffusing inadequate energy toward multiple unattainable goals. Without being able to put it into words, he may have sensed that he was not adequately able to practice love of neighbor, because his life was not properly ordered to the love of God as expressed in the other tablet of the commandments to which Jesus did not directly refer, but was conspicuous exactly for that reason. Had he been drawn to Jesus precisely because in Jesus he sensed the possibility of making this connection and at last ordering his life toward something eternal? There was a sense in which the second tablet of the law was superficially easy to obey, whereas the first seemed more nebulous. But the presence of Jesus, properly understood, made the first tablet concrete. In doing so it also added a new depth of meaning to the second tablet, since love of neighbor became a way to love Jesus himself. It was in fact the case that Jesus was the missing connection and central point that the young man desired.
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.
It wasn't so much the heroic selling of his goods that was essential. That preamble was just to remove some final obstacles that apparently still tied him down. The main thing the young man needed was the same as the one necessary thing, the better portion that Mary had chosen: Jesus himself. The otherwise abstract and unsatisfying nature of the first tablet of the law took on concrete form in the command to follow Jesus. This was not merely a performance or a ritual. It required giving Jesus the central place in his life, of allowing Jesus to reign in him, giving him the authority to direct his choices, not just once, but in an ongoing way. But sadly, as we so often do, the man chose comfort and familiarity over obedience. He did this even though the he immediately experienced the choice to be sad. We know that when people do decide to put Jesus first they experience just the opposite, as did Zacchaeus, who "received him joyfully" (see Luke 19:5) into his home. Let us not choose sin and disobedience when we know they lead to sadness. Let us instead make our constant choice to put Jesus himself on the throne of our hearts. This is the path, the only path, to eternal life, and lasting joy.
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