Богатый юноша

One day a noble and rich young man came up to Jesus Christ, fell on his knees before Him and asked Him: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16). Seeing that the young man took Him for an ordinary person, the Lord remarked to him: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone” and then “if you want to enter eternal life, fulfill the commandments” (Matthew 19:17). "Which?" - asked the young man (Matthew 19:18). The Lord briefly pointed out to him the commandments, which consisted of ten words: “Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19). The young man said: “I have kept all this from my youth; what else do I lack?” (Matt. 19:20). Jesus looked at him, and seeing that he had really preserved himself from the vices so common in frivolous youth, he loved him. He liked his open speech, this lively and, apparently, sincere desire for a good path to the kingdom of heaven. “One more thing,” said the Lord, “you lack. If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come and follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). Suddenly the young man’s appearance changed: he was extremely embarrassed and walked away from the Lord with sadness. The reason for this sadness was that he was very rich, and he was sorry to part with his property (Matt. 19:22). Jesus Christ looked around and said to His disciples: “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Matt. 19:23) The disciples were horrified at His words. But the Lord explained to them that it is not wealth itself, which is the gift of God, but attachment to it that hinders salvation, and said with special tenderness: “Children! How difficult it is for those who hope for wealth to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). The disciples, although they were poor people, nevertheless knew how difficult it is to renounce attachment to earthly goods and continued to be amazed at the words of the Lord Savior, saying to one another: “Who can be saved?” (Matt. 19:25). Jesus, looking at them, said to them: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). Has anyone fulfilled this commandment of Christ? With the help of God, the first holy apostles fulfilled it, amazed at its severity, and behind them an innumerable number of holy ascetics, together with them now blissful in the abodes of the Heavenly Father. RICH YOUTH. From a painting by Prof. Fyodor Petrovich Chumakov (1823 – 1899) You might be interested in: