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Jesus said to him, "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, follow me."
Verse Takeaways
1
A Test of the Heart
Commentators agree Jesus' command wasn't a universal rule for all believers, but a specific test for this man. Christ knew the man's wealth was his idol, the one thing he loved more than God. The command was designed to reveal this divided loyalty and show the man that his obedience to the law was incomplete, testing if he truly loved God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself.
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Book Overview
Matthew
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9
18th Century
Presbyterian
If thou wilt be perfect. The word perfect means complete in all its parts—finished, having no part lacking. Thus, a watc…
If thou wouldest be perfect (ε θελεις τελειος εινα). Condition of the first class, determined as fulfilled. Jesus assumes that the…
19th Century
Anglican
Jesus said to him... — St. Mark (Mark 10:21) adds the striking and interesting words, “Jesus beholding him” (better, p…
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Baptist
Our Lord brings him to the test of the first table of the law: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.” If he did this, he w…
Jesus answers the question in v.21. His basic thrust is not “Sell your possessions and give to the poor,” but “Come, follow me.” What Jesus suggest…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
Jesus said unto him, if you will be perfect Wanting nothing, completely righteous, according to the tenor of the cov…
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Christ knew that covetousness was the sin which most easily beset this young man. Although he had obtained honestly what he possessed, he still cou…
13th Century
Catholic
In this passage, it was shown how one comes to eternal life by the common way. Here, He teaches how one comes by the way of perfection. This way of…
