But the tax collector behaved in a completely opposite manner. He stood at a distance and was very far from the Pharisee not only in the space between them, but also in his attire, in his words, and in the contrition of his heart. He was ashamed to lift his eyes to heaven, considering them unworthy of contemplating things above, since they loved to look upon earthly goods and to make use of them. He "beat his breast," as if striking his heart for its wicked counsels and rousing it from sleep to awareness, and said nothing else but this: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." For all this, the tax collector "went away... more... justified" than the Pharisee. For everyone who is lofty of heart is unclean before the Lord, and "the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace... to the humble" (Prov. 3:34).
Lk. 18:14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Someone might perhaps wonder why the Pharisee, although he spoke only a few words with haughtiness, was nevertheless condemned, while Job spoke very many great things about himself (Job 29:7–25), yet received a crown? This is because the Pharisee began to prattle in praise of himself when no one was compelling him to do so, and condemned others when no benefit prompted it. But Job was compelled to enumerate his virtues by the fact that his friends were pressing him, bearing down on him more heavily than the calamity itself, saying that he was suffering for his sins; and he enumerated his good deeds for the glory of God and so that people would not grow faint on the path of virtue. For if people had come to the conviction that the deeds which Job had done were sinful deeds and that he was suffering on account of them, they would have begun to withdraw from performing these very deeds, and thus instead of being hospitable they would have become inhospitable, instead of merciful and righteous they would have become merciless and unjust. For such were the deeds of Job. Thus Job enumerates his good deeds so that many would not suffer harm. Such were Job's reasons. We say nothing of the fact that in his very words, seemingly grandiloquent, perfect humility shines through. For "if only I were as in the former months," he says, "as in the days when God watched over me" (Job 29:2). Do you see? He ascribes everything to God and does not condemn others, but rather himself endures condemnation from his friends. But upon the Pharisee, who attributes everything to himself and not to God, and who needlessly condemns others, condemnation is justly brought. For everyone who "exalts himself" shall be humbled, being condemned by God, "and he who humbles himself" through self-reproach "shall be exalted," being justified by God. As it is also said: "Put Me in remembrance; let us plead together; speak, that you may be justified" (Isa. 43:26).
Lk. 18:15. They also brought infants to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples, seeing this, rebuked them.
The example of children also leads to humility. The Lord hereby teaches us to be humble, to accept everyone, and to despise no one. The disciples considered it unworthy of such a Teacher to bring children to Him. But He shows them that one must be so humble as not to disdain even the very least.
Lk. 18:16. But Jesus, calling them to Himself, said: Let the children come to Me and do not forbid them, for of such is the Kingdom of God.
Thus, not having rejected the children, but having received them with pleasure, the Lord teaches humility "by deed." He also teaches "by word," saying that "of such is the Kingdom of Heaven," those who have a childlike disposition.
Lk. 18:17. Truly I say to you: whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a child will not enter into it.
A child does not exalt itself, does not demean anyone, is without malice, without guile, is neither puffed up in happiness nor cast down in sorrow, but is always perfectly simple. Therefore, whoever lives humbly and without malice, and whoever receives the Kingdom of God as a child, that is, without craftiness and curiosity, but with faith, is pleasing before God. For whoever is excessively curious and always asks, "How is this?" will perish with his unbelief and will not enter the Kingdom which he was unwilling to accept in simplicity, without curiosity, and with humility. Therefore all the apostles and all who believed in Christ in simplicity of heart can be called children, as the Lord Himself called the apostles: "Children, have you any food?" (Jn. 21:5). But the pagan sages, who search out wisdom in such a mystery as the Kingdom of God and are unwilling to accept it without reasoning, are justly cut off from this Kingdom. The Lord did not say "of these" is the Kingdom, but "of such," that is, of those who have voluntarily acquired the innocence and humble-mindedness that children possess by nature. So then, let us accept without curiosity, with faith and humility, all that belongs to the Church, which constitutes the Kingdom of God. For curiosity is characteristic of conceit and self-willed reasoning.
Lk. 18:18. And a certain ruler asked Him, saying: Good Teacher! What must I do to inherit eternal life?
This man, in the opinion of some, was a certain evil schemer and sought to trap Jesus in His words. But it is more likely that he was a lover of money, since Christ Himself exposed him as precisely such. And the evangelist Mark says that a certain man, running up and falling on his knees, asked Jesus, and "looking at him, Jesus loved him" (Mk. 10:17, 21). So then, this man was covetous. He comes to Jesus wishing to learn about eternal life. Perhaps in this case too he was driven by a passion for acquisition. For no one desires a long life so much as a covetous man. So he thought that Jesus would show him a way by which he could live forever, possess his property, and thus enjoy himself. But when the Lord said that the means of attaining eternal life is the renunciation of possessions, then he, as though reproaching himself for the question and Jesus for the answer, went away. For he needed eternal life because he had riches for many years. But when he must give up his possessions and live, it would seem, in poverty, then what need has he of eternal life?
Lk. 18:19. Jesus said to him: why do you call Me good? No one is good, except God alone;
He comes to the Lord as to a mere man and teacher. Therefore the Lord, to show that one should not come to Him as to a mere man, said: "No one is good but God alone." You, He says, called Me "good," so why did you also add "teacher"? It seems you take Me for one of many. But if so, then I am not good, for among men properly no one is good; only God alone is good. Therefore, if you wish to call Me good, call Me good as God, and do not come to Me as to a mere man. But if you consider Me one of ordinary men, then do not call Me good. For God alone is truly good, is the fountain of goodness and the source of essential goodness. But we men, even if we are good, are not so of ourselves, but by participation in His goodness, and possess a goodness that is mixed and capable of inclining toward evil.
Lk. 18:20. "You know the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother."
The Law forbids first that into which we more easily fall, and then that into which few fall and infrequently: for example, adultery, since it is a fire from both the outside and the inside; murder, since anger is a great beast; while theft is less important, and one can fall into false witness infrequently. Therefore the first crimes are forbidden first, since we easily fall into them, although in other respects they are also more grievous. But these, that is, theft and false witness, the Law places in second rank, since they are committed infrequently and are less important. After these crimes, the Law placed the sin against parents. For although this sin is grievous, it does not often occur, since it is not often nor many, but rarely and few, that such bestial people are found who would dare to insult their parents.
Lk. 18:21. And he said: all these things I have kept from my youth.
Lk. 18:22. Having heard this, Jesus said to him: you still lack one thing: sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me.
When the young man said that he had kept all these things from his youth, the Lord proposes to him the summit of everything: non-possessiveness. See, the Laws prescribe a truly Christian way of life. "Sell all that you have," He says. For if anything remains, you are a slave to it. And "distribute" not to wealthy relatives, but "to the poor." In my opinion, the word "distribute" also expresses the idea that one should disperse possessions with discernment, and not haphazardly. And since alongside non-possessiveness a person must also have all the other virtues, the Lord said, "and follow Me," that is, in all other respects as well be My disciple, always follow Me — and not in such a way that you follow today but not tomorrow.
Lk. 18:23. But when he heard this, he became sorrowful, for he was very rich.
As the Lord promised the covetous ruler a treasure in heaven, he nevertheless did not heed, for he was a slave to his treasures, and therefore "became sorrowful" upon hearing the Lord urge him to part with his possessions, since he desired eternal life precisely so that with his great abundance of wealth he might also live forever. The ruler's sorrow shows that he was a well-intentioned man, and not a cunning villain. For none of the Pharisees ever became sorrowful; rather, they grew hardened. It is not unknown to me that the great luminary of the universe, Chrysostom, held that this young man desired true eternal life and loved it, but was possessed by a powerful passion—love of money; yet the thought now proposed is also not out of place, that he desired eternal life as a covetous man.
Lk. 18:24. Jesus, seeing that he became sad, said: How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the Kingdom of God!
After the rich man, having heard about the renunciation of wealth, became sorrowful, the Lord explains with a wondrous comparison "how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the Kingdom of God." He did not say that it is impossible for them (the rich) to enter, but "hard." For it is not impossible for such people to be saved. Having distributed their wealth, they can receive heavenly blessings. But to do the former is not easy, because wealth binds more firmly than glue, and for the one whom it has mastered, it is difficult to renounce it. Below the Lord explains how this becomes impossible.
Lk. 18:25. For 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.
It is utterly impossible for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, whether you understand by "camel" the animal itself or some thick nautical rope. If it is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to be saved, and the first is impossible, then all the more impossible is it for a rich man to be saved. What then must we say? First of all, that it is truly impossible for a rich man to be saved. Do not tell me, if you please, that so-and-so, being rich, distributed what he had and was saved. For he was saved not in his wealth, but when he became poor; or he was saved as a steward, but not as a rich man. And a steward is one thing, a rich man another. The rich man hoards wealth for himself, while to the steward wealth is entrusted for others. Therefore the one you point to as well, if he was saved, was saved not with his wealth, but, as we said, either by renouncing all that he had, or by managing his possessions well, as a steward. Then observe also that it is impossible for a rich man to be saved, but difficult for one who has riches. The Lord speaks as if to say: whoever is possessed by wealth, whoever is its slave and subject, will not be saved; but whoever has wealth and keeps it under his own power, rather than being himself under its power, for such a one it is difficult to be saved because of human weakness. For it is impossible not to misuse what we have. Since, as long as we have wealth, the devil strives to ensnare us so that we use it contrary to the rules and law of stewardship — and it is difficult to escape his nets. Therefore poverty is a good thing, and it is almost free from temptation.
Lk. 18:26. And those who heard it said: "Who then can be saved?"