Youth, with all its fervor and impetuosity, is very beautiful in itself and very dear to Christ. Here youth was combined with station, wealth, and noble character. It is not necessary that all should sell their goods, and distribute the proceeds. It is a harder task to retain wealth and administer it for God. But it was necessary that the Master should prove to this young man that he was not fulfilling the Commandments quite so perfectly as he had supposed.
How few would wed Poverty today if they had to choose! Yet great riches must lie hidden beneath her rustic dress. Christ chose her as His companion during His human life, and St. Francis of Assisi said that he took her for his bride. In Matthew the beatitude is phrased: "Blessed are the poor in spirit," but in Luke it stands: "Blessed be ye poor." See James 2:5. [source]
Chapter Summary: Matthew 19
1Jesus heals the sick; 3answers the Pharisees concerning divorce; 10shows when marriage is necessary; 13receives the little children; 16instructs the young man how to attain eternal life; 20and how to be perfect; 23tells his disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God; 27and promises reward to those who forsake all to follow him
Greek Commentary for Matthew 19:20
What lack I yet? [τι ετι υστερω] Did his question reveal proud complacency or pathetic despair? A bit of both most likely. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 19:20
Mark 10:21One thing thou lackest [εν σε υστερει] Luke 18:22 has it: “One thing thou lackest yet” Possibly two translations of the same Aramaic phrase. Matthew 19:20 represents the youth as asking “What lack I yet?” The answer of Jesus meets that inquiry after more than mere outward obedience to laws and regulations. The verb υστερω husterō is from the adjective υστερος husteros (behind) and means to be too late, to come short, to fail of, to lack. It is used either with the accusative, as here, or with the ablative as in 2 Corinthians 11:5, or the dative as in Textus Receptus here, σοι soi f0). [source]
1 Corinthians 1:7So that ye come behind in no gift [ωστε υμας μη υστερεισται εν μηδενι χαρισματι] Consecutive clause with ωστε hōste and the infinitive and the double negative. Come behind (υστερεισται hustereisthai) is to be late (υστερος husteros), old verb seen already in Mark 10:21; Matthew 19:20. It is a wonderful record here recorded. But in 2 Corinthians 8:7-11; 2 Corinthians 9:1-7 Paul will have to complain that they have not paid their pledges for the collection, pledges made over a year before, a very modern complaint. [source]
James 5:4Labourers [εργατων] Any one who works Genitive plural of the articular first aorist active participle of αμαω amaō (from αμα hama together), old verb, to gather together, to reap, here only in N.T.Fields Estates or farms (Luke 12:16).Which is of you kept back by fraud (ο απυστερημενος απ υμων ho aphusterēmenos aph' humōn). Perfect passive articular participle of απυστερεω aphustereō late compound (simplex υστερεω hustereō common as Matthew 19:20), to be behindhand from, to fail of, to cause to withdraw, to defraud. Pitiful picture of earned wages kept back by rich Jews, old problem of capital and labour that is with us yet in acute form.The cries Old word from which βοαω boaō comes (Matthew 3:3), here only in N.T. The stolen money “cries out” Genitive plural of the articular participle first aorist active of τεριζω therizō (old verb from τερος theros summer, Matthew 24:32), to reap, to harvest while summer allows (Matthew 6:26).Have entered Perfect active third person plural indicative of εισερχομαι eiserchomai old and common compound, to go or come into. This late form is by analogy of the aorist for the usual form in ασι ̇asi the Lord of Sabaoth “Of the Lord of Hosts,” quotation from Isaiah 5:9 as in Romans 9:29, transliterating the Hebrew word for “Hosts,” an expression for the omnipotence of God like Παντοκρατωρ Pantokratōr (Revelation 4:8). God hears the cries of the oppressed workmen even if the employers are deaf. [source]
James 5:4Fields [χωρας] Estates or farms (Luke 12:16).Which is of you kept back by fraud (ο απυστερημενος απ υμων ho aphusterēmenos aph' humōn). Perfect passive articular participle of απυστερεω aphustereō late compound (simplex υστερεω hustereō common as Matthew 19:20), to be behindhand from, to fail of, to cause to withdraw, to defraud. Pitiful picture of earned wages kept back by rich Jews, old problem of capital and labour that is with us yet in acute form.The cries Old word from which βοαω boaō comes (Matthew 3:3), here only in N.T. The stolen money “cries out” Genitive plural of the articular participle first aorist active of τεριζω therizō (old verb from τερος theros summer, Matthew 24:32), to reap, to harvest while summer allows (Matthew 6:26).Have entered Perfect active third person plural indicative of εισερχομαι eiserchomai old and common compound, to go or come into. This late form is by analogy of the aorist for the usual form in ασι ̇asi the Lord of Sabaoth “Of the Lord of Hosts,” quotation from Isaiah 5:9 as in Romans 9:29, transliterating the Hebrew word for “Hosts,” an expression for the omnipotence of God like Παντοκρατωρ Pantokratōr (Revelation 4:8). God hears the cries of the oppressed workmen even if the employers are deaf. [source]
James 5:4Which is of you kept back by fraud [ο απυστερημενος απ υμων] Perfect passive articular participle of απυστερεω aphustereō late compound (simplex υστερεω hustereō common as Matthew 19:20), to be behindhand from, to fail of, to cause to withdraw, to defraud. Pitiful picture of earned wages kept back by rich Jews, old problem of capital and labour that is with us yet in acute form. [source]
What do the individual words in Matthew 19:20 mean?
Saysto himtheyoung manThingsall theseI have keptWhatyetlack I
Greek Commentary for Matthew 19:20
Did his question reveal proud complacency or pathetic despair? A bit of both most likely. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 19:20
Luke 18:22 has it: “One thing thou lackest yet” Possibly two translations of the same Aramaic phrase. Matthew 19:20 represents the youth as asking “What lack I yet?” The answer of Jesus meets that inquiry after more than mere outward obedience to laws and regulations. The verb υστερω husterō is from the adjective υστερος husteros (behind) and means to be too late, to come short, to fail of, to lack. It is used either with the accusative, as here, or with the ablative as in 2 Corinthians 11:5, or the dative as in Textus Receptus here, σοι soi f0). [source]
Consecutive clause with ωστε hōste and the infinitive and the double negative. Come behind (υστερεισται hustereisthai) is to be late (υστερος husteros), old verb seen already in Mark 10:21; Matthew 19:20. It is a wonderful record here recorded. But in 2 Corinthians 8:7-11; 2 Corinthians 9:1-7 Paul will have to complain that they have not paid their pledges for the collection, pledges made over a year before, a very modern complaint. [source]
Rare in N.T. See John 7:19; Romans 2:13, Romans 2:25( πράσσῃς ). Τηρεῖν toobserve the law, the tradition, the commandment, Matthew 19:17; Mark 7:9; John 14:15; Acts 15:5James 2:10: πληροῦν tofulfill the law, Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:14; comp. ἀναπληροῦν Galatians 6:2: φυλάσσειν tokeep or guard the law, Acts 7:53; Acts 21:24; Galatians 6:13: also with commandments, word of God or of Christ, ordinances of the law, Matthew 19:20; Mark 10:20; Luke 11:28; John 12:47; Romans 2:26. Τελεῖν tocarry out the law, Romans 2:27; James 2:8. Ποιῆσαι is to perform what the law commands: τηρεῖν toobserve, keep an eye on with the result of performing: φυλάσσειν toguard against violation: τελεῖν tobring to fulfillment in action. [source]
Any one who works Genitive plural of the articular first aorist active participle of αμαω amaō (from αμα hama together), old verb, to gather together, to reap, here only in N.T.Fields Estates or farms (Luke 12:16).Which is of you kept back by fraud (ο απυστερημενος απ υμων ho aphusterēmenos aph' humōn). Perfect passive articular participle of απυστερεω aphustereō late compound (simplex υστερεω hustereō common as Matthew 19:20), to be behindhand from, to fail of, to cause to withdraw, to defraud. Pitiful picture of earned wages kept back by rich Jews, old problem of capital and labour that is with us yet in acute form.The cries Old word from which βοαω boaō comes (Matthew 3:3), here only in N.T. The stolen money “cries out” Genitive plural of the articular participle first aorist active of τεριζω therizō (old verb from τερος theros summer, Matthew 24:32), to reap, to harvest while summer allows (Matthew 6:26).Have entered Perfect active third person plural indicative of εισερχομαι eiserchomai old and common compound, to go or come into. This late form is by analogy of the aorist for the usual form in ασι ̇asi the Lord of Sabaoth “Of the Lord of Hosts,” quotation from Isaiah 5:9 as in Romans 9:29, transliterating the Hebrew word for “Hosts,” an expression for the omnipotence of God like Παντοκρατωρ Pantokratōr (Revelation 4:8). God hears the cries of the oppressed workmen even if the employers are deaf. [source]
Estates or farms (Luke 12:16).Which is of you kept back by fraud (ο απυστερημενος απ υμων ho aphusterēmenos aph' humōn). Perfect passive articular participle of απυστερεω aphustereō late compound (simplex υστερεω hustereō common as Matthew 19:20), to be behindhand from, to fail of, to cause to withdraw, to defraud. Pitiful picture of earned wages kept back by rich Jews, old problem of capital and labour that is with us yet in acute form.The cries Old word from which βοαω boaō comes (Matthew 3:3), here only in N.T. The stolen money “cries out” Genitive plural of the articular participle first aorist active of τεριζω therizō (old verb from τερος theros summer, Matthew 24:32), to reap, to harvest while summer allows (Matthew 6:26).Have entered Perfect active third person plural indicative of εισερχομαι eiserchomai old and common compound, to go or come into. This late form is by analogy of the aorist for the usual form in ασι ̇asi the Lord of Sabaoth “Of the Lord of Hosts,” quotation from Isaiah 5:9 as in Romans 9:29, transliterating the Hebrew word for “Hosts,” an expression for the omnipotence of God like Παντοκρατωρ Pantokratōr (Revelation 4:8). God hears the cries of the oppressed workmen even if the employers are deaf. [source]
Perfect passive articular participle of απυστερεω aphustereō late compound (simplex υστερεω hustereō common as Matthew 19:20), to be behindhand from, to fail of, to cause to withdraw, to defraud. Pitiful picture of earned wages kept back by rich Jews, old problem of capital and labour that is with us yet in acute form. [source]