saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me
with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Verses 6-9.
"And behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing
shall I do that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me
good? there is none good but one, that is God; but if thou wilt enter into life, keep
the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no
murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear
false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself." Matt.19:16-19.
Let us carefully consider these words of our Lord. The young man came to
him with the most important question that he could ask. The Saviour returned
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to him the most simple, direct and appropriate answer. Jesus said to him, "If thou
wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." The young man, who, it is evident
from the narrative, thought himself already observing them all, asked Jesus,
Which? In answer, Jesus quotes from the second table, five of the ten
commandments; and to this list he adds the second of the two great
commandments on which hang all the rest. It is often said by our opponents that
if we would name only those precepts which our Lord enjoined upon the young
man, they would be happy to agree with us; that Christ did not name the fourth
commandment, which is not therefore obligatory upon us. We reply that the
fourth commandment is no more omitted than is the first, the second, the third
and the tenth, and also the first of the two great commandments on which hang
all the rest! Does any one believe that the young man might violate all these and
yet enter life eternal?
There can be but one of two positions taken with respect to this text: 1. When
the Saviour said, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments," he named
all the commandments which the young man should keep; or 2. When the
Saviour said "keep the commandments," he enjoined obedience to them all, and
then in answer to the young man's inquiry, pointed him to the precepts of the
second
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table, namely, his duty to his fellow-men, as that in which he was most deficient.
If the first position be correct, it follows that the young man could enter into life
in the character of an idolater, a blasphemer, a Sabbath-breaker, and with an
heart full of covetousness; for our Lord omitted to specify any of those precepts
which define our duty to God, and he also omitted the tenth commandment:
"Thou shalt not covet." This position needs no refutation, and we turn from it to
the other.
That the second position is correct, namely, that Christ enjoined obedience to
all the commandments, and then in answer to the young man's request, pointed
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him to the second table, and to the second of the two great commandments - his
duty to his fellow man - the following facts plainly evince:-
1. This is exactly what is recorded in the text. 2. The view that Christ specified
all the precepts which the young man should observe has been shown to be