The Gospel According to St. Matthew

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- Kapitel 19 -

(Mark 10:1–12)

After Jesus had said that, he took his disciples and left the district of Galilee. They went to the part of the district of Judea that is east of the Jordan River.

Large crowds followed him there, and he healed the sick among them.

Some Pharisees approached him and said to him, “Does our Jewish law permit a man to divorce his wife for any reason whatever?” They asked that in order to be able to debate with him.

Jesus said to them, “You have read the scriptures, so you should know that at the time when God first created people, ‘He made one man, and he made one woman.’

That explains why God said, ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and marries his wife. The two of them will live together as though they were one person.’

Consequently, although they functioned as two separate people before, they now become as if they were one person. Since that is true, a man must not separate from his wife whom God has joined to him.”

The Pharisees then said to him, “If that is true, why did Moses command that a man who wanted to divorce his wife should give her a paper stating his reason for divorcing her, and then send her away?”

Jesus said to them, “It was because your ancestors stubbornly wanted their own ways that Moses allowed them to divorce their wives, and you are no different from them. But when God first created a man and a woman, he did not intend for them to separate from each other.

I am telling you emphatically that God considers that any man who divorces his wife and marries another woman is committing adultery, unless his first wife has committed adultery.”

The disciples said to him, “If that is true, it is better for men never to marry!”

He answered, “Not every man is able to accept this teaching, but only the men whom God enables to accept it.

There are men who do not marry because their private parts have been defective ever since they were born. There are other men who do not marry because they have been castrated. Then there are still other men who decide not to marry in order to serve God better as he rules from heaven. You who are able to understand what I have said about marriage should accept it and obey it.”

Jesus Blesses the Children

(Mark 10:13–16; Luke 18:15–17)

Then some little children were brought to Jesus in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the people for doing that.

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them! It is people who are humble and trusting like they are who belong to the rule of God from heaven.”

Jesus then laid his hands on the children to bless them. Then he left that place.

The Rich Young Man

(Mark 10:17–31; Luke 18:18–30)

As Jesus was walking along, a young man approached him and said to him, “Teacher, what good deeds must I do in order to live with God forever?”

Jesus said to him, “Why are you asking me about what is good? Only one being is good and really knows what is good. That being is God. But in order to answer your question about desiring to live with God forever, I will tell you to keep the commandments that God gave Moses.”

The man asked Jesus, “Which commandments must I keep?” Jesus answered him, “Do not murder anyone, do not commit adultery, do not steal things, do not testify falsely,

honor your father and your mother, and love every other person as much as you love yourself.”

The young man said to Jesus, “I have always obeyed all those commandments. What else must I do in order to live with God forever?”

Jesus said to him, “If you desire to be exactly how God wants you to be, go home, sell everything that you have, and give the money to poor people. The result will be that you will be wealthy in heaven. Then come, follow me, and be my disciple!”

When the young man heard those words, he went away feeling sad, because he was very rich and did not want to give away everything he owned.

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Keep this in mind: It is very difficult for rich people to agree to let God rule their lives.

Note this also: It is impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. It is even more difficult for rich people to come under the rule of God.”

When the disciples heard this, they were very astounded. They thought that rich people were the ones whom God blesses the most. So they said to Jesus, “If that is so, it does not seem likely that anyone will be saved!”

Then Jesus looked intently at them and said, “Yes, it is impossible for people to save themselves. But God can save them, because God is able to do anything!”

Then Peter said to him, “You know that we have left everything behind and we have become your disciples in order to follow you. So what benefit will we get for doing that?”

Jesus said to them, “Keep this in mind: You will get many benefits. When God makes the new earth and when I, the Son of Man, sit on my throne in my glory, those of you who have accompanied me will each sit on a throne, and you will judge the people of the twelve tribes of Israel.

God will reward those who, because they were my disciples, left behind a house or a plot of ground, their brothers, their sisters, their father, their mother, their children, or any other family members. God will give them a hundred times as many benefits as they have given up. And they will live with God forever.

But many people who are important in this life now will be unimportant at that future time, and many people who are unimportant now will be important at that future time.”

(Mark 10:1–12)

When Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan.

Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.

Pharisees came to him, testing him and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”

He answered, “Haven’t you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, (a)

and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh’? (b)

So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.”

They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce and divorce her?”

He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so.

I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.”

His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.”

But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given.

For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

Jesus Blesses the Children

(Mark 10:13–16; Luke 18:15–17)

Then little children were brought to him that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.

But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”

He laid his hands on them, and departed from there.

The Rich Young Man

(Mark 10:17–31; Luke 18:18–30)

Behold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

He said to him, “Why do you call me good? (c) No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’

‘Honor your father and your mother.’ (d) And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (e)

The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?”

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.”

But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty.

Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Then Peter answered, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”

Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.

But many will be last who are first, and first who are last.

Fußnoten

(a)19:4 ℘ Genesis 1:27

(b)19:5 ℘ Genesis 2:24

(d)19:19 ℘ Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20

(e)19:19 ℘ Leviticus 19:18