Mat 19:16, Mar 10:17 | Barnes | STEP | Verses 16-30. This account is found also in ; . Verse 16. One came . This was a young man, . He was a ruler , (Luke;) probably a ruler in a synagogue, or of the great council of the nation; a place to which he was chosen on account of his unblemished character, and promising talents. He came running , (Mark;) evincing great earnestness and anxiety. He fell upon his knees, (Mark;) not to worship him, but to pay the customary respectful salutation; exhibiting the highest regard for Jesus as an extraordinary religious Teacher. Good Master . The word good here means, doubtless, most excellent ; referring not so much to the MORAL character of Jesus as to his character as a religious Teacher . It was probably a title which the Jews were in the habit of applying to their religious teachers. The word Master here means Teacher . What good thing shall I do . He had attempted to keep all the commandments. He had been taught by his Jewish teachers that men were to be saved by doing something, or by their works; and he supposed that this was to be the way under every system of religion. He had lived externally a blameless life; but yet he was not at peace: he was anxious, and he came to ascertain what, in the view of Jesus, was to be done, that his righteousness might be complete. To have eternal life means, to be saved. The happiness of heaven is called life , in opposition to the pains of hell, called death, or an eternal dying, . The one is real life , answering the purposes of living --living to the honour of God, and in eternal happiness; the other is a failure of the great ends of existence--prolonged, eternal suffering--of which temporal death is but the feeble image. (l) "what good"

Matthew 19:16

Verses 16-30. This account is found also in Mk 10:17-31; Lk 18:18-30.

Verse 16. One came. This was a young man, Mt 19:20. He was a ruler, (Luke;) probably a ruler in a synagogue, or of the great council of the nation; a place to which he was chosen on account of his unblemished character, and promising talents. He came running, (Mark;) evincing great earnestness and anxiety. He fell upon his knees, (Mark;) not to worship him, but to pay the customary respectful salutation; exhibiting the highest regard for Jesus as an extraordinary religious Teacher.

Good Master. The word good here means, doubtless, most excellent; referring not so much to the MORAL character of Jesus as to his character as a religious Teacher. It was probably a title which the Jews were in the habit of applying to their religious teachers. The word Master here means Teacher.

What good thing shall I do. He had attempted to keep all the commandments. He had been taught by his Jewish teachers that men were to be saved by doing something, or by their works; and he supposed that this was to be the way under every system of religion. He had lived externally a blameless life; but yet he was not at peace: he was anxious, and he came to ascertain what, in the view of Jesus, was to be done, that his righteousness might be complete. To have eternal life means, to be saved. The happiness of heaven is called life, in opposition to the pains of hell, called death, or an eternal dying, Rev 2:2, 20:14. The one is real life, answering the purposes of living--living to the honour of God, and in eternal happiness; the other is a failure of the great ends of existence--prolonged, eternal suffering--of which temporal death is but the feeble image.

(l) "what good" Mk 10:17, Lk 10:25, 18:18

Mark 10:17

Verses 17-31. See Barnes Mt 19:16, and Mt 19:17-30.

Verse 17. Gone forth. From the place where he had been teaching.

Into the way. Into the road or path on his journey.

Running. Thus showing the intensity with which he desired to know the way of life. Zeal to know the way to be saved is proper; nor is it possible to be too intense, if well directed. Nothing else is so important, and nothing demands, therefore, so much effort and haste.