The Rich Man And The Widow

The Twelve Apostles

The Rich Man Consults Jesus

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good and righteous Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone, for nobody is able to live good and righteous life, except by the power of the Holy Spirit. You know the commandments, the commandments that were written by myself as the God Almighty, written in heaven, as was given to humanity through Holy Moses: the laws, the statutes and the precepts.’”

And the man said to Him, “Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth.”

And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

Jesus told the man to go, sell all he has, give to the poor and come follow him, because the man was called, destined, to be a priest. Instead of being a priest who is ministering at the altar of God, he made himself a businessman.

And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 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.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

Peter began to say to him, “Lo, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first.” Mark 10:17-31

The Good And Righteous Teacher

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone, for nobody is able to live good and righteous life, except by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mark 10:18

The statement does not mean that Jesus was not a good and righteous man. Jesus wanted the man to understand that self-righteousness, which includes the righteousness of man and the righteousness of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, are different from the righteousness of God.

Apostle Matthew: Why did the rich young man called Jesus good?

The Head: In his understanding, he sees Jesus as different from the other ministers of God. Jesus had the Holy Spirit and righteousness in His life and works. That is why he called Jesus good teacher.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, yourself explained it correctly.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, why was Jesus called good?

The Head: It was because Jesus was explaining truth in orderliness, as it should be. He was also giving various corrections, corrections that are right.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, why did Jesus said that nobody is good, except God?

The Head: It all depended on what Jesus said at that time and what He meant. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that all righteousness are possible and real. The power of the Holy Spirit is from God the Father, the FirstSon and the Holy Spirit.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, was it good that the man called Jesus?

The Head: We may not be able to say now. It is those people who were present then that can explain.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, there two things Jesus said, but the bible authors removed one. The man called Jesus a righteous and good man. The bible authors removed righteous and wrote only good. The explanations that Jesus gave concerning righteousness and good were also removed. They wrote some and removed some.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, why did the man called Jesus righteous and good?

The Head: By his own understanding, he saw that Jesus was teaching the laws and keeping the laws. Jesus was teaching and keeping the laws. But many other religious leaders teach the word of God, but do not do it.

Wrong Teachings Of Colour Codes By The Pharisees, Sadducees And Scribes

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, your ministers, do they know the meanings of colours?

The Head: They know about some colours, but do not know about many other colours.

Son of man, the reason why the man called Jesus righteous and good was because the man was using the teaching of the Pharisees, and he was living by the same teaching. According to the Pharisees, three colours mean the following:

White means good.

Grey means bad.

And black means evil.

The Pharisees did not have spiritual understanding – they were spiritually blind and ignorant. They said that if you examine somebody in spirit and find out that he is wearing white, it shows that the person is good and righteous.

If the person is not wearing pure white, but is wearing grey, the person is bad.

But if the person is wearing pure black, his conduct black and everything about him black, know and classify the person as evil.

And the Pharisees were teaching that the person who is bad is far better than the person who is black. If you are said to be bad, then you have to thank God because you are good to some extents. But if a person is said to be black, the person is not a saint at all.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, all the people that have this type of understanding, shall they enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

The Head: No.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, all the people that supposed to be making efforts, none of them was making efforts to become radiant, to grow in spirit. They were saying, “Even if I am grey, I am still better than the person who is black and evil. I still have hope.”

Meanwhile Jesus was teaching them that themselves have to be perfect just as God the Father is perfect. That was why the man examined Jesus in spirit, saw that Jesus was wearing white and therefore, called Jesus righteous and good teacher.

The Head: Thanks be to God, for this explanation.

The Rich And The Pompous

Apostle Matthew: What Jesus was explaining was about rich men and women. But the explanation was not only about rich and wealthy people. Jesus was also explaining about those people who are proud and pompous, those who feel great and above others, those people who do not humble themselves for another person who knows the truth to teach them. Son of man, it was about all these types of people that Jesus was explaining about.

The Head: Thanks be to God.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, it was not that Jesus said that somebody is rich because the person has money. He included those people who exalt themselves, and refuse to do what God says.

Apostle Matthew: Son of man, why do the children of God refuse to humble themselves?

They do not have the spirit of humility. They do not have the spirit of obedience. Tell them, if they do not stop being proud and pompous, if they do not stop being disobedient, there is never a time the Holy Spirit will use them to do work. They cannot work with the Holy Spirit, until they remove all these bad conducts from themselves. Then, they have to seek for the truth, to hear it and to do it.

Compulsory Duties And Requirements

The good a person must do to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven are the following:

1. Keep the original Ten Commandments as was written and given by God Almighty in heaven.

2. Observe the Seven Annual Festivals of God, as written in Leviticus 23, which festivals Jesus attended.

3. Keep the laws of God, which are called the commandments, statutes and precepts. Statutes are the appointed times and festivals, while precepts are the teachings and judgments of God.

4. Observe the rites of holiness, for nobody is able to please God without holiness, just as nobody is able to do the will of God without the power of the Holy Spirit.

5. Study and practice Spiritual Science, which includes quiet time and meditation.

6. Study Yahweh's Book Of Life.

7. Render selfless services to both God and humanity.

8. Do and complete your earthly assignments, the very works you came to do here on earth. The works varies from one person to another. Therefore, it is dangerous to imitate the majority. Many fail to live their own lives and do their earthly assignments, because they are trending with the majority.

This is where the rich young man failed it. He fails to do his earthly assignments, destiny. He was sent to the world to serve as a priest at the altar and temple of God, but he became interested in earthly money and wealth, just like the present and modern generations, everybody is hassling for money and wealth, without knowing that they are straying from their respective destinies. That was why “At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.”

Many are like him, and they shall pay dearly for the negligence. Those who fail to do the earthly assignments go to hell fire, or they keep on reincarnating to suffer hardships and problems until they do and compete their assignments.

9. Practice makes perfect. Therefore, learn from the Hosts of Angels and Saints of Heaven and emulate them, where necessary.

Reasons Why The Rich Cannot Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven

The rich cannot easily enter the Kingdom of Heaven because of the following reasons:

Money is the god of the overzealous rich, and wealth is their goddess. By overzealous is means the following:
They are always thinking of their money and wealth, instead of being God-conscious.
They trust more in their riches than they trust in God.
They boast of money and riches, instead of boasting of God.
Most of them enjoy their wealth without extending the benefits to others around them.
They are always busy planning about their business engagements. Therefore, they have no time for God. Cares and worries of everyday life occupy their hearts.
They do not prepare themselves for spiritual life, which is everlasting.
They do not believe in the life after. The world is all they care about.
They are usually selfish.
They use their positions, possessions, connections and influences to intimidate the poor and the needy.
Many of them use charms, cultic powers, which are contrary to the dictates of the Holy Spirit.
In many cases, what a rich man considers as his money and wealth are the wealth of humanity, which have been directly or indirectly stolen from the public, by fair or fowl means.
The more money and wealth they have, the more connections they make and the harder it becomes for them to study and practise Spiritual Science.
In spirit, and in the heavens, money and wealth are irrelevant. Therefore, the lives of the famous or popular men and women in the world, as in heaven, are just like wasted years. It is sufficient to have our daily bread.
Etc.

How God Makes It Easy For The Rich To Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven
And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:26,27

God is God of riches. Among the richest men of the world, men of God numbered among the best. For example, Abraham was so wealthy in Canaan that the Canaanites feared him. The same was true of Isaac. What of King Solomon? He was unsurpassed in wealth. For a man to enter the kingdom, he should:

Extend his wealth to others around him.
Trust in God, not in money, wealth, connection or power.
Do not allow his business engagements to prevent him from serving and worshipping God.

Where he neglects to do the above things, God will save him by first removing all riches from him. Then, the person becomes a poor man, and would have time to think about God and participate in Godly activities.

The Widow’s Offering

And He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny. And He called His disciples to Him, and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living.” Mark 12:41-44

Explanations

1. You have to give God the best.

2. Give without expecting rewards. Yet, there is blessing for every good work.

3. Do not give the left overs to God.

4. Do not give to God what is inferior.

5. Give to God because you want to give to God, and not because you want people to praise you.

6. Do not give simply because others are giving. Some people, who do not want to give, do give because others have given and themselves do not want to be the only ones who has not given.

7. The explanation of Jesus is not that you give God everything you have, but that you give God out of what you have, by your free will and free choice.

8. The blessings of God are so important and special that if you do not have, you better go and work and earn money, so that you shall have something to give to God, for you to receive special and important blessings, favours, success and prosperity from God.

9. What you do for God or give to Him here on earth determines the size and quality of your mansion in heaven. That is why every child of God must endeavour to give to God, and to work for God, from time to time.