On that Young Man who Said to Our Lord What Should I Do to Inherit Eternal Life

Of the Holy One, Mar Jacob Memra 1. On that Young Man Who Said to Our Lord: "What Should I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?" (Matt. 19:16; Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18) Your word, Our Lord, is a light full for our path. Give me your word that I may walk in it without stumbling. The world is dark, and you are luminous, you are the Son of God. Through you, my Lord, I am guided, for you are greatly beloved, you who love those who seek you. The way of the world is empty and full of all stumbling. Woe to the man who walks in it, how wretched he is! Dark and foul is the world, evil and full of snares, and of beginnings and all evils to cast down in it. You, Our Lord, are the good guide and the great light, and the way full of life and blessings for him who walks in it. Blessed is the man who looks to wealth and to possessions, and bends his shoulder and carries the burden of your poverty. The man who does not stand in the world for anything, if he stands for you, is richer than all the rich of the whole world. And if he stands, the whole world perishes, and for you he does not stand: wretched and needy, ashamed and despised, and full of woes. You are the great possession, Our Lord, Son of God, and the pearl that cannot be taken from its setting. The world deceives, and the man who trusts in its possession leads himself astray, for the wealth that is found is not true.

Yesterday was full and today is rich, and tomorrow is nothing. And where is the wealth whose master is not? It is consumed in it. In the wealth of a dream, but a fool does not rejoice in it. And he does not love the short day that fills the day. He sleeps rich, and when he awakens, he finds that the wealth is not. And he does not rejoice, but errs in deception. If the short day is not a passing one, or a short one, you, the short one, pass away from your short day. Or it leaves you while you look, and you pass away from it. Or you cast it to others while you do not wish. For all your wealth is not yours, there is no opportunity. But you take it and also cast it upon the needy. If it is yours, give it, that it may go to one who is worthy. For you will find what is worthy when you pass on to the remnants. It does not lead you astray, nor entice you, nor disturb you, that you may run every day after a remnant that cannot be grasped. Behold, you run, you add every day to your short day, and what you have gathered all in one hour. Behold, you are wise, behold, you are vigilant, behold, you run, behold, you are diligent, behold, you distribute, behold, you gather. And diligence and wisdom and vigilance fill your house with many good things. And a slight mishap, if it reaches you from the fire, all diligence and vigilance are undone.

And wisdom loves vain wealth entirely. And it is fitting for you, all these that love you. And you would be a submissive servant to illness. And at your end you let go of a hand that does not save you. Where is your running? Where is all your wisdom? Where is your hope that was vain for you concerning surpluses? Behold, you are weak, behold, you are amazed, behold, you are vain. Behold, you burn with fire, and who fans you? Call to your end, bring your gold, gather your wealth. And if it saves you from distress, it is yours, if not. And if wealth cannot give you understanding, what profit, and if not profit, what of its surplus? Do not weary yourself over it, for it does not love you as you love it. It is not yours; what do you grind, you in your own poverty? Behold, you are placed, guarded, and vigilant over it, lest it go away. And it remains, and you are taken away, and what do you do? If you wished, your wealth could easily be yours, when it is sent on the king's road by the poor. And it would go before you to the high place that is filled with blessings. Then all of it would be yours, to sanctify it. For what do you run, that you might enter a house that is not yours? Your dwelling is a shadow; you are very fearful concerning its desires. It is uprooted, it is overturned because of times.

Your great desire is turned away from the eternal. Do not trust in your many labors, for all that remains here from you is not yours. And why do you err, when you are wise or industrious? Why are you industrious for vanities, or wise? Why do you love a house that falls, or a friend? And behold, the soul is fallen in iniquity, and you do not raise it. Woe, woe to the soul, that which you have cast down by the iniquity of your hands. And yet you are anxious to build a house that is not yours. It is iniquity, this, to build a house and fill it with goods, while the soul, which is heir to a kingdom, behold it is ruined. You have impoverished your own, and for what is not yours, behold you are industrious. The soul is uprooted, and the house is splendid and filled with goods. You did not seek a teacher to be a good friend to you, so that you might not lack knowledge of how to live. Every wise person knows what is profitable for him, and in every person there is knowledge of what to do. Everyone knows, but not everyone wishes to do. For good desire is lacking, not knowledge. For the head is the way that enters into life, and it is full of light, and all the commandments are arranged in it like lamps. And whoever wishes to enter into life, the door is open; but if he does not wish, he does not seek it, and immediately he enters.

Not teachers lacking in this evil world. This world is old, the teaching of the house of God. That God is the teacher of mortals. And by the commandments which he placed in the scriptures, be wise. And he gave a law which filled the light from Mount Sinai. And by the mountains of its beginning to the path of the house of the kingdom. And he sent his son like the day of great light. And the whole world shone in him and was fair and stood life. And after this teaching filled the wonder, that the whole world learned and shone like the day. One lacking asked him, the son of God, "What should I do to inherit the life of the house of God?" A young man, chosen, empty, who filled with emptiness, in iniquity he asked, while not compelled to the question. With a high spirit and with a will filled with pride, he made the question to show himself like a knower. And from his word, a man who is not a knower knows him, for if he knew, he would not ask what he should do. I say to you, O David, are you wise, or are you a layman? Do you wish to learn, or do you wish to be a teacher? The path of life for the whole race of mortals, God revealed it that you may walk in it without concealment. And now the path of life is not seen by you, to where, when it is revealed, it is hidden from you, if you are wise.

If you know, you are; if you ask, you are a boaster; you are. And if again you do not yet know, you are a layman. And in all the kinds of your question, you are deficient. Your face is turned toward wealth, and behold, you speak of inheritances. "What should I do to inherit life?" he was asking him. That one who knows all, who looks into the thoughts of the heart, justified himself and went up and stood before him on the height, and began to speak with our Savior like a disputant. He sought to show off his own mind like a wise man, that he might go out after new life which he had read about. He was rich, and in the confidence of his wealth he spoke, for the spirit of wealth—its voice is high in boastings. The mouth of poverty is stopped up where it is, and it is not given a place in the world to speak. The poor man is silent, and he is not heard to the end; and even a wise man is not given [a place] to speak. But the rich man, even if he is a layman, his spirit is high, his word is clear, and he has a place to speak. And like a rich man, he sought to speak with our Savior. The foolish young man, when he thought that he would be praised, "What should I do to inherit life?" he was asking him. The word was clear, that it was not difficult for the question. And our Lord heard him, for while he was still speaking, he knew him, and he bent his spirit to that height with his humility.

Our Lord says, "If you wish to live, keep the commandments." The first commandment that Moses set aside, concerning his Sabbath, he did not change the commandment that he saw was not harmful. From the first commandment that was set, the great prophet was. The great commandment Moses brought down from Mount Sinai, and he was commanding in it the Sabbath of the people, which he was to observe. And like a foundation that fills the law with righteousness for the observers, he set the law for the people, and his commandment was beautiful. And when the wickedness of the unjust was corrected from its stubbornness, then he changed it, the Son of God gave another commandment. Moses commanded that no man should marry and that a man should abstain from a woman. And his Lord said that not even in a dream should a man look upon a woman. The Son of God himself gave thought to the one who begets a man: "Abstain from a man in his teaching, fill the mountain." Behold, this commandment, which does not even release the name of the Sabbath, his Lord set it for the soul of Moses when he was commanding it. Moses commanded that a poor man who is his own should not covet, and he taught the soul not to be distressed over the greater. Then our Lord taught, "Go to the poor, so that even what is yours may be given to the one in need." For the Sabbaths of the world, the Son of God changed the commandment. His intention, however, that of the physician, is one and has not been altered. Little by little he disturbed the Sabbath while commanding it, so that the sick one would not flee from him if he commanded it harshly.

If he had said, "Do not sin," he would not have heard that his word was harsh. And if he had said, "Do not transgress your commandments," he would not have commanded anything from what is his, which he did not understand. He first cut off the root of evil from its doers, so that they would cease from the evil deeds that are done. And in the Law, as with fetters and chains, he bound his flesh from the evil world, so that it would rest from evil deeds. And after the foundation of learning the good things was established, he set up another step toward the good things. And like a teacher full of love toward the disciples, little by little he would lead them toward his teaching. And a skilled scribe does not write anything for the youth, but he reads to him that first lesson which he takes. And a good physician does not change the bandage for the wound, but he shows the wound itself, which is fair. And for this reason, the physician, the scribe, the son of God, did not add teaching to that rich man. But he followed that first one in the Law, so that he would instruct himself and also be elevated to spirituality. The young man stands upon the commandments of the great Moses; he read in the Law and did all that is written in it. But as for their observance, I am not able to teach you what you should do.

He would bring you into the Law of the new life. He called, he called, and he teaches you what you should do. If you wished to enter into life, keep the commandments. The fool says, "Which ones? I will do, I will keep, I will do." Nor did that deficient one even know them. And because of this he asked to learn which ones he should do. He cast himself as righteous and as wise, and it was revealed that he is both a sinner and a layman. He was not aware of that righteousness, nor of what it is. And he did not encounter wisdom for the fool of whom we speak. And he did not know, nor the divine commandments, which ones he should do, those by which the world lives. And when he had not read nor studied, he approached our Lord, so that he might become a questioner in distress for many eyes. And he was perplexed, stood, and was revealed that he was not knowledgeable, but a fool who began a discourse of what he did not know. The sick one asked, "What should I do to inherit life?" And it was said to him, "Keep the commandments," and he did not know. And he began to investigate which ones he should do, "I will keep, I will do." And he began to do, a skilled scribe, and it did not weary him. Do not be amazed. Nor is there false testimony in the world at all. Honor your father and honor your mother, and you have life, which lives by the commandments, whichever one you keep.

And the fool began to deny, he was in denial. When he said, "All these I have kept, I have done." Many lies, many things we said, and he erred greatly. And in his arrogance he fell into the snare of falsehood. Because we said that he asked without knowledge. He confessed to him and began to deny him. Concerning the commandments which he had kept all of them, he acknowledged. And that he had kept them from his youth, again he denied. When this young man did not know which ones he had done, and how all of them, when this youth kept as he said. In his youth he was simple and humble and full of errors. In his youth, then, he did not know except to sin. Our Lord did not wish to reject him from his teaching. That Spirit who saw him, that he was in denial. And concerning them he left him in the hands of Moses the scribe to guide him. And he gave him to read the book of perfection. And he began to deny the commandments which he had kept, and he did them and completed them from his youth. And at that high point the fool began to knock, and he raised his voice and multiplied words of falsehood: "The commandments, I have not kept them, I have done them, behold from my youth. Something new, add to me, you, from your teaching. Tell me, young man, Moses and his mountains are for you, and again more, you seek from me, I will speak to you.

All the commandments of Moses I have kept, as you say. And again, other new commandments you now seek. You raise yourself up as a lawgiver, and above the commandments. And from Moses who set the law, you are above him. And you are perfect, you are spiritual, as you say. And you desire that the perfect discourse be heard spiritually. And I have a great and spiritual discourse. And I have been silent, seeing you as bodily. The weakness of your soul has not come to perfection. And because of this, you left Moses the physician and saw him. That discourse which Moses left, you did not interpret. And because of this, I did not give you the great book. From the Old Testament you are deficient, you who have not completed it. And now you dare to read the New Testament clearly. I am not deficient in high discourse; I will bring it near to you. For you have no knowledge of the spiritual hearer. If, then, you desire to be perfect as you say, go, sell all your possessions and give to the poor. And do not hold back for yourself anything in the world from all that you have acquired. And if you leave yourself two garments, you are not spiritual. And everything you have on earth, cast it upon the poor. And do not leave yourself anything from your possessions, nor anything at all. And all the treasures you have, sell them, and your works, even your desires, and give to the poor without sparing.

And to the poor, everything that you have, give while rejoicing. A treasure is laid up for you in heaven, and come after me. And when I was silent, from the evil world's desires, I will teach you how to live with my disciples. The young man heard the speech that was higher than the law, and he trembled from the discourse, because he saw that it did not suffice for him. His pride was cut down to his shame, thick and weak, and he could not cut the old garment that was worn out. And his heart was broken from the spiritual teaching, because he was holding to that physical smallness. And he saw what high degree of perfection was, and he became small and fell and despaired, unable to attain it. And he was troubled by difficult thoughts, and he sought a word to say to our Lord but could not. A cloud of sorrow rose like a mist from his mind, and the light of his face was extinguished and darkened from grief. The pain within seized and took away the beauty without, and all his appearance was that of one sick, and his flesh grew and increased. The complexion of his face, which was radiant, changed, and his high speech, that he was rich, was silenced. He bowed his head, which used to walk with a high posture, and his spirit fell, which had thought itself righteous.

He saw the path on which he walked, which was perfect. And he turned, and that one who walked on it was not able. And he saw and knew the whole deception of the liar. He was a talker and was boastful and not truthful. And the humility of the Son of God was amazed. And his wisdom and his teaching, how radiant. And he knew the deception: that the envious one was envious of the rich man. And he did not let go of that teaching from the beginning. And his compassion and his gentleness were revealed, how much he desired to live, everyone, wherever he is. And how much he heals, while not distributing to the needy, but rather drawing in his spirit and grieving humbly. The young man followed him, who said, "What should I do to inherit life?" And he knew that he would not accept teaching. And when he knew him, he did not rebuke him before the many. For it is not his custom to expose those who approach him. He did not say to him, "You are not able, you are not worthy, you are not truthful, you are a liar, you are a fool, go away." But he received him and listened to him and heard him gently. And he placed for him a condition: if he heard him, he would heal him. If he had heard him when he said to him, "Keep the commandments," and he had gone and kept them, the opportunity would not have come. But he sought to snatch a rank that was not his. And he fell, and there was laughter in the deception (as we said).

The love of the world was like a fire to him, and it silenced him, and when he would speak he was unable. He was bound by his gold and his possessions and because of the clay, that the Son of God might release him from it like a weakling. Very high is the way of life from the walkers, and small in it is the man who travels to the high place. There are in it measures and also winds of righteousness, and for all the turns there is a place in it for walking. A cup of water, if it gives drink to a man who is thirsty, he walks in it and has a reward from the toil. The good word that says: Only upon his neighbor, he was near to the way of life and walks in it. And as he adds to the good deeds, he has a place to tread in the way and to enter into life brightly. That rich man, if he had abided by the commandments of the great Moses, it would have been easy for him to inherit new life. And if he had sacrificed everything he possessed as he was commanded, and given to the poor, he would again live in the course of his way. To the height of that high way he would not have been insufficient, nor would all his wealth have been scattered upon the poor. There was another discourse for our Lord that he spoke, and because of that, "Come after me," he said to him. For when he distributes (everything he possesses upon the poor, it is not from this that he has the perfect and spiritual one.

He was able to be reconciled, the man, with the commandments. When every matter that he had resolved was divided, his life was bitter. And the weight of the world cast him down, so that he might be free from it, so that without considering, he would run on the path of righteousness. "Go, sell, and give to the poor, and come after me, and I will show you the entire path of perfection." And if he had sold and gone after him, as he told him, he would have heard the word of the Most High from the first again. He would have said to him, "If you had wished to go after him, that if you swallow, you, O poor one, would break the sleep of the dead. And if your tunic is taken from you by evil men, leave it in their hands, and let them take even your cloak. And if they strike you and if they pursue you, bless them, and pray over them, while they beat you, and love them. And if they stone you, you yourself should not cease from speaking. And if they pursue you, be silent with a love without disturbance. And do not take a staff for the road, nor a wallet, nor a purse, nor provisions for the whole day. And do not at all be concerned about what you will eat, if you are a disciple. And if you are more, behold, you are worse than these evil ones." That rich man, when he did not hear these things, he was troubled, and he feared, and he despaired, and he did not hear that which would not endure. The voice of the call that was being sold he heard and was amazed, for he did not wish to sell anything from his calling.

He loved that small shoot full of sap. He departed from the whole great path of perfection. And because he heard that it was distributed to the poor, he did not enter the hearing that the love of wealth filled entirely. When a man sells everything he possesses and gives to the needy, he seeks to go on the path of perfection. Like a tree, when it is uprooted from one place, its planting in another place requires labor. And when a man distributes everything he possesses to the poor, then he uproots himself from the world like a tree. And he seeks the labor of planting himself in a new world, and he seeks asceticism and all the practices of righteousness. (And if not: he loves to help him as commanded. And if not, he receives a seal, a key for him to sleep. And if he is healed, he is anxious that tomorrow he will not succeed in the land of the living, whose planting is perfect like a tree. Now he is uprooted when the poor took his small shoot, and he is planted there, and much compulsion is upon his nurture. And if divine practices do not water him, in the new world that he entered, it will not give him fruits. And not when he is uprooted from this world and casts his wealth, until he does not succeed except spiritually. And not when he is planted in the land of the living does he give fruits, if his mind in the world is empty of intentions.

Nothing at all is found in the world that can be inherited. New life, if it is desired, is found in something. And because of this, our Lord was concerned for the rich man, that he not show him what the path of perfection is. For he knew that he could not walk upon it. He was bound by the love of possessions greatly and would not release him. And the young man came to our Lord and learned from him what he should do. And when he had learned, he did not wish to do as he was commanded. The love of wealth had cast his own self into darkness. It is for you, my Lord, that the matter of wealth is a great hindrance to your servants. The homily on the young man who said to our Lord, “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” is completed, which was composed for the blessed Mar Jacob the Teacher.