Exaggeration

MP mentioned Saturday that idiomatic expressions are hard to translate. His example was "let the cat out of the bag" in English. Do you put it literally or try to find a dynamic equivalent in the new language? Here in Matthew 19:21, it's not exactly an idiom but a type of figure of speech. A "semitism" I think it is called. This is an extreme example used to a to make a point. There is a word for it in English too but I cannot remember it. Like Jesus' teaching about plucking out an eye or cutting off a hand, Jesus meant it as an exaggeration. He did not mean to literally pluck out an eye but to hate sin enough to cut it out to resist it. We are not to entertain sin. In the case of the rich young ruler and following commentary by Jesus he is pointing out there is nothing that RYR can do to assure himself of eternal life. That is the point of Jesus saying "no one is good but God". Only the good (righteous) talk to God. The RYR has to trust God for salvation. He has to "get in the wheelbarrow", to take the example in one of the Alpha talks. He is doing his best to earn salvation. But he comes to get approval. He hopes Jesus will say, "well done!". Jesus refuses to do that and with his first response that "no one is good but God" he is making sure to keep the tension up. He will not allow a shred of hope that works can assure him of salvation. His response to his disciples is clear. "But with men is is impossible, only with God is it possible."
After MP's session I was talking to BH. I think this relates. We spoke of the concept of "total depravity" and I confess to prattling on. BH is such an encourager. He let me go on. He listens so attentively. Afterwards I felt a bit of a fool. Like Erma Bombeck in the previous post, I should listen more and not talk so much. But back to total depravity. The result of the concept of total depravity is that we cannot do things to forward our salvation. We are too much under the control of sin and Satan. The Fall has totally separated us from God and any hope of reconciliation (on our own). While I think I accept this and believe it to be true (through my "indoctrination"
at DTS), yet on the other hand God does give us free will. How can these both be true? Is seems a logical impossibility. Yet both seem true to me. Somehow we are also free to choose him. Otherwise we are robots and God seems a monster if he chooses only those that he will by some seemingly capricious method. That seems to fly against a lot of what the Bible shows us about God. God declares himself to be righteous and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in love (to quote the song). No I believe all have the opportunity to accept God and Jesus as their savior. That is the God revealed by Jesus. He invites all to the wedding feast. Some just don't come. We have to say yes. God reaches out his hand, knocks on the door if you will. He wooes us as a lover would. He tries to "sell himself" to us as a great God above all other God's. Not only is he worthy, he is personal and compassionate. Some of the reformed stripe are offended by Christians calling God a "friend". Yet I think it is true. He wants a relationship with us like a personal friend. I can see why it is offensive. Too bad.
Yet God is also righteous. Those who finally refuse him will go on to the judgment that requires destruction.

I have gone quite far afield from the scripture. Back to it: The rich young ruler goes away sad. He cannot give away all his riches and he is not assured of his salvation. That is why he came, to get assurance of salvation. At the jail I see this a lot. People fall back on their works to try to find assurance of salvation. Not even selling all his goods would really have assured him of salvation. (The tradition that he later did so confuses the point.) The disciples know that and ask a confused question when he is gone. These disciples have done, in effect, just what this RYR has refused to do. They have effectively given up all their worldly concerns to follow an itinerant preacher. But they don't feel truly assured or they would not have asked the question, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus answer gets to the crux of the matter. (Matt 19:26 CEV) Only God can raise Jesus from the dead. Only God can give us salvation.
Peter follows up by asking about the sacrifice they have all made. Jesus assures them they will be rewarded for this. They will also receive eternal life. He assures them of thrones too. He tells them they will receive rewards in full for what they have given up. But these rewards may be heavenly rewards, not earthly stuff. To me now that seems so far away. Yet it will be very real then, more real than anything today. Faith keeps us believing that.