The Cost of Following
honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 19:19 · Berean Standard Bible
Jesus adds: 'Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.'
These are all about how you treat the people around you. The young man thinks he's passed the test.
Jesus finishes the list with the command to love others as you love yourself.
The young man has kept all of these. But loving your neighbor as yourself is about to mean something very specific and very costly.
Jesus adds 'honor your father and mother' and the Levitical summary command to 'love your neighbor as yourself' (Lev 19:18), completing His selection of relational commandments.
The inclusion of Leviticus 19:18 as a summary of the Law anticipates Jesus' identification of it as the second greatest commandment (Matt 22:39).
Jesus completes the list of commandments with the love command.
Jesus rounds out the ethical requirements, adding the love command that encompasses all the others — preparing to reveal what the man still lacks.
17“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
18“Which ones?” the man asked.
19honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”
20“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?”
21Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
Read all of Matthew 19 — A rich young man walks away sad, children are welcomed, and the disciples wonder who can possibly be saved. Jesus redefines what it costs to follow him.
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