Since the coming kingdom of God is already present in the person of Jesus Christ, it is accepted by all those who, as children, trust in the invitation of God in Jesus Christ, all those who, like children, allow themselves to be embraced and blessed by Jesus. Such are already entering the kingdom of God: "And he embraced the children, and laid his hands on them, and blessed them" (v. 16).

One more small note on the history of the interpretation of this passage. Two trends prevailed in this story. In fact, we have already considered the first one: Being like a child is an example of the spiritual attitude of a follower of Jesus Christ. The only question is what qualities of the child are meant by this. Purity, innocence, obedience, credulity, dependence on parents, and so on. The second direction in interpretation has nothing to do with the direct meaning of the Gospel text. From the time of the Reformation, the words of Jesus Christ, "Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God" were understood to justify the baptism of infants and were used in polemics with the Anabaptists, who denied such baptism. But this is already the history of the Modern Age, and not the Gospel.

A rich young man.

10:17-27 — "As He was going out, a man ran up, fell on his knees before Him, and asked Him, 'Good Teacher! What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. Thou knowest the commandments: thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not offend, thou shalt honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said to him, Teacher! all these things I have preserved from my youth. Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "There is one thing that you lack: go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross. He, embarrassed at this word, departed with sorrow, because he had a large estate. And looking around, Jesus said to His disciples, "How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! The disciples were horrified at His words. But Jesus answered and said to them, "Children! how difficult it is for those who hope for riches to enter the Kingdom of God! It is more convenient 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 greatly astonished, and said among themselves, Who then can be saved? Jesus, looking at them, said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God."

The story of a rich young man is often misunderstood. It seems to many that its content is that only the one who gives up his property can become a true follower of Jesus Christ. They say that only such a person, in the end, will find eternal life in the Kingdom of God. But such an understanding of the story told in the Gospel is incorrect, false. This is not what the story is about at all.

If we want to understand the story of the rich young man correctly, we need to look at the original situation. The man who ran up to Jesus was interested in what he had to do in order to inherit eternal life. He addresses Jesus with this question, calling him "the Good Teacher." But Jesus does not like high titles. He does not like this treatment, and He rejects it: "No one is good but God alone!" It is as if he is saying: "There is no need for any flattery! Do not call Me good! Save this word for God!" A teacher should always draw attention not to himself, but to God. Thus, "only the One God is good." Therefore, it is only from the good God that a young man can learn what good things he must do in order to inherit eternal life.

God expressed His will in the commandments of good human behavior. "You know the commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not offend, thou shalt honor thy father and mother." Whoever fulfills this will of God is on the right path to eternal life. The young man received an answer to his question, and this conversation could have ended.

But the conversation continues, not because Jesus had anything else to add. The continuation of the conversation is due to the fact that the young man, it turns out, is still not satisfied with something, he still lacks something. He says: "Teacher! all this I have preserved from my youth."

This reaction of the young man attracted the favorable attention of Jesus Christ. He looked lovingly at the rich young man and saw that the fulfillment of the commandments did not fill his life, did not give his life a final meaning. For the fullness of life, he needed more. What did he lack? "One thing you lack: go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me!"

This call to the fullness of life, which is no longer lacking, has nothing to do with the original question of the inheritance of eternal life, which will come later, which is still far away. Jesus, on the other hand, is already offering the rich man a new life opportunity that will fill him completely—the opportunity to follow Christ. The life of a young man, in order to become "heavenly" right now and here, should not be limited to the fulfillment of the commandments.

Therefore, when Jesus suggests to the young man, "Go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven!" He is not offering him an additional condition for entering eternal life. No, Jesus is only assuring the young man that the sale of his possessions will not bring him a loss! On the contrary, he will find imperishable treasures in heaven now and here.

"But the young man was troubled at this word and departed with sorrow, because he had a great possessions." Wealth prevented him from fulfilling the commandments, but from following Jesus, with Whom the Kingdom of Heaven had already descended to earth.