Give/Sell all and follow Jesus
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In Mathew 19, and Luke 18 we have the question asked of Jesus
16 ¶ And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus basically answers and says keep the commandments. The young man says he has followed them since his youth and ‘What lack I yet?’
Jesus answers
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
téleios (Perfect)
τέλειος (téleios) is an adjective formed from the noun τέλος (télos, “end,” “completion,” “purpose”) plus the adjectival suffix -ιος, giving the sense of “having reached its end” or “brought to completion.”
1. Etymology
So τέλειος literally means “pertaining to the end” or “that which has reached its goal,” hence “complete,” “perfect,” or “mature.”
2. Classical Usage
In Classical authors like Plato and Aristotle, τέλειος describes:
3. New Testament / Early Christian Usage
The adjective appears frequently in the New Testament, most often rendered “perfect” or “complete”:
In these contexts τέλειος conveys the idea of spiritual maturity or moral completeness.
4. Theological Connotation
Over time τέλειος became a key term for:
Christian theologians often distinguish between lightτ. (the believer’s progressive growth) and ἐκτελεστός τ. (the believer’s ultimate perfection at glorification).
In short:
τέλειος = “complete,” “perfect,” or “mature,” literally “having reached its end or goal.” In Greek usage it ranges from describing a perfectly crafted object or a fully grown being to, in the New Testament, a spiritually mature believer who lacks nothing in moral or faith development.
The man then walks away and is sad because he had great possessions.
Jesus also says 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.
The next section is somewhat odd to me reading this with fresh eyes.
Peter says unto Jesus Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?.
28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
Peter and the 12 all forsook everything and seems to be asking we gave up everything, what are we going to get in return. I think this answers the biggest problem with most fundamental religious institutions. Especially Christians and Mormons in my opinion. So much of the philosophy is suffering now to get stuff later. This seems to be what Peter is looking for as well. At least in Mormon culture I see this a lot where on Sundays I hear about the sacrifices of waking up early and going to the temple, paying tithing, doing all the activities that are involved. While those things may be good by themselves it has always felt like we do these things because of the rewards in the next life. I hate saying that’s the sole reason. I do hear about how doing these personal sacrifices have helped other people in the here and now as well. It still feels like the ultimate goal for doing these things is to receive eternal life in the next life and not because it’s helpful to other now. Kant’s Rule. I believe it’s here, but the idea that people should never the the means to an end but the end itself. If we do something we should do it because it helps someone now, not because we will be granted eternal life in the world to come.
Moving on though
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 ¶ Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
So what do the 12 get? they get to sit upon the twelve thrones and judge the tribes of Israel. I also assume the implication is that they will each rule one of the tribes at that point, where Jesus(Son of Man) will rule over all at the right hand of God, or whatever is suppose to happen see and Daniel 7 for the idea of the Son of Man.
Joseph Smith reinterprets the regeneration as resurrection for what that’s worth. The word used there in the Greek is παλιγγενεσία .
The word παλιγγενεσία (paliggenēsía) is a compound of πάλιν (pálin, “again” or “back”) + γένεσις (génesis, “birth,” “origin,” or “coming into being”). Taken together, it literally means “being born again,” “rebirth,” or “regeneration.”
1. Etymology
So παλιγγενεσία = “a coming-into-being again,” i.e. a restoration or renewal of life or state.
2. Classical Usage
In Classical Greek authors it can denote:
3. New Testament / Early Christian Usage
In Titus 3:5 it appears alongside ἀναγέννησις (“rebirth”):
“…by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit”(Greek: “τοῦ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας [καὶ] ἀναγεννήσεως τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος.”)
Here παλιγγενεσία conveys the idea of a spiritual “rebirth” or “renewal” wrought by the Spirit.
4. Theological Connotation
Over time παλιγγενεσία became a technical term in Christian theology for:
It underlines not just moral improvement, but a fundamental “rebirth” into a new mode of existence.
In short:
παλιγγενεσία = “rebirth” or “regeneration,” literally “being born again,” used in Greek to speak of both political/restorative renewal and, in the New Testament, spiritual rebirth.
I would just note the Classical Greek usage of the word denotes a Political restoration, or National revival. I would potentially look at this under the context of Jesus being an apocalyptic prophet/preacher who believed the coming of the Kingdom of God was Immanent would really be saying that when the restoration of Israel/Judea was re-established as a free country and able to worship the true God of Israel no longer under the oppression of foreign nations. The theological context of reinterpreting this to bean a spiritual rebirth or renewal is possibly a later interpretation after Jesus was killed. I could be wrong though. The way i am viewing the scriptures right now though that’s what i am seeing.
We also have a call for everyone to forsake houses, bretheren, sisters, wife, children to receive everlasting life. Which is a little odd to say. It’s also somewhat implying that the 12 apostles would have needed to forsake their family and/or property. It’s also assumed though that they were very poor to begin with and may not of had any family to leave, but it’s odd. This seems to be a call that would imply that a man should leave his wife and kids and just follow him.
Mark 10
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 ¶ And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
28 ¶ Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
32 ¶ And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,
33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:
34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
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