Matt 19:1-20:34
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Summary[edit]
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Discussion[edit]
This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- Matt 19:23. Clearly the rich, young man's heart was not in the right place for "he went away sorrowful." We do not know though whether the rich, young man goes away intending to obey the Lord or intending not to. The story does not tell us. If he goes away sorrowful but obedient then he is just like everyone else--as of yet imperfect and the only way to become perfect is to be obedient--even though our hearts are not yet right.
- Matt 20:28: Ransom. The Greek word lutron, translated in verse 28 as "ransom," appears in the New Testament only here and in a parallel passage in Mark 10:45. It refers to the price paid to redeem a slave or someone held captive.
Unanswered questions[edit]
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Prompts for life application[edit]
This section is for prompts that suggest ways in which a passage can influence a person's life. Prompts may be appropriate either for private self reflection or for a class discussion. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Prompts for further study[edit]
This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- Matt 19:11-12. Might these verses have some measure of application application to hermaphrodites or those struggling with homosexual attraction?
- Matt 19:11-12. In what way might other laws or commandments legitimately be said to have a similarly limited application?
- Matt 20:34. How is the Lord's compassion influence by seeing the blind men? By them asking to be healed?
Resources[edit]
This section is for listing links and print resources, including those that are also cited elsewhere on this page. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- Matt 19:12. For a not-so-serious, but informative, discussion of v. 12, see this LDS blog chain.
- Matt 19:24. Elder Boyd K Packer in his 1977 General Conference address The Mediator suggests that one reason the Lord says it is difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God is that the rich don't have the same experience of being helpless that is common among the poor.
- Matt 19:24. In his November 1980 General conference address The Choice Elder Packer interprets this verse as a warning that though it is possible to be both rich and famous and succeed spiritually, it is difficult.
- Matt 19:24. Blog posts. See Kevin Barney's linguistic analysis at the BCC blog here. See Geoff J.'s contextual discussion at the New Cool Thang blog here.
- Matt 20:1-5. Geoff J. has posted an interesting discussion of this parable at his New Cool Thang blog.
Notes[edit]
Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.
