Sell that thou hast?

This is the story from Matthew 19 of the rich young man that many misinterpret as a command to all to give all they have to the poor.

Here is havoc: I say this is misinterpretation because not all who are rich are saddled by greed, and certainly few others have sufficient to have cause to be greedy. And so, the common interpretation that all should follow this advice have misunderstood the advice of the Savior, and this is why taking one verse out of context to sell an interpretation is not what it is.

Here it is. Read the rich man's response to earlier advice. "Keep the commandments," Jesus tells him. "Which?" the man replies. What, there are commandments that need not be kept? So is this man honest with himself, let alone with Jesus, when he says he has kept the commandments from his youth? I might ask him: "Which?" for he evidently is lacking the keeping.

What is his response when he is told to "sell all thou hast?" He sorrows and walks away. Why? Because "he had great possessions." But he has already implied he keeps the commandments. The greatest? To love God? The second greatest? To love his neighbor? The first, maybe, maybe not, and probably not so much. The second? Apparently not. Where is his treasure? You know; that which is where his heart is? Where is his heart? It is sorrowful, for he is asked to give his treasure, which implies that he is hoarding it; he does not use any of it to benefit others.

Would a rich person who is generous and charitable to others need to walk away sorrowful because his treasure is kept in his pocket? No. His treasure is already secured in heaven because he is generous and charitable, and is doing good to others already. Why deprive that person of his wealth that affords him his generosity? The Lord does not need to tell that person to sell all, because his treasure is not his wealth. His treasure is is love of God, and his neighbor.

You need to read Luke 18 18:25

18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
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.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

You aren't Don Jr. are you?

Luke, yes, and also Mark 10: 17 - 31. So; they all say the same thing, effectively, and that is that the young man's treasure was inappropriately identified and placed. One lesson is that, indeed, where our treasure is, there is our heart, and it's value ought to be placed in God, and in fellow man, not on ourselves. Greed is the enemy, and some, even rich people, have it properly controlled. So, why should they sell all; they are already putting God and fellow man in a prooper, perspective, and they should continue doing so. T/hey serve the correct purpose of acquiring wealth. Why stop them? Story of Job, yeah? After losing everything, he was restored for having his treasure in the proper place.

Job's dead 10 children were not "restored" were they?  They lost their lives over a wager with non other than Satan. A being that god once had condemned to crawl on his belly eating dirt "for the rest of his days".  Yet here he is , challenging god himself to a bet and just going to and fro walking about the earth.

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?”
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord...................

.......................18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

What a vain and narcistic god he is, not to mention the fact that the condemnation of Satan to "crawl on his belly  eating dirt for the rest of his days" seems to have been forgotten by the biblical scribes. 

 

Not returned to mortality, but that's not the end, is it. They will resurrect, and then, will be restored to Job. The time interval is meaningless, for eternity is far longer; infinitely longer. Don't discount the forest for the trees.

That's called a metaphor. It's linguistic excess for a purpose.

Jesus' teachings are principle oriented, in this particular scenario Jesus was addressing this particular man using a generalized principle it does not apply to everyone or all people who are wealthy or who have material possessions. It only applies where there is a weakness or tendency to put material things before spiritual things. In other words you can have all the money in the world as long as it is not a priority over that which is more important. Knowing this rich mans vulnerability Jesus addresses the issue. 

Excellent summary