And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
All Commentaries on Luke 18:18 Go To Luke 18
Cyril of Alexandria
AD 444
The Jewish crowds … with their princes and teachers … looked at Christ as being a mere man like one of us, and not as God who had become man. They approached him to test him and lay the nets of their cleverness for him…. He is called here a ruler. He fancied himself to have learned the law and supposed that he had been accurately taught it. He imagined that he could convict Christ of introducing laws of his own and of dishonoring the commandment spoken by most wise Moses. It was the Jews’ goal to prove that Christ opposed and resisted the former commandments and established new laws by his own authority, in opposition to those previously existing. Their wicked conduct toward him had a false pretext. He comes near and makes a pretense of speaking kindly. He calls him “Teacher,” designates him “good,” and professes himself desirous of being a disciple. He says, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Observe how he mixes flattery with fraud and deceit, like one who mingles vinegar with honey. He supposed that he could deceive him in this way. Commentary on Luke, Homily
