Christ in effect says, ‘Surely you know; surely you know the way to eternal life. You must keep the commandments.’ Well, that is a way to eternal life, if you can do it, but nobody can. If you could keep them perfectly and absolutely, including the first four as well – our duty to God – then you would earn eternal life. But even the very thought of that causes us to pull back. ‘I cannot do it. You are putting an impossible standard before me.’ That is why we need a Saviour. We need the forgiveness that comes through Christ alone and his atoning work on behalf of needy sinners. But here the commandments are set before the man and he gives an astonishing response.
We don’t grasp how condemned we are. Once I grasp how condemned I am, then I grasp why God needed to come down from heaven. How I should appreciate that. If only I could have a part in what Christ did for sinners. Adultery is looking at pornographic literature or lusting after someone. ‘Thou shalt not kill’ – that includes taking away someone’s liberty, self-respect, or happiness. He looked at the surface meaning. He had no grasp of his self-love or his heart sins. Do you have a shallow view of your sin? He didn’t understand.