The Rich Young Ruler

Study of Matthew 19:16-26; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 18:18-27

And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, 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.” When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
— Matthew 19:16-26

As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 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.” They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
— Mark 10:17-27

A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! For 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.” They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
— Luke 18:18-27

An extremely rich young man, possibly a ruler of a synagogue or a member of the Sanhedrin, came to Jesus to ask Him the most important question that all people must ask-- how to obtain eternal life. The young rich ruler (YRR hereafter) seems sincere in approaching Jesus. He called Jesus good, in which Jesus quickly used to question his intention. Is he trying to flatter Jesus, or just simply saying it out of high respect for Him as a teacher, or does he mean relative human goodness, or does he believe that Jesus is God for no one is good except God alone?

The YRR wants to know what good thing he should do to earn eternal life. Jesus pointed him to keep the law because the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good (Romans 7:12). Jesus quoted 5 of the second table of the ten commandments, those that deal with man to man relationships, and added do not defraud but skipped the tenth commandment about covetousness. Then Jesus summarized it with the second greatest commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself".

If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
— James 2:8

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
— Romans 13:8

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
— Galatians 5:14

The YRR believes he was blameless and answered “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” And yet he might be feeling it's too easy that he must be missing something. Surely something so valuable as eternal life cannot be achieved without doing something of its equivalent in effort, can it? He is right in thinking eternal life can be gained by works, but he is wrong in thinking he can do it. God demands sinless, holy, perfect, obedience (Matthew 5:48; 1 Peter 1:16). If you have no sin like holy angels, you don't need salvation. Problem is there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20) because through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned⁠—(Romans 5:12).

The YRR has a superficial understanding of the law. He thought external adherence to the law by avoiding physical acts of sin saves him from culpability. But God judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12) and testified that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5). For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness (Mark 7:21-22).

The law should have made him see his sinfulness and drive him to repentance for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20) ...in order that it might be shown to be sin...so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful (Romans 7:13).The Law is our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). Apparently he needs help for he is blinded by self-righteousness. Jesus loved him and gave him a genuine offer of salvation. To expose his guilt of violating the tenth commandment, covetousness, Jesus said "One thing you lack; If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me".

Jesus is not saying that the way to salvation is by giving away all our possessions and live a minimalist life. No matter how much we give away it cannot save us as it is clear that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11). This is a specific command by Jesus for the YRR that he may beware, and be on guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions (Luke 12:15).

If he would remove the obstacle that is preventing him from following Jesus he would have eternal life. Jesus said earlier none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions (Luke 14:33) for No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth (Luke 16:13).

John Strohman observes:

"Note what Jesus also said to the rich young ruler, “…come, follow Me.” Jesus did not just say to give your money to the poor. Some may be willing to give up some money, but they are not willing to follow Jesus."

It is also worth considering what William Macdonald ask of Christians:

"Are we who are believers supposed to love our neighbor as ourselves? Does Jesus say to us, “Sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me”? Each one must answer for himself, but before doing so, he should consider the following inescapable facts: 1. Thousands of people die daily of starvation. 2. More than half the world has never heard the good news. 3. Our material possessions can be used now to alleviate spiritual and physical human need. 4. The example of Christ teaches us that we should become poor that others might be made rich (2 Cor. 8:9). 5. The shortness of life and the imminence of the Lord’s coming teach us to put our money to work for Him now. After He comes it will be too late.

Hoarded wealth condemns us as not loving our neighbors as ourselves...Christians who lay up treasures on earth generally pay for their disobedience in the lives of their children. Very few children from such families go on well for the Lord."

But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

The YRR grieved over the fact that he needed to choose between treasure on earth vs treasure in heaven, worldly comforts vs eternal life, material possessions vs his soul, Mammon vs Jesus. Sadly he chose the former. He probably considered his only neighbors are his family and friends and thought he is successfully keeping the second greatest commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. But now it is exposed he loves himself far more than the poor. He thought he is keeping the whole law and yet he stumbles in one point, so he has become guilty of all (James 2:10).

Not only is he guilty of violating the second but also the greatest commandment, to love the Lord your God with your whole being. He is guilty of greed which amounts to idolatry (Colossians 3:5) and transgressed the first of the ten commandments for having another god. So Jesus compared a camel's going through a needle to declare the impossibility of the rich to enter God's kingdom.

J.C. Ryle comments:

"Few of our Lord's sayings sound more startling than this. Few run more counter to the opinions and prejudices of mankind. Few are so little believed. Yet this saying is true, and worthy of all acceptance. Riches, which all desire to obtain--riches, for which men labor and toil, and become gray before their time--riches are a most perilous possession. They often inflict great injury on the soul. They lead men into many temptations. They engross men's thoughts and affections. They bind heavy burdens on the heart, and make the way to heaven even more difficult than it naturally is.

Let us beware of the love of money. It is possible to use it well, and do good with it. But for each one who makes a right use of money, there are thousands who make a wrong use of it, and do harm both to themselves and others. Let the worldly man, if he will, make an idol of money, and count him happiest who has most of it. But let the Christian, who professes to have "treasure in heaven," set his face like a flint against the spirit of the world in this matter. Let him not worship gold. He is not the best man in God's eyes who has most money, but he who has most grace.

Let us pray daily for rich men's souls. They are not to be envied. They are deeply to be pitied. They carry heavy weights in the Christian race. They are of all men the least likely "so to run as to obtain." (1 Cor. 9:24.) Their prosperity in this world is often their destruction in the world to come. Well may the Litany of the Church of England contain the words, "In all time of our wealth, good Lord, deliver us.""

Warren Wiersbe also said:

"It is not possessing riches that keeps people out of heaven, for Abraham, David, and Solomon were wealthy men. It is being possessed by riches and trusting them that makes salvation difficult for the wealthy. Wealth gives people a false sense of success and security, and when people are satisfied with themselves, they feel no need for God."

When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?”

The disciples were perplexed that if a rich, religious ruler, someone who seems to be favored by God and who serves God, can't be saved, then nobody else can be saved. But Jesus clearly declared that "With people it is impossible":

Everyone who tries to earn salvation cannot be saved for they nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly (Galatians 2:21).

You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
— Galatians 5:4

But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
— Galatians 3:22

"...but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

Salvation is a gift that can only be received, not earned, through faith in Christ. Not even riches can stop God from saving His elect. God can make even a self-righteous, greedy, narcissistic, money-loving, materialist count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus, suffer the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that he may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of his own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith (Philippians 3:8-9).

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
— Romans 5:1

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
— Ephesians 2:8-9

Finally, Paul exhorts us:

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
— 1 Timothy 6:17-19