Jesus and The Rich Young Man

Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-22 makes many of us living in the West uncomfortable. When he tells the man that to be perfect he must sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him, we worry! Does He mean what He seems to be saying? Isn’t this salvation by works? Is God asking us to do this today? Perhaps there is room for a closer look at this discussion.

At the beginning of the encounter, the young man asks Jesus what “good” (ἀγαθός) he should do to have eternal life (19:16). Jesus responds in a curious way: “Why do you ask me about “good” (ἀγαθός); One is good (ἀγαθός) (19:17). Jesus appears to be alluding to the very nature of God as being uniquely good. However, Jesus doesn’t expand upon it. Instead, he more directly answers the man’s question.

If you want to enter into internal life, keep the commandments (19:17). This makes the reader nervous, but evidently not the young man, because he pushes back with a follow-up question–“Which ones?” (19:18)

Jesus then identifies what are customarily referred to as the second table of the Ten Commandments that relate to our relations with one another: “Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not give false testimony. Honor your father and mother.” Then Jesus sums up the second table of the moral Law with the statement: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (cf. Ex. 20:12-17).

The young man is unshaken by Jesus’ recitation of the Law: “I have guarded all these things. What still do I lack?” (19:20). I would not be so quick to pass over these demands of the Law, but Jesus does not challenge him. Instead, he seems to move to the first table of the Law–“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3).

As we know, Jesus says, “If you want to be perfect [or complete (τέλειος)], sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. And come follow me.” (19:21). The narrator then tells us, “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had many possessions” (19:22). This is where we may identify and feel especially uncomfortable.

If Jesus had just said, sell your possession and give to the poor, we might have reason for pause. Is this what is necessary to please God? But he doesn’t. He adds the command–“Come and follow me.” Remember, only One is good (19:17). That one is God. And we are to have no other gods before Him. However, Jesus has surgically exposed the man’s violation of the first table of the Law–not toward one another, but toward God. The man has something that he holds before God (who is speaking directly with him at that moment)–his possessions. Jesus, the Good One, has told the rich young man to follow Him, but the man returned to his possessions rather than following Jesus. This seems to be at the heart of this encounter. He had another god–his possessions–that he would not part with to follow the God of the first table of the Law–Jesus.

Of course, as Westerners, many of us are extremely wealthy compared to many in much of the world. Is that a problem? Not in-and-of itself. But if our wealth is more important to us than what the Lord is asking us to do, with the effect that it prevents us from following His call, then yes, it is a problem.

We all fail. None is good except One! But that One calls to each of us not to have anything, or any one, that we love, value, and devote ourselves to more than Him. This is why Jesus said, ” Truly I say to you that with difficulty the rich enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (19:23). It’s not impossible, but our hearts may deceive us.