Receiving Eternal Life

 Greetings,

Today, I will continue my exegesis of Luke 18,, by looking at verses 18-30.  Generally, we often refer to the man that Jesus encounters as the 'rich young ruler.'  Luke does not mention his youth, only Matthew does.  Here is my translation of verses 18-30: 

18 Then a certain ruler asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?” 

19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you say that I am good? No one is good except God. 20 You know the commands, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ ‘Do not murder.’ ‘Do not steal.’ ‘Do not give false testimony.’  ‘Honor your father and mother.’” 

21 The ruler responded, “I have kept all of these since I was young.” 

22 Hearing this, Jesus said to him, “There is one thing that you lack. Sell everything you have and distribute the proceeds to the poor. Then you will have treasure in Heaven.  Then, come follow me.”

23 Upon hearing this, the man became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 

24 Jesus looked at the man and said, “It is so difficult for those who have great wealth to enter the kingdom of God. 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. 

26 Those that heard this said, “So then, who can be saved?”

27 Jesus told them, “God can do things that are impossible for people to do.” 

28 Then Peter said, “Look at us. We have left all of our own things behind to follow you.” 

29 Jesus responded, “I tell you the truth. No one who has left their home, wife, brothers, parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 will fail to receive many times more and in the age to come, eternal life. 

In all three synoptic Gospels, this story follows the one about Jesus and the children.  It appears that these events happened back to back.  Perhaps, motivated by Jesus’ statement that the kingdom of God belonged to children, the man sought to find his place in the kingdom.  

The man addresses Jesus as ‘Good Teacher.’  Jesus' response to the use of the word ‘good’ is interesting.  His response: “Why do you call me good?  No one is good except God.” Since Jesus is God, why would he respond that way? There are different ideas about this, but the one that makes the most sense to me is that Jesus is trying to place the young man’s focus properly on God.  Darrell Bock states that ‘good’ is a relative term except when it applies to God.  God is always good, and as He alone is always good, it establishes God’s unique holiness and righteousness. (Bock, 1478.) Perhaps, Jesus is pointing out that our eternal salvation is wholly dependent on God, and before Him, none of us are ‘good.’ 

Next, Jesus turns to the Law, and lists off several of the commands.  He lists half of the Ten Commandments, basically those that deal with other people and how we treat them.  Do not murder, steal, commit adultery or lie, and honor your parents. Jesus does not mention the four that deal with God, or the one focused primarily on the heart, (do not covet.) The young man replies to Jesus with great confidence.  “I have kept all of these since I was young.” If rule-keeping is the answer, this man has it nailed. 

In Matthew’s account, the young man follows this up with another question, “What do I still lack?”  In Mark and Luke's account, he does not ask, but Jesus tells him anyway. Jesus' response gets to the heart.  He tells the man to sell everything that he owns and give it to the poor, and then his treasure will be in Heaven.  (Not on Earth.) Then, he is to come follow Jesus. 

Jesus was not saying this to be mean.  Because he loved the young man, (Mark 10:21.) he understood that there was one thing hindered him from receiving the very thing he was asking about.  The man loved his wealth more than he loved God. 

Now, does selling everything and giving it to the poor get someone eternal life?  No. We are not required to do this in order to inherit eternal life.  This man needed to deal with what was in his heart.  We all do.  His love of wealth stood between him and God. We may have something else to deal with.  

The young man was willing to do many things for God.  He lived righteously, but he was unwilling to give up his wealth.  He walked away from Jesus, sad. Faced with the choice of Jesus or his money, the man chose his money. 

After the man walks away, Jesus lets him go.  He doesn’t negotiate with the man.  It appears that as the man walks away, Jesus addresses the rest of his hearers with a statement about how hard it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus makes a comparison, stating that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus is speaking in hyperbole.  The largest of animals going through something tiny like the eye of a needle.  If Jesus was being literal then it is impossible for someone of any financial means to be saved.  But, salvation, however, is not a matter of how much money we have, or don’t have. 

Many of those there undoubtedly equated wealth with being particularly blessed by God.  But, here was a young man who lived righteously and had abundant blessing from God.  He certainly seemd to have God’s favor. If he couldn’t make it, then who could?  So they asked Jesus, “Who then can be saved?” 

We tend to think the same way, equating material blessing with God’s favor.  We shouldn’t, because they are not the same thing. With the apostles now wondering aloud whether anyone can be saved, Jesus tells them that God can do things that are impossible for human beings to do.  Our salvation is among those things.

Peter then points out that the apostles had all been willing to do what this young man was not.  Leave everything behind for the sake of following Jesus. Peter uses the words Τὰ ἴδια (ta idia) - ‘our own things’ to describe what the apostles had left behind.  Again, something that the rich young man was unwilling to do.  Jesus follows Peter’s statement with a statement of blessing for those who, like the apostles, leave things behind for the sake of the kingdom of God. They will receive more than they give up. 

If you lose family members because of your commitment to Christ, you gain a much larger family in its place. In Jesus’ response, he talks about people getting left behind, rather than things.  Sometimes it is people who get left behind, which can be a much harder thing to do, but God rewards it with many more relationships.  Jesus concludes, that they will gain (not earn) eternal life.  This is what the rich young man was seeking, but sadly he didn't stick around to hear that answer. 

Tom 

     Darrell Bock, Luke Volume 2 - 9:51-24:53, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1996.