Matthew 19:16-30
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
The Grace New Testament Commentary - Matthew 19:16-30
19:16-22 The rich young ruler thought of Jesus as a mere man, a "good Teacher." He asks, "What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" The question shows that he thought he could do something good enough to merit eternal life. Some believe Jesus is providing a standard of works and discipleship as the way to receive eternal life or proving one had it. After all, this is what the rich young ruler asked about, and so Jesus was giving him the answer. But if this were true, no one could be saved, for what Jesus is demanding of the man is humanly impossible to attain.
The proper interpretation of this passage depends on recognizing that Jesus did not actually answer the man's question - at least not in a way that was possible for the man to obey. Jesus does not tell the man to believe on Him as He told others in John 3:16; 4:13-14; 5:24; 6:35, 47; 11:25-27. The reason is that what Jesus is doing here is pre-evangelism. He is showing the man that he cannot save himself by his own piety. Jesus first challenges the man to rethink his understanding of who Jesus is. Jesus asks, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." In other words, Jesus is God. Christ is implicitly affirming His own sinlessness and His deity.
Second, Jesus met the young man on the grounds of his own false assumption and challenges that assumption. Since what is good is defined by the Law, Christ directs the young man to the OT commandments that have been given by the absolutely good God. "But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." Jesus then gives specific instructions from the second table of the Law specifying man's duty to his fellow man (Matt 19:18-19a). He sums up that portion of the Law with the second greatest commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (v 19b; cf. Matt 22:39-40). The self-confident young man had not even begun to comprehend his need of a Savior. He claims, "All these things have I kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" Jesus then seeks to reveal his lack to him. He tests him on the tenth and final commandment, "You shall not covet" (cf. v 21 with Exod 20:17). Jesus then invites the young man to part with his wealth. If he would "go, sell... give" and "come, follow" Jesus, then he would obtain "treasure in heaven" (an eternal reward). Refusing this, he left sorrowful, for his great possessions were too much to give up.
19:23-26 When the rich young ruler had left, Jesus tells His disciples it is impossible for such a man to be saved. In a classic understatement He says it is difficult for a wealthy person "to enter the kingdom of heaven." Jesus' next statement is designed to show how difficult it is: "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." Jesus is speaking literally of a hole in a sewing needle. There was no such thing in the city walls of that time as a small gate called the "eye of a needle" that camels could go through if they went on their knees. That is something possible, but Jesus is speaking of the impossible. The disciples are exceedingly amazed. To think of the largest of animals in Palestine going through the smallest of openings (a needle's "eye") was absurd indeed! They asked, "Who then can be saved?" If the rich man, seemingly blessed by God, could not make it, what hope would lesser people have, including themselves?
The lesson to the rich young ruler is that if no one is as good as God, no one can be truly good. If no one can be truly good, no one can be good enough to live with a holy God for eternity. It does not matter how much one might try to keep the Law or how much one might try to give up or give away or go on to imitate Christ's sinless life in continuous discipleship. The lesson to the disciples was that salvation on the basis of merit, even though apparently attested by affluence, is impossible. If one is trusting in his or her riches as proof of one's righteousness, that person will fail to enter the kingdom. God will save by grace or not at all. Salvation is possible only through Him.
19:27 Jesus' answer to the rich young ruler may have created momentary doubt in the disciples' minds about their own salvation. However, Jesus' words in v 26 evidently reestablished in their minds that salvation is by grace alone, a free gift, and not of works. But as their assurance returned, Peter suddenly realizes he had in fact done what the rich young ruler had failed to do. He had sacrificed everything. Jesus had promised the young ruler "treasure in heaven." So Peter wanted to know what he and the other disciples would receive. Peter's question is a legitimate one. If eternal life is by faith alone, what does one get for self-denial?
19:28-29 Jesus promises rewards "in the regeneration" to committed disciples. The word "regeneration" occurs two times in the NT. In Titus 3:5 it refers to the new birth of the individual. Here it refers to the rebirth that will occur in society as Jesus sets up His kingdom at the Second Coming. The apostles "who have followed Christ will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." They had shared in His privations; they will also share in His glory. This promise of authority refers to the time of the earthly millennial kingdom "when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory" governing in righteousness (cf. Ps 9:4; Isa 1:26; Dan 7:22; Rev 20:6). Each apostle will be ruling over an individual portion allotted to the "twelve tribes."
Jesus' reference to Himself as the "Son of Man" reveals His claim to be the messianic King (Dan 7:13-14). Jesus promises the disciples not only future ruling authority but also "a hundredfold" in benefits now as reward in the kingdom for leaving behind the dearest things of this life. Inheriting "eternal life" is not to be viewed in the same way as the present possession of that life. Eternal life as a present possession is a free gift from God and not an earned reward in any way (John 4:10-14). In Matt 19:30 the emphasis is not on its present possession as it is in the Gospel of John (e.g., John 6:47), but on its future potential fullness. While all believers have everlasting life, only those who endure in their service for Christ will inherit a full experience of everlasting life (cf. Gal 6:7-9 and 1 Tim 6:12, 19).
19:30 Jesus informed Peter that "many who are first in this age will be last in the coming kingdom, and the last now first then." In other words, things now are not always as they seem. Some who are mighty and powerful in the church will be paupers in the kingdom, and some who are paupers in the church will be mighty and powerful in the kingdom. How believers live now will have a direct bearing on their position of service for Christ in the life to come.
Charles Bing - Grace, Salvation, and Discipleship - The Rich Young Ruler, Matthew 19:16-22 (cf. Mark 10:17-27, Luke 18:18-23)
(Salvation) Interpretation: If a person is unwilling to forsake everything and follow Jesus, he cannot be saved.
Second (Salvation) Interpretation: If a person is unwilling to forsake everything and follow Jesus, he should know that this disqualification for discipleship also proves he fails to meet the perfect righteousness needed for salvation, and therefore needs a Savior.
This story is frequently used to teach that salvation comes only to those who are willing to commit everything to God. At first glance, it may seem that way. However, if we accept that interpretation, some pertinent questions arise.
First and foremost, if Jesus is telling this rich man how to be saved, why is there no discussion of Jesus as the Messiah, His saving work, or believing in Him as Savior? Second, if Jesus is giving the man the way of salvation, then isn't He insisting that he not only keep the law perfectly, but fulfill all its implications, such as give all he owns to the poor? Third, in this interpretation, isn't Jesus' reference to eternal salvation as "treasure in heaven" unusual and even unique as a reference to salvation? Fourth, if Jesus is teaching that salvation is difficult, doesn't He immediately contradict Himself in the subsequent discussion with the disciples when He says salvation is "impossible" apart from God's intervention? Fifth, wouldn't this interpretation directly contradict the Bible's clear teaching that salvation is not by keeping the Law or by doing works (Rom. 3:20-4:5; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)?
In no other personal encounter does Jesus tell anyone that he or she must sell everything and give all to the poor to be saved. He does mention that a disciple must be willing to forsake everything, even his own life (Luke 14:26, 33), but as we have already seen, this is a condition for discipleship, not salvation.
Context comes to the rescue. In all three synoptic accounts, this story is preceded by the story of the little children brought to Jesus, and His teaching that "of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14; cf. Matt. 18:1-5), or more helpfully in Mark and Luke's account, "whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it" (Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17). Jesus is teaching that one can only receive the kingdom of God (not earn it) like a child - through simple faith born of humility.
The rich ruler doesn't appear to be arrogant, but sincere - yet sincerely deceived. He naively thought he had kept all the Law. He had both a subtle pride and a false interpretation of the Law. Jesus' interpretation of the Law evaluated not only one's conduct, but also one's inner thoughts and motives (see Matt. 5:21-22; 27-28). Now He tests the ruler's motives by applying the command which is not mentioned, but probably behind so many of the other commands: "You shall not covet." Though the man thinks he has also kept this command, his refusal to sell all and give it to the poor shows that he still covets, "for he had great possessions." It is likely that this man had adopted the contemporary Jewish notion that the rich were especially favored or blessed by God.
His deception is three-fold: First, he is trusting in his self-righteousness ("All these things I have kept from my youth"); second, he is most likely trusting in his riches as proof of God's acceptance; and third, he has a highly deficient view of God's righteousness. When he addresses Jesus as "Good Teacher," Jesus responds with a question to expose the man's concept of God's goodness. By responding "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God," Jesus sets the divine standard of acceptance as perfect goodness. In this challenge, Jesus could also be saying, "If you call Me good, then are you calling Me God?" But He is also telling the ruler that he is not good. In any case, Jesus challenges the man with his Law-keeping performance, which He then shows him is less than perfect.
The way that Jesus finally gets the man to realize his deficiency is by challenging him with a condition of discipleship and the reward of treasure in heaven. Jesus does not argue that the man has not kept the law, but for the sake of His illustration, assumes it as if He was saying, "Okay, if you have kept the law perfectly, then become My disciple by giving everything you own to the poor" (Mark adds the explicit language of discipleship, "and come take up the cross, and follow Me," Mark 10:21; see also Luke 18:22). This the man would not do, showing he was less than perfect. If he could not keep all the implications of the Law that led to following Jesus as a disciple, then perhaps he was not good enough for heaven after all, much less its rewards (In Mark and Luke's account, the man asked about how to "inherit eternal life" showing that he had in mind not only entrance into heaven, but possession of its rewards; Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18). When the man finally realizes this, he goes away sad, not only because he had great possessions (that's nothing to be sad about!), but because his self-righteousness was exposed as insufficient for entrance into heaven.
Jesus had confronted all three of the man's self-deceptions, and all were found deficient.
We might say that Jesus' dialog with the rich man is pre-evangelistic. In other words, since the man thought he was good enough for heaven, he was closed to his need for righteousness outside of himself. He was not open to the gospel truth that the righteousness of Jesus Christ alone provides entrance into heaven, and that this could not be merited by one's conduct, but only accepted through faith. Jesus jumped to a discussion of discipleship (selling possessions and giving to the poor) that would make the man reconsider his self-righteousness. It worked. Jesus teaches (Salvation) by first appealing to (Discipleship), because the young ruler asked a (Discipleship) question.
The story, when properly understood, underscores the (Salvific truth) that there is nothing we can do to earn eternal life. It also shows us that our self-righteousness is deceptively inflated, especially when compared to God's perfect standard of righteousness. The Bible says, "There is none who is good, no not one" (Rom. 3:12). Jesus says, "No one is good but One, that is, God." To enter heaven, we have to be as good as God. Since we can never be as good as God, Jesus was good for us - He fulfilled God's righteous requirements. We can now enter heaven on His merits instead of ours, if we believe in Him as our Savior.
That is the answer to the disciples' question that follows the encounter with the ruler, "Who then can be saved?" It is simply this: no one can, apart from God's righteousness provided in Jesus Christ, or in Jesus' words, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27).
Peter's implied question that follows probes Jesus' challenge to forsake all and follow Him (Matt. 19:27; Mark 10:28; Luke 18:28). It is basically this: "If entering the kingdom is only possible through God's work (implying by God's grace) and not by our work of forsaking all to follow Jesus, then what is our 'treasure in heaven' which You indicated to the young ruler was the reward for following You as a disciple?" (Matt. 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 18:22). Jesus answers Peter's (Discipleship) question with (Discipleship): Those who forsake this world to follow Him will enjoy God's eternal life now and in the future. They will have "eternal life" as an abundant life in the present and a future possession to enjoy (as in Mark 10:30 and Luke 18:30). Matthew's wording, "inherit eternal life," emphasizes the disciples' future rewards in the kingdom that include possession of eternal life and ruling with Jesus (Matt. 19:28-30).
The story of the rich young ruler shows us that we cannot be true disciples of Jesus Christ until we acknowledge we are sinners who fall far short of God's perfect goodness and come to Jesus for that righteousness. We must experience (Salvation) before we can experience (Discipleship). Then, and only then, can we make the sacrifices of a disciple that earn us rewards in this life and the next. It is a great encouragement to know that our sacrifices and the forsaking of our own desires will bring God's abundant rewards. As for Peter, so also for us - indeed, it will be worth it!