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205. The Rich Young Ruler and Jesus

Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-30, Luke 18:18-30
Key Verse: Jesus looked at him and loved him.
Mark 10:21A

How you understand this encounter Jesus had with this young man may be determined in part by your own culture and economic position in life. If you see yourself as lacking economically, or oppressed in some way, you may wish to cheer, once again, because the rich man is getting justice. If you are better off, you may find yourself thinking something like, “Oh, I hope the Lord doesn’t ask me to give up everything…” or you may wish to ignore Jesus’ words altogether here and continue believing that you’re doing pretty well as a Christian. Surely, God wouldn’t turn you away. You can see that understanding this encounter truly is a matter of perspective.

Again, we are faced with variations of the story depending on which gospel account we choose to focus on. The different versions are similar enough that we can glean wisdom from it without being too distracted in the details.

We have here a rich young man, possibly a junior Pharisee, approaching Jesus. Since Jesus is not harsh with this young man, as he has been with some who would try to test Jesus to get Him to trip up in some way, we have no reason to doubt his sincerity. He may have discerned that, somehow, in Jesus’ way of thinking, following the law wasn’t enough to gain eternal life and he was hoping to understand Jesus’ deeper insight. Or perhaps more likely, since from his own testimony, this young man would have probably been what his society would have called a “good boy,” he may have been hoping to receive further affirmation and additional assurance from from Jesus that his quest for eternity was secure.

Jesus first tests him based on his own standards, the fifth through tenth commandments, which are often referred to as the horizontal law. These are the commandments that focus on how we treat our fellow man. The young man brightens because he has followed all of these commandments well and could probably get others to testify to the same about him.

Then, Jesus turns to the first two commandments that focus on how we relate to God. “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself any idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” (Deut. 5:7-8) The young man would be most familiar with these commands as a part of the Shema, a Jewish prayer said daily in the home. “Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deut. 6:4-5)

By challenging the young man to go sell his possessions and give to the poor, Jesus struck at the heart of the matter and revealed the true condition of the young man’s heart. By man’s standards this man was “good,” but by God’s standards, this man had made idols of what he owned and wasn’t even truly as concerned for the plight of his fellow man as first appeared.

The man made his choice, based on his true heart, and walked away. The disciples who stayed, received the affirmation from Jesus that the young man had been seeking. Notice, however, that Jesus was not cheering when the young man left. Jesus was grieving that this man was choosing earthly possessions over Himself. Jesus had come to save that man and to offer him eternal life. Jesus would die soon for that man, but that man’s possessions blocked his view of seeing how much he was truly loved and wanted by his creator.

What of our clutter, in possessions or activities, blocks our view of Jesus? What would be the hardest thing for Jesus to ask you to give up for Him? Could you? Should you?

Hymn: “Give of Your Best to the Master” 

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