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. (Matthew 19:16-22)
The Rich Young Man
This is the account of a hopeful young man who approached Jesus with a serious question. He is described as young (Mt 19:20), wealthy, and a ruler (Luke 18:18), possibly a magistrate or local official—suggesting he had abilities beyond his years. Though he seemed to be aiming for heaven, he ultimately fell short.
He addressed Jesus seriously (Mt 19:16): “Good Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?” It was a sincere and important question. He honored Jesus with the title “Good Teacher,” showing respect and a willingness to learn, much like Nicodemus who recognized Jesus as a teacher sent from God. Among the Jews, “good” was not a common title for rabbis, so this revealed his unusual regard for Christ. Truly, Jesus is the Good Teacher—full of compassion, meekness, and truth.
The young man came not to trap Jesus, but to learn. His question revealed a firm belief in eternal life, a desire to secure it, and a conviction that something must be done to obtain it. Though eternal life is a gift through Christ, the path to it involves obedience (Heb 5:9). He appeared ready to do what was required, showing a heart awakened to the weight of eternity.
Jesus welcomed his approach and responded gently (Mt 19:17), “Why do you call me good? There is none good but One, that is, God.” This was not a rebuke, but an invitation to recognize Jesus’ divine identity. Christ often draws out deeper faith by prompting reflection. He then answered plainly: “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
Jesus referred to eternal life simply as “life,” for it is the only true life. This world is marked by death; the life to come is life indeed. While eternal life is a gift not yet fully revealed, Christ emphasizes the way into it: obedience. Faith expresses itself through obedience, and through that, we gain entrance into the kingdom (2Pe 1:5,11). Christ is the way to the Father, and obedience is the path to him.
When the young man asked for specifics, Jesus listed several commandments (Mt 19:18-19): do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your parents, and love your neighbor as yourself (Ro 13:9; Ga 5:14). These are second-table commandments, concerning how we treat others. Jesus emphasized them not because duties toward God are less important, but because these relational commands were often distorted or neglected. Love for neighbor is a necessary evidence of love for God. The rich young man had two shortcomings:
First, he had a mistaken confidence in his own righteousness. He replied, “All these I have kept since my youth” (Mt 19:20). Based on a superficial view of the law—as forbidding only outward sins—he may have spoken sincerely. Jesus did not correct him, and Mark notes that Jesus looked at him and loved him, suggesting he was earnest. Paul, too, once described himself as blameless under the law (Php 3:6). Yet, one can be outwardly moral and still spiritually lost. Clean hands do not guarantee a clean heart.
His follow-up question, “What do I still lack?” was commendable—it showed a desire for completeness. He came to Jesus, whose teachings perfected the law, seeking to go further. But even here, he revealed ignorance and subtle pride. Had he grasped the spiritual depth of the law, he would have said, “All these I have broken—how can I be forgiven?”
Second, he was held back by his love of wealth. This was the fatal rock on which he stumbled. Jesus put him to the test in this area (Mt 19:21): “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor.” Christ did not argue with him about his claim to have kept the commandments. Instead, he gave him a command that would reveal his heart more clearly. The perfection Christ spoke of was sincerity—“If you want to prove yourself sincere in your obedience, then do this.” This was not an optional extra but a call to prioritize heavenly treasure over earthly possessions. What Christ said to him, he said to all of us: if we want to be true Christians and heirs of eternal life, we must do two things:
First, we must genuinely prefer heavenly treasures above all worldly wealth. That glory must take precedence in our values and priorities. It’s no great virtue to prefer heaven over hell—anyone would take that escape—but to choose heaven over earth, that’s the mark of a true believer. We must use our possessions to glorify God and help others, especially in times of need, showing a heart detached from worldly wealth. True discipleship involves a willingness to give generously for God’s honor and to relieve others of suffering, as seen in the early church (Acts 4:34), and this generosity will be significant at the final judgment (Matthew 25:35).
Love for money, like that of the rich young man, reveals a lack of sincerity in following Christ, who calls us to let go of the world (Matthew 6:24). Just as God tested Abraham’s obedience (Genesis 12:1), he tests believers by their strengths and exposes hypocrisy through their weaknesses. Alongside sacrificial giving, we must trust in God’s promise of eternal reward—“treasure in heaven”—as full compensation for any earthly loss. Though the command may seem hard, Christ’s promise makes obedience both meaningful and hopeful.
Second, we must fully submit to the leadership of our Lord Jesus: “Come, and follow me.” This may have referred to physically joining Jesus in his ministry, which required the same sacrifice as it did for other disciples to leave their jobs. But for us, it means following Christ by consistently attending to his teaching, conforming to his example, submitting to his will, and obeying his commands—driven by love for him, trust in him, and a holy disregard for everything else in comparison to him. This is what it means to follow Christ completely. Selling everything and giving to the poor won’t be enough unless we also follow him. “If I give all I have to the poor and have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). These are the terms of salvation—there are no easier ones—and they will seem reasonable and even joyful to those who truly desire eternal life.
This struck a nerve (Matthew 19:22): When the rich young man heard Jesus’ instruction to part with his wealth, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. He was rich and loved his wealth, so he turned away. He didn’t want eternal life on those terms. Those with much in this world are most tempted to love it and cling to it. Riches have a deceptive pull—those who need them least often desire them most. As riches increase, so does the danger of setting our hearts on them (Psalm 62:10).
If he had owned only two coins and been asked to give them away (Luke 21:4), or just a little flour and oil and been told to feed a prophet with it (1 Kings 17:14), the test might seem harder. Yet such tests have been passed. The love of wealth keeps many from Christ, even those who show some desire for him. For those free from its grip, riches can help them serve God—but for those entangled by love for them, wealth becomes a huge barrier to heaven.
Still, there was some honesty in the man. When he didn’t like the terms, he left. He didn’t pretend to follow Christ when he wasn’t ready to live it out. Better that than to do as Demas did, who turned back to the world after professing Christ (2 Timothy 4:10), bringing shame to his faith. This young man, seeing he couldn’t be a full disciple, at least refused to be a hypocrite.
He was thoughtful and well-meaning, and so he went away sorrowful. He had an inclination toward Christ and was reluctant to leave him. Many are ruined by sins they commit unwillingly—leaving Christ sadly but never returning. If he had truly mourned his departure, he would have come back. So, his wealth, which tempted him away from Christ, also made him miserable. What deeper sorrow would follow, when both his riches and the hope of eternal life would be gone forever?