The Rich Young Ruler

We don’t know much about the rich young ruler other than that he

was young, a ruler, and rich. And he had an interest in spiritual things.

He was so energetic that he came running to Jesus (Mark 10:17). He

was excited to learn about eternal life. This story is so important that

it is recorded in all three synoptic Gospels: Matthew 19:16–22, Mark

10:17–22, and Luke 18:18–23.

Read Matthew 19:16–22. What did Jesus mean when He said to 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” (Matt. 19:21)?

Jesus doesn’t ask most of us to sell all we have and give the money to

the poor. But money must have been this young man’s god, and though

Jesus’ answer may seem quite severe, He knew that doing this was this

man’s only hope of salvation.

The Bible says that he went away very sorrowful because he was very

rich, which proves just how much he worshiped his money. He was

offered eternal life and a place in Jesus’ inner circle (“Come, follow

Me” [Matthew 19:21, NKJV]—the same words Jesus used in calling

the 12 disciples). Yet, we never hear from this young man again. He

traded eternity for his earthly possessions.

What a terrible trade-off, was it not? What a sad example of not fol-

lowing “delayed gratification” (see last week). Choosing as this man did

is such a deception because, no matter what material wealth can give

us now, sooner or later we all die and face the prospect of eternity. And

meanwhile, so many of the wealthy have discovered that their wealth

didn’t give them the peace and happiness that they had hoped for; indeed,

in many cases, the opposite seems to have happened. So many biogra-

phies have been written about just how miserable many rich people have

been. In fact, in all recorded history, one of the best depictions ever of

how unsatisfying wealth can be, in and of itself, is found in the book

of Ecclesiastes. Whatever other lessons one can take from it, one point

comes through clearly: money cannot buy peace and happiness.

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose

his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what

shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own

soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:35–

37). What does it mean to lose your life for the sake of the gospel?