THE RICH YOUNG MAN

Passage: Matthew 19:16-30

Key verse: 26

NIV

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(A)

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life(B)?”(C)

17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”(D)

18 “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery,(E) you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[a](F) and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”(G)

20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,(H) go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,(I) and you will have treasure in heaven.(J) Then come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich(K) to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(L)

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!(M) What then will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne,(N) you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(O) 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[c] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.(P) 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.(Q)

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Matthew 19:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
  2. Matthew 19:19 Lev. 19:18
  3. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts do not have or wife.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Rich Young Man

16 (A)And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to (B)have (C)eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. (D)If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, (E)“You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, (F)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, (G)“All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be (H)perfect, go, (I)sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have (J)treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 (K)When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, (L)only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 (M)Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter (N)the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus (O)looked at them and said, (P)“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, (Q)we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world,[a] (R)when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me (S)will also sit on twelve thrones, (T)judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 (U)And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold[b] and will (V)inherit eternal life. 30 But (W)many who are (X)first will be last, and the last first.

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Matthew 19:28 Greek in the regeneration
  2. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts manifold
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

A man came to Jesus and asked; what good thing must he do to get eternal life? His question was not valid: No one other than God himself is good. All inclinations of fallen man are evil (Ge 6:5). Eternal life is not something that we “get” (Ro 6:23). The man’s idea stems from human desire to achieve something great with his own strength, away from God’s grace and sovereign will.

Jesus counseled this young, rich man (22) who had kept the law from his youth (20), to be perfect by selling all his possessions, giving the proceeds to the poor, and following Jesus (21). Jesus explained the extent of God's love that we need to learn as we practice keeping the law. However, having too much to lose, the man went away sad.

The disciples were also perplexed at Jesus’ comment that it was hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. They might not have been rich, but they also had the desire to keep as much in the world and enter God’s kingdom as well. While it may seem impossible to let go of our desires for the world, God makes it all possible when we commit to following Jesus (26, 29). Would you decide today to follow Jesus, giving up things of the world that hold you back?

Prayer: Father, you are the one righteous and good. Please declutter my mind of worldly things and lead me.

One Word: Follow Jesus