Luke 18:18-30 The rich young ruler

Parallel passages Matthew 19:16-26 and Mark 10:17-27. Contrast this discussion with Jesus' answer to the lawyer who had asked the same question (Luke 10:25). The lawyer had quoted Leviticus 19:18 and Deuteronomy 6:5 about loving God and loving one's neighbor. When the lawyer asked who was his neighbor, Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan. Here Jesus quoted Exodus 20:12-16, five of the Ten Commandments dealing with moral law. The young man claimed to have followed this his entire life. So Jesus put him to the ultimate test, Exodus 20:3. The young man went away sad because he was not ready to give up all of his wealth to follow Jesus. Perhaps this recapitulates Elisha's calling as a prophet when Elijah threw his mantle on him. (I Kings 19:19-21). Elisha must have been in a rich family since he was plowing with twelve pair of oxen. When he quibbled once, Elijah basically said to forget it, so Elisha sacrificed the pair of oxen on the spot and gave them to the people to eat, and followed Elijah. Unfortunately, this rich young ruler went away sad when Jesus told him to sell all and give to the poor, and then follow Him.

          How hard would it be for any of us to give up everything we have to follow Jesus? Some are called to do this, but is everyone? Jesus' comment in Luke 18:24-25 is how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. The disciples sense the same challenge and ask Jesus who can be saved, if this is the price? Jesus' response, that things that are impossible with men are possible with God, suggests that God is able to overcome even our attachment to worldly things, in order to save us. God's sovereign will and desire to save us will, in an act of grace, deliver us from our devotion to things to a devotion to Him. But Jesus did not say under what conditions this would happen. Most likely it is unique to each person, as God begins to deal with us as individuals, and we respond as He moves. How we respond to His initiative would seem to determine whether we end up following Him or not. Jesus did not discuss this with the disciples at this time. Instead, Peter said that they (the twelve) had left their own stuff to follow Him and Jesus responded that they would receive many times over in return, and also eternal life.

          The challenge of worldly riches is one of several enduring and pervasive issues that we face in following Christ. If there was a hard and fast rule that we all had to take vows of poverty in order to be Christians, then so be it. But that does not seem to be the case. This particular challenge is in living in a world owning material things but not letting them own us. Which mean not letting them get hold of our heart, and being willing to let go of them at His word. Perhaps He periodically tests us by asking us to give some part of them to a worthy cause - a needy relative or even a complete stranger. Some are called to the ministry and take a vow of perpetual poverty. Certain orders take vows of poverty and chastity, which of course addresses the second challenge to our following Christ, the lusts of the flesh. But Jesus did not address that here, and it has the same challenge of balancing legitimate sexual satisfaction (in the context of marriage, in the expression of love) with serving God and keeping Him foremost in our heart. But there is a difference. We know that we will not starve to death if we abstain from sex. But if we give up all of our worldly possessions, then we have to trust God completely for food to eat. In a recurrent theme, He has promised He would feed His own, but to really believe that we might be called to live it. The disciples had seen it in action as they had left their homes and so far they had not starved to death, nor apparently had their families.

          In Revelation 3:17-18 Jesus speaks to the Laodicean church on this issue. They thought that because they were rich in worldly goods, they were set, but Jesus advised them that they did not understand the true spiritual reality and that they needed to seek spiritual riches, because in the spiritual realm they were destitute. A very strong rebuke. Because regardless of how much we may or may not give up of earthly wealth, God's kingdom is spiritual and earthly wealth can only be used to acquire spiritual treasure when we give it away (cf. Matthew 6:19-21).