The Gospels of Mathew (Mathew 19:16-30), Mark (Mark 10:17-31), and Luke (Luke 18:18-30) all tell the story of an individual known as “The Rich Young Man.” He is also referred to as “The Rich Young Ruler.”
The Rich Young Ruler
Luke is the only one that refers to him as being a ruler (Luke 18:18). Some believe this to mean he was possibly a member of the Counsil or Sanhedrin. Mathew alone describes him as being young (Mathew 19:20). All three Gospels say he was rich.
The Rich Young Man’s Question To Jesus
The sad story begins with the man asking Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “If you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” The man asked, “Which ones?”
When Jesus replies, “You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.”, the young man says, “I have obeyed all these commandments since I was a boy.”
“What else must I do?” asked the young ruler. Jesus tells him, “You lack one thing. Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” The Bible says the rich young man went away sad because he had great wealth.
It’s Hard For A Rich Person To Go To Heaven
When the man walked away Jesus famously said, “It is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
While Jesus did not say it is impossible for a rich person to go to Heaven, he did say it is very hard. For this rich young man, this sadly turned out to be the case. His love of money turned out to be greater than his love for God.
Follow THE BIBLE ANSWER on Facebook and Instagram!
