3. THE RICH YOUNG RULER Mark 10:17-22 (Matthew 19:16-22; Luke 18:18-23) 17 And as he was going forth into the way,--Matthew tells us that, immediately after laying his hands upon the young children, Jesus departed thence. "Into the way"--this is, the road leading toward Jerusalem whither his face was now set. there ran one to him,--This was a "young man," and he was rich (Matthew 19:20; Matthew 19:22); he was also a "ruler" (Luke 18 18)--occupied a position of honor. The case of this young man is a remarkable one, from the fact of this youth, wealth, position, character, and the manner of his approach. He came running. and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Teacher,--Worshiped him. In kneeling to him he recognized Jesus as divine, and entitled to worship. Others had come to Jesus, but it was that their bodies might be healed, or it was a father pleading for his son, or a mother for a daughter. But here was one who from trouble of soul alone sought him. what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?--He made it a personal matter which was proper. We cannot go to heaven by proxy. The young man seemed to recognize this fact. [Since Jesus had brought it to light, he was the proper one to teach how it could be obtained; so he says, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Matthew says he asked, "What good thing shall I do?" The ruler understood enough of the dealings of God with men to understand he must do some good thing to fit him for such a blessing. What God requires is good. He calls Jesus good, and Master or Teacher. An authorized teacher was called Master among the Jews.] How to inherit eternal life should be the great concern of all. 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, even God.--[This question, and the further statement that none is good save God, disavowing his own goodness, has long been a puzzle to many Bible students. Why should Jesus, who was sinless, disavow the claim that he is good? Other passages convey the same idea. Hebrews 2:10 : "For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Hebrews 5:8-9 : "Though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation." The explanation of it, I think, is that Jesus had the nature of man. He felt all the impulses and emotions to sin that man does. So long as he felt the emotions to sin in his members he did not call himself good, nor did the Holy Spirit call him perfect. So long as he felt the impulse and disposition to sin he was imperfect, and could not become "unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation." Suffering purged out this impulse to sin. So, through suffering, he was made perfect, and hence he that hath suffered hath ceased from sin; and only when the motions of sin in his members were purged out did he call himself good. In this sense only God is good.] 19 Thou knowest the commandments,--Our Lord proceeds to the second part of his answer, and attends to the great end which the young man wishes to attain, namely, eternal life. He does not wait for a reply to his question. Matthew (Matthew 19:17) says: "If thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments." When Jesus said this, the young man said "Which?" (Matthew 19:18.) Evidently he thought Jesus did not mean the ones with which he was familiar. Then Jesus referred to the ten commandments, passing over the first four, specifying the rest, but substituting for "Thou shalt not covet" its equivalent, as stated here, "Do not defraud," and as stated by Matthew (Matthew 19:19), "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." This man being under the law, he was referred to its teachings, the leading precepts of which are here mentioned, and which indeed have been incorporated into the gospel dispensation, and therefore are as binding upon us as on him. (Romans 11.) Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor thy father and mother.--[Jesus refers him to the commandments, as preparing for eternal life. There are two classes of commandments --one defining man's duties to God, the other defining his duties to man. He quotes the latter here. These all regulate the conduct toward our fellow men. The questioner was a sincere worshiper of God--he recognized that God required something of him in order to inherit eternal life.] 20 And he said unto him, Teacher, all these things have I observed from my youth.--He was not a hypocrite, pretending to have done what he had not done. Jesus would not have "loved him" had he been a hypocrite, and Jesus knew his heart and difficulty. That he had "observed" these things means that he had made them the rule of his life. He was a splendid, moral young man, candid and honest, and for this reason Jesus loved him. Matthew (Matthew 19:20) states that he asked: "What lack I yet?" He was not yet satisfied or fully assured that he was an heir of eternal life, and he had confidence in Jesus to tell him. 21 And Jesus looking upon him loved him.--[Jesus loved him for his character, and because he loved him, he gave him the further direction that would perfect his character, and fit him for higher blessings of God in the world to come. His was a character approved by God so far as it went.] and said unto him, One thing thou lackest:--But one thing, and yet the chief thing, which was not being done. go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor,--[This last requirement tested whether he loved God with all his heart. Love to God expresses itself in good to man. Nothing in the law of Moses required that spirit of self-sacrificing devotion that constitutes the chief excellency and distinguishing feature of the Christian religion. A man may have the life of morality and virtue set forth in the life of this young man, may fulfill all the requirements of the moral law, yet lack the true Christian spirit. The leading trait of Christ was self-denial and self-sacrifice for the good of others. He yielded up the honors he had with the Father before the world was to come to earth to save man. This was a new manifestation to man of the divine life. The love of God as manifested in Christ was not known to the law of Moses; so the self-sacrifice was not then required of man, as it now is, that he may be like God. "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11.) This shows that Jesus was moved with pity and love so strong that he gave up the glories of the throne of God to bear man's nature, and took upon himself the death of the cross to lift up and save man. For this God exalted him with honors higher than he had before known. This was the example for man. If man is a worshiper of God, he must be like him.] and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:--Renouncing earth, we receive heaven. It is worth the sacrifice; the exchange is a profitable one. The test of character is whether we so regard it. The heart that is fixed on earth, so that it hesitates at the exchange, is not yet fit for heaven, therefore, for eternal life. and come, follow me.--The mere giving of his possessions was not in itself to save him. It only tested his fitness for discipleship. It was discipleship that would save him. To follow Jesus now is to have the mind of Christ and to do God's will as Jesus did. To give to the poor in Christ's name is to "have treasure in heaven." We are not required to sell all we have at once, but we are required to hold it for God and to use it in his service. Willingness to give up all for Jesus was the test then, and it is the test now. Will we do it? The cross may not be to give up wealth; it may be business, profession, rank, pleasure, unworthy friends, present church relations when innovations are introduced. It is found in whatever prevents singlehearted consecration to Christ. 22 But his countenance fell at the saying,--As Jesus began his answer, "One thing thou lackest," his countenance, no doubt, lighted up with pleasant anticipation. A legalist by education, he was now to hear the "one thing" that should put the capsheaf to his righteous life, and give him eternal life. And then comes like a thunderclap the remainder of the reply, something utterly out of the question to a man of his wealth and position. Then he stood confounded. The aspect of his whole countenance was changed, indicative of great disappointment. Most persons are, to a great extent, unacquainted with themselves, until Christ, in his providence, lays bare at one stroke the poverty of their souls, and the insincerity of their lives. and he went away sorrowful:--Sorrowful because eternal life was offered at only such a price as he was not willing to pay. Thus the secret of his heart must have been revealed even to himself. [The young man was like the masses of professed Christians to this day. He did not recognize that to give away his possessions in the name of the Lord was to increase his riches--to invest them in a bank that will never break, and yet will yield the richest dividends through life and in eternity. Christ was the happiest being that ever lived on earth. He was happy because he denied himself to help others. He taught the lesson in this world that the only pathway to true happiness is in denying self in God's name and for God's glory to help others. His example and precepts have been before the world for more than nineteen hundred years. His servants today turn sadly away, and refuse to follow his teaching, as did this rich young man, for they have great riches; or, which is the same thing, their affections are greatly set on their possessions, great or small. The willingness to give up all for Christ was the test of his acceptance with Christ, and is ours today. What God requires us to do is for our happiness and for our good. God requires service and gifts at our hand not because he needs them, but because we need the discipline and training that they give. Whatever of self-denial we make in obeying God will yield a hundredfold of good in this world and in the world to come.] for he was one that had great possessions.--"He was very rich." (Luke 18:23.) He had a hard struggle and a severe one, but he could not give up the world. Here was an act of obedience he could not perform. Here was a turning point in his history. How solemn that moment!