What Can We Learn From the Rich Young Ruler?

What Can We Learn
From The Rich Young Ruler?
Mat 19:16-22, Mk 10:16-22, Luke 18:18-23

The incident with the rich young ruler is often preached on, seldom interpreted correctly, and often interpreted very wrongly.

To see this in our minds as we need to see it, we must place this man in the present day, and later in the lesson we will do that.

The major problem in Christendom for the past half century has been a false brand of evangelism which has led to millions of fake believers in a fake Gospel populating sham churches which are often little more than religious social clubs.

We must assure that we understand some basics.

--We must know what the Gospel is

--We must depend on the pure preaching of the pure Word and Holy Spirit conviction,

--We must own up to the fact that many churches have lulled millions into a false faith which, if not changed, will result in eternal loss.

--The typical “Bible Believing” church in our area and nation today has a few basic problems:

--The majority of churches and professing Christians don’t know what the Gospel is. To many, it has become much like that of the church of Rome, a superstitious ritual of saying the right words at the right time and being pronounced saved.

--The majority of churches and professing Christians don’t know what a Christian is

--The majority of churches and professing Christians don’t know what a church is

--The majority of churches and professing Christians don’t know what a Pastor is

--The majority of churches and professing Christians don’t know what a pastor’s job description is.

--WE have met the enemy, and he is us.

--So, given this great challenge, what can we learn from the Rich Young Ruler?


1. First, Who Was This Young Man?

a. His identification

(1) “one”

(2) Rich and young—Matthew

(3) Ruler—Lk 18—MacLaren says that the young man was a synagogue official, very unusual for one who can still be called “young.”

(4) He had GREAT possessions—but note, they were of no comfort to him!

b. His religion—good points

(1) He was serious, sincere, humble (this took place in public) and concerned about eternal things—he wanted to be right—but by the questions he asked, he was showing that he knew he did not have the peace and the relationship with God that others had.

(2) He understood the central issue in his mind—eternity

(3) He ran to Jesus and fell at His feet, so he felt the urgency of need—Mark 10:17

(4) In spite of his religion, as with his wealth, he had no peace—deep down inside, he knew that he was at war with a Holy God, and that he must eventually be converted or die.

(5) The problem with this—any number of false religions would take him thus far.

c. His religion, negative points

(1) He had only a surface understanding of the Law, or he would never have claimed to have kept it

(2) The Sermon on the Mount settles once and for all, that we cannot keep the Law

d. The Lost Religious Person

(1) Christ Jesus, in that passage, shows the depth of the Law is not in outward obedience, but in heart obedience and love of God and Love of His Law, and the single verse above all others that should frighten any who would earn salvation by the Law—(Mat 5:48) ""Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

(a) Now, some would point out that the word for “perfect” here is teleios, which can mean “mature,” and does not have to delineate absolute perfection. The Truth is that both meanings can be borne by the word, each dependent upon context

(b) Places where the word teleios means “fully mature”


(1 Cor 2:6) "However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing."

(1 Cor 14:20) "Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature."

(Eph 4:13) "till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;"

(James 1:4) "But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."


(Heb 5:14) "But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

(Phil 3:15) "Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you."

(c) Places where “perfect means perfect”

(i) Is God’s Will Perfect, or fallibly mature? (Rom 12:2) "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

(ii) Is the Presence of God in Heaven a place of maturity or a place of perfection? (Heb 9:11) "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation."

(iii) Does God give imperfect gifts? (James 1:17) "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

(iv) Is the Word of God mature, or perfect?! (James 1:25) "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."

(2) Bottom line—in the Sermon on the Mount, the standard of behavior taught there is that we are to be perfect AS GOD IS PERFECT—AND NO ONE CAN FULFILL THAT STANDARD EXCEPT BY IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS.

(3) The Law and the lost religious person

(a) The Law cannot save, it can only kill—Rom 7:7-14

(b) The Law teaches us about sin and our utter lack of righteousness—Rom 7

(c) The Law shuts our mouths—Rom 3:19-20
.
(4) He was self righteous—he thought he had kept the Law

(5) He did not really know who Jesus was

(6) He was, in short, a heretic—his understanding of eternal life was that he would work his way to heaven

(7) His reason for coming—he was not satisfied yet—works will never satisfy.

(8) Perhaps here we have a type of conviction, BUT

(a) He would avoid Hell

(b) He would get Heaven

(c) But there was no dread, no repentance

(d) There was no confession

e. A.T. Robertson’s comments are helpful here.

(1) “…What lack I yet? (ti eti husteroôö) Here is a psychological paradox. He claims to have kept all these commandments and yet he was not satisfied. He had an uneasy conscience and Jesus called him to something that he did not have. He thought of goodness as quantitative (a series of acts) and not qualitative (of the nature of God). Did his question reveal proud complacency or pathetic despair? A bit of both most likely…”

f. Bottom line—

(1) He thought that he could buy eternal life with one great deed.

(2) This was one of the theological ideas floating at the time—that a man could do one great deed, or be very holy in one area, and so merit heaven. This is the reason for the question which was asked by more than one of the Jewish leaders in forms slightly different, but yet the same question—Mt 22:36, Mark 12:28—Which is the most important commandment in the Law?

(3) Jesus’ answer was uniform—He summed up the whole law!

(4) This young man’s religion was vastly different from the Pharisee in the temple, praying to himself

(Luke 18:10-14) ""Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.""

(5) —The Pharisee thought, “I thank thee Lord that I am soooo good.”

(6) The Rich Young Ruler Knew He had a need, but he did not know what it was.

2. What can we learn from Jesus’ reaction?

a. First, Jesus “flunked evangelism 101…” (John MacArthur)

(1) This man was READY—or was he?

(2) “He has come looking for eternal life, he has come to Jesus, lead him in the sinner’s prayer, settle it once and for all…” Or, can we?

(3) Jesus did something very unusual to our minds, He stood this man up with a series of questions and sarcastic remarks—Jesus knew this man was lost—but how did He know? Why did Jesus react this way? Is it just because, as the God-man, that He knows man (John 2)? NO!

(4) Jesus saw what any Christian worker or preacher should look for—He saw a man who had no repentance, and who was looking to an improvement to his own self-made religion.

(5) At this point, this man could have been led in “the sinner’s prayer,” and he would have dutifully said all the right words and signed the card

(a) He would have been baptized, ASAP to make sure he did not get away

(b) He’d have been taught about tithing right away!

(c) In months, he would have been teaching a class

(d) In a couple of years, he would have been made a deacon

(e) One big problem—he was not for real! His religion was a sham!

b. Instead of welcoming this man, instead of making the sign of the cross over him, Jesus, the Master Fisher of Men, made several questions and statements to and about this man

(1) First Question: "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.”

(a) In other words, “do you know who I am?”

(b) Have you had this revealed to you, as it was to Peter? (Mat 16:16-18)

(c) Of course, the young man did not have this knowledge, but being self-righteous, he assumed that some men were good, and he sensed that Jesus was a cut above the ordinary—an understatement to be sure—so he referred to Christ as “good master.”

(d) Major problem—calling Christ a good teacher and going no further is an insult to His Person and Work.

(e) Christ Jesus is not a teacher of Truth merely, He IS Truth (Jn 14:6)

(2) Question 2—The true or false question—“But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."

(a) Jesus is not teaching false doctrine here—if anyone COULD obey, they could enter into life

(b) The problem is that we are born sinners, we have a congenital disease called “sin,” inherited from our first father, Adam, and manifested and practiced in our own lives.

(c) Jesus threw out this comment to show just how self-righteous the man was.

(3) Jesus Told Him to Keep the Law

(a) First, Jesus picks the “easiest” commands, the ones concerning interpersonal relationships between human beings. He skips the hardest questions, having to do with out worship of God and our devotion to Him. However, even this abbreviated test is beyond the ability of the young man, as it is for us.

(b) The lists of commands are somewhat different in the three gospel accounts—and they include two things that are not directly part of the 10, “Love your neighbor, and do not defraud.” Why are these included, especially together, and especially the second?


Mat 19:20 "You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' " and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Mark10:19 "You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"

(c) These last two were a setup for the hammering conviction of covetousness, which not only involves the worship of possessions, but it also involves envy of others, and a desire to have their stuff.

(Exo 20:17) ""You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.""

(d) Covetousness is a true heart sin, a thing of the soul, something where superficial faith cannot even pretend to be real.

(e) The unbridled desire for “stuff,” when it interferes with God, family, church, is a symptom of this sin of Coveting.

(f) Coveting is not about wanting stuff, it is beyond that—it is wanting your neighbor’s stuff. It is not keeping up with the Jones’, it is looting them in your heart—(Exo 20:16-17) ""You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.""

c. The Rich Young Ruler’s Response is even more shocking—19:20: The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

(1) Here again is his shallow understanding of the Law, and here again is his cluelessness with regard to his own sin.

(2) Yet, still, there is this doubt in his mind.

3. Jesus Gives a Test, and the Ruler Fails it—19:21-22

a. Did Jesus hereby command us, or, for that matter, anyone else, to live by this? Absolutely not. He dealt with many wealthy and influential people in his ministry, and He never said any such thing to any other.

b. This was a test, given to this man who was a slave to his possessions and his position—John 12:46—and the man failed the test, proving that he would have faired no better with the first half of the Pentateuch.

c. Jesus’ often forgotten words— (Mat 19:23-26) "… 23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 "And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.""

(1) Few passages in the Gospels have been so abused as this one. A.T. Robertson’s comments are helpful: “It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye … Jesus, of course, means by this comparison … to express the impossible. The efforts to explain it away…[such as] narrow gorge or gate of entrance for camels which required stooping, etc. All these are hopeless, for Jesus pointedly calls the thing “impossible” (verse 26). “

(2) His real conclusion is this—only God Saves Sinners.

d. So the rich young ruler got away—and many, if not most evangelism manuals and methods of today would scold the Lord Himself for letting it happen

c. But one thing that did NOT happen—there was not a fake salvation of a self-righteous, religious, heretical man, and the kingdom was not weakened by welcoming into its fellowship one who could not be a part of that fellowship.

4. So, What Can We Learn from the Rich Young Ruler?

a. The Eagerness of a “seeker” tells us nothing

(1) Just because a person is eager to be saved (as they understand salvation) and join the church does not mean they have been or are about to be, saved.

(2) Was this man’s understanding of his own situation correct? NO

(3) Was he looking for salvation on God’s terms? NO, he was looking for something he could DO to inherit eternal life.

(4) Had the Holy Spirit finished the job of conviction in this man’s life? Absolutely NOT! There is no evidence that the Law had killed him and showed him his lost condition.

b. Over-Eagerness on our part can create a monstrosity.

(1) It is well to take time to talk to a person who comes for counsel.

(2) This is required even when that profession comes under a pulpit ministry which preaches the Truth.

(3) But, when that desire comes from other sources, or when it arises in doubtful circumstances, we must be double careful.

(4) There is nothing wrong with investigating the profession of a person who expresses initial faith in Christ, just as believers are to self-examine their own salvation from time to time.

(5) 2 Cor 13:5

(6) 1 John—the whole book.

c. We also learn that a highly-placed religious leader can be lost—he was a ruler of the synagogue

d. We learned that someone can be well-versed in the Bible and not be a genuine seeker

e. We learned that someone can be upstanding, humble, and to a degree repentant, and still not be a genuine seeker.

f. We learned that, if the Law has not done its work of killing us, that the Gospel cannot be used to save us.

Gardiner Spring, in his book, The Distinguishing Traits of Christian Character, notes that the following are of no good in discerning true salvation
1. VISIBLE MORALITY................................. 5
2. SPECULATIVE KNOWLEDGE..................... 10
3. FORM OF RELIGION .................................. 13
4. EMINENT GIFTS....................................... 16
5. CONVICTION FOR SIN ............................... 17
6. STRONG ASSURANCE .......................... 20
7. THE TIME OF YOUR SUPPOSED CONVERSION .... 22

But Here are some things which ARE marks of true conversion
1. LOVE TO GOD ....................................... 24
2. REPENTANCE FOR SIN............................ 28
3. FAITH IN CHRIST..................................... 33
4. EVANGELICAL HUMILITY .................. 37
5. SELF-DENIAL............................................ 40
6. DEVOTION TO DIVINE HONOR ANDGLORY OF GOD
7. THE SPIRIT OF PRAYER ......................... 51
8. BROTHERLY LOVE ................................ 55
9. SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD.......... 59
10. GROWTH IN GRACE................................ 64
11. PRACTICAL OBEDIENCE ...................... 69