A person (not you!) whose name and address we do not know speaks to us here and now.... That man was asking Jesus about having (inheriting) eternal life. I wonder how often that question came before Jesus? (Luke gives two occasions - see below.) The man is described as rich, as a ruler and as young. In 2025 we have a young ruler of 21 years (Senator). In those days adulthood was not considered to start at 18 years (!), but rather at 30 years. Thus, he may not have been young in our eyes? He did have status from holding a responsible position in the synagogue - Luke calls him a "ruler"; a religious leader. Moreover, he was a rich man; an important man in his community. Young, but rich (inherited riches? created riches?).
All the more striking that such a man came running, and knelt before Jesus in the road (so Mark tells it). Unless it was a Roman road (unlikely) he knelt in the dirt. This man was serious. This man chose to be humble to Jesus the itinerant carpenter. Then there was a conversation. I wonder if Jesus told the man to stand so they could talk?
The three synoptics have comparable reports on the rich man. Mark (and Luke) tell us that Jesus acknowledged the man's familiarity with the Law of God; with the Commandments and all that implies.
Starting as a boy, that man had applied himself to keeping God's Law. He knew it all. He was not half-hearted in his obedience. But, somehow, he knew he had a problem. Did he reflect on the daily sacrifices? Had he heard John the baptiser? Had he heard the message Jesus was delivering? How large was his concern? Why did he call Jesus "good"? Did he know that only God is good? Did it mean he had a watered-down view of God's holiness?
God's unbending standard was there and the man knew that standard and, underneath, feared he had actually failed to reach it. The sacrificial system said that. Failure would be, or could be, fatal to life eternal. This might be a reminder of the writing of Paul: All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23 CEV). I think, deep inside, we know that is true, even if we "grey it out" in our (my) own case.
There was one thing the man needed to do, Jesus said. He needed to make his assets liquid and give (distribute; so Luke) to the poor and join with Jesus. All of our witnesses tell us that the man was saddened by the prospect of no longer having those great possessions. He was invited to follow but rather went away. Did he go that broad, easy way which leads to destruction (so said Jesus - see Matthew 7:13). I wonder if perhaps at some later stage the man's conscience prompted him to repent and take up his cross and follow Jesus?
Pause here to note it was to the poor Jesus told him to hand over wealth. To the poor. Moreover, it was to "give" (a completed action), not to go on giving, and not "all".
Jesus explained the wealth danger in one of his stories: The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they start worrying about the needs of this life and are fooled by the desire to get rich. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything (Matthew 13:22 CEV). The danger of our riches.
Concern for the poor was nothing new in that community. Their Law (ie God) said it was an offence to oppress the poor or to deny justice to the poor. It was an offence under God's Law to make the poor suffer or go in want. The word "poor" enters the Bible early, in its second document (Exodus) and comes many, many times.
Wait! Did Jesus expect or require all of his followers to fulfil this his command and invitation? We can read of Jesus wanting followers; of him inviting people to follow. However, we will not find any other instance of Jesus directly telling a person to give to the poor, or to sell up.
In fact, on the contrary, quite close to the end of his time on earth, Jesus told his followers to sell their cloaks and buy a sword! (See previous post.) Thus, they had at least some personal assets at that late stage.
A parable it may have been but it revolved around using money. That man on the road is the one and only instance of a person hearing such a challenge. Jesus called people to follow him and they did. There is no indication that they gave away all that they had. It is a mistake and wrong to put that instance forward as the "norm" for the follower, if only we could. It is also a misinterpretation of what happened on that road.
However, what we do find is Jesus advising his followers to build up treasure in heaven! This is earlier in Luke. Here is an injunction similar to that given to the rich young boss.
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. (Luke 12:33-34 NRSVUE). Taken literally, that might mean to sell up and divest myself of money - and so become one of the poor and starving. However, there is no "all" in the direction. It is curious that selling up figures clearly in both passages. Are people trapped by their things or stuff?
If I look ahead into the happenings in the months and years following Jesus' resurrection and ascension, I see the followers using "treasure" to help one another. So, in Jerusalem: They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need (Acts 2:45 NIV). I see Paul able to travel and stay and tell people the Good News of Jesus. Partly Paul funded himself by working in his trade. He had resources. Paul was able to take up a collection for believers back in Judaea and deliver it to them. I do not see the believers stripping themselves of everything in order to become poor!
Paul encouraged the believers in Corinth to be generous to the needy believers who shared their faith in Jesus: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9 CSB). His poverty; our enrichment.
Near the end of Jesus' earthly life he defended a woman's generous action and said: You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (John 12:8, NLT). That is evidently true, whatever may be our system of benefits. (See further below for Jesus' poor programme.)
So, wealth (possessions and money), may be used well. Wealth may be a trap.
Our era has people who are unbelievably wealthy. If they are also selfish, that is bad news for this world. Any such is unlikely to be reading here. What of us? Are we, you and I, wealthy by the standards of Jesus' days? Quite probably we would be classified as wealthy, otherwise how could we intersect here?
So, in summary, I think it is clear that Jesus did not intend his followers to be greedy wealthy, nor to be penniless beggars. It is clear Jesus wanted and invites everyone to join with him, to be his follower. It is also clear that Jesus paid the price to make it possible to receive eternal life.
The young man wanted eternal life? It is possible to receive eternal life. So said Jesus: “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life (John 5:24 CSB). So also: I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28 CSB). It has already happened! This mortal body yet remains to put on immortality but the transfer to eternal life has taken place for all who believe.
Paul the convert become apostle put it very succinctly: Sin pays off with death. But God's gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23 CEV). The gift is so much better than the wage earned! No comparison!
Responsibility rests on each and every follower. The gift is given to each and every follower.
Jesus' own poor programme
After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.” None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. Since Judas kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night (John 13:27-30 CSB). It seems clear that all present would not think it strange for their treasurer (Judas) to be giving money to the poor on their behalf. It must have been familiar enough. Earlier on Judas had objected to waste in this telling indication of a focus on the poor: But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages.[a] It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself (John 12:4-6 NLT). A sad "character reference", not unlike that due the criminals of our day.
Jesus on life that lasts.
And he said to all (his followers), “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:23-27 ESV). Well, there is their puzzle about seeing God's kingdom. However, it is clear that Jesus is talking about his return in glory and about having a life that you can keep.
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