The Rich Ruler and Jesus

A certain rich ruler asked Him, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call Me good? Jesus answered." No one is good - except God alone. You know the commandements; 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16-20)

"All these I have kept since I was a boy" he said. When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me."

When he heard this, he became very sad because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Luke 18:18-26)


This is an amazing story that is widely misunderstood by many. People think that rich cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. However, I find it very wonderful story and I have learnt many things from it too.

Why did the rich ruler ask Jesus this question? Did he believe that Jesus was God? The passage says that Jesus said that God is alone good and yet the rich ruler continued his conversation with Jesus. This shows that he believed Jesus to be a God and that is why he continued.

The rich ruler asked the right question, "What must I do to inherit the Kingdom of God?"

The rich ruler claimed to Jesus that he had kept all the commandments since his childhood. However, he may have claimed that self-righteousness but it is not for us but God who approves of our actions.

The rich ruler although claiming to keep all the commandments but broke the First Commandment when Jesus asked him to sell everything he had and follow him.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with your soul and with all your strength. (Deut 6:5)

If the rich ruler kept all the commandement as he claimed then why did he refuse to sell everything and follow Jesus? The answer is simple - He loved his wealth and his possessions more than God.

Jesus do not want us to give away our riches, He simply wants us to put God first in everything we do. When we read the story of Abraham, God asked him to sacrfice the thing he loved the most to Him. In Abraham's case it was Isaac more precious to him than his wealth and possessions. He obeyed God and put Him first in his relationships.

The story does not talk of rich over here, actually it talks of everyone who wants to follow Jesus. We must denounce our desires, our passions and our relationships and put God first in everything we do, "I tell you the truth,"Jesus said to them. "No one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and in the age to come, eternal life" (Luke 18:29-30)

Why we need to do so? It is so because it is written "...I the LORD your God am a jealous God" (Deut 5:9)

Therefore, it is necessary for a believer to denounce everything before God and put God first in everything. This is exactly what Heavenly Father did for you and me. He sacrificed the most precious thing, His Son, Jesus Christ to save us from eternal death and to bring us back into His presence.

God bless you all

I agree with you. I had to stop talking with my own daughter, because she left her first love and got invalved in the New age and other wicthcrafed beliefs. It hurts so deep, It breaks my heart. They say you are a God and everything is God. I tried hard to make her see the light, and I just gave her to God. Thank you for your incouriging words I needed them Anastasia

Dear Anastasia:

I believe that every word of the Bible has a special meaning in our lives. I believe that words in the Bible are not used as fillers to make it a huge Book.

Sometimes we face problems that we do not understand. However, the Bible tells us that God has a good plan and purpose for each one of us. We are special to Him and that is why He sent His son to save us.

I like one of the stories recorded in the Gospel and I love to read it again and again.

[color:4979=blue:4979]Some men brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Take heart son; your sins are forgiven. (Mathew 9:1-2)

Now to me this an amazing story of hope. It was not the faith of the paralytic that brought him healing but the faith of his friends that brought healing to him.

I would request you to keep on praying for your daughter. God will have mercy on her. Rather we will all pray for her, God will surely be moved by our faiths. Why I am so confident [color]In Him (Jesus Christ) all the promises of God (Heavenly Father) are YES (2 Cor 1:20)

Satan wants us to live in dismay but why should we live in dismay. We have Heavenly Father who loves us and Jesus Christ as our Kindly Shepherd to save us. When I go through hard times and believe me I have seen really difficult times, I always tell myself - I will not surrender before satan and let him make fun of me.

So I get up and pray to God and God always listens and answers back. I tell satan that I will never bow down to him rather I would surrender everything to God because He is my creator and owner of my soul.

I always remian positive in difficult times because I always keep the verses of Bible before me. I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear; I will help you (Isaiah 41:13)

In hard times we are like Jews whom God brought them out of misery and slavery from Egypt. Whenever, they faced some trouble, God had to tell them who He is. So when we face hard times we forget all the miracles and a special verse of the Bible I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:27)

If you are true follower of Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, then never leave your child alone. Always pray for her and she will be saved because your prayers will be a shield for her and your prayers will always protect her from doing wrong.

God bless you and your family

I liked the way you explained it Daniel. I also thought that rich people will never enter the Kingdom of God. Your article is made it so clear that it is not for rich people but for everyone of us who do not put God first in their lives and whatever they do.

God bless

I will pray for your daughter and as Daniel said you must never give up and prayers will shield her and will bring her back to Jesus Christ. After all the name of Jesus Christ will never go in vain.

I was also lost to this world but my mother prayed for me day and night and finally I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

God bless

I agree with you in your prayers and as Jesus said if two or more than two agree in my name I will be there.

God bless you Anastasia

Prayers move mountains and destroys the works of satan.

Hi All

One thing that I can testify of is that God remains fiathful even though we are unfaithful. God promised never to leave and forsake us for His word says "Fear not for I am with you be not dismayed for I am your God I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" . God is always there just like he promised he will never let us go. Even though your daughter is far from God , Jesus will lead her back home with Him where she belongs God will not let go of her so keep on praying and watch the Spirit of God move.