Jesus on Money (5) - Rich Young Ruler

One person who was unwilling to say goodbye to his wealth was the rich young rulers. He had asked Jesus what he needed to do to obtain eternal life. When Jesus told him to keep the commandments, he said he had kept them all since he was a boy.

Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property (Luke 18:22-23).

This man was very rich. The only way you could get rich in Jesus time was to collude with Herod or with the Romans, so the young man was lying when he said he had kept all the commandments. He was living on wealth that had been stolen from his owner.

The young man was a ruler. To retain this position, he would have collude with the violence of the Roman political and military system.

Riches and rulers go together. For example,Mary prophesied:

He has brought down rulers from their thrones….
but has sent the rich away empty (Luke 1:54,55).

When rulers fall, the rich suffer seriously, because their riches come from their relationships with the rulers.

Mathew records that the young ruler owned much property. The word used for possession is “ktema”, which is not the word generally used for possessions in the New Testament (uparxis). I have wondered why Matthew used a different word for the rich young ruler. I found a possible answer in the Lexicon of Ardnt and Gingrich (B218). They quote a reference which uses this word to mean “acquire in reward for wickedness”.

The wealth that rich young ruler controlled was probably the fruit of wickedness. He could not retain the fruits of unrighteousness and follow Jesus. We must get rid of all wealth that is the fruit of unrighteousness behaviour, if we are serious about following Jesus.