As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.’” 20 He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!
Jesus was in Judea, where he taught the crowds and addressed the Pharisees on the topic of divorce (Mk. 10:1-12) and blessed the children who were brought to him (Mk. 10:13-16). As he was continuing his journey to Jerusalem, where he would ultimately face His Passion and death, a rich young man approached him with urgency, reverence, and respect asking him about inheriting eternal life. For the Jews, inheriting eternal life was linked to observing the Law and living a righteous life. Jesus often challenges those he encounters to reflect more deeply on spiritual truths. His response, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone,” challenges the man to reflect on his understanding of goodness, pointing out that true goodness is found in God alone.
Jesus lists several of the Ten Commandments, especially those related to moral behavior and interpersonal relationships, which are foundational to living a life pleasing to God. Although not explicitly a commandment as found in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5, defrauding others, especially the poor or vulnerable, is a serious offense in biblical teaching (cf. Lev. 19:13). The young man told Jesus that he has faithfully followed the Law since his youth. Jesus revealed to the man that, despite his observance of the Law, he lacked one essential thing to attain the fullness of life he sought. He instructed the young man to sell all his possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, and become his disciple, which meant adopting Jesus’ way of life, and embracing his teachings. Jesus was calling for a radical detachment from material wealth, which can impede one’s relationship with God (Mt. 6:24). He invited the young man to enter into a deeper, more intimate relationship with him, one that demands total commitment and the willingness to place God above all else.
The young man went away sad because he was attached to his wealth and unable to part with his possessions. This attachment prevented him from fully embracing the radical call to discipleship. Even though he observed the commandments, his heart was still divided between love of God, leading to a strong desire for eternal life, and a strong attachment to material wealth. Jesus emphasized the challenge wealth poses in pursuing the spiritual life, as it creates a false sense of security and self-sufficiency, hindering one’s reliance on God.
Heavenly Father, grant us the grace to detach from all that hinders our journey to eternal life. Help us to place our trust in Your divine love and mercy instead of worldly possessions. Teach us to have an undivided heart and to embrace the path of true discipleship. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!.
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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