THE YOUNG RICH RULER MEETS JESUS

MARK 10:17-31

“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him and asked Him…”

It can clearly be seen that this young ruler was not beefed up with pride because he as a ruler acknowledged also the rulership of Christ hence went on his knees when He met Jesus. Then he went on to ask the multimillion-euro question. “Good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” He knew that there was more to having riches here on earth or being a ruler wasn’t enough because I believe he knew about that eternal life that was promised to the children of God and he didn’t want to lose his place in eternity.

"...he went on to ask the multimillion-euro question. “Good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

Jesus responded to his question and the young ruler’s response is somewhat intriguing: “All these I have kept from my youth” How was it that someone kept or obeyed all the laws that were taught him yet was devoid of eternal life? Was the obedience of all the laws not enough to grant him eternal life as taught him by the Scribes and pharisees?

"Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him." (Mark 10:21) An indication of Jesus’ appreciation of the young ruler’s attempt to love the Lord and Jesus simply added another law to the multiple laws he had followed. The very law that was going to grant him his request for eternal life. "Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come, take up the cross and follow me."(Mark 10:21) Take up “the cross” and not my cross meaning that the moment you decide to follow Jesus, you take up the shame, you take up the pain, you take up the disdain, you take up the hurt, you take up whatever the cross stood for but you see, whatever the cross is, there’s always going to be a certain Simon of Cyrene who’ll help you to complete that journey (Luke 23:26) and the Lord himself on speaking about yokes and burdens in Matthew 11:28-30, encouraged us to come to Him, taking upon us His yoke for His yoke is easy and His burden is light. The yokes and burdens he later described in chapter 23 of Matthew, from verse 4 as the yoke of the pharisees and scribes. The yoke of self-righteousness and religious law keeping. Our friend here, the rich young ruler is a victim of such burdens. It’s interesting how we’re able to obey whatever a certain man of God said then when we pray to God and He answers us directly, obeying His commandment becomes a problem.

Jesus was saying to him, if it’s a law that you want, no problem. I can come up with another one but it still won’t be enough so follow me. Follow me for I am the way, the truth and life! And if you’ll want to follow me, one thing is all I need. Give me your heart! Detach yourself from your possessions and let my will for you possess you. Exchange your old wine for my new wine but first change the wineskin! This is a ruler who claimed to follow all the laws since his youth but the number 1 commandment of the laws was what he broke because he had made his possessions his god unknowingly and Jesus wanted to highlight that it is possible to know and follow all the commandments of God and still not know God. I know you because I’ve read and heard about you is different from I know you because I lived with you and spent time with you. If this young ruler truly knew God not as a deity but as a father, he would’ve trusted God to take care of him.

I know you because I’ve read and heard about you is different from I know you because I lived with you and spent time with you.

I’m also realizing that Jesus didn’t ask him to give everything he had but whatever he had which meant he could have given anything he had yet he felt that whatever he had was a result of his hard work, a result of his keeping of the laws and no one deserved to share in it. His focus on his possessions blurred his vision from eternal life. How sad! A man so knowledgeable of the commandments yet failed miserably when Jesus used the same commandments to assess him. Jesus was communicating that it is not about you kneeling before me in church, or lavishing fans on me or knowing the ten commandments(scriptures) by heart but leaving everything in which you have confidence in and following Me.

Per the standards of the law, this young ruler was justified to some extent and here comes Jesus saying to him that it’s no longer by your works lest you should boast. It is by My Grace and let's not get it twisted. It wasn’t by the young rich ruler’s inability to give his possessions that barred him from eternal life. It was rather his inability to completely follow Jesus because Jesus is The Way, The Truth and the Life! Hallelujah!!!