In brief
The rich young ruler comes to Jesus with a sincere question: what must he do to inherit eternal life? He has kept the commandments since his youth. Jesus, looking at him with love, asks him to sell what he owns, give to the poor and follow him. The man goes away sorrowful, for he has great possessions. All three Synoptic Gospels tell the scene, which leads into Jesus’ teaching that what is impossible with men is possible with God.
What does the name The Rich Young Ruler mean?
The Bible does not give his name. Matthew speaks of a “young man,” Luke of a “ruler,” and all three Gospels say he was rich, hence the traditional title “rich young ruler.” His anonymity lets every reader recognize themselves in his question.
The story of The Rich Young Ruler
A sincere question
Mark 10:17As Jesus sets out on his way, a man runs up, kneels before him and asks, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” His gesture shows respect and eagerness. He is not setting a trap: he truly seeks eternal life, and he thinks it is obtained by something he must do.
Why do you call me good?
Mark 10:18-20Jesus answers with a question, “Why do you call me good?”, and points out that only God is good. He then recalls the commandments about one’s neighbor: do not murder, commit adultery, steal, give false testimony or defraud, and honor father and mother. The man says he has kept all these things from his youth. His moral life is real, yet something is missing.
One thing you lack
Mark 10:21Mark notes that Jesus, “looking at him loved him.” This is not a reproach but a look of love. Jesus tells him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” Then comes the invitation to follow him. The call targets the exact place where his heart is attached.
He went away sad
Matthew 19:22“But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.” This is one of the few accounts in which someone leaves Jesus sadder than he came. He wanted eternal life, but not at the price of his wealth. The Gospels do not say what became of him afterward.
The camel and the needle’s eye
Mark 10:23-27Jesus turns to his disciples: how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter God’s Kingdom! It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter. Astonished, the disciples ask who can be saved. Jesus answers, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”
Those who left everything
Mark 10:28-31Peter points out that the disciples have left everything to follow Jesus. The Lord promises that anyone who has left house, family or land for his sake and for the Good News will receive a hundred times more now, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. The contrast with the rich man is complete.
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What The Rich Young Ruler teaches us
- A flawless moral life does not replace following Jesus: eternal life is not a wage but a gift to receive.
- Jesus looks with love at the one from whom he asks much; his call to let go is an invitation, not a condemnation.
- Ask yourself what would make you sad if Jesus asked you for it: that is often where your heart has placed its security.
- Salvation is impossible for man but possible for God; you do not enter the Kingdom by your efforts but by his grace.
Key verses
Before asking anything, Jesus looks at this man and loves him. The call to sell everything and follow him is born of that love: Jesus wants to free his heart, not impoverish him.
The young man leaves sad because of his great possessions. The verse shows that one can desire eternal life and still refuse the path Jesus offers.
“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” The salvation of a rich man, like that of anyone, comes not from his efforts but from the action of God.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about The Rich Young Ruler
- Praying Without Ceasing and Following the LordThe preacher follows Luke 18:18-27: the young ruler knows the commandments, but Jesus asks him to sell everything and follow him, and he goes away sad because he was very rich.
- Who Is the Kingdom of God For?In Mark 10, the preacher shows that keeping the commandments does not save: the rich young man’s heart remained anchored in his wealth, where he found his security and his identity.
- The Treasure and the Pearl: Giving Up Everything for JesusDrawing on the parables of the treasure and the pearl, the message rereads Mark 10:17-22: Jesus puts his finger on what we are too attached to, to show that the Kingdom is worth more than everything.
- Only Those Who Follow Christ Can Love HimThe pastor recalls that Jesus does not ask us to be poor in order to follow him, but poses the real question of the heart; he adds that we are a generation of rich young men.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the rich young ruler in the Bible?
He is a rich man, young according to Matthew and a ruler according to Luke, who asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. He has kept the commandments, but when Jesus asks him to sell his possessions, give to the poor and follow him, he goes away sorrowful (Matthew 19:16-22; Mark 10:17-22; Luke 18:18-23).
Does Jesus ask every Christian to sell everything?
The account shows Jesus speaking to one particular man whose heart was attached to his wealth. He does not give this command to everyone he meets. But the teaching that follows applies to all: it is hard for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom, and only God makes salvation possible (Mark 10:23-27).
Where is the story of the rich young ruler in the Bible?
The story appears in the three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31 and Luke 18:18-30. Each version is followed by Jesus’ teaching on riches, the disciples’ astonishment and the promise made to those who have left everything to follow him.