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The Parable of the Rich Young Ruler, in Mark 10:17-31, tells the story of a young man who seeks salvation and asks Jesus how to achieve it. Jesus advises him to give his possessions to the poor and follow Him. The young man becomes sad because he was wealthy. The parable highlights the difficulty for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, emphasizing the importance of detaching from material possessions in favor of faith. See the parable in the Gospel of Mark:
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it isto enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
- Mark 10:17-31
The Parable of the Rich Young Ruler begins with a rich young man approaching Jesus and asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responds by saying that he must obey God’s commandments, such as "do not murder" and "do not steal." The young man says that he has kept these commandments since his youth, but he feels that something is missing in his life.
It is at this moment that Jesus makes a special request to the young man. He tells him to sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow Him. This was a test to see if the young man was willing to give up his wealth and follow God with his whole heart.
However, the rich young man becomes sad because he had many valuable possessions and did not want to part with them. He loved his riches more than God. And so, he walked away sad, missing the opportunity to find eternal life.
The lesson of the Parable of the Rich Young Ruler
We learn from this parable is sometimes material things can draw us away from God. It is important to remember that God should be our top priority in life. We must be willing to give up anything that keeps us from following Him. This does not mean that everyone should sell everything they have, but that we should be willing to prioritize God in our lives.
Thus, the Parable of the Rich Young Ruler reminds us that eternal life and joy in God are more important than earthly riches. We must seek God with all our hearts and be willing to follow Him, no matter what we may need to give up. This will lead us to a truly abundant life.
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