Luke 18:18-30

Butler's Comments

SECTION 4

Parsimonious (Luke 18:18-30)

18 And a ruler asked him, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19And Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20You know the commandments: -Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.-' 21And he said, All these I have observed from my youth. 22And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. 23But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. 24Jesus looking at him said, How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. 26Those who heard it said, Then who can be saved? 27But he said, What is impossible with men is possible with God. 28And Peter said, Lo, we have left our homes and followed you. 29And he said to them, Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.

Luke 18:18-19 Righteousness of God: There are crucial lessons for every believer in this confrontation between Jesus and the rich, young ruler. The primary lesson is the one Jesus concluded with, How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! (Luke 18:24). Another very important lesson has to do with evangelism. Some have entitled this incident, The big one that got away. Look at this prospect's potential:

a.

He was a rich, young, ruler.

b.

He was courteous (Mark 10:17He ran up to Jesus and kneeled before Him.).

c.

He had a deep interest in religion (What must I do to inherit eternal life?), he did not wait to be called on or found.

d.

He was enthusiastic in the pursuit of spiritual help.

e.

He was unafraid of public opinion (seeking help from Jesus, who was already in disfavor with most Jewish rulers).

f.

He was a man of moral action (He had kept more commandments of God than most men.).

g.

He had lived a life of purity. h. He was honest in business.

i.

He respected his parents.

j.

He was no liar or slanderer.

k.

He was successful in the world.

l.

He was a man of influence and authority.

He is the preacher's dream-prospect. Most preacher's would have had him signing a commitment card immediately. What a great statistic he would makehe could get celebrity billing. But Jesus disappoints us by handling this prime prospect rather roughly. He begins with a rebuke to the ruler; then challenges him about his faithfulness to the commandments of God; demands that he make an immense financial sacrifice; and finally lets the prospect get away.
The young man knelt, flatteringly, before Jesus and said, flatteringly, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit, eternal life? Jesus did not answer his question, but began with a rebuke. Paraphrased, Jesus would say, The goodness of any man (which you take me to be) is not worthy to be noticed. It is God alone who is essentially good! Jesus began His attempt to redirect this man's mind from worldliness by solemnly fixing his attention on God's characterinfinite holiness. This young ruler had traveled so long in the company of those who reveled in the flattery of one another (calling one another Master, Rabbi, Ruler) (cf. Matthew 23:6-7) that he could no longer see himself or any other man in proper perspective. He needed to see that God alone should be praised. Men must see themselves in relationship to God's absolute holiness before they can see themselves as they really are (cf. Isaiah 6:1 ff.) in need of grace. It is almost shocking to realize that Jesus-' first concern here is not the young ruler himself, but seeing that God is glorified. The glorification of God was Christ's first priority (cf. Isaiah 48:9-11; Ezekiel 20:9; Ezekiel 20:22; Ezekiel 20:44, etc.). That was Jesus-' primary goal in every instance of His ministry (cf. John 17:1 ff.). The young ruler centered attention on his own needJesus insisted that glorifying God was of first priority. This is the foundation of all evangelism, of all conversion. Man's salvation depends upon this fundamental principle. Evangelism is preaching who God is! Converting people must be preceded by establishing the character and nature of God as manifested in Jesus Christ. Without knowing God the sinner does not know whom he has offended. Without knowing God's faithfulness the sinner is left to trust his own abilities to justify himself. The gospel is not what man must do, but what God has done! God is Creator. God is Holy and His law demands (necessitates) judgment upon sin. The Bible speaks more of God's holiness than it does of His love! That is probably because men are more prone to concentrate on that which makes them feel at ease than on that which threatens or humiliates them. Much evangelism today is based in an insipid sentimentality which begins, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Jesus did not begin that way! He said, Young man you had better get straightened out first in your own mind who God is!

In the concept of most people today there is no room for the idea that God is holy. Most people think of God, C.S. Lewis once wrote, as an aged, indulging grandfather-type-person. Much of modern evangelism has lost touch with the divine method. Jesus did not speak soothing positive clichés to this manHe stirred up the fear of God in his heart by preaching that God alone is holy! We do not bring any sinner before God with the right attitude at all until we bring him bowing in humility and praise for God's holiness and penitence for his own sinfulness. We approach God for His own sake first, not ours. If God's absolute holiness and omnipotence is not validated and confirmed in our own mind, first, we are lost! Our salvation depends not on our goodness, but on His! (cf. Daniel 9:17-19).

Luke 18:20-21 Regulations of God: Finally Jesus said, If you would enter life, keep the commandments, (Matthew 19:17 b). The commandments (law) of God reveal the character and nature of God. The second important thing this self-righteous young man needed preached to him was the law of God. How can he know where he stands in relation to God's demands on his life if he does not have the law of God preached to him. Jesus reminded him of the first nine commandments. The absence of God's law from modern preaching is as responsible as any other factor for the evangelistic impotence of our churches:

a.

The word sin makes no sense apart from God's holy law. How can we convince today's sinners to really recognize they are sinners since most of them are totally ignorant of God's law for all mankind? Jesus continued to press the law at the rich young ruler.

b.

The cross of Christ means nothing apart from the law. If Jesus did not die to atone for the penalty of the law, then His death is tragic and senseless. And that is exactly how many people see His death today because they are not made cognizant of the demands of God's law.

Jesus used God's law as a primary tool of evangelism. Many Christians today consider the law a relic of the past and of no use in evangelism. Satan has subtlety deceived us into thinking law and love are contradictory. Precisely the opposite is true. Love cannot be expressed without the guidelines of divine law, and law cannot be kept spiritually except by the motive of love (cf. 1 John 5:3). Law and love are not opposed to one another. The conflict arises between law and grace as a means of salvation. The law cannot be the means of salvationsalvation for sinful man is grace by faith. Men are not turning to Christ today because they have no sense of who He is and what He has done. They have no concept of sinning against God and therefore they do not think they need salvation. They do not know they are sinning because the law of God is not being preached. God is faithful. He keeps every word He utters. This was the burden of the Old Testament prophets. To turn Israel back to God so that He might redeem them and use them for His messianic plan of redemption, the prophets preached the law of Jehovah. A remnant recognized themselves as sinners and turned to the Lord in faith, repentance and covenant-keeping. A remnant was saved.

Jesus found the ruler's knowledge of the commandments to be superficial. He recognized the law's outward demands but not their spirituality. The law of God was spiritual. He intended it to be written on the spirits of men (on their hearts). But they perverted God's law by making a pretense of keeping the outward commandment while violating the spiritual principle of it in their hearts. Jesus did not come to destroy the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17). He came to bring God's law to its spiritual fulness. It is in the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus puts His finger on the real spirit within God's law. Now Jesus puts His finger on the ruler's real sin. He says, Go sell all.. Jesus preaches the tenth commandment in all its incisive spirituality. He used God's commandment, Thou shalt not covet as a scalpel to lance the festering sore of greed in the rich ruler's heart. The young man's sin was invisible to the human eye. It was even invisible to him! It did not show on the surface of his life. Had Jesus merely said, Keep the tenth commandment, -Thou shalt not covet.-'. the rich man would probably have replied, I do not desire anyone else's property or wealth, I am satisfied where I am and with what I have. That was the trouble, he was satisfied with his wealth and was not rich toward God (cf. Luke 12:21). So Jesus translated the tenth commandment into its spiritual reality by demanding that he abandon his riches, give it to the poor, and follow His way of having not where to lay His head. The rich ruler loved his riches more than God's holy law. So all the time he had been keeping commandments from his youth up it was really hypocrisy. He kept only those commandments that did not demand complete renunciation of self and whole-hearted trust in God.

Totally out of character with worldly-mindedness, Jesus, rather than compromise the truth of God's holy law in the name of false love, allowed the ruler to depart! Had Jesus ignored the inviolable character of the perfect law to try to enlist this sinner, He would have lost him, because in compromising God's faithfulness Jesus would have destroyed love. True love for God is inseparably bound up in the keeping of His commandments (cf. John 14:15; John 14:21; John 14:23; John 15:10; 1 John 2:24; 1 John 3:24; 2 John 1:6; etc.). True love will never negotiate against the truth upon which it is established. Much of Christendom through the centuries and even today has tried to see how little it could demand in keeping God's commandments and still get converts. Many take the position that they do not want to offend, to divide, to lose fame or a thousand other things. Yet Jesus came to the world for the very purpose of judging, dividing, and casting a sword. The gospel is God's great sieve through which He sifts all mankind. Those who keep His Word have His Spirit, those who do not are of the devil. The kingdom of God is, after all, the rule of God in the hearts of men. The law of God is to be the arbiter (umpire) in our heart (cf. Colossians 3:15).

Luke 18:22 a Repentance: Go, and sell all that you possess,. said Jesus. Now Jesus is telling the rich young ruler what he must do to inherit eternal lifehe must repent. He must change his mind about what he trusts most. He must turn from his god of gold and surrender to the mind of God as expressed in the tenth commandment. The one thing the young man lacked was the reversal of all his priorities. He must allow God's word to transform his whole viewpoint, revolutionize his fundamental philosophy of life. Telling people today, Just accept Jesus as your personal Savior, will not save! People must repent! Christ cannot save anyone whose mind is still under the rule of carnality (worldliness). It is scripturally necessary, of course, to tell people to confess Christ and be immersed in water for the remission of sin. But it is not scripturally correct to tell them to do so without preaching repentance to them. Doubtlessly this ruler would have gladly accepted an invitation to become a follower of Jesus if Jesus had not demanded that he give up his wealth. He had come running to Jesus. But he is not willing to forsake mammon! His security was in mammonnot in Jesus. Churches are being filled with people willing to have Christ and financial success (mammon) today. They are never told they must renounce all they possess. They are never told they must repent of such double-mindedness. So their converts are as worldly after their joining the church as before. No one has the authority to lower the requirement for discipleship from what Jesus required here, of this rich, young, ruler, or what He required in many other places (cf. Luke 14:25-33; Luke 9:57-62; Matthew 10:34-39, etc.). Christ has not revealed a revised gospel for the twentieth century!

Luke 18:22 b Regeneration: By asking the ruler to sell all he possessed and give it to the poor, Jesus was asking him to abandon his fundamental philosophy of life. He was urging the man to sweep his heart clean of all allegiance to any other priority. But the heart cannot tolerate a vacuum. It will inevitably yield its allegiance to someone or something. When the heart is rid of unworthy affection, it must deliberately choose the worthiest affection. So, Jesus invited the young man, Come, follow me! Jesus did not offer this rich man an easy discipleship. He offered Himself to be followed, imitated, learned from and obeyed. The ruler had called Jesus, Master, now Jesus is urging him to accept the portion of a servant. There is too much easy discipleship today. So-called contemporary Christian music tends to promote a discipleship of subjectivism rather than one of active servanthood. Jesus-' invitation here contradicts much modern evangelism. Much of that seems to imply that Jesus is a personal Savior to help people get out of burdens and difficult circumstances and give good feelings. Not much is ever said about Jesus being Almighty Master to be obeyed. Not much is ever said about Jesus giving us His strength to bear heavy burdens and difficult circumstances. Jesus is sometimes pictured as standing ready and anxious for us to crook our finger and say to Him, Come, follow me, and keep all trouble out of my life.

Jesus will not deceive this lad. Eternal life is had by bowing down to the Lordship of Christ in active, obedient service to Him. It is a matter of the gospel record that many more turned away from Jesus than became obedient disciples (cf. John 6:66 :, etc.)because He insisted men renounce all they had. Only on those terms does Jesus offer eternal life. Eternal life is being saved from sin. Faith is following Christ away from sin toward obedience to God's law. This is a strange doctrine in some places today. Many talk about accepting His helpbut few say anything about accepting His rule in every thought, motive and action of life. Following Jesus involves sacrifice. Jesus was absolutely honest with this young man. To preach to people any other way is either unconscious failure or deliberate deceit. Would-be disciples must be challenged concerning the discipline which Christ demands. There must be complete honesty about the sacrifice, persecution, humility and self-surrender involved. It is not surprising that today when so many go forward to try the Jesus-high they are never seen again. Often the convert, after a few days or weeks of professing Christ wakes up to discover that everyday troubles have been compounded by the very fact that he now calls himself a Christian. He finds himself being treated like Jesus was treatedand that was not what he was led to believe. The psychological honeymoon has ended so quickly.

Integrity and honesty demand that we evangelize like Jesus did. The modern sinner deserves to be treated like the rich young ruler. He must be told that the Lord to whom we are calling him will expect him to sell all and follow Him. People must be impressed with the gravity of deciding to be a disciple of Christ. Most evangelistic programs or meetings give one the impression that we should never let a prospect do any prolonged, serious thinking about answering the call to Jesus. We prefer to psyche them up emotionally, keep the sell all requirement low profile, and get them down the aisle before they do have time to think about real discipleship. We are afraid to do anything that might hinder immediate success or victory, Jesus wasn-'t! There is no evidence that the ruler ever trusted Christ and followed Him by giving up all he had. But he was honestly confronted with the gospel and its implications for his life. He was not tricked, psyched, high-pressured, manipulated or emotionalized into a statistic. When he went away, he really knew the full answer to his initial questionWhat must I do to inherit eternal life. He must be regenerated.

A few ancient manuscripts add after Jesus-' statement, Come, follow me, the words, taking up the cross. But the best manuscripts omit these words. The word Luke uses to describe the young man's countenance is perilupos, meaning pained. Mark uses the word stugnasas which means gloomy, hateful, threatening or lowering (cf. Matthew 16:3). The young man was shocked, stunned and agitated. He was very rich and what Jesus had demanded of him seemed altogether unreasonable, unheard of, unprincipled and even insane! This ruler did not just hang his head and slink awayhe went away upset!

Luke 18:24-30 Rewards: Jesus looked with love at the young man as he was walking away in a disturbed mood (and at His disciples) and said: How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! Why? Because wealth means power and a false sense of security and this is more likely to create pride and self-sufficiency than it is to create poverty of spirit. Actually, it is more than hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, it is practically impossible. Jesus went on to say, ... it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. The Greek words Luke used were tramatos which means hole or eye and belones which means dart or needle. Jesus was not talking about a small gate in a city wall, He was talking literally about the eye of a sewing needle.

Matthew records that the disciples were greatly astonished at Jesus-' statement. The Greek words used here are exeplessonto sphodra and mean literally, violently stricken in mind. They were floored! What Jesus had said stunned them. It was inconceivable in contemporary Judaism that wealth should be a hindrance to entering the kingdom of God since this was considered to be a sign of God's favor! When God allowed Satan to take Job's possessions and children, Job's friends could only conclude that Job was guilty of some terrible sin against God. Poverty, physical illness (John 9:1 ff.) and other forms of catastrophic misfortune were considered a sign of sinfulness by most Jews. So the disciples were exceedingly amazedand so is the rest of mankind. The disciples asked, Then who can be saved? If freedom from the wish to be rich and to hold on to one's hard earned wealth is the only route to salvation, who can be saved? There is not a man that would not be rich if he could. Most men, at one time or another, have day-dreamed about being rich. And if the desire for riches keeps us from salvation (cf. 1 Timothy 6:6-10) who can be saved? The disciples are probably being honest and expressing the unspoken affirmation of their own hearts that if they could have had the rich, young ruler's wealth they would have gladly accepted it. They were chagrined because they knew Jesus was not pointing His statement only at those who were rich in fact, but also to everyone who would prefer riches above almost anything elsewhich includes most of the people in the world!

Jesus-' first reply was, The things impossible with men are possible with God. What men cannot do meritoriously through human motivation, God can do by His grace in their heart when they believe Him. It is impossible for a man to renounce all he possesses until he allows his whole mental process to be taken captive unto obedience to Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). And man's whole mentality will not be surrendered to the rule of Christ until he resigns himself to the grace of God by faith. The difficulty of saving a rich man is not with God, it is with the man who resists God's grace by faith and insists on trusting in his own wealth as his sufficiency.

Christ has told the ruler that if he wished to fill the real void in his life and be perfect (complete) (see Matthew 19:21), he should sell all he had, give it to the poor and follow Him. When he would do this he would have treasure in heaven. That last statement stimulated Peter's mind, he immediately declared, Lo, we have left our homes and followed you, what then shall we have? (see Matthew 19:27). Peter apparently felt that he, and his comrades, stood in a much superior relationship to Jesus than the rich, young ruler. Peter's question implied, We have done what you told himwe are the first of your disciples. This young ruler has turned his back on You, Lord, and if he should come back at the last moment, remember, we were working for you first, and we have left all and followed you.

Peter anticipated earthly rewards, Jesus declared the rewards for sacrificial service in His Kingdom would be spiritual. The essence of God's kingdom is of the spirit (Romans 14:17). Jesus promised that everyone who labors will be rewarded, but many who are first will be last and the last will be first. The student should read the parallel accounts of this discussion in Matthew 19:23 to Matthew 20:16 and Mark 10:23-31. Matthew's account notes that Jesus first said, ... in the new world. you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. In other words, the disciples will have the privilege of letting the Jews into the kingdom of Christ by the preaching of the gospel and writing the New Covenant scriptures. Whatever these apostles shall one day preach will be the keys to the kingdom (cf. Matthew 16:18-20) and whatever they loose or bind on earth shall already have been loosed or bound in heaven (cf. also Matthew 18:18; John 20:22-23). They will declare the terms of forgiveness, salvation and citizenship in God's kingdom. What they preach shall be the criteria (judgment). Then Jesus said, anyone who leaves worldly riches for Christ will receive all of God's world working toward his redemption, plus eternal life (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:21-22). God will work everything for good to them that love him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). Wherever a Christian goes in this world God will have available for him brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers in the spiritual family of God. Everywhere a Christian goes in this world God will use from His great storehouse of creation all that the disciple needs to serve Him. But what does a Christian need to serve God? Sometimes he needs chastening, deprivation and struggle. The believer does not always need bread and never needs indulgence. He does need faith, hope and steadfastness. God can supply that richly. Whatever is needed, God will supply. And what He supplies will always be more than whatever the believer has given up to serve Him.

We would be remiss if we did not insert here a brief comment on Matthew 20:1-16 because it is the parabolic conclusion to this subject of rewards. When Peter asked, What then shall we have.. Jesus answered with the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). This parable does not intend to teach that a man may foolishly waste his life and come to work for Jesus at the eleventh hour and expect a reward. Nor does it teach anything about socialism or communism or share-and-share-alike economic systems for nations or the world. It teaches one simple truth: In the kingdom of God a man's reward will be, not according to length of service, or notoriety of service, but according to his faithfulness to the opportunity which is given him. The owner of the vineyard rewarded according to his own judgment. The householder kept His promiseeach person who chooses to labor for God will be graciously and generously rewarded. If the last are first and the first are last, it is none of the laborer's business. If those who went to work first had the right attitude, they would consider it a reward to be given opportunity to be first or longest out in the vineyard! God rewards on the basis of the spirit and attitude in which the work was donenot on volume. The last workers had not been at work before because no one had hired themthey had not the opportunities the first had. But when the householder sent them out they were faithful and true to their only opportunity. Their reward was what the owner decided to give themthe same as that given to those faithful to their earlier opportunity, Neither long nor short service is pleasing to God if done for wrong motives. Remember the Prodigal and Elder Son of Luke 15:1-32. Men will be rewarded in God's kingdom not for what volume of work they accomplish but, what they would have done if they had had the opportunity. Of course we all show what we would do by our attitudes and actions toward the little opportunities we do have! He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest in much (Luke 16:10; cf. also Luke 16:11-12). God does not reward according to human standards (volume)He looks on the heart (motives).

Applebury's Comments

The Rich Young Ruler
Scripture

Luke 18:18-30 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, even God. 20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and mother. 21 And he said, All these things have I observed from my youth up. 22 And when Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23 But when he heard these things, he became exceeding sorrowful; for he was very rich. 24 And Jesus seeing him said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. 26 And they that heard it said, Then who can be saved? 27 But he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. 28 And Peter said, Lo, we have left our own, and followed thee. 29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or wife, or brethren, or parents, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30 who shall not receive manifold more in this time, and in the world to come eternal life.

Comments
And a certain ruler.The account of the Rich Young Ruler is given in all three synoptic gospels. Matthew calls him a young man, probably in his thirties. As a ruler he would have responsibilities that called for some maturity. References to age are usually relative and should be understood in their context.

There can be no question about the sincerity of this young man, for Mark says that he ran to Jesus and knelt before Him and asked Him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? See Mark 10:17.

Why callest thou me good?Jesus-' question pointed to the only source of eternal life. He added, No one is good except One, even God. The answer to the question of eternal life cannot be separated from God. Jesus, who answered the question, is clearly identified with Him. It is doubtful if the ruler was able to see through this. But it becomes clear as the conversation progresses.

Thou knowest the commandments.Eternal life, since they were under the Old Covenant, depended on keeping the commandments (Leviticus 18:5; Galatians 3:12; Romans 10:5). For the answer to the question under the New Covenant, see Acts 2:26-42 and the other cases of conversion recorded in the Book of Acts.

Then Jesus recited the commandments, mentioning five of the six that have to do with man's duties to man and significantly leaving out those that had to do with duties to God. The young man said, I have done all these since I was a boy. Except for his own word, we have no way of knowing whether he had or not. But Jesus did not question his statement; He seems to have accepted it at face value. It was not impossible for him to do what God commanded, even though theologians through the centuries have said that man is incapable of doing such a thing.

One thing thou lackest.There were two tables of the law. The first said, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. It is quite evident that the ruler had neglected to observe this first table of the Law. What was the god he was worshipping instead of the Lord God under whose covenant he was living?

Jesus said, Sell everything you have; distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven, and come follow me, He made the issue clear: the young ruler was worshipping gold rather than God. He had to remove the false god and follow the Lord Jesus. Now we see why Jesus asked, Why do you call me good? Only God is good.

When he heard these things.A storm cloud swept over his face like the dark clouds that blot out the light of the sun, The price was too great, for he was very rich. Although Jesus loved him for his clean life, He could not offer eternal life at a discount (Mark 10:21).

And Jesus seeing him.The struggle that went on in the young man's soul was plain for Jesus to see, He said, With what difficulty those who have riches enter into the kingdom of God! His problem was in putting God first in his life. He made the fatal decision to let gold be first.

It is easier for a camel.Jesus was speaking of a literal camel and a literal needle's eye; to assume otherwise is to ruin the lesson Jesus taught, The ruler was making gold his god; that made it impossible for him to enter the kingdom of God.

Who then can be saved?Man cannot save himself, not even with all his gold. But God can save the one who turns to Him by obeying His commands.

Lo, we have left our own, and followed thee.Peter was quick to respond in face of the refusal of the rich ruler to comply with Jesus-' demands. He said, We have left our things, and have followed you. According to Matthew, he added, What then shall we have? They were far from being unselfish in following Jesus. Their dream of an earthly kingdom had much to do with it.

for the kingdom of God's sake.Jesus said that anyonenot just the Rich Rulerwho has left possessions or family for the sake of the kingdom of God will receive many times more in this life, and in the age to come eternal life.

Matthew also adds these words of Jesus: But many shall be last that are first and first that are last. See Matthew 19:30. Jesus illustrated His meaning with the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. At the end of the day, all received exactly the same amountnot as wages but as the gift of the master. As He closed the parable, Jesus repeated the words, So the last shall be first, and the first last (Matthew 20:16). This suggests that the story of the Rich Ruler, Peter's question about the reward of the apostles, and the parable of the Vineyard constitute three phases of Jesus-' lesson on eternal life. It is not a question of rich or poor, apostle or other worker, for all who follow Christ and serve Him faithfully will have the same gift, eternal life.

The work of the apostles in the kingdom was different, for they were to sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, but the reward was no greater than for the least in the kingdom. See Luke 22:30 for further discussion of meaning of judging the twelve tribes of Israel.