March 22 – Luke 18:18-30; 19:1-10

Main Focus: Rich Young Ruler / Zaccheaus

Jesus’ encounter with the rich ruler answers the question with which it begins: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The rich young ruler was likely a ruler of a synagogue. He says to Jesus “Good Teacher, what must I do? Jesus says “Why do you call me good?” Jesus does not let the ruler’s superficial view of “goodness” go unchallenged. No one is good except God alone directs the ruler’s attention to God, in whom ultimate goodness resides. Only in understanding God as infinitely good can he discover that human good deeds cannot earn eternal life.

Jesus challenges the rich young ruler and says “you know the commandments.” The young man says “these I have kept from my youth.” Jesus says, “One thing you still lack,” this refers not to higher piety but to the kingdom of God, salvation, and eternal life. Sell all that you have. Jesus shows that the ruler has not really kept the commandments, and he clarifies the meaning of true repentance. The ruler was very sad because he was extremely rich; he loved his riches more than God, showing that he had kept neither the first commandment nor the tenth, for riches were his god and he desired them more than God.

Jesus says it is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle. This an example of hyperbole. It is simply impossible for those who are rich (and for anyone else) to enter God’s kingdom on the basis of their works, or to have the desire to seek God above all else apart from God’s grace. Those who heard it said – who then can be saved? Since riches were supposedly a sign of God’s favor, Jesus’ listeners must have wondered: if a rich man who could freely offer alms and sacrifices could not be saved, who could be?

Jesus said, “what is impossible with man is possible with God. Because of God’s power and grace, repenting and following Jesus is possible even for a rich man. Salvation is the work of the Lord, who does himself what would otherwise be impossible. Finally, Jesus says that those not willing to part with family will not inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus is not encouraging his disciples to abandon familial responsibilities. But sometimes family members turn against a believer, or there may be times of temporary separation due to Christian ministry. Whatever someone has to sacrifice for the sake of the kingdom will be repaid many times more by God.

Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus is an example of the kingdom of God bringing salvation to the outcasts. It also provides a lesson on the proper kingdom use of money and possessions. Zacchaeus is a chief tax collector and Jericho was a major toll collection point for goods passing east and west. Jesus approaches Zacchaeus and says I must stay at your house today. Zacchaeus joyfully accepts may imply that Zacchaeus had already come to faith. This caused the religious leaders to grumble. Zacchaeus symbolized the authority of a government that was taking the people’s money and oppressing them. Many viewed this as Jesus’ eating with tax collectors and sinners. We learn that Zacchaeus gave away half of his goods. This includes Zacchaeus’s possessions, not just his salary and says to Jesus if I have defrauded others I shall restore it fourfold. Zacchaeus’s actions reveal that his repentance and faith are genuine. The example of Zacchaeus, who gave away half of his goods, underscores the kind of openhanded generosity that characterizes those whose hearts have been transformed by the gospel.
Jesus says in Luke 19:9 “Today salvation has come to this house”. This indicates that with God all things are possible, and a rich man can be saved.