Amy C Walters

The Rich Ruler | Luke 18:18-30

A rich ruler comes to Jesus convinced of his own goodness. But when Jesus challenges him to sell everything he has and give it to the poor, the ruler is confronted by his own lack of goodness. This story teaches us that only God is good.

This story comes right after Jesus blesses the children. People are bringing their children to him and he’s blessing them. When the disciples try to send those people away, Jesus says, “Don’t hinder them, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” So the context where the story of the Rich Ruler takes place deals with who is part of the kingdom of God.

The children demonstrate the kingdom attributes of helplessness and faith. But the Rich Ruler, he’s the exact opposite of these children. He’s an adult man, and he’s wealthy and powerful. And he enters the scene with a question for Jesus. 

First of all, he calls Jesus, “Good Teacher.” This may not seem like a big deal, but Jesus immediately challenges it. “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Goodness is an attribute that only applies to God. 

What Jesus is saying here is not controversial. This was commonly held Jewish theology, that goodness only applies to God.

Notice, though,  that Jesus doesn’t say, “Don’t call me good because only God is good.” He instead says, “Only God is good. Why do you call me that?” He’s challenging this man and what he thinks about Jesus. Is the Rich Ruler just throwing “good teacher” around, or is there more behind it?

To say “good teacher” is actually an oxymoron. Either he’s just a teacher. Or if he’s good, then he’s God. So Jesus challenges this man to wrestle with who he really is.

The man then goes on to ask, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” We’ve heard this question before, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. An expert in the law comes to Jesus, looking for a way to trick him, and asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life” (Luke 10:25). 

It’s interesting that when answering both men, Jesus points to the law. In the story of the Good Samaritan, the lawyer answered with a summary of the law: love God with all of your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. But the lawyer gets hung up on the definition of “neighbor.” And Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan who treats even his enemy as a neighbor. In this story, the ruler gets hung up on the definition of “good.” 

So he asks his question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responds with, “You know the law,” and then he mentions five of the ten commandments. “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, and honor your father and mother.” These five commandments all have to do with loving your neighbor. 

The ruler responds with, “All these I have kept since my youth.” He thinks that he has perfectly kept this law, that he has loved his neighbor as himself. 

So this man has called Jesus good, and he also thinks that he is good. He thinks that he has followed the law perfectly. 

This ruler has got a lazy definition of good, and it’s going to end up costing him everything. You see, Jesus didn’t point him to the law to say, that’s how you get eternal life. He did that to say, no one measures up. 

The Rich Ruler thinks he is good but he has not loved his neighbor as himself. That’s why Jesus responds with the challenge: “One thing you still lack, sell everything and distribute it to the poor, and you will receive treasure in heaven. And come follow me.” Selling everything and distributing it to the poor would be loving his neighbor as himself. But the ruler is unwilling to do it. 

Jesus forces the man to come to terms with his own lack of goodness. The bar is set at loving your neighbor as yourself, and he has fallen far short. 

What this story teaches us and our key truth for today is just what Jesus said: only God is good. 

So that means that you are not. I am not. None of us are good. 

This is vital for us to wrestle with, because so many people think that they will get into heaven based on the good things they have done. Their good will outweigh their bad.

But Jesus’ bar for goodness is so far beyond what we think it is. We have far too limited a view of just how good God is and just how sinful we are. And this is a dangerous mistake to make.

Jesus pinpoints this man’s weakness. When the ruler thinks he has done enough to earn salvation, Jesus finds the area that he is not willing to let go of. And the ruler’s goodness falls apart, crumbles away immediately under Jesus’ questioning.

What about us? If we were that ruler, what would Jesus challenge us with? For me, it’s probably my temper, that I lose it far too easily. I want everybody to do things my way, and when they don’t go my way, I get angry at people. I treat them as obstacles to what I want to get done. 

What about you? Maybe you have the same challenge as I do. Or maybe you’re lazy with the truth. Changing things, tweaking things just a little bit when it would be more convenient or it would keep you out of trouble. 

Maybe you struggle with gossip. Maybe you are savoring and sharing negative stories about others because it makes you feel better. 

Maybe you turn to bad habits and compulsions when you’re struggling with something, like eating or shopping or drinking or smoking. These crutches promise to make us feel better but only leave us trapped. 

I pray that as you read this, God reveals it to you. It can be painful to come to terms with, but it’s only once we’ve acknowledged our lack of goodness that we can accept Jesus’ goodness and what he has done on our behalf.