I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who’s come across that saying, you know, the one about a camel squeezing through a needle’s eye before some rich guy makes it to God’s kingdom. The weird thing is, have you ever wondered where it originated from? It all started with this young dude, a ruler with a fat wallet, whose story in the Bible takes a jab at our perception of wealth and what it means to follow Jesus, it’s like trying to juggle water.
Top 5 Bible Verses About Where In The Bible Is The Story Of The Rich Young Ruler
I put together some Bible verses that I think are super relevant to our conversation, and might just give us a deeper understanding of what’s going on. These ones, to me, seem particularly good at showing all the complexities of the thing.
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When I First Met the Rich Young Ruler
That Question Changes Everything
Reading the rich young ruler’s story for the first time left this impression on me that still hasn’t faded. I was young, still trying figure out what it even meant to follow Jesus – I didn’t have all the answers back then. It’s stuck with me ever since – a story that you can find in the Bible: Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30.
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16, KJV).
I feel like we’ve all, at some point or another, asked that same question that the young guy did: what do we gotta do to get eternal life? For him, it was maybe about ticking off those boxes – doing all the right things; but, was it more than that, too?
God Doesn’t Need Perfect, Just Willing
Looking back on that story, something that jumps out at me is this young guy’s air of confidence. I mean, he’s got wealth, success, all that, but Jesus can see the real him – no fake exterior’s gonna fool him.
“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21, KJV).
I used to think that Jesus asking the young guy to give up all his money was because money’s inherently wrong – but that’s not really it at all. He asked him to give it up because it had become this idol, a barrier that he couldn’t get around, and he had to choose between his money and God.
Heart Stuff
That rich young ruler’s story? It’s in the Bible – Matthew, Mark, Luke – but it’s in us too; all those things we hold on to like they’re the only thing that matters – I think we all have them. Like, C.S. Lewis once said, “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” Food for thought.
I’ve been in those shoes – wondering what I’m holding onto that stops me fully following Jesus, but like, he just asks us to surrender and follow – simple, but also really hard, too. Do I care more about wealth, status, or power than about Jesus? These days, that isn’t really my thing – but still, there’s that one thing that trips me up, you know? Today is another chance to give it up, so I’ll take it.
My Take on the Rich Young Ruler’s Story
This Guy Asked Jesus a Question
The rich young ruler’s story in the Bible always seemed pretty cool to me, for some reason. The thing is, it’s actually written down in three different books: Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22, and Luke 18:18-23. Ain’t no one got time to be hunting these down, though.
Anyways, I was thinking – what was the rich young ruler really after? He goes up to Jesus and asks,
“Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16, KJV).
To me, this guy sounds like he’s genuinely looking for some kind of secret to eternal life. Thing is, he’s thinking if he just does enough good stuff, he’s golden.
What Jesus Said to the Rich Young Dude
Jesus’ response was pretty left-field, imo. He goes and says,
“Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17, KJV).
It’s like He’s trying to tell this young guy – only God’s good, for real, so stop trying to be all good through your deeds and just follow the rules already.
The Deal with the Rich Young Ruler’s Money
Now, what’s the deal with the rich young ruler’s wealth in all this? It symbolizes safety, security – like, he thought he had this whole eternal life thing in the bag just ’cause he was wealthy. But Jesus pretty much says – it’s not about money or riches; if you wanna live for real, it’s about following God.
Personally, I catch myself often trying to find security where I shouldn’t. I’ll try to do enough good so God loves me more, or accomplish enough stuff to feel satisfied, but it’s the rich young ruler’s story all over again – real security only comes from giving in to God and chasing after Him. Not the stuff I own or what I’ve achieved.
What’s your security based on nowadays? Your cash? Your accomplishments? Friends? Family? Or is it God?
My Take on the Rich Young Ruler’s Dilemma
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That Whole Wealth vs. Following Jesus Thing
First time I came across the story of the rich young ruler in the Bible, it stuck with me. This encounter between Jesus and the young fella – it was so… real. You can find it in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16, KJV).
So, this young ruler was like, the ultimate high-achiever: wealth, status, the whole nine. But, despite all that, he was still feeling kinda empty. Like, what’s the point, right? He comes up to Jesus and asks, “What’s the secret to eternal life?” Same question we’ve all asked at some point, I reckon.
Why the Rich Young Ruler Couldn’t Give Up His Wealth
Jesus pretty much tells it like it is. Sell your stuff, give it to those in need, and follow Him. But the young guy just can’t do it. He was too hung up on what he had, and the security that came with it.
“But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions” (Matthew 19:22, KJV).
Honestly? I get where he’s coming from. Had times when I had to choose ‘tween what I wanted and what God was nudging me toward. Not always easy letting go of what you think’s gonna bring happiness.
What Happened ‘Cause of the Rich Young Ruler’s Decision
That choice he made – walking away from Jesus – had a pretty big impact on his life. He missed out on the good stuff, on that real joy you get from following God. Like, Jesus said,
“How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:24, KJV).
This whole story’s made me think about what’s important, and what I’m willing to give up to follow God with my whole heart. I mean, it’s a question I still struggle with – but maybe you should think about it too?
Jesus’ Teachings on Wealth and Materialism
The Dangers of Wealth and Materialism
I still remember the rich young ruler’s story; that guy who came to Jesus asking him a question which seemed super innocent but in reality exposed where his heart really was at. It’s in Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22 and Luke 18:18-23. You know – when you read it now, seems bit spooky like he knew we’d be talking about it now.
This guy was basically a complete package – loads of cash, respect and people probably thought him to be some top righteous dude coz he followed rules and all. But I think sometimes you gotta look closer. Jesus saw right through him.
“Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21, KJV).
What Jesus said, man – that cut real deep for the poor guy. Exposed the idols he had, like materialism – made him realize he’d been serving it for ages.
The Importance of Spiritual Wealth over Material Wealth
Ok so – it’s written somewhere, I think
“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26, KJV).
I mean… when you’re Christian you gotta get this: that actual wealth isn’t the numbers in bank, isn’t all them fancy things. Nah – it’s what’s with you and God, you feel?
There’s this bit – the apostle Paul said it
“But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6, KJV).
You know, once we focus on the spiritual side and ditch the idea of material gains – our whole perspective changes.
The Role of Wealth in the Kingdom of God
Wealth – is it good or is it bad in the kingdom of God? What is it for?
I learned, like – you gotta see it as a tool; wealth ain’t the main goal.
Think we got told we gotta be clever with what we’ve got, push the kingdom forward, help people around and make people realize ” Ey – God loves you and God is kinda rich, like actually a really rich God that loves to bless you and make life pretty sweet’.
And so – then I read, again from the apostle Paul
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17, KJV).
I think when we hit the jackpot, find this perfect life recipe, i mean it – life becomes nice and lush coz now we’re less hooked to storing and stashing away.
Lessons I Learned from that Rich Young Ruler Guy
You Gotta be Humble and Just Let Go
So I’m reading the Bible one day, and I come across the story of this rich young ruler dude. His story’s in Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22, and Luke 18:18-23 – yeah, it’s a big deal. Anyway, this young guy’s got everything: loads of cash, a fancy title, and all the power he could ever want. But, somehow, he’s still feeling kinda empty inside…
The Bible says,
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16, KJV).
And I’m reading this, thinking about all the times I tried to be good enough for God, like I could earn His love or something. Newsflash: it doesn’t work that way. I’m never gonna be good enough on my own, no matter how hard I try.
So, what can we learn from this rich young ruler’s meet-and-greet with Jesus? Humility and surrender, that’s what. I mean, the guy was loaded, but he was still willing to admit he didn’t know it all and ask for help. Problem was, when Jesus told him to ditch his riches and follow Him, the guy just couldn’t do it…
Time to Re-evaluate My Priorities, I Guess
I’ve been thinking a lot about the rich young ruler’s story lately, and I realized I need to take a good hard look at what’s really important to me. Am I holding onto stuff that’s getting in the way of me following Jesus with my whole heart? Is it my job, my stuff, or my need to control everything? Dunno…
The Bible says,
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36, KJV).
Those words make me wanna take a long, hard look at what I really value in life. Is it my relationship with God, or is it something else entirely?
Following Jesus with Everything I Got
The rich young ruler’s story teaches us that following Jesus isn’t just about saying we believe in Him; we gotta be willing to put our money where our mouth is, so to speak. We gotta surrender and make some sacrifices.
C.S. Lewis said it way better than I ever could: “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
His words make me wonder, am I really following Jesus with my whole heart, no matter what? Or is there something holding me back from totally surrendering to Him? Only one way to find out, I guess…
Honestly, What’s the Big Deal About This Story?
The Rich Young Ruler and I, Trying to Get to Heaven
I’m still trying to wrap my head around this story of the rich young ruler. I mean, this dude shows up in Matthew (19:16-22), Mark (10:17-22), and Luke (18:18-23), too, asking Jesus about how to get eternal life. Can’t say I blame him, really.
The Bible goes,
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16, KJV).
To be honest, this guy’s question feels kinda familiar – I mean, who hasn’t been there, right? Searching for meaning, hoping to find the way… Yeah, his inquiry hits home for me.
Now, looking at this story through the lens of salvation, it seems the rich young ruler’s whole “trying really hard” thing didn’t quite pan out. He had this stellar résumé of keeping all the commandments, but Jesus still points out what’s missing: letting go of that wealth. Talk about a gut punch.
Thinking ‘Bout the Rich Young Ruler’s Discipleship Problems
The implications of the rich young ruler’s story go even further when we think about discipleship. See, Jesus basically tells him to sell all his stuff and join the crew, highlighting the, uh, ‘radicalness’ of following Jesus.
The Bible says it like this,
“Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21, KJV).
So here I am, faced with this verse, and I gotta ask: am I down to let go of everything for Jesus? Guess being a real disciple means actually doing that, ditching attachments, ambitions… the works.
This Kingdom’s Full of Paradoxes
Now when we look at the story through the whole kingdom-of-God perspective, things get even more mind-bending. According to Jesus, that kingdom’s not really about piling up material riches or getting ahead, but those ‘inner riches’ of faith and all that. Love, too.
And that crazy-smart theologian, C.S. Lewis, said this one thing: “God is not proud… He will have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to Him.” Gets me thinking… Even though the rich young ruler flinched at first, Jesus’ door’s still open. The king’s basically like, “come on in, whoever’s willing.” Whoa.
What Do You Think?
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Frequently Asked Questions About Where In The Bible Is The Story Of The Rich Young Ruler
What Bible verse is the story of the rich young ruler?
For me, it’s Matthew 19:16-30 that comes to mind – that’s where I read about Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler, and how he teaches us to put God above everything, even when it gets hard, you know?
Where can I find the story of the rich young ruler in the Bible?
So I’ve found this story in a few places, actually – Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, and Luke 18:18-30 all have it. It’s pretty cool how it makes me think about what’s really important in life, and how I need to trust in God more.
What chapter and verse is the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew, Mark, and Luke?
I tend to think about this story a lot, and it’s found in Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, and Luke 18:18-30 – for me, it’s a big reminder to keep my priorities straight, and that my faith should be right up there at the top.
Matt Turner
I’m Matt, and I love breaking down Bible verses in a way that’s easy to understand and apply to everyday life. My goal is to help you connect with God’s Word and find practical ways to live it out. Whether you’re new to the Bible or just looking for some fresh insights, I’m here to walk with you and share what I’ve learned along the way.