You mean I should sell all my possessions and follow you?

AN UNEXPECTED DEMAND

Bible Texts (New Testament with keywords Concordance-CLNT: Text: Matthew 19:11-24)

 

Matthew 19:11-24

16 And lo! one coming to Him said, "Teacher, what good shall I be doing that I should be having life eonian?"
17 Yet He said to him, "Why are you asking Me concerning good? One is good. Yet if you are wanting to be entering into life, keep the precepts."
18 He is saying to Him, "Which?" Now Jesus said, "These: 'You shall not be murdering.' 'You shall not be committing adultery.' 'You shall not be stealing.' 'You shall not be testifying falsely.'
19 'Be honoring father and mother,' and 'You shall be loving your associate as yourself.'"
20 The youth is saying to Him, "These all I maintain. In what am I still deficient?"
21 Jesus averred to him, "If you are wanting to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and be giving to the poor, and you will be having treasure in the heavens. And hither! Follow Me."
22 Now, hearing this word, the youth came away sorrowing, for he had many acquisitions.

It amazes me how some people love to spread their wings of self-righteousness in public. They want others to see their good deeds, admire their religious commitment, and shower them with respect and honor. Sometimes, the desire to be recognized becomes more important than the desire to please Yahweh. This week's blog discussed briefly on the rich man, his self-righteousness and the unexpected demand from Yeshua.

But what did Yeshua teach us about such behavior? In Matthew 6:5, he warned against practicing righteousness for public recognition. Those who seek the admiration of people have already received their reward. In other words, when human approval becomes our primary motivation, we should not expect to receive additional recognition from Yahweh for the same act.

There is much more to learn from this scripture, and I hope to explore it another time. For now, let us examine the encounter between Yeshua and a rich man who appeared confident in his religious qualifications.

What Good Deed? A Brief Analysis of the Rich Man’s Mindset

The rich man approached Yeshua with a revealing question: What good must he do to have life eonian?

Notice the emphasis on what he must do. His question was not simply about understanding Yahweh’s purpose or discovering the way of life. It focused on the good deed he could perform to obtain the desired outcome.

Could it be that he expected Yeshua to confirm that his religious achievements had already qualified him for life eonian?

Yeshua directed the conversation toward the commandments. The man was then given the opportunity to explain how he had lived in relation to them. His response was confident: he had kept these commandments from his youth.

Imagine the confidence behind that declaration! Here was a man who believed he had done what was required. He had honored the commandments, avoided certain sins, and maintained a religious lifestyle. Surely, he expected Yeshua to acknowledge his accomplishments.

But Yeshua did not give him the congratulatory response he might have anticipated.

This encounter raises a challenging question: Can someone be confident in their religious performance and still fail to understand what Yahweh requires?

The man’s outward record appeared impressive, but Yeshua’s response exposed something deeper than outward conduct. It challenged the man to examine the place his possessions occupied in his heart.

What an Unexpected Demand!

Many religious people would have applauded this rich man. After all, he appeared to possess the qualities they associated with righteousness. He claimed to have kept the commandments, and his concern about life eonian suggested that spiritual matters were important to him.

Avoiding adultery, honoring one's parents, refraining from theft, and turning away from evil are good things. Proverbs 8:13 associates the fear of Yahweh with hating evil. These are not insignificant matters.

But then came a demand the man had not anticipated.

Yeshua said:

“If you are wanting to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and be giving to the poor, and you will be having treasure in the heavens. And hither! Follow Me.”

— Matthew 19:21, Concordant Literal New Testament (CLNT)

What a challenge! The man had just declared his record of keeping the commandments, yet Yeshua presented him with a demand that struck at the heart of his attachment to his possessions.

Let us consider the implications of this encounter.

First, religious performance did not mean the man had reached perfection.

The man believed he had kept the commandments from his youth. Yet Yeshua's response showed that his understanding of righteousness had not reached the point where he was willing to surrender what stood between him and following Yeshua.

This should challenge anyone who measures their spiritual standing by a list of good deeds. You may avoid certain sins, attend religious gatherings, give to the needy, and maintain a respectable public image. But have you examined the things you are unwilling to surrender?

Sometimes, the most revealing test of our priorities is not what we are willing to do, but what we refuse to let go.

Second, wealth was not proof of righteousness.

The man was rich, but his wealth could not establish his qualification for life eonian. His possessions might have given him comfort, influence, and social standing, but none of these could serve as proof that his heart was aligned with Yahweh's purpose.

This is a lesson worth considering in a world where wealth is often interpreted as evidence of divine favor. Financial prosperity does not automatically establish spiritual maturity, just as poverty does not automatically establish righteousness.

The issue in this encounter was not simply how much money the man possessed. It was the hold his possessions had on him.

Third, giving to the poor was not the end of the demand.

Yeshua did not merely tell the man to give more alms. He told him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow him.

There is a difference between giving from what we can comfortably spare and surrendering something that has become central to our security and identity. The man's challenge was not simply to become more generous. He was being called to release his possessions and follow Yeshua.

Would he be willing to do that?

Consider the promise attached to the demand: treasure in the heavens. The man had earthly possessions, but Yeshua directed his attention toward a treasure of a different kind.

Perhaps the man had imagined that he could retain his wealth, continue his familiar way of life, and still receive confirmation that he had done enough. Instead, Yeshua confronted him with a choice that reached beyond his religious record.

Fourth, Yeshua invited the man to follow him.

This may have been the most unsettling part of the entire conversation.

What would following Yeshua mean for a man accustomed to wealth and comfort? Yeshua's life did not resemble the lifestyle of someone whose security depended on material abundance. He traveled with his disciples, moved from place to place, and carried out the work entrusted to him by his Father.

The rich man was being invited to exchange the security of his possessions for the uncertainty of a life centered on following Yeshua.

Would he be willing to leave behind the things that made him feel secure?

It is easy to admire Yeshua from a distance. It is another thing to respond when following him challenges our established priorities.

When Silence Speaks Loudly

Yeshua's response was not what the rich man expected. Matthew 19:22 tells us that when he heard the word, he went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions.

Imagine the scene.

A man approached Yeshua with a question about life eonian. He appeared confident in his religious achievements and expected to discover what else he needed to do. Yet, when the answer confronted his attachment to his possessions, he walked away sorrowful.

What a painful ending to a conversation that began with such a promising question!

The man wanted life eonian, but he was unwilling to accept the demand Yeshua placed before him. His possessions had become more than things he owned; they were things he could not bear to leave behind.

We should be careful not to judge him too quickly. It is easy to condemn someone else's weakness while overlooking our own attachments.

For one person, it may be wealth. For another, it may be public recognition, social status, professional success, religious reputation, or the desire to be regarded as more righteous than others.

The question is not merely whether we possess something. The question is whether something possesses us.

What would you do if following Yeshua challenged the very thing you considered essential to your life?

Would you continue following, or would you walk away sorrowful?

A Takeaway from This Week's Blog

Hmm! You may be tempted to blame this rich man for his decision. But before you do, examine the foundation of your own confidence before Yahweh.

Do you believe your good deeds, wealth, religious activities, or ability to keep religious laws establish your worthiness before him? Do you sometimes approach Yahweh with a list of accomplishments, expecting him to approve of your righteousness?

If so, this encounter deserves your attention.

The rich man's problem was not that he had done nothing good. His problem was that his record of good deeds could not resolve the challenge Yeshua placed before him. His confidence in his own performance did not prepare him to respond when his attachment to wealth was exposed.

This brings us to an important distinction: good deeds are not the same as the basis of salvation.

Ephesians 2:8–9 teaches that we have been saved by grace, through faith, not from works, so that no one may boast. Isaiah 64:6 also warns against placing confidence in our own righteousness.

These passages challenge the idea that we can earn salvation by accumulating enough good deeds or presenting an impressive religious record before Yahweh.

However, this does not mean that good deeds are worthless or that our conduct does not matter. Rather, good deeds must not be confused with the source of salvation. We must distinguish between what we do and what Yahweh accomplishes through his grace.

The rich man's question focused on what he must do. His encounter with Yeshua exposed the limitations of that approach.

Let us therefore stop using our religious achievements as a platform for self-congratulation. Instead of boasting about how much we have done for Yahweh, let us recognize our dependence on his grace and examine whether our lives reflect the purpose he is working out.

And here is another question worth considering: If salvation is by grace, what place should boasting have in the life of someone who has received it?

The answer should humble us. We have no grounds to present ourselves as the authors of our own salvation.

May we learn from this encounter not to trust in our religious qualifications, material possessions, or public reputation, but to recognize the supremacy of Yahweh's grace and the importance of responding to the call of Yeshua.

The Other Side of the Coin

What if I let you know that Yeshua did not really want him to sell all his possessions not to talk of following him? Yes, it is true. How do I know?

If this man really want to have a life eonian, he would want to have a reasonable talk with Yeshua to find an alternative. At least, that would show he was dead serious about this issue.  However, since this rich man was used to do and don't life style (Mosaic laws), he was not humble enough to plead for an alternative approach. It shows this man valued his riches a lot and was not ready to trade anything for it. 

Secondly, this man was not part of the disciples Yahweh chose for Yeshua. Therefore, he would not be one of his disciples (John 6:44). What Yeshua was doing for this man was to check his real attitude against what he was asking him about. His attitude was put in check and this man sadly failed. You do not need to be poor to have eonian life. Your good deeds does not guarantee you eonian life either. Faith through grace of God does.

By the grace of Yahweh, I hope to discuss some of the remaining lessons in this chapter in next week's blog.

Grace and Peace.

Reference

Concordant Literal New Testament (CLNT):
https://www.concordant.org/version/read-concordant-new-testament-online/01