The Rich Young Ruler

An excerpt from chapter four of The Radical Money Manifesto by Joseph William Black

One of the most disturbing incidents in the Gospels is Jesus’s conversation with a wealthy young man who wanted to know what he needed to do to gain eternal life (or “be saved”). The man said he had kept all of the commandments, so Jesus told him: “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Luke 18:22).

“Surely Jesus cannot be serious,” we clamour. The disciples too were astonished at how this conversation turned out. They watched the rich man walk sadly away, thinking that following Jesus cost too much. Perhaps the disciples thought to themselves: “The guy has lots of money. He would have made an excellent member of the team. He could have bankrolled your biggest projects, Jesus!”

Jesus did not help matters with his next statement: “Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25). Not only did this clash with his followers’ understanding of salvation, it demonstrated rather nicely that Jesus was much bigger than the box they were attempting to put him in. “Those who heard this said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ ” (Luke 18:26).

Jesus reminded them just what an impossible reach salvation is: “He replied, ‘What is impossible for mortals is possible for God’” (Luke 18:27). Salvation is hard; it is a narrow way, as opposed to the broad highway most would rather travel. It is hard precisely because it touches and intends to transform, all of our values, including the way we view and use our possessions. Repentance requires radical changes in every human heart, in putting off our old rebellion and putting on Christ and his priorities instead. It is impossible for any of us to do this on our own.

This radical surgery Jesus prescribed for this wealthy young man was shocking. It’s similar to the radical surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment inflicted on someone who has a life-threatening cancer. Jesus knew the young man was sick, and his illness was life-threatening. So Jesus said: “Sell what you have and give the money to the poor.”

More than a few Christians believe the opposite is true. Ostentatious wealth and prosperity, they say, are a sign of God’s blessing. Everyone should seek more and more wealth. Lack of such “blessing” means you are missing out on what God wants to do for you. These Christians are often quick to say that the rich man’s wealth was not the problem.

Jesus, however, knows better. He seems to know precisely when our desire to accumulate wealth becomes a life-threatening cancer that will destroy us if left to run its course. Jesus’s question to the wealthy young man was essentially: “Which is more important to you, keeping your wealth or following me?”

The young man was, like many of us, likely hoping for a third option – “Both!” But that was not offered. While the call to let go of our wealth may seem unnecessary to us, Jesus, who knows our hearts, knows the danger we are in. He knows that it’s not just wealth and possessions that rust and corrode and get stolen; human hearts rust and corrode and get stolen. He knows our hearts become corrupt when wealth is accumulated and spent only on ourselves. Jesus knows that wealth tends to distract those who possess it from true life and meaning.

“Written by a scholar who was formed and has served both sides – the Global North and Global South, as well as Eastern and the Western Christianity, this is a breath of fresh air when it comes to stewardship and the discipleship it demands.” –Very Rev Fr Evangelos Thiani (ThD), Senior Lecturer at Makarios III Orthodox Patriarchal Seminary, Nairobi-Kenya