18 And a certain ruler put a question to him, saying, Good Master, what have I to do so that I may have eternal life? 19 And Jesus said to him, Why do you say that I am good? No one is good, but only God. 20 You have knowledge of what the law says: Do not be untrue to your wife, Do not put anyone to death, Do not take what is not yours, Do not give false witness, Give honour to your father and mother. 21 And he said, All these things I have done from the time when I was a boy. 22 And Jesus, hearing it, said to him, One thing you still have need of; get money for your goods, and give it away to the poor, and you will have wealth in heaven; and come after me. 23 But at these words he became very sad, for he had great wealth. 24 And Jesus, looking at him, said, How hard it is for those who have wealth to get into the kingdom of God! 25 It is simpler for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a man who has much money to come into the kingdom of God. 26 And those who were present said, Then who may have salvation? 27 But he said, Things which are not possible with man are possible with God. 28 And Peter said, See, we have given up what is ours to come after you. 29 And he said to them, Truly I say to you, There is no man who has given up house or wife or brothers or father or mother or children, because of the kingdom of God, 30 Who will not get much more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 18:18-30
Commentary on Luke 18:18-30
(Read Luke 18:18-30)
Many have a great deal in them very commendable, yet perish for lack of some one thing; so this ruler could not bear Christ's terms, which would part between him and his estate. Many who are loth to leave Christ, yet do leave him. After a long struggle between their convictions and their corruptions, their corruptions carry the day. They are very sorry that they cannot serve both; but if one must be quitted, it shall be their God, not their wordly gain. Their boasted obedience will be found mere outside show; the love of the world in some form or other lies at the root. Men are apt to speak too much of what they have left and lost, of what they have done and suffered for Christ, as Peter did. But we should rather be ashamed that there has been any regret or difficulty in doing it.