18 A ruler questioned Him, saying , "Good Teacher , what shall I do to inherit eternal life ?" 19 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good ? No one is good except God alone . 20 "You know the commandments , ' DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY , DO NOT MURDER , DO NOT STEAL , DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS , HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER .' " 21 And he said , "All these things I have kept from my youth ." 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack ; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor , and you shall have treasure in heaven ; and come , follow Me." 23 But when he had heard these things , he became very sad , for he was extremely rich . 24 And Jesus looked at him and said , " How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God ! 25 "For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God ." 26 They who heard it said , "Then who can be saved ?" 27 But He said , " The things that are impossible with people are possible with God ." 28 Peter said , "Behold , we have left our own homes and followed You." 29 And He said to them, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children , for the sake of the kingdom of God , 30 who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age 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.