“What can I do to have eternal life” (Matt. 19:16)? How would you answer such a question? Jesus was asked this question by a young man, whom we find out later was very rich. I think we should take this man’s question at face value and see him as a genuine seeker of eternal life. Though he had “great possessions” (v. 22), he realized that he had not yet come to possess eternal life. So, he wanted to know what he had to do to have eternal life.
The Jews viewed history as consisting of two ages—the present evil age and the glorious age to come. The question the man is asking has to do with the age to come. He wants to know how he can live in the age to come, not necessarily how he can go to heaven when he dies. This paradigm is biblical, and we can see the inauguration of the age to come through Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Now eternal life is given to all those who will believe in Jesus (cf. John 3:36). Though the young man could not imagine how God would bring eternal life about, he definitely wants a share of it. He wants his piece of the pie.
What is surprising is Jesus’ response to the young man. Jesus doesn’t call him to faith or belief, he calls him to obedience. “Keep the commandments” (v. 17). We think Jesus is wrong here because He’s preaching Law instead of Gospel, but let’s hold our judgment for a moment. The young man wants to know which commandments he has to keep, and Jesus gives him six (vv. 18-19), all having to do with his treatment of others. And the man says he’s kept them (v. 20)! Amazing! Here is a man who has kept the Law, and yet, his obedience has not given him the assurance of having eternal life. He’s still missing something and is aware of it. He knows his obedience is not good enough.
So, Jesus tells him to get rid of all his stuff. “Go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (v. 21). The first part of this instruction to the young man involves liquidating all his assets and giving all the proceeds to the poor. Previously, Jesus had told the young man that he needs to “love his neighbor as himself.” Love does not require that we would simply do no wrong to our neighbor, but that we would do good to them. The young man could have thought that since he didn’t kill his neighbor (one of the commandments Jesus told him to keep), then he was actually loving his neighbor. I guess on the surface that is true. But the command to “love your neighbor” goes beyond simply not killing him. It calls you to actively seek their good. This is what Jesus is calling the young man to here. If you truly think you’ve kept the commandments, are as “good” and “perfect” as God is (see v. 17, 21, and 5:48), then sell your stuff, give to the poor, and follow me.
The call to discipleship, to follow Jesus, is the second part of Jesus’ commands to the young man. This is the call for all who would have eternal life, all who would share in the life of the new age Jesus brought about through his work, His obedience to the Father’s will. It is necessary for us to see how Jesus seems to usurp the commandments by this call to discipleship. Why didn’t Jesus call the young man to keep the first three commandments? He’s doing so here. Jesus is taking the place of Yahweh. Eternal life comes from following Jesus, of placing Him before us as our Lord and God, the One who “gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age” (Gal. 1:4). Are you following Him?