Luke 18: 18-30 Who Can Be Saved?

Luke 18: 18-30 Who Can Be Saved?

An official asked him this question, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother.'" And he replied, "All of these I have observed from my youth." When Jesus heard this he said to him, "There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." But when he heard this he became quite sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him (now sad) and said, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?" And he said, "What is impossible for human beings is possible for God." Then Peter said, "We have given up our possessions and followed you." He said to them, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not receive (back) an overabundant return in this present age and eternal life in the age to come."

A wealthy and powerful young man asks Jesus how to achieve everlasting life. Jesus refers him to the Commandments, specifically those concerned with love of neighbor, which the young man claims to have done since childhood. Then Jesus adds one more little thing – the man must give all his possessions to the poor and follow Jesus. This appears to be a deal-breaker for the young man. I guess it goes to the issue of the spirit of the law vs. the letter of the law. Jesus sums up the law in two simple statements: Love God above all, Love neighbor as you love yourself. Perhaps what Jesus is saying is that if you truly carry out these laws then you want to follow him and his ways with your heart and soul. If you love your neighbor as yourself then you would want to do all in your power to make the lives of those around you better. This is a message that not only the young man finds hard to swallow. I too am far from meeting this standard. How is it possible he and we ask? Only with God’s help. Only by having our hearts and minds changed could such a countercultural message of justice, solidarity, generosity and humility ever be possible.