You Can’t Buy Love.

Class Outline:

Sunday August 3, 2025

 

Main idea: Jesus’ teaching to the rich man reveals that law-keeping can lead a person to eternal life and that we must beware of the demonic power of possessions. 

 

MAT 19:16

And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" 

 

What we can see from the words he uses. 

 

“What good thing” (aorist with singular) - is he thinking of one extraordinary thing? 

 

Likely since he feels as if he has been a good keeper of the law. 

 

JOH 6:28-29, Jesus went right to faith with these Jews, but why not with this Jew? 

 

Repeated verb: echo = to have and hold. (Mark uses “inherit”) MAT 19:16 “have eternal life”; MAT 19:22 “has many possessions”; MAT 19:21 “You will have (future) treasure in heaven.” 

 

He sees eternal life as an acquisition. He could have asked “How?” 

 

MAT 19:17

And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."

 

Jesus is not developing soteriology doctrine, He is teaching principles (didactic or pedagogical) - beginning with a question and then an exploration of “What must I do?”

 

This is only for this man (particular). Zaccheus, Matthew, Joseph of Arimathea, 1TI 6:17.  

 

Watch for the error of particularism, which is to dismiss it. 

 

Jesus switches from “I” to “Me.” He switches from the man to God who is the only good.

 

What is this passage about? 

 

Warm the church of the demonic power of money and possessions.  

 

Money breaks people apart.

 

Early church: ACT 4:32 (why isn’t this socialism?) 

 

Reveal that the self-sufficient must be shown they are sinners by law-keeping.

 

Keeping commandments is a way to eternal life (not equal to) as it leads to poverty or emptiness. MAT 5:3. The poor are blessed if they trust in Jesus as their Savior. 

 

Jesus’ response shows that law-keeping (not just knowing it) will lead to eternal life through a realization of bankruptcy / deficiency: Blessed are the poor, those who mourn, the gentle.

 

Deficiency meets grace through the ministry of God the Holy Spirit. (JOH 16:8-9)

 

Not everyone comes to faith in the same way. 

 

Jesus changes the verb to “enter” from the market to the door / road (narrow). 

 

HEB 10:19-20 There are different paths to the same door. 

 

Beware: every truth has a perversion: 

 

Commandment-keeping leads to deficiency and when it meets grace and has faith this does not lead to sin and independence from God, but to commandment keeping. 

 

Poverty leads to deficiency and when it meets grace and has faith this does not lead to legalism. 

 

MAT 11:28 is for the deficient (infants) and it leads to MAT 11:29, “take My yoke upon you and learn from Me” (commandments). 

 

The law of God cuts everyone deeply.

 

The cure runs deeper. Jesus is letting the law do its work (we will look into what these particular commandments next time). 

 

ROM 3:20 and then “but” ROM 3:21. 

 

“What am I lacking?” can lead to an appeal to God or to something else. 

 

Conclusion / Application

 

Law keeping does lead to eternal life by showing deficiency. Remember this as a witness. 

 

Never lose the realization of how poor you are. Mourn. Be gentle. 

 

Beware of the demonic power of money (LUK 12:15). 

 

Evaluate your own economics (spending, saving, acquiring, how you give). 

 

Don’t be anxious (LUK 12:16 and following). 

 

Go, sell, give (commandments LUK 12:33). 

 

Heeding by faith and you will have a heart transplant - a heart from heaven (LUK 12:34)

 

Communion:

 

2CO 8:9-10

 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.