Luke 18:15-20: a reflection

15They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16Jesus summoned them, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t hinder them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these. 17Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.” 18A certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one: God. 20You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”

When a ruler comes to Jesus earnestly asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus receives the great question, and gently turns the man's attention to God alone as good. A certain ruler asked him, good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? The man had come to Jesus with the most important question a person can ask: how to have eternal life, life with God forever. He came earnestly, calling Jesus good Teacher, seeking an answer. And Jesus, receiving the question, first turns the man's attention Godward: why do you call me good? No one is good except one, God. The great question of eternal life is worth bringing earnestly to Christ, and it leads us to God, who alone is good. This shows the worth of earnestly seeking eternal life and being pointed to God alone as good. Bring the great question of your eternal welfare earnestly to Christ. Seek eternal life earnestly; it is the most important question you can ask. Christ points us to God alone as good. The question of eternal life leads us Godward.

Notice both the ruler's question and Jesus' response. The ruler came to Jesus with a great and earnest question: what shall I do to inherit eternal life? This is the most important question a person can ask, the question of one's eternal welfare, of life with God forever; and the ruler came earnestly seeking its answer. That earnestness about eternal life is itself commendable; many never seriously ask the question at all, absorbed in lesser things. And Jesus' first response turns the man's attention Godward: why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. Whatever else Jesus meant, he directs the man to consider God, who alone is truly good, the source and standard of goodness. This holds encouragement and direction for us. First, it is right and important to seek eternal life earnestly, to take seriously the great question of our eternal welfare, our life with God, rather than being wholly absorbed in the passing concerns of this life and never seriously asking it. We do well to bring this great question earnestly to Christ, as the ruler did. And second, the question leads us Godward: to God, who alone is good, who is the source of the eternal life we seek. To seek eternal life is finally to seek God himself, the only truly good one. We do well to seek eternal life earnestly, bringing the great question to Christ, and to be led by it to God, who alone is good. Bring the great question of your eternal welfare earnestly to Christ. Take seriously the question of eternal life, the most important you can ask. The question of eternal life leads you Godward, to the only truly good one. Do not be so absorbed in lesser things that you never earnestly seek eternal life.

That is worth taking to heart, for it is right to seek eternal life earnestly and to be led Godward by the question, as the ruler came to Jesus and was pointed to God alone as good. We can be absorbed in lesser things and never earnestly ask about eternal life; but the ruler brought the great question to Jesus, who turned him toward God, the only good one. Seek it earnestly. Do not neglect the great question of your eternal welfare; bring it earnestly to Christ, and let it lead you Godward, to the only truly good one. Bring the great question of your eternal welfare earnestly to Christ, and let it lead you Godward to the only truly good one, as when a ruler came to Jesus earnestly asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus received the great question and gently turned the man's attention to God alone as good, asking why he called him good since no one is good except God; for the man had come with the most important question a person can ask, how to have eternal life and life with God forever, coming earnestly and seeking an answer, and Jesus receiving the question first turned his attention Godward, so that the great question of eternal life is worth bringing earnestly to Christ and leads us to God who alone is good, which holds encouragement and direction for us, since first it is right and important to seek eternal life earnestly and take seriously the great question of our eternal welfare rather than being wholly absorbed in the passing concerns of this life and never seriously asking it, so that we do well to bring this great question earnestly to Christ as the ruler did, and second the question leads us Godward to God who alone is good and is the source of the eternal life we seek, since to seek eternal life is finally to seek God himself, the only truly good one, so that we do well to seek eternal life earnestly and be led by it to God.

Lord Jesus, when a ruler comes to you earnestly asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, you receive the great question, and gently turn the man's attention to God alone as good. A certain ruler asked him, good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? The man had come to you with the most important question a person can ask: how to have eternal life, life with God forever. He came earnestly, calling you good Teacher, seeking an answer. And you, receiving the question, first turn the man's attention Godward: why do you call me good? No one is good except one, God. The great question of eternal life is worth bringing earnestly to you, and it leads to God, who alone is good. Show me both the ruler's question and your response. The ruler came to you with a great and earnest question: what shall I do to inherit eternal life? This is the most important question a person can ask, the question of one's eternal welfare, of life with God forever; and he came earnestly seeking its answer. That earnestness about eternal life is itself commendable; many never seriously ask the question at all, absorbed in lesser things. And your first response turns the man's attention Godward: why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You direct the man to consider God, who alone is truly good. This holds encouragement and direction for me. First, it is right and important to seek eternal life earnestly, to take seriously the great question of my eternal welfare, my life with you, rather than being wholly absorbed in the passing concerns of this life and never seriously asking it. And second, the question leads me Godward: to God, who alone is good, who is the source of the eternal life I seek. To seek eternal life is finally to seek God himself. Take that to my heart. Keep me from being so absorbed in lesser things that I never earnestly seek eternal life; help me bring the great question of my eternal welfare earnestly to you, Lord, and be led by it Godward, to the only truly good one, seeking eternal life earnestly as the most important question I can ask.