Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” 17 He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; 19 honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
A sincere young man asks Jesus what “good” he must do to have eternal life (Mt. 19:16). Jesus first re-centers him on God as the source of all goodness and life, then points him to the Commandments (Mt. 19:17-19). Matthew notes that Jesus lists precepts concerning our neighbor—honor parents, refrain from killing, adultery, theft, false witness—and concludes with “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18; cf. Ex. 20:12-16). This does not set aside the first three Commandments—our duty to worship and love God—but provides a concrete test of charity: the love of neighbor in justice and mercy (Is. 58:6-8; Prov. 19:17).
When the young man says he has kept these, Jesus invites him further: “If you wish to be perfect go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Mt. 19:21; cf. Mt. 6:19-21; Mt. 5:48). The man goes away sad “for he had many possessions” (Mt. 19:22). The transition is crucial: from doing good things to entrusting one’s whole life to the Good One; from minimum compliance with the Law to personal communion with Christ—“Follow Me.” The Law leads to life (Deut. 30:19), but Jesus, the Wisdom of God, calls to a fullness that orders every attachment to love of God and neighbor (Phil. 3:7-8; 1 Tim. 6:17-19; Acts 2:44-45).
Modern Catholic commentaries emphasize that Jesus does not set the Commandments aside or reduce salvation to rule-keeping; rather, he draws the seeker to their inner goal: an undivided love of God that becomes concrete in mercy to the poor. “Treasure in heaven” reveals where the heart truly rests (Mt. 6:21), and the young man’s sadness discloses divided allegiance. The counsel to sell all is not imposed as a universal precept; it exposes whatever in us functions as a rival “master” (cf. Mt. 6:24). In the Old Testament, fidelity to God was tied to justice for the poor; Jesus personalizes that call in the invitation, “follow me.”
The Fathers read the passage similarly. St. John Chrysostom (c. 349-407) says Christ names the neighbor-commandments to show that love must become costly mercy; the test is almsgiving. St. Jerome (c. 347-420) explains that “perfect” indicates the road of maturity for those called to it; the core for all is detachment of heart. St. Augustine (354-430) insists that not all are commanded to sell everything, but all are commanded not to be enslaved by anything; the issue is the love that orders possessions to God and the poor.
For today, our culture prizes accumulation and self-definition. Jesus asks us to examine attachments—wealth, reputation, even “good” projects—that keep the heart from undivided love. Generous mercy, concrete solidarity with the poor, and a readiness to obey Christ wherever he leads are how we “store up treasure in heaven” (Lk. 12:33-34; Jas. 2:14-17). Freedom is found not in what we keep, but in whom we follow.
Lord Jesus, Good Teacher and Giver of life, free our hearts from every rival love. Teach us to keep your commandments and to follow you with undivided hearts, generous toward the poor and rich in the treasures of heaven. Amen.
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Sources and References (short-form)
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011): Mt. 19:16-22; Ex. 20:12-16; Lev. 19:18; Deut. 30:19; Is. 58:6-8; Prov. 19:17; Mt. 5:48; Mt. 6:19-24; Lk. 12:33-34; Acts 2:44-45; 1 Tim. 6:17-19; Phil. 3:7-8; Jas. 2:14-17.
- Bernard Orchard et al., A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture (1953).
- Faculty of the University of Navarre, The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition (2008).
- José Enrique Aguilar Chiu et al., eds., The Paulist Biblical Commentary (2018).
- Raymond E. Brown et al., The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (1990).
- Étienne Charpentier, How to Read the Old Testament (1981).
- St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew; St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; St. Augustine, Sermons/Questions on the Gospels (dates as noted above).
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