Jonathan W.

Lo
CGST

ETERNAL LIFE IN THE SYNOPTIC “CALL OF THE RICH MAN” NARRATIVE

Introduction

In an episode recorded in all three synoptic gospels, an affluent Jew poses the following

question to Jesus: “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Although the focus of the

story is a rich man’s denial of Jesus’ call to discipleship, his question provides a

window into the meaning and significance of the phrase ‘eternal life’ in early Christian

usage.1 What is ‘eternal life’ (zwh_ ai0w&nioj) in the synoptic gospels and what

attendant beliefs and assumptions are attached to it? To which body of existing

traditions does the Synoptic understanding of ‘eternal life’ belong? What is the

meaning and significance of ‘eternal life’ for the Synoptic evangelists?

Jewish eschatological beliefs were diverse in early Judaism, with beliefs ranging

from the repudiation of the afterlife by the Sadducees, to bodily resurrection and the

immortality of the soul.2 N. T. Wright observes, ‘Almost any position one can imagine

on the subject appears to have been espoused by some Jews somewhere in the period

between the Maccabaean crisis and the writing of the Mishnah, roughly 200 BC to AD

200.’3 Although ‘eternal life’ will become a significant expression synonymous with

1
This narrative will hereafter be referred to the “Call of the Rich Man”.
2
Nickelsburg, Resurrection, Immortality, and Eternal Life in Intertestamental Judaism (Cambridge: Harvard
University Press, 1972).
3
Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003). See also Barr, The Garden of
Eden and the Hope of Immortality (Chatham, Kent: SCM Press, 1992).

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the Christian eschatological hope and salvation,4 the phrase was also employed by

various other early Jewish writers.5

Secondly, ‘eternal life’ seems to convey more than the idea that an afterlife

exists. In the discourse immediately following the “The Call of the Rich Man”, ‘eternal

life’ is synonymous with ‘entering the kingdom of God’ and ‘salvation’. However,

most debates concerning ‘eternal life’ have centered on the possible modes of afterlife

existence rather than the theological context of the expression. Oscar Cullman, for

example, argued famously in 1945 that the Greek idea of ‘the immortality of the soul’ is

incompatible with Christian belief in ‘the resurrection of the body’.6 Notable scholars

such as Alan Segal and Jan Bremmer have studied afterlife beliefs as a religious

phenomenon across different cultures, and have traced the historical and sociological

development of Christian afterlife concepts.7 Wright devoted an entire volume on the

theological significance of the resurrection of only one individual, namely Jesus.8

However, the question of ‘eternal life’ in its biblical and theological context in the

synoptic gospels has not been fully answered.9 “Eternal life” and “life” are much larger

themes in the Gospel of John and the letters of Paul, and have thereby generated greater

scholarly attention in Johannine and Pauline studies, but there has yet to be a

comprehensive exegetical study on the synoptic gospels with respect to 'eternal life’.10

4
See Acts 13:46-48.
5
The Qumran Community saw themselves as the present locus of eternal life. 1QH 3:19-38; 6:1-7:5; 11:3-14.
Aseneth was given eternal life after she repented of her idolatry (Jos. Asen. 15-16). Pss. Sol. 3,13,14,15
mentions the resurrection of the righteous unto eternal life. In 2 Mac. 7:9 ‘eternal life’ is the martyr’s
vindication.
6
Cullman, Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection of the Dead (London: Epworth Press, 1958).
7
Bremmer, The Rise and Fall of the Afterlife: The 1995 Read-Tuckwell Lectures (London/New York:
Routledge, 2002), Segal, Life After Death: A History of the Afterlife in the Religions of the West (New York:
Doubleday, 2004).
8
Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003).
9
Writers who do focus on theology have tended to take a ‘systematic’ or ‘doctrinal’ approach to eschatology
instead of a historical-critical approach. See Charles, Eschatology: A Critical History of the Doctrine of a
Future Life in Israel, in Judaism, and in Christianity (London: A. and C. Black, 1913).
10
Crossan, The Gospel of Eternal Life: Reflections on the Theology of St John (Milwaukee :: Bruce Pub, 1967),
Luzarraga, "Eternal life in the Johannine writings," 18, (1991), Painter. "Inclined to God : the quest for eternal
life--Bultmannian hermeneutics and the theology of the Fourth Gospel," in Exploring the Gospel of John:

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The following analysis will be an exegetical study of the “Call of the Rich Man”

pericope in the three synoptic gospels, with the purpose of investigating more fully the

synoptic gospel writers’ understanding of ‘eternal life’. It will be seen that the synoptic

portrayal of ‘eternal life’ is far richer and multivalent than the idea of immortality

alone, and that although the expression does not occur very often in the synoptic

gospels, it is nonetheless closely related to other important themes in the synoptic

tradition.

As already mentioned above, the “Call of the Rich Man” is the only gospel pericope

where ‘eternal life’ is mentioned in the same pericope in all three synoptic gospel accounts.

The narrative is essentially a failed call narrative, in which the rich man in the story rejects

Jesus’s invitation to discipleship. The same episode, notwithstanding noticeable differences,

is found in Mark 10:17-31, Matt 19:16-30, and Luke 18:18-30. The account is sometimes

known as the story of ‘The Rich Young Ruler’,11 however, such a title harmonizes details

from all three gospels. In Matthew’s gospel, the rich man is called a ‘young man’,12 but in

Mark’s version of the story, he is likely an older man, since ‘he has kept the commandments

since his youth’.13 It is only in Luke’s account that he is referred to at all as ‘a certain

ruler’.14 Although the general structure and discourse of the story is retained in all three

gospels, there are subtle changes specific to each gospel. For this reason, the episode as

recorded by each evangelist will be explored separately, beginning with Mark’s account,

followed by Matthew’s and finally ending with Luke. Each section will begin with a literary

analysis of the text, followed by a discussion of the implications for understanding ‘eternal

life.’

Louisville, Ky : Westminster John Knox Pr, 1996, 1996), Park, Conceptions of Afterlife in Jewish Inscriptions:
With Special Reference to Pauline Literature (Tubingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 2000), Thompson, "Eternal life in the
Gospel of John," 5, (1989).
11
As also noted by Mann, Mark (New York, New York: Doubleday, 1986), p. 398.
12
Matt 19:20.
13
Mark 10:20.
14
Luke 18:18.

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The “Call of the Rich Man”: Mark 10:17-31

Literary Context

The “Call of the Rich Man” pericope contains the only explicit references to ‘eternal life’ in

the Gospel of Mark. The episode is inserted towards the end of Jesus’ emblematic journey to

Jerusalem,15 followed only by the dubious request of the sons of Zebedee, and the healing of

blind Bartimaeus. The journey, which comprises a significant section of the gospel, is

sandwiched between the healing of two blind men: one at the beginning of the journey and

the other at the end.16 The purpose of the journey is clear, as evinced by Jesus’ three-fold

passion predictions scattered throughout this section: he will be betrayed, killed, but will rise

again after three days.17 The content of the journey includes various teachings on

discipleship,18 the transfiguration,19 a rectified exorcism,20 an argument about greatness,21

and some requests made of Jesus. Some Pharisees, with the intention of testing him, ask

Jesus a question about divorce.22 People bring children so that Jesus might touch and bless

them.23 A rich man has a question regarding eternal life, and shortly after, James and John

ask Jesus for a special favor.24 The “Call of the Rich Man” is located in the context of these

themes: it is one story, among other similar accounts, of someone who has a question for

Jesus as he and disciples are on their way to Jerusalem. It is immediately preceded by the

account of Jesus blessing the little children and saying, ‘Truly I tell you, whoever does not

15
Mark 8:22-10:52.
16
Cf. Mark 8:22-26; 10:46-52. See also Donahue and Harrington, The Gospel of Mark (Collegeville Minnesota:
The Liturgical Press, 2002), p.302.
17
Mark 8:31; 9:30; 10:32-34. Mark has an affinity for triadic patterns: three seed parables, three popular
opinions about John, three popular opinions about Jesus, three failures of the disciples to stay awake in the
garden, and three denials of Jesus by Peter, etc. See Johnson, The Writings of the New Testament (Minneapolis:
Fortress Press, 1999), p. 162.
18
8:34-38; 9:35-37; 10:42-45.
19
9:2-13.
20
9:14-29.
21
9:33-50.
22
10:1-12.
23
Mark 10:13-16.
24
Mark 10:17-31; 35-45.

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receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’25 The brief episode acts as a

literary foil to the “Call of the Rich Man”, in which Jesus declares that it is nearly impossible

for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.26 The reluctance of the rich man to lay down his

possessions is also a stark contrast to Bartimaeus in the following narrative, who upon being

healed throws off his cloak and follows Jesus ‘on the way’.27 The story begins with a

question about ‘eternal life’ (v. 17), and concludes with Jesus promising ‘eternal life’ to his

followers (v. 30). Peter’s announcement of support for Jesus in verse 28 is a response to the

rich man’s rejection and Jesus’ comments. As much as the episode is about rich people and

their relation to the kingdom, it is also about the requirements of the kingdom, as well as the

reward for faithful discipleship.28

Implications for Eternal Life

The Question of Eternal Life

The rich man inquires, “What must I do to inherit ‘eternal life’?” Every questioner, from the

way their question is framed, assumes they know something about the nature of the answer

they expect in return. The rich man, by his question, assumes that Jesus shares a common

understanding of ‘eternal life’, and that he might be the sort of teacher who is able to impart

knowledge of this kind. The rich man uses the language of inheritance (klhronomh&sw) in

reference to ‘eternal life’, assuming that the means to ‘eternal life’ is through inheritance. In

addition, an inheritance suggests that it is something to be received in the future, and the

evangelist confirms this in v. 30 that ‘eternal life’ will be the reward e0n tw|~ ai0w~ni tw|~

e0rxome/nw|. Thirdly, the rich man assumes that ‘eternal life’ can be inherited through

something he can do (ti/ poih&sw). ‘Eternal life’ in the narrative will be analyzed with

respect to these three assumptions.

25
Mark 10:15.
26
See also Evans, Mark 8:27-16:20 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001), p. 91.
27
Mark 10:50-52.
28
See also Hurtado, Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1989), p. 165.

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A Common Understanding of the Nature of ‘Eternal Life’

The rich man’s first assumption is that Jesus is cognizant of ‘eternal life’ and is competent to

impart knowledge regarding it. Is the question about ‘eternal life’ in general (i.e. ‘what must

I do to inherit the eternal life that all religious Jews know about”),29 or ‘eternal life’ that is

specific to the teachings of Jesus (i.e. ‘what must I do to the inherit the eternal life of which

you speak?’)? It is curious that throughout Mark’s Gospel, there is no explicit mention of

‘eternal life’ neither prior to this episode nor following it. There are also two references to

zwh& unaccompanied by ai0w&nioj (but used in the same sense) in Jesus’ statement about it

being better to ‘enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell…’,30 but it is by

no means a major theme or teaching in the rest of the gospel.31 It is possible that Jesus did

teach concerning ‘eternal life’ but it was not an important concern for the evangelist, or that

he did not have access to the relevant materials. Another possibility is that it was a general

question not directly related to any specific teaching of Jesus. After all, many people,

impressed with Jesus’ authority and wisdom, were approaching him with all kinds of

questions.32 The Pharisees ask him about divorce and paying taxes to Caesar.33 The

Sadducees pose an intentionally absurd question about the resurrection, and a genuine scribe

questions him about the first of all the commandments.34 It seems that perhaps ‘eternal life’

could well be another random question in this disparate list of topics. However, a closer

examination of the text reveals that ‘eternal life’ seems to be synonymous with, or at least

closely connected to, several other ideas that do appear in the gospel.

29
A rabbinic parallel can be found in b. cAbod. Zar. 18a: ‘Rabbi…will you cause me to enter the life of the
World to Come?’
30
Mark 9:43-45.
31
This pericope will be discussed below in 3.3. See also Mk. 8:34-38, where a yuxh& as something to be gained
in the future is mentioned.
32
Mark 12:17, 28, 37b, etc.
33
Mark 10:2-12; 12:13-17.
34
Mark 12:18-27, 28-34.

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The rich man asks how he might obtain ‘eternal life’, but in vv. 23-25, Jesus exclaims

three times that it is difficult for the rich ‘to enter the kingdom of God’ (ei0j th_n basilei/an

tou~ qeou~ ei0selqei=n). Furthermore, in v. 26 the disciples, in response to Jesus’ remark, ask

each other: ‘who then can be saved? (kai\ ti/j du&natai swqh~nai;)’ This suggests that for the

Markan evangelist there is a connection between ‘eternal life’, entering the kingdom and

salvation.35 In Mark 9:42-48, the same association is made between ‘life’ and the kingdom of

God. In fact, ‘life’ in vv. 43-45 is not to be inherited (klhronome/w), but entered into

(ei0selqei=n ei0j th_n zwh_n), the same language used of access to the kingdom of God. On the

other hand, the language of inheritance is also used of the kingdom of God. In Matt 25:34,

for example, the king in Jesus’ parable invites the sheep to inherit the kingdom prepared for

them before the foundation of the world ( klhronomh&sate th_n h(toimasme/nhn u(mi=n

basilei/an a)po_ katabolh~j ko&smou). Paul, in 1 Corinthians also writes of people

‘inheriting the kingdom of God’.36 A comprehensive treatment of the kingdom of God in

Mark is not possible given the scope of this essay, but it is sufficient for the present to note

that in certain texts the terms kingdom of God and ‘eternal life’ are used both interchangeably

and with the same ancillary verbs. The concepts of ‘salvation’, ‘savior’, and ‘being saved’

are used much more frequently in Luke than in either Mark or Matthew37 but there is still

evidence of overlap of these concepts with the ideas of kingdom and ‘eternal life’. In 2 Tim

4:18, God will save into his heavenly kingdom (sw&sei ei0j th_n basilei/an au)tou~ th_n

e0poura&nion). Likewise, in 2 Pet 1:11 the writer mentions h( ei1sodoj ei0j th_n ai0w&nion

basilei/an tou~ kuri/ou h(mw~n kai\ swth~roj 0Ihsou~ Xristou~, the entrance into the eternal

35
Donahue et al., Donahue and Harrington, The Gospel of Mark (Collegeville Minnesota: The Liturgical Press,
2002), 303., also observe this but does not elaborate further on the matter. France, The Gospel of Mark: A
Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002), p.401.
takes ‘eternal life to mean ultimate salvation, ‘seen as beyond this life’.
36
Cf. 1 Cor 6:9; 15:50. See also Gal 5:21.
37
The Synoptic distribution of the terms sw|&zw, swth&r, and swthri/a (Luke: 23 occurrences, Matt: 15, Mark:
16) do not adequately convey Luke’s preference for the terms because sw|&zw is also used in Matthew and Mark
more broadly to refer also to healing, i.e. being ‘saved’ from blindness and other illnesses, etc. Mark 10:52;
Matt 9:22.

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kingdom of ‘our lord and savior Jesus Christ’. Finally, in Heb 1:14, ministering spirits are

sent on account of tou_j me/llontaj klhronomei=n swthri/an. As with ‘eternal life’ and the

kingdom of God, the language of inheritance is also used in regards to salvation.

The Language of Inheritance

In Mark 10:22 the reader is informed that the man is someone who has many possessions

(e1xwn kth&mata polla&). Titus 3:7 mentions becoming heirs according to the hope of

‘eternal life’ (klhrono&moi genhqw~men kat0 e0lpi/da zwh~j ai0wni/ou), but can this connection

also be traced in the Jewish background outside of the NT? In several works of the OT

psuedepigrapha, there is mention of the inheritance of ‘eternal life’ and ‘life’. For example,

in the Psalms of Solomon, the inheritance of the wicked is death, darkness, and destruction,

but “the pious of the Lord shall inherit life in gladness.”38 In 1En 50:2, Phanuel is the name

of the angel of the Lord “set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life.”

In 2En 50:3, ‘Enoch’ urges his children to spend their days in patience and meekness, that

they ‘inherit endless life’ on the day of great judgment. He continues on in his exhortation,

“Whoever of you spends gold or silver for his brother’s sake, he will receive ample treasure

in the world to come.” Jesus gives a similar command in Mark 10:21: “Go, sell what you

own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” The parallel

does not end there. Compare also the exhortation found in 2En 51:4, “…every grievous and

cruel yoke that come upon you bear all for the sake of the Lord, and thus you will find your

reward in the day of judgment”, with the end of the “Call of the Rich Man” in Mark 10:29-

30: “there is no one who has left house or… fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good

news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters,

38
Ps. Sol. 14:7. Pace France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002), p. 401., whose opinion is that ‘eternal life’ and inheritance are
differently associated.

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mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.”

And in 2 Bar 44:12-15:

And the hour comes which abides for ever. And the new world (comes) which does
not turn to corruption those who depart to its blessedness, and has no mercy on those
who depart to torment, and leads not to perdition those who live in it. For these are
they who shall inherit that time which has been spoken of, and theirs is the
inheritance of the promised time. These are they who have acquired for themselves
treasures of wisdom, And with them are found stores of understanding, and from
mercy have they not withdrawn, and the truth of the law have they preserved. For to
them shall be given the world to come, But the dwelling of the rest who are many
shall be in the fire.

It can be seen from these later Jewish texts that, in at least some Jewish circles prior to the 1st

century C.E., there was already a notion of a futuristic ‘eternal life’ to be inherited by the

righteous. This life is set in the context of a future reality described by terms like ‘a new

world’, ‘the world to come’, ‘the promised time’, and ‘the day of judgment’ It is plausible

that the “Call of the Rich Man” also draws on these traditions and ideations of post-mortem

recompense. Inheritance of ‘eternal life’, the kingdom, and salvation as rewards for the

righteous is consistent with with at least some patterns of early Jewish thinking.

One other aspect of inheritance is that of its relation to sonship; it is a reward which is

given to a son within the family.39 In the parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matt 21:33-46;

Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19), the vineyard is a symbol of Israel and the kingdom of God, of

which the son of the owner, namely Jesus, is heir. The wicked tenants conspire among

themselves, ‘ou{to&j e0stin o( klhrono&moj: deu~te a)poktei/nwmen au)to&n, kai\ h(mw~n e1stai h(

klhronomi/a.’ With the death of the son, the vineyard will now be given to those who will be

faithful to produce fruits of the kingdom to the owner.40 In the context of Matthew, these are

the ones who hear Jesus’ message, who understand it and act upon it.41 Throughout the

Gospels, Jesus is depicted as addressing God as a father and encouraging his followers to do

39
See Luke 12:13; 15:12, etc.
40
Matt 21:41.
41
Matt 13:23.

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the same.42 Matthew 13:38 speaks of those receptive to the message of Jesus as oi9 ui9oi\ th~j

basilei/aj, sons of the kingdom. Jesus’ adult followers are called ‘children’ in Mark 10:24

and are taught to think of themselves as sons in relation to God.43 In the explanation to the

parable of the Sower in Matt 13:43, the righteous “will shine like the sun in the kingdom of

their Father.” This theme of sonship and inheritance is even more explicit in Paul’s letters.

In Rom 9:4, Paul writes that adoption into sonship belongs to Israel, and in other texts

Gentiles also receive ‘adoption as children of God through Jesus Christ.’44 Elsewhere in

Rom 8:16-17, Paul connects the motif of sonship to inheritance, ‘…it is that very Spirit

bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs

of God and joint heirs with Christ…’ A similar idea is found in Gal 3:29: ‘And if you belong

to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.’ For Paul

sonship is closely related to the Spirit; however, it can be seen from these texts that it is not a

huge leap to suppose that 1st century writers held the ideas of sonship and inheritance closely

together.

The Means to ‘Eternal Life’

As seen in the discussion above, the rich man’s question is farther-reaching (as far as the

Markan evangelist is concerned) than simply a matter of obtaining an unending life. It is a

question about the kingdom, salvation, and being included into the inheritance of the

righteous. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus exhorts his listeners to ‘seek first the kingdom and [God’s]

righteousness.’ The question here, essentially, is one concerning righteousness and so the

rich man asks: ti/ poih&sw, what thing should I do? In other words, the Rich Man wishes to

know the requirements for being counted among the righteous in eschatological terms. This

kind of question is common in Jewish circles of this period and is similar to questions already

42
Matt 5:16; 5:45; 5:48; 6:8-9; 11:25; Mark 14:46; Luke 6:36, etc.
43
Matt 7:11; 17:26; Luke 6:35; 20:36
44
Eph 1:5. See also Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5.

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posed to Jesus. The question about which commandment of the law is the greatest or the

first,45 for example, is really one which requires Jesus to divulge his understanding of the law

and what is necessary for righteousness. The commandments Jesus lists for the rich man are

from the second half of the Decalogue,46 the series of commands pertaining to ‘loving one’s

neighbor’.47 The topic of Jesus and the Law is the subject of much scholarly discussion and

will not be explored in detail here, but his answer to the rich man is characteristic of his

attitude towards the Law in the rest of the synoptic gospels: he believes that ‘keeping the true

spirit of the Law guarantees eternal life.’48 According to Wisdom 5:15, ‘…the righteous live

forever, and their reward is with the Lord...’49 Evans observes that this is confirmed by the

conclusion to the parable of the Good Samaritan, where Jesus answers ‘do this, and you will

live.’ He hears this as an echo of Lev 18:5, ‘which the person shall do and live by them.’

The targums to Leviticus paraphrase the verse in the following ways: ‘by doing which, he

shall live by them in eternal life’, and ‘by doing which he shall live by them in eternal life

and shall be assigned a portion with the righteous’.50 However, while Jesus affirms the law

he also suggests that it is not sufficient; he advocates a righteousness which supercedes the

letter of the law.51

In Mark 10:21 Jesus tells the rich man he lacks one thing ( e3n se u(sterei=) when in

fact several things are demanded of him. A number of imperatives are given: u#page, o#sa

e1xeij pw&lhson kai\ do_j toi=j ptwxoi=j, kai\ e3ceij qhsauro_n e0n ou)ranw|~, kai\ deu~ro

a)kolou&qei moi. Although the conjunction kai\ is not very helpful for seeing the structure of

45
Matt 22:36; Mark 12:28.
46
Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16-20. Except for the fifth command, which is left until the end, the order of the
commandments follow the Hebrew text rather than that of the LXX. The prohibitions are also in the subjunctive
mood rather than the indicative of the LXX commands.
47
Lev 19:18. See also Rom 13:9.
48
Evans, Mark 8:27-16:20 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001), p. 95.
49
See also Wis 6:18, 18:4.
50
Tg. Onq. Lev 18:5; Tg. Ps.-J. Lev 18:5.
51
See also Matt 5:20: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you
will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

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the sentence, the imperatives in the verse can be organized in the following way to illustrate

what is expected of the rich man:

Sentence Flow of Mark 10:21

* u¢page
pw¿lhson o¢sa e¶ceiß

eºxeiß qhsauro\n e˙n oujranwˆ◊

kai«
kai«
do\ß [toi√ß] ptwcoi√ß
kai«

* deuvro

aÓkolou/qei moi

The pair of commands ‘go’ and ‘come’ are complimentary to each other: the rich man is to

go in order that he may sell what he has and give to the poor, and then he is to come and

follow Jesus. The imperatives pw&lhson and do_j are to be grouped together and

subordinated under u#page, and if obeyed will result in the rich man having treasure in

heaven. This is repeated in Luke’s adaptation of the so-called Q material, “Sell your

possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing

treasure in heaven…”52 After he has done this, the rich man is then to come and follow

Jesus. The imperative a)kolou&qei moi is the same one employed by Jesus to call Levi the tax

collector in Mark 2:14, and is language used of discipleship throughout the gospels.53 The

crux of the series of imperatives is discipleship, the ‘one thing’ the rich man is lacking. And

it is precisely his wealth that prevents him from following Jesus.54

The episode comes to a tragic conclusion, and Jesus laments how difficult it is for the

wealthy to enter the kingdom. He reiterates this statement twice more, once making a

52
Luke 12:33; cf. Matt 6:19-21.
53
Matt 8:22, 9:9, 16:24; Mark 8:34; John 1:43, etc.
54
The explanatory ga_r reveals it is because of the man’s many possessions.

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hyperbolic comparison of a rich person entering the kingdom of God with that of a camel

entering the eye of a needle. The disciples are amazed at this but Jesus responds that

although it is impossible for men with God all things are possible.55 Peter then speaks up,

perhaps in moral support of Jesus (who seemed to be lamenting the rejection of the rich man)

or perhaps in self-interest,56 tells Jesus that although the rich man rejects him, the disciples

have left everything to follow him.57 The whole episode comes to a close with Jesus

affirming Peter’s word of encouragement, and announcing that the many sacrifices made for

his sake, and for the sake of the good news will be compensated both in this age and in the

age to come.

The “Call of the Rich Man”: Matthew 19:16-30

Literary Context

Matthew’s adaptation of the Markan episode is used to underscore the significant theme of

the reversal of what it means to be a significant person in the Matthean Kingdom of Heaven,

and who gets to be included in this kingdom. Indeed, in the Gospel of Matthew the reversal

of the popular idea of greatness is quintessential to Jesus’ teaching of the Kingdom of

Heaven58 and his own self-understanding.59 The general framework of Matthew 19-20

closely follows Mark 10, as can be seen in the figure below:

Matthew Mark
1. Jesus departs to the region of Judea beyond the Jordon. 19:1 10:1
2. Pharisees Test Jesus regarding Divorce 19:3-12 10:2-12
3. Jesus Blesses the Children 19:13-15 10:13-16
4. The Rich Young Man 19:16-30 10:17-31

55
Evans, Mark 8:27-16:20 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001), p. 91. attributes the disciples’ surprise
to “the assumption of conventional wisdom that wealth is a sign of divine blessing.” Mark’s Gospel is replete
with instances demonstrating the disciples’ remarkable lack of understanding of Jesus and his teachings.
56
In the Matthean version of the episode (19:27), Peter also asks, “What then will we have?”
57
Mark 10:28.
58
Jesus said to them [The chief priests and the elders of the people], “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the
prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.” Matt 21:31.
59
‘…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
Matt 20:28.

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5. The Parable of the Day Laborers 20:1-16
6. The Third Passion Prediction 20:17-19 10:32-34
7. Request of the Sons of Zebedee 20:20-28 10:35-45
8. The Healing of Bartimaeus 20:29-34 10:46-52

The overarching metaphor that Jesus uses in chapter 18 for a member of the Kingdom

of Heaven is that of a child, and this is emphasized by the episode of Jesus blessing the

children and saying that the kingdom belongs to them. According to Wiedmann’s study on

children in the Roman Empire, “classical society relegated children, together with women,

old men, and slaves, to the margins of community life.’60 Children were seen as a burden,

and they had no status until they became of age. Children are socially powerlessness.61

Therefore, Jesus’ saying that one must enter the kingdom ‘like a child’ means that one must

not conform to the society’s rules of status, or the ostracizing of those who do not have it.

The exchange between the rich man and Jesus is more involved in Matthew than in Mark,

and resembles a challenge and riposte situation in an honor and shame society, whereby one’s

status is established through the acquisition of honor.62 Symbols of status and honor include

wealth and public displays of success, and the rich man’s public questioning of Jesus may

have been an attempt to procure further status. The recurring theme in the surrounding

passages is that the kingdom of Heaven is characterized by a great reversal of the

contemporary world order.

Implications for Eternal Life

As in the Markan account, ‘eternal life’ is synonymous or closely related to the Kingdom of

Heaven (vv. 23-24) and salvation (v. 25). The language of ‘entering into life’63 and

‘inheriting eternal life’ are also both used. Of particular interest is the Matthean (also Lukan)
60
Wiedmann, Adults and Children in the Roman Empire (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989), p. 176.
61
Carter, Matthew and the Margins: A Sociopolitical and Religious Reading (New York: Orbis Books, 2000), p.
361.
62
“Responsive creiai” is a rhetorical form in which an opponent challenges Jesus in some way, and requires a
defensive reply. The nature of the confrontation is not necessarily hostile, but it is of a public nature. Neyrey,
Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew (Atlanta: Westminster John Knox, 1998), p. 50.
63
‘Entering into life’ and ‘entering the kingdom’ seem to be used interchangeably in this pericope.

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addition in Jesus’ reply to Peter, saying ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when

the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit

on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’64 The phrase e0n th|~ paliggenesi/a| is

obscure: the only other occurrence of paliggenesi/a is found in Titus 3:5, in connection to

the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Shürer and Bousset both take e0n th|~ paliggenesi/a to refer to

‘the renewing of the world at the time of the Messiah, and eschatological sense.’65 Similarly,

Nolland interprets it to be a cosmic renewal of the world similar to that alluded to in Isaiah

and the wider Jewish tradition.66

The future orientation of this renewal is evident, given the nature of what is to take

place (a reconstitution of Israel and an eschatological judgment), but what is the significance

of the Son of Man sitting on his throne of glory? There are sixty-nine occurrences of the title

‘Son of Man’ is the synoptic gospels, and while the identity of the figure is disputed,67 the

gospels’ employment of the term seem to associate the title with the heavenly redeemer

figure in texts like 1En 37-71 and Dan 7:13.68 The parallel of 1 Enoch to Matt 19:28 is

striking: 1 Enoch 62:5 has ‘…the son of man sitting on the throne of his glory’, and 69:29

mentions ‘that Son of Man has appeared and has seated himself on the throne of glory’.

Nolland suggests that the association between the role of the Son of Man and the twelve ‘is

likely to be inspired by the paralleling in Dan 7 of a Son of Man and the Saints of the Most

High (esp. cf. vv. 14 and 27).”69 Gundry observes that ‘judging’ in the context of this

64
Matt 19:28.
65
“paliggenesi/a” in Danker, et al., A Greek - English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early
Christian Literature, Third Edition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), p. 752.
66
Isa 65:17; 66:22; 1QS 4:25; 1QH 11:28-33; Jub 1:29; 1En 45:4-5; 72:1; 91:16; 2Bar 32:6; 44:12; 57:2, 4Esd
7:30-32. Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids, Michigan:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005), p. 799. See also Gundry, Matthew: A Commentary on His
Literary and Theological Art (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982), p.
392.
67
See Perrin, The Kingdom of God in the Teaching of Jesus (London: SCM Press, 1963), 164-99.and Leivestad,
Jesus in His Own Perspective (trans. Aune; Minneapolis, 1987), p. 153-64.
68
Also perhaps used in connection to Ps 110.
69
Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005), p. 801.

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sentence has the meaning of dominion and governing, as in Dan 7:9-27 when ‘one like a son

of man was coming…and to him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom…and judgment

was passed in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the kingdom, the dominion, and the

greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of

the Most High.’70 In other words, the language of judgment, as well as that of the thrones,

conveys the concept of the kingdom of God.71 Again, one finds that the inheritance of

‘eternal life’ does not stand alone but occurs within the context of the future kingdom of God.

The “Call of the Rich Man”: Luke 18:18-30.72

Literary Context

The “Call of the Rich Man” is found at the end of Luke’s extended travel account (9:51-

19:27),73 and retains the order of the Markan material along with some unique Lukan

insertions. The episode comes after the two parables about prayer (18:1-14) and the story of

Jesus blessing the children (18:15-17). It is notable that although Luke picks up on Mark’s

‘way’ section here, he omits the discussion on divorce with the Pharisees but includes the

story about the little children. The fact that the story of Jesus blessing the children precedes

the “Call of the Rich Man” in all three gospels suggests that perhaps the two episodes should

be understood together. The theme that unites these two passages is that of entry into the

kingdom of God. In the first passage Jesus declares that those who do not accept the

kingdom of God as a child shall never enter it, and in the latter one finds a ‘ruler’ who indeed

fails to enter it. In general, Luke follows Mark’s order in this section, but also omits some

70
Gundry, Matthew: A Commentary on His Literary and Theological Art (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982), p. 393.
71
Gundry suggests that the ‘kingdom’ motif in the Lukan parallel has been transmuted into ‘the figure of a
glorious throne.’ Ibid., p. 392.
72
The episode is repeated in Luke 10:25-28 except it is a certain lawyer (nomiko&j tij) who tests Jesus with the
same question. Jesus answers similarly but the lawyer wanted to justify himself and asks Jesus ‘who is my
neighbor?’
73
The Lukan travel narrative is from 9:51-18:14 and concludes with the Synoptic travel account from 18:15-
19:27.

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material and includes much of his own. By and large, Luke’s narrative is similar to Mark’s

except for improvements made to the Greek in several places.74

Luke Mark
1. Parable of the Dishonest Judge (prayer) 18:1-8
2. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector 18:9-14
3. Jesus Blesses the Children 18:15-17 10:13-16
4. The Rich Ruler 18:18-23 10:17-31
5. The Third Passion Prediction 18:31-34 10:32-34
6. The Healing of the Blind Man at Jericho 18:35-43 10:46-52
7. Zacchaeus 19:1-10
8. Parable of the Talents 19:11-27
*Luke omits 1) The Divorce Discussion with the Pharisees, 2) The Request of the Sons of Zebedee.

Implications for Eternal Life

In Mark 10:29, while the action to be rewarded is the renunciation of various things for my

(Jesus’s) sake and for the sake of the good news (Matthew has for my name’s sake), Luke has

for the sake of the kingdom of God. This is not surprising, because for Jesus the message of

the good news is the proclamation of the kingdom of God.75 The condition for inheriting

‘eternal life’, then, is following Jesus and making sacrifices for the sake of the kingdom of

God.

An interesting parallel exists between the Matthean addition in Matt 19:28 in the “Call

of the Rich Man” about the disciples sitting on thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel

and Luke 22:28-30, a separate episode where the disciples argue about who is greatest among

them which does not occur until much later in the Lukan narrative. In Matt 19:28, the

disciples will participate in the kingdom Jesus is proclaiming, which includes a reconstituted

Israel as symbolized by the twelve tribes. In Luke 22:28, the same kingdom that God confers

to Jesus, he confers to those ‘who stood by me’, referring to the disciples as well as Luke’s

intended audience. The language of ‘eating and drinking at my table in my kingdom’ may

represent a ‘banquet imagery’ motif found in some strands of early Jewish eschatology,

74
See comments in Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke X-XXIV (vol. 28A; Garden City, New York:
Doubleday & Company, 1985), pp. 1196-1198.
75
See Matt 4:23; 9:35; 10:7; 24:14.

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which characterizes the final gathering before God.76 Aune observes that perhaps the

celebration of the Eucharist could be seen as an anticipation of the eschatological heavenly

banquet.77 As already mentioned above in the discussions of the episodes in Mark and

Matthew, ‘uprightness in God’s sight, entrance into the kingdom, and the inheritance of

eternal life are clearly related.’78 Salvation, which is an important theme in Luke, is also

related to this conceptual network.79

Summary/Conclusion

It can be seen in the above analyses of the “Call of the Rich Man” that ‘eternal life’ in the

synoptic tradition is a conceptually rich expression that denotes much more than immortality.

For the synoptic gospel writers, ‘eternal life’ is a theologically-loaded expression that is best

understood as belonging to a constellation of ideas that together represent their eschatological

convictions in a decidedly Judeo-Christian framework. In the “Call of the Rich Man” in all

three synoptic gospels, eternal life is closely related to the kingdom of God/Heaven, as well

as salvation. The rich man wishes to inherit ‘eternal life’, but his failure to do so is described

in terms of ‘entering the kingdom of God’ and ‘being saved’. In Matthew’s parallel of Mark

9:47 (18:9), entrance into ‘life’ is used in place of Mark’s entrance into the ‘kingdom of

God’. The ancillary verbs used in association with these expressions (inheriting, entering,

etc.) are also used somewhat interchangeably. Finally, because the synoptic evangelists

interpret ‘eternal life’ from a Jewish context, notions like righteousness, inheritance, and the

eschatological Son of Man figure are also present.

76
1QSa; 1En 62:14; 2En 42:5; 2Bar 29:8; cf. Isa 25:6; 65:13. Cf. 1QSa 2:17–22; 1QS 6:1–6; cf. JW 2.128–33.
See discussion in Aune, "The Presence of God in the Community: The Eucharist in Its Early Christian Cultic
Context," 29, (1976).
77
Cf. Matt 8:11; 26:69; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:16; 18:30; Did 9:4. ‘Early Christian Eschatology’ by D. E. Aune
in Freedman ed. The Anchor Bible Dictionary |(|Edition ed.|, vol. Series Volume of Series Title|; ed.^eds. Series
Editor|; Number of Volumes vols.|; City|: Publisher|, Year|)|, Cited Pages|.
78
Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke X-XXIV (vol. 28A; Garden City, New York: Doubleday &
Company, 1985), p. 1196. See also Marshall, The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978), p. 688.
79
There are 23 occurrences of the word group (swzw, swthria, swthr) in Luke and only 16 in Mark and 15
in Matthew.

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Many commentators have already observed the connection between ‘eternal life’ and

entry into the kingdom of God, but the implications of the association have yet to be fully

realized. For instance, it is generally acknowledged that ‘eternal life’ does not figure

prominently in the synoptic gospels. However, this contention may have to be re-evaluated if

‘eternal life’ might also be alluded to when the kingdom of God (or salvation, in the Gospel

of Luke) is mentioned.

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