Ver. 18-27. We have met with this story at large, Matthew 19:16-26; and with (if not the same) very like to it. Mark 10:17-27. See Poole on "Matthew 19:16", and following verses to Matthew 19:26. See Poole on "Mark 10:17", and following verses to Mark 10:17. The history is of great use to us.
1. To show how far a man may go, that yet is a great way short of a truly good and spiritual state. He may know that nothing in this life will make him perfectly happy. He may desire eternal life, and salvation. He may go a great way in keeping the commandments of God, as to the letter of them. He may come to the ministers of the gospel to be further instructed. But herein he will fail, he will not come to Christ that he may have life, but fancy he should do something meritorious of it; he doth not aright understand the law, and that there is no going to heaven that way, but by the perfect observation of it, and therefore fancies himself in a much better state than he is.
2. It instructs us in this, that there is no coming to heaven by works, but by a full and perfect obedience to the whole revealed will of God.
3. That every hypocrite hath some lust or other, in which he cannot deny himself. This ruler's lust was his immoderate love of the world, and the things thereof.
4. That it is a mighty difficult thing for any persons, but especially such as have great possessions on earth, to get to heaven.
5. As difficult and almost impossible as it may appear to men, yet nothing is impossible with God. He can change the heart of the rich, and incline it to himself; as well as the, heart of the poor. The rich man hath more impediments; but be men rich or poor, without the powerful influence of God upon the heart, without his free grace, no soul will be saved.