What does Matthew 19:18 mean?
A rich man has come to Jesus with an earnest question: What good thing must I do to have eternal life? This serious follower of Judaism wants to know how he can be sure that he will make it into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:16–17). Jesus' initial response is the subject of frequent misinterpretation. As seen in context, this man's question reveals at least one right and one wrong assumption. Jesus' answer implies important things about salvation, and the man's sincerity in seeking it.First, the rich man's question shows he is not complacently believing that simply being Jewish will guarantee him a place in heaven. Many Jewish people of that era apparently believed this, and Jesus had directly contradicted that idea.
Second, his question shows he believed his own actions were what would give him a place in heaven. He believed he must prove himself worthy of God. This did not fit with what Jesus had just taught in the previous passage that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those with the faith and humility of children. Admitting one's need and dependency on God is a key aspect of saving faith.
Jesus has told the man to keep the commandments to be saved. Like many other comments made by Christ, this is meant to be understood in the context of a conversation and a line of thought. It's not a simplistic claim that we are saved by being good. It's a pointed remark, encouraging the rich man to examine both his actions and his motivations.
The rich man wants specifics: which commandments really matter? He may be asking if he must only keep the commands of Moses in Scripture or if he must also keep all the commands added to the law by the Pharisees. This is also a perceptive question about what true goodness really is.
Jesus backs up what He has said before by listing only commands straight from Scripture. More specifically, Jesus only mentions commands five through nine of the Ten Commandments: Don't murder. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Don't bear false witness (lie). He adds two more in the following verse.
More importantly, this line of reasoning results in an opportunity for Jesus to point out what really saves, which is submissive, repentant faith. The rich man might claim to have been "good" in his behavior, but he's unwilling to follow God on God's terms (Matthew 19:21–22).
