The Rich Man (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Note
Exam code: 8062
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’” 20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:17–27)
The rich man's question
The famous account of Jesus and the rich man is about how to live life in a way that will enable you to enter the Kingdom of God
A rich young man approached Jesus and asked what he must do to receive eternal life
The young man clearly believed in life after death, so he was open to Jesus’s teachings, but we do not know how much he had heard of them
Jesus instructed the man to follow the commandments:
“You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” (Mark 10:19)
Jesus was reciting five of the Ten Commandments, adding in the idea that “you shall not defraud”, which taught the rich young man about attitudes to money
The young man answered that he had followed all these commandments since he was a child
Mark reports that Jesus looked at him with love, showing that he wanted to help him achieve his goal
Jesus said the man must do one more thing:
“You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)
The man was unwilling to give up all of his possessions, so Mark tells us that he “went away sad”
The phrase Jesus used to the young man, “follow me”, was the same call that he had made to the first disciples
The disciples had done as Jesus asked, leaving their homes, families and commitments to follow him
The rich young man was unable to do the same. His response is that of the seeds that fell among thorns in the Parable of the Sower: Greed and materialism stopped him from following Jesus
Riches and the Kingdom of God
Jesus took the opportunity that these events presented to teach more about wealth and the Kingdom of God
Jesus’s attitudes towards wealth were surprising to people at this time
Generally, it was thought that the rich were in favour with God
Their money was viewed as a reward for good behaviour, a sign of God’s approval
Jesus was telling them the complete opposite: that wealth is a distraction and an obstacle to serving God fully
This must have been confusing for both the young man and the other followers of Jesus
Jesus clarified his position by explaining how hard it will be for a rich person to enter eternal life, with his famous teaching:
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25)
The “eye of the needle” possibly referred to a small door in Jerusalem’s city wall
A camel could only fit through it if all of the possessions hanging off its sides were discarded
However, it could also simply be an image showing how much riches are a barrier to entering the Kingdom of God
Jesus does not mean that all rich people cannot enter the Kingdom of God
He was speaking about those who are obsessed with their wealth and riches, since this leads them to have the wrong priorities
They do not use their wealth for the good of others, but seek to guard it for themselves
He was also making it clear that a place in the Kingdom of God had nothing to do with wealth or riches: It cannot be bought or earned; it is up to God alone
Worked Example
What did Jesus mean when he said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God”?
A. That only poor people can ever be saved
B. That riches can become a barrier to fully serving God
C. That camels are forbidden in Jerusalem
D. That eternal life can be bought with money
[1 mark]
Answer:
B. That riches can become a barrier to fully serving God
Jesus taught that wealth can distract people from God’s priorities, making it difficult to enter the Kingdom of God.
A is wrong, as Jesus did not say only the poor can be saved. C is irrelevant and not in the text. D is the opposite of Jesus’s teaching, since the Kingdom cannot be bought.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering questions on the story of the rich man, don’t just describe what happened; focus on what it teaches. You need to make it clear that Jesus was showing how wealth can distract people from God and that eternal life cannot be bought. Ensure that you include Jesus’s teaching about the camel and the “eye of the needle”, and link it to the idea that wealth can be an obstacle, but that salvation is still possible with God.
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