Riches versus salvation: For Matthew, the rich young man’s refusal to accept Jesus’ invitation (19:22) affords Jesus an opportunity to instruct the church about riches.
Jesus reverses the prevailing understanding that wealth is a sign of God’s favor. Riches, he declares, is a hindrance to entrance into the kingdom of God. The basic presupposition of the community is wrong. It is virtually impossible for a person who is rich to gain entrance into the kingdom if he or she is attached to wealth.
If riches are no longer a guarantee of God’s favor or blessing, then what is? The answer is that there is no guarantee. Human beings cannot save themselves. Only God can save them. Salvation is God’s gift to us; it is not determined or guaranteed by riches.
The followers of Jesus “in the new age” are those who have given up everything and followed him; these are contrasted to the rich man who in the present age has given up nothing and abandoned Jesus. On the day of judgment, authentic followers will receive the status of the patriarchs and will judge Israel.