Matthew 19:20 · Bible study
Matthew 19:20 Commentary: The Deeper Lack Beyond Obedience
Greek · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
The young man's claim of obedience and his question reveal that even perfect external keeping cannot satisfy the soul's deepest need.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The young man’s claim to have kept all the commandments falls short; he lacks total surrender to Christ as the true treasure.
- Key words: φυλάσσω (to guard, observe) vs. τηρέω (to keep watchfully, obey inwardly); ὑστερέω (to lack, fall short) in the present tense, a current, ongoing deficiency.
- Main debate: Whether the young man was willfully self-righteous (Gill, Poole) or genuinely blind to his own need (Clarke, Wesley).
- Theological theme: The insufficiency of the law to save; the necessity of grace and wholehearted discipleship; the danger of wealth as an idol.
- Best use: In sermons or classes on law and gospel, self-examination, or the cost of discipleship, especially for those who consider themselves morally upright.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?”
WEB World English Bible 2000
The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?”
KJV King James Version 1769
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I observed: what lack I yet?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
The young man saith to him, `All these did I keep from my youth; what yet do I lack?'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The young man says to him, All these have I kept; what lack I yet?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The young man saith to him: All these have I kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Dícele|strong="G3004, G0846" el mancebo: Todo esto guardé desde mi juventud: ¿ qué más me falta?
O rapaz lhe disse: Tenho guardado tudo isso. Que me falta ainda?
Le jeune homme lui dit: J’ ai observé toutes ces choses; que me manque-t-il encore?
Da sprach der Jüngling zu ihm: Das habe ich alles gehalten von meiner Jugend auf; was fehlt mir noch?
De jongeling zeide tot Hem: Al deze dingen heb ik onderhouden van mijn jonkheid af; wat ontbreekt mij nog?
E il giovane a lui: Tutte queste cose le ho osservate; che mi manca ancora?
Rzekł mu młodzieniec: Tegom wszystkiego przestrzegał od młodości swojej; czegoż mi jeszcze nie dostaje?
Юноша говорит Ему: все это сохранил я от юности моей; чего еще недостает мне?
那少年人 說：「這 一切 我都遵守了，還 缺少 甚麼呢？」
The young man says to him, All these things have I done: what more is there?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 19:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the young man’s claim of keeping all the commandments was sincere on one level yet fundamentally shallow. He uses the verb ἐφύλαξα (ephulaxa), which Clarke observes is weaker than Jesus’ τηρέω, it means to observe or guard rather than to keep with inward vigilance. The young man has observed the letter of the law, but as Wesley notes, he has not kept the spirit. Gill describes him as “pertly” replying, elated with his own record. Yet the very question “What lack I yet?” (τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ) reveals, in its present tense, a current consciousness of deficiency: he feels something is missing. The consensus across the supplied sources is that his external obedience, however comprehensive, cannot produce eternal life. Jesus’ reply in v.21 targets exactly that lack: willingness to part with his possessions and follow. The law can expose the need but cannot satisfy it, only the call to Christ does.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Self-righteous claim: The young man's quick, confident answer and his departure in sorrow when challenged (vv.20,22) suggest a pride that collapses when tested; Gill calls him 'pertly' replying.
- Sincere but misguided: Clarke notes a 'troubled conscience'; Wesley says he 'imagined' he kept them. Earnestness combined with blindness to the law's spiritual depth
- Pedagogical reading: Jesus’ command to sell everything is not the gospel but a diagnostic: it exposes the man’s actual god. This view focuses on the pedagogical use of the law (Poole, many Reformed interpreters)
What is clear: His claim of external obedience does not satisfy the requirements of the kingdom; something more — wholehearted surrender to Jesus — is needed for eternal life.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the young man's obedience | All traditions recognize that his obedience was outward and did not meet the law’s spiritual depth, he kept the letter, not the spirit. | Some see him as deliberately self-righteous and proud (Gill, Poole), while others view him as sincerely earnest but misled about the law’s true demands (Clarke, Wesley). |
| Meaning of 'What lack I yet?' | Most agree that the question reveals an unease in his conscience, he knows something is missing. | Is the question a genuine request for direction (Clarke: “a troubled conscience”) or a proud, rhetorical challenge expecting Jesus to name a small task (Gill: “What remains at last to be performed?”)? |
| The command to sell everything | This was a specific test for this particular man, not a universal requirement for all believers. | Some traditions read it as a precedent for voluntary poverty or radical simplicity (e.g., monastic traditions); others emphasize that the point is detachment and the primacy of following Christ, not the act of selling itself. |
| Jesus’ answer as law or gospel | The passage ultimately drives the reader to see that eternal life is received by following Jesus, not by earning. | Reformed tradition often says Jesus uses the law here to crush self-righteousness and drive to grace; Wesleyans draw attention to the call to entire sanctification and perfect love. Both agree the young man’s need was the same: to trust Christ completely. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This encounter occurs near the end of Jesus’ Galilean ministry, as he travels toward Jerusalem. Luke identifies the inquirer as a ruler (ἄρχων), likely a local magistrate or synagogue official, and Matthew calls him a young man (νεανίσκος). His wealth and position would have marked him as someone others envied. The question “what good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life” reflects a first-century Jewish belief that the age to come could be earned through piety and almsgiving. Jesus’ response to keep the commandments is typical of rabbinic teaching, but his follow-up in v.21 is radical.
The young man’s claim to have kept all these “from my youth” echoes language used elsewhere in the Gospels only by the Pharisee in Luke 18 (who thanks God he is not like other men). The parallel in Mark 10 adds that Jesus, looking at him, loved him, indicating genuine affection for the man’s earnestness. The historical context shows the early church wrestling with the tension between law and grace. Jewish Christians understood the law as a gift, but the Gospel writers present this story precisely to show that even the most devout Jew falls short of the kingdom’s demand. The young man’s sorrowful departure (v.22) dramatizes the cost of discipleship: the kingdom requires surrender of what we treasure most. The command to sell and give to the poor was not a universal rule but a specific surgery for this man’s particular attachment. The surrounding discussion about the camel and the needle’s eye (vv.23-24) confirms that wealth poses a unique spiritual danger.
First-century readers would have caught the sharp contrast between the man’s confident “I have kept” and the reality that his heart was still divided. The issue is not that he did something wrong, but that his trust was in his own record rather than in Jesus.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note only one significant textual issue. The phrase “from my youth” (ἐκ νεότητός μου) in Matthew 19:20 is omitted by a few manuscripts (e.g., Codex Sinaiticus and some versions), but the oldest and most reliable witnesses include it. The parallel accounts in Mark 10:20 and Luke 18:21 both retain the phrase. The consulted commentaries (Cambridge Bible, Clarke) acknowledge the variant but treat the longer reading as original. No other variants are mentioned for this verse in the supplied materials.
Reception History
This verse has been read in various ways across Christian history. Early church writers such as Clement of Alexandria saw the young man as a type of the rich believer who must learn detachment. Medieval interpreters often used it to support calls to voluntary poverty and the monastic ideal. Reformation-era commentators (e.g., Calvin, Luther) stressed the law’s function of revealing sin and driving the sinner to Christ. Wesley and Clarke highlighted the deeper obedience of the heart that the law demands, moving beyond external compliance. In modern evangelicalism, the story often serves as a warning against relying on works for salvation and as a challenge to examine hidden idols, especially wealth and comfort. Across all eras, the verse has been understood as a call to evaluate what truly holds first place in one’s life.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Claim: The young man asserts he has kept all the commandments from his youth (v.20a). His verb, φυλάσσω, suggests he has guarded and observed the law as an external code.
- The Lack: He asks “What do I still lack?” (v.20b). The present-tense verb ὑστερῶ shows a nagging insufficiency, he already knows something is missing, even if he cannot name it.
- The Answer: Jesus targets the one thing he lacks: total surrender of his wealth and his self-rule, followed by wholehearted discipleship (v.21). The lack is not a new command but a relationship.
Five-point outline
- He approaches Jesus with a sincere question, but one that assumes salvation can be earned by a “good thing” done.
- He is redirected to the commandments, Jesus gives him a mirror, not a ladder.
- He claims perfect performance, but his words reveal a self-righteous confidence that glosses over the law’s depth.
- He asks what he still lacks, and in that question, his conscience betrays him.
- He is offered the one thing needful, not a work but a person: “Come, follow me.” He walks away sorrowful, attached to his possessions.
Illustration hooks
- A student who has checked every box, good grades, no discipline record, yet feels empty inside, wondering if all the achievement has produced real character.
- A person who has never broken a major rule, no affairs, no theft, no violence, but whose heart is ruled by a quiet, unshakable greed for approval or money.
- A congregation that prides itself on doctrinal correctness and orderly worship, yet struggles to make room for messy, costly love for the poor.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “How can I know if I am relying on my own goodness instead of on Christ?”
- “What is the ‘one thing’ that Jesus might ask me to surrender?”
- “If I give away everything, does that mean I am saved? Or is this command unique to this man?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at a hinge. The young man has done everything right, yet he leaves sad. In a culture that often equates morality with faith, this passage forces us to examine what we are truly trusting for salvation. Ask these questions together in a small group, letting each person answer honestly without pressure.
Discussion questions
- Read Matthew 19:16-22 together. What does the young man’s opening question reveal about his assumptions about eternal life?
- Why did Jesus list the commandments instead of immediately answering his question? What might he be testing?
- The young man says “All these I have kept” (v.20). In your own words, what might the difference be between the verb Jesus used (“keep,” τηρέω) and the verb the young man uses (“observed,” φυλάσσω)?
- Why does the young man ask “What do I still lack?” if he believes he has kept everything? What does that tell you about his internal state?
- How does Jesus answer his question in v.21? Does this mean everyone must sell everything to follow Jesus? How do you decide?
- What attachments in your own life could make it hard to hear Jesus say “Come, follow me” without conditions?
- What hope does this story offer? Is there good news here for someone who feels they have not kept the commandments well?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Mark 10:20 | He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.” |
| Mark 10:21 | Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.” |
| Luke 15:7 | I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. |
| Luke 15:29 | But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. |
| Luke 18:11 | The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. |
| Luke 18:12 | I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ |
| Luke 18:21 | He said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.” |
| Luke 18:22 | When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that each Synoptic Gospel contributes a different detail about the rich ruler: only Luke calls him a ruler, only Matthew says he was young, and all three agree he was very wealthy. The commentator also observes that the phrase from my youth up, which seems odd for a young man, is omitted from the oldest manuscripts of Mark.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The yong man sayd vnto him, I haue obserued all these things from my youth: what lacke I yet?
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the young ruler's confidence came from a shallow, external view of the law. He had kept the letter from childhood but missed the commandments' spiritual depth and inner demands, so he honestly believed nothing was lacking in his obedience.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the young man felt a real spiritual lack, not smug self-righteousness. Jesus tested him by commanding him to sell everything, not as a literal rule for all believers, but to expose his hidden idolatry and awaken him to his need for grace. His sorrow shows an inward conflict God could still use.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on how well this young gentleman, a ruler and magistrate, began his pursuit of eternal life by approaching Christ with a serious and respectful question. Yet for all his fair start and Christ's kind treatment, he still fell short and went away sorrowful because his great possessions held him back.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the young man imagined he had kept all the commandments, but only as to the outward letter, not the inward spirit. Jesus immediately exposes this self-deception by showing that true obedience goes far beyond external conformity.