This man truly wanted eternal life, and he came eagerly. Mark says he came "running, and kneeled to him" (Mark 10:17). But his question shows how he thought it was gained: by doing some good thing. Barnes explains that "He had been taught by his Jewish teachers that people were to be saved by doing something." Gill agrees: "He expected eternal life by doing some good thing." He called Jesus "Good Master," which Barnes says referred "not so much to the moral character of Jesus as to his character as a religious teacher." Gill says he regarded Jesus as a worthy good man. He came to the right Person, but with the wrong idea of what he needed.

Jesus first questioned the way the man addressed Him: "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God" (Matthew 19:17). Then He answered on the man's own terms: "if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." The conversation continued until Jesus told him, "go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor... and come and follow me" (Matthew 19:21). The young man "went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions" (Matthew 19:22). Jesus then told His disciples that salvation is impossible with men, "but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

Matthew calls him "one" who came; later he is "the young man" with "great possessions" (Matthew 19:20, 22). Luke calls him "a certain ruler" (Luke 18:18), which Barnes says was probably a ruler in a synagogue or of the great council. Gill thinks instead that he was not a synagogue ruler but a civil magistrate, perhaps a member of one of the Jewish councils. That is why he is often called the rich young ruler.

The Greek text behind the KJV, the Textus Receptus, reads Didaskale agathe, "Good Teacher." Many other Greek manuscripts have only "Teacher," which is why the ESV reads "Teacher, what good deed must I do." Mark and Luke both have "Good Master" in the KJV (Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18). "Eternal life" is zoen aionion in Greek; in His reply Jesus also calls it entering "into life" (Matthew 19:17).

Matthew sets this question right after Jesus says the kingdom belongs to little children (Matthew 19:14). The children were simply brought to Him (Matthew 19:13). This man asked what he could do to have it. The contrast frames the whole story.

Jesus' answer leads the man, and the disciples, to the end of their own ability. When the disciples ask, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus says, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:25-26). The man's question about what good thing to do is finally answered by what God alone can do. Matthew Henry says simply, "The gospel is the only remedy for lost sinners."