Jesus is still traveling through Perea toward Jerusalem. A rich young man runs up to him and falls down on his knees before him. The man is “one of the rulers,” perhaps serving as a presiding officer in a synagogue or as a member of the Sanhedrin. “Good Teacher,” he inquires, “what must I do to inherit everlasting life?”​—Luke 8:41; 18:18; 24:20.

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus replies. “Nobody is good except one, God.” Likely the young man uses “good” as a formalistic title, which is what the rabbis do. Although Jesus is good at teaching, he lets the man know that as a title, “Good” belongs only to God.

“If, though, you want to enter into life, observe the commandments continually,” Jesus advises him. So the young man asks: “Which ones?” Jesus cites five of the Ten Commandments​—about murder, adultery, stealing, bearing false witness, and honoring one’s parents. Then he adds a more important commandment: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”​—Matthew 19:17-19.

“I have kept all of these,” the man answers. “What am I still lacking?” (Matthew 19:20) He may feel that he is lacking some good, heroic act that will qualify him for everlasting life. Sensing the earnestness of his request, Jesus ‘feels love for him.’ (Mark 10:21) However, the man has an obstacle before him.

The man is attached to his possessions, so Jesus says: “One thing is missing about you: Go, sell what things you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come be my follower.” Yes, the man could distribute his money to the poor, who cannot repay him, and become a disciple of Jesus. But likely with pity, Jesus sees him rise and turn away sad. The man’s attachment to wealth, to his “many possessions,” blinds him to true treasure. (Mark 10:21, 22) Jesus says: “How difficult it will be for those having money to make their way into the Kingdom of God!”​—Luke 18:24.

The disciples are astounded by these words and by what Jesus next states: “It is easier, in fact, for a camel to get through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” That moves the disciples to ask: “Who possibly can be saved?” Is being saved so challenging that it is beyond a man’s reach? Jesus looks straight at them and replies: “The things impossible with men are possible with God.”​—Luke 18:25-27.

Peter points out that they have made a choice different from that of the rich man, saying: “Look! We have left all things and followed you; what, then, will there be for us?” Jesus mentions the final outcome of their right choice: “In the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.”​—Matthew 19:27, 28.

Clearly, Jesus has in mind the future time on earth when there will be a re-creation of conditions that existed in the garden of Eden. Peter and the other disciples will be rewarded by ruling with Jesus over that earthly Paradise, a reward truly worth any sacrifice they may make!

Yet the rewards are not all future. His disciples experience some right now. “There is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God,” Jesus states, “who will not get many times more in this period of time, and in the coming system of things, everlasting life.”​—Luke 18:29, 30.

Yes, wherever his disciples go, they can enjoy a brotherhood with fellow worshippers that is closer and more precious than that enjoyed with natural family members. Sadly, it seems that the rich young ruler is going to lose out on that blessing as well as the reward of life in God’s heavenly Kingdom.

Jesus adds: “But many who are first will be last and the last first.” (Matthew 19:30) What does he mean?

The rich young ruler is among the “first,” being among the leaders of the Jews. As an observer of God’s commandments, he shows much promise and much might be expected of him. Yet he is putting riches and possessions ahead of all else in life. In contrast, the common people of the land see in Jesus’ teaching the truth and the way to life. They have been “last,” so to speak, but they are now coming to be “first.” They can look forward to sitting on thrones in heaven with Jesus and ruling over the Paradise earth.

Jesus has just told his listeners in Perea that “many who are first will be last and the last first.” (Matthew 19:30) He underscores this statement with an illustration about workers in a vineyard:

“The Kingdom of the heavens is like the master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. After he had agreed with the workers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out also about the third hour, he saw others standing unemployed in the marketplace; and to those he said, ‘You too go into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever is fair.’ So off they went. Again he went out about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did likewise. Finally, about the 11th hour, he went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day unemployed?’ They replied, ‘Because nobody has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into the vineyard.’”​—Matthew 20:1-7.

Jesus’ listeners likely think of Jehovah God when they hear mention of “the Kingdom of the heavens” and “the master of a house.” The Scriptures present Jehovah as the owner of a vineyard, which represented the nation of Israel. (Psalm 80:8, 9; Isaiah 5:3, 4) Those in the Law covenant are likened to workers in the vineyard. Jesus, though, is not illustrating the past. He is describing a situation existing in his time.

The religious leaders, like the Pharisees who recently tried to test him on the subject of divorce, are supposedly laboring continually in God’s service. They are like full-time workers who expect full pay, the wage being a denarius for a day’s work.

The priests and others in this group consider the common Jews as serving God to a lesser extent, like part-time laborers in God’s vineyard. In Jesus’ illustration, these are the men who are employed “about the third hour” (9:00 a.m.) or later in the workday​—at the sixth, ninth, and finally the eleventh hour (5:00 p.m.).

The men and women who follow Jesus are viewed as “accursed people.” (John 7:49) For most of their lives, they have been fishermen or other laborers. Then, in the fall of 29 C.E., “the master of the vineyard” sent Jesus to call these lowly people to labor for God as Christ’s disciples. They are “the last” whom Jesus mentions, the 11th-hour vineyard workers.

Finishing his illustration, Jesus describes what occurs at the close of the workday: “When evening came, the master of the vineyard said to his man in charge, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last and ending with the first.’ When the 11th-hour men came, they each received a denarius. So when the first came, they assumed that they would receive more, but they too were paid at the rate of a denarius. On receiving it, they began to complain against the master of the house and said, ‘These last men put in one hour’s work; still you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the burning heat!’ But he said in reply to one of them, ‘Fellow, I do you no wrong. You agreed with me for a denarius, did you not? Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last one the same as to you. Do I not have the right to do what I want with my own things? Or is your eye envious because I am good?’ In this way, the last ones will be first, and the first ones last.”​—Matthew 20:8-16.

The disciples may wonder about that final part of Jesus’ illustration. How will the Jewish religious leaders, who imagine themselves “first,” become “last”? And how will Jesus’ disciples become “first”?

Jesus’ disciples, whom the Pharisees and others view as “last,” are in line to be “first,” to receive full pay. With Jesus’ death, earthly Jerusalem is to be cast off, whereupon God will choose a new nation, “the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:16; Matthew 23:38) John the Baptist pointed to such ones when he spoke about a coming baptism with holy spirit. Those who have been “last” are to be the first to receive that baptism and to be given the privilege of being witnesses of Jesus “to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:5, 8; Matthew 3:11) To the extent that the disciples grasp the dramatic change Jesus is pointing to, they may foresee facing extreme displeasure from the religious leaders, who become “last.”

As Jesus and his disciples complete their journey southward in Perea toward Jerusalem, they cross the Jordan River near Jericho. Others are traveling with them for the Passover of 33 C.E.