Matthew 18-20

In Matthew 19:16 we are introduced to a rich and devout young man. We know that he is young and rich because Matthew tells us so (vs 22). I believe that he is devout because he sought out Jesus for guidance. Were he faithless then why seek spiritual insight?  His question to Jesus is not a trap so unlike the Jewish leaders he does not necessarily have an agenda or a bone to pick with Jesus.
Jesus answer to his first question was a call for the man to follow Moses; obey the commands. That is what God had been calling Israel to do for generation. The rich young seeker could demonstrate his righteous by being faithful to the revelation that he already had. He could have left the teacher content in knowing how to express his faith and please God. But the seeker wasn't satisfied with what he already had. Maybe he had heard Jesus' rejection the Phrases demand to follow the Jewish traditions. The seeker may have taken note of the hypocrisy of the Jewish scholars. He needed more guidance. So he asked the next question; "Which commands?"
Jesus' answer took him back to Moses. He summarized the Law by stating only six commandments. Once again the seeker had his answer. He could have returned home knowing that God uses only the Law as the foundation of his grace. A continued adherence to the Law would demonstrate his devotion.
I imagine there was a pause in the conversation. During that pause there was a stirring in the young man's heart. He had lived out his faith in obedience but there was still an emptiness. He was on his way to Jerusalem, lamb in tow, but he might have feared that it would be another Passover without purpose. He didn't want empty rituals he wanted to connect with God. He didn't want to be a "pew warmer" he hungered for a greater righteousness. The cavern of want was screaming to be filled. He believed it was Jesus who had more. This unusual rabbi was the one who could point him in the direction that he needed. Only this new "Moses" could give him what the ancient Moses' words could not satisfy. In an almost crazed desperation he asked one more question: "What do I still lack?" Obedience to the Law wasn't enough (a point which Paul would argue many times), there HAD to be something else; and there is.
I think Jesus smiled in admiration. Here was one of the lost sheep of Israel who knew he was lost. Jesus saw an empty heart, that knew it was empty, with the longing to be filled. Jesus must have know the pain this heart would face when he gave the answer that needed to be said. There would be a sifting of this young man. Hard truths have always caused faithful people to wrestle. Great hunger is the comrade of great pain. Jesus gave him the message; "Exchange all your treasures for mine."
The seeker had the wind knocked out of him. His look must have offered Jesus the one word question flooding his mind: "Everything?" Sorrow quickly displaced his hunger. The security at home tugged on his heart. "Everything?" The word surely consumed his thoughts as he walked away.
The story ends but yet it doesn't end. Matthew doesn't tell us any more. We don't know if the young man witnessed Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, but he could have. He could have been in the temple listening to Jesus speak. Matthew does not mention if the young man stopped at Calvary to mourn the suffering of this rabbi on the cross. We don't know if he heard the roaring in Jerusalem on the day of Pentagon. 
I have this question: Did he ever look back?
Stuart