Eternal Life
The phrase "everlasting life" appears once in the OT, in Daniel 12:2.
In the OT,King David suggest that some people decay in the grave while others are redeemed from the grave,if somebody is taken by God from death means one thing,that person will get to live for eternity with his God.The tree of life can also give eternal life(if The Lord allow you to eat from it).The OT also talk about how God can't be bribed to give a person a chance to have his soul redeemed from death(and live on forever)
Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode. But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. (Psalm 49).
And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."Genesis 3:22
No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
For the redemption of his soul is costly,and never can payment suffice,that he should live on forever and not see decay.Psalm 49:9
Jesus' usage in the gospels is brief
It isn't brief,the whole gospel is based on the fact that whoever believe in Jesus shall have eternal life.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies.And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:26
"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."John 3:15
Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”John 8:51
And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28)
Here are verses about the tree of life we saw early in genesis.It is offered as a gift by the Lord in revelation.
Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.Revelation 22:14
What did the ruler hear that made him rush to Jesus to ask for it? Are there any clues I missed that give us a fuller picture?
He might have been convicted in his heart(just guessing).Despite his good deeds,he still couldn't shake this feeling of not doing enough to inherit eternal life.God gave him an answer but he refused.
Side note:Eternal torment in the OT.
The cool thing about God is how He never changes.The same thing that happened in the OT also happen in the NT.For example you see side by side,verses from the OT and the NT,that show how wicked people die and go to hell.You can see them speaking(even though they are dead)and even look around them (even though they are dead),strange isn't it?
“Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and consign both her and the daughters of the mighty nations to the depths of the earth with those who descend to the Pit:Ezekiel 32:18
Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheol about Egypt and her allies:
‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised,with those slain by the sword.’Ezekiel 32:21
Pharaoh will see them and be comforted over all his multitude—Pharaoh and all his army,slain by the sword,declares the Lord GOD.Ezekiel 32:31
Rich man in the NT
Notice how the rich man is in torment(even though he is dead),notice also,how he doesn't wish that anyone should come where he is(I think that somebody forgot to do his job,they should have told him that he is being refined for a short time[sad facepalm]).Notice how there is a great chasm between them,even if someone wanted to save him,they couldn't(We will let the one who is going to pick him up,after the refinement,figure it out).
The rich man also died and was buried.In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’’Luke 16
Last verse
“No, father Abraham, he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”Luke 16
Conclusion:Jesus is the One who rose from the dead,if the rich had listen to Him(the Messiah),He would have turned from his selfish ways(by the power of the Holy Spirit)and and he would have gained eternal life.If Jesus come to anybody,they need to repent and pay attention to his teaching,for His words are Spirit and Life,and remember there is only one Teacher.
Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.Matthew 23:10