Mark 10:23–27

Then the Lord looked round, as if to reach more than the disciples' ears, and said, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"… But how earnest the Lord was to use the moment to teach His disciples a lesson they needed! He repeated what He wished to impress on them. That was the part of a teacher, and Mark alone notices this. His description of the scene is vivid too. First the Lord looked at the young man in a way that showed He loved him. Then He looked round at the whole company after that ruler had left Him. Then He looked again at the disciples, who were saying to one another in great astonishment, "Who then can be saved?"

In verse 23 the Lord seeks to impress on the disciples the same lesson the man had failed to learn. We are often too insensitive to this: riches tend to become an obstacle to receiving the blessings of the kingdom of God. Men place such value on their riches that it often becomes a choice: their riches, or the kingdom of God… We should remember that God is Creator, and His rights as Creator should be recognized in whatever possessions we are entrusted with.

These words astonished the disciples. Like other Jews, they expected blessing on earth, and looked on riches and possessions as a mark of God's favour. Perhaps too they thought, as we so often do: if only we had riches, how much good we could do. To meet these difficulties the Lord shows where the great danger of riches lies. Men think they can secure salvation and the blessings of the kingdom by means of riches, and so they put their trust in riches.

How slow we all are to give up law-keeping for Christ and earth for heaven! No wonder the Lord speaks of the difficulty with which the rich enter the kingdom. Verse 23 speaks of those "who have riches," and verse 24 of those "who trust in riches." Of course it is very difficult to have them without trusting in them. We naturally cling to riches and earth. Christ offers the cross and heaven.

Mark records for us the explanation that a rich man here stands for one who trusts in riches. That prevents the obvious mistake of reading the words in a crude, literal way, and it extends the principle to the poorest in actual possessions. Really, only the person who trusts in riches is "rich" in the sense meant, and a man may do that who never acquires them.

Even the disciples did not understand; His words astonished them. They too did not know this: there is no good thing in man, or in the advantages of the world, for the kingdom of God… So Jesus does not soften the severity of the truth at all. The very blessings, as men speak, of the flesh and of the world turn out to be hindrances in divine things.

Man was lost. He had shown this by rejecting the Son of God. He must learn it, and learn that with all his finest qualities he cannot save himself. "Who then can be saved?" The Lord does not hide the truth: "With men it is impossible." Solemn words, spoken by the Lord, spoken by Him who came to save us… With men it is impossible; but then God comes in His boundless love to save us, not to hide our state and our need of this free salvation.

Scripture speaks of the disciples of the Lord as children in different ways. When He was on earth, the Lord Jesus said to His own with affection, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10:24). Then again, after His resurrection, He spoke to them in the same affectionate way: "Children, do you have any fish?" (John 21:5).

Verse 23 speaks of those "who have riches," and verse 24 of those who "trust in riches." Of course, it is very hard to have riches without trusting in them. By nature we cling to riches and earth. Christ offers the Cross and heaven.

Some would soften this by applying it to an eastern city gate. They should remember that the Lord says plainly that what He speaks of is "impossible for man." On the other hand, Mark records the explanation for us: a rich man here stands for one who trusts in riches. That guards against the obvious mistake of a crude, literal reading, and it stretches the principle to the poorest in actual possessions. In the sense meant, only the man who trusts in riches is "rich" — and a man may do that who never gets them.

These words astonished the disciples. As Jews, they expected God's blessing to be earthly, so they looked on riches and possessions as a mark of God's favour. What is more, the thought in their heart may have been the one we so often have: if only we had riches, how much good we might do! To meet these difficulties, the Lord shows where the great danger of riches lies. Men think they can secure salvation and the blessings of the kingdom by means of riches, and so they put their trust in riches.

So Jesus does not soften the hard truth at all. The very things men call blessings — of the flesh and of the world — turn out to be hindrances in divine things. With men, then, salvation is impossible. Here too it is a question of God; but, blessed be His name, all things are possible with Him.

The danger of having riches is that it becomes too easy for us to put our trust in them. We should remember that God is Creator, and we should own His rights as Creator over whatever possessions He entrusts to us... Therefore only a wholly divine work of grace can bring a rich man into the kingdom of God. But poor men who have a will to be rich need the same sovereign work of God in their hearts. Indeed, all need it, for it is a universal disease to prefer something else to a path of faith.

Some have tried to make 'the eye of a needle' mean a small gate that a camel can pass through, but only with great difficulty. Yet the Lord speaks of it as something 'impossible' except to God. No doubt a common needle was meant. The rabbis had a similar saying about the elephant. Needles have been found in Egyptian tombs, made of bronze about three inches long.

The suggestion that the comparison of a camel going through the eye of a needle referred to a small gate through which a camel could not go without unloading may appeal to some, but no reliable historian backs up this idea. In fact, the Lord says it is impossible with men, but possible with God, showing that this is naturally an impossibility. His hearers were astonished at His words, for riches were considered a sign of God's favour in Israel, but such favour can easily become an occasion for self-satisfaction. Riches are not a sign of God's favour today.

The Lord now uses this case to show His disciples how hard it is — no, how impossible it is — for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. A camel can pass through a needle's eye more easily, He says. We must let these words stand in all their simplicity — the thing goes completely beyond nature. The camel is no doubt the fitting picture of someone burdened with his possessions, like the young man here. The things of the world claim and control the natural man; and how often that influence shows in someone who is a Christian by grace!

Mark records the explanation that a rich man here means one who trusts in riches. This keeps us from the obvious mistake of taking the words in a crude, literal way, and it extends the principle to the poorest in actual possessions. Really, he alone is "rich" in the sense meant who trusts in riches; and he may do that who never gets them.

These words astonished the disciples. With their Jewish thoughts of earthly blessing, they looked on riches and possessions as a mark of God's favour. What is more, the thought in their heart, as too often with us, may have been: if only we had riches, how much good we could do. To meet these difficulties the Lord shows where the great danger of riches lies. Men think they can secure salvation and the blessings of the Kingdom by means of riches, and so put their trust in riches.

The Lord's answer put the case in its right light. "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." It is a question of the heart and nature. It is not about wealth or a pleasant character, but about new birth (John 1:12-13), which God alone can bring about.

But if we are seeking the world or riches, the effect in practice will be to separate us from God. I always tremble now when I hear of a Christian getting on in the world... Generally there is a going down in spiritual life when there is a going up in the world... Someone once said to me, What harm is there in riches? My reply was, Suppose they keep you out of heaven; what then? Oh! he said, I never thought of that! If riches do get hold of the heart, they must surely keep Christ out; and a heart without Christ never got into heaven yet.

Even with the best intentions, a readiness to be taught, and plenty to use well, the true state of the heart comes out; "who then can be saved?" With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible... the Cross alone would do; those who follow Him must take it up — death to what man was, the only path. But then there was a blessed starting point for this: "He came to give His life a ransom for many," Mark 10.

These words astonished the disciples. Their Jewish way of thinking looked for blessing on earth, so they saw riches and possessions as a mark of God's favour. And the thought in their heart, as too often in ours, may have been this: if only we had riches, how much good we could do!

The disciples were very astonished at these words. They felt that they cut the ground away completely from under our feet. So, indeed, they do. "Then who can be saved?" is a huge question. Verse 27 gives a definite answer. Salvation is impossible with men, though possible with God. It was as though the Lord said: "If it is a question of what man can do, nobody can be saved. But if it is a question of what God can do, anybody can be saved."

Their question shows that a thought still lingered in their minds: at least in some measure, their salvation depended on themselves. They had to learn, as we all have to learn, that our salvation is wholly the work of God, and not of man at all.

Beyond measure surprised, they ask, "Then who can be saved?" This gives the Lord the chance to explain what lies at the bottom of the whole question: salvation is a question of God, and not of man at all. Law, nature, riches, poverty — whatever a man loves or fears — has nothing at all to do with the saving of the soul. It rests entirely on the power of God's grace, and nothing else.

Note that the Lord does not speak of a man who is actually rich, but of one who trusts in riches. The person who owns least faces this danger just as much as the person who owns most.

It is a question of the heart and of our nature. It is not a question of wealth or a pleasant character, but of new birth (John 1:12-13), which God alone can bring about.

Here was a man with the best disposition, ready to be taught, and with plenty to put to good use — and still the state of his heart came to light. "Then who can be saved?" With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. From the very start the Lord had shown him he was on the wrong track, looking for goodness in man — God alone was good... But there was a blessed starting point instead: "He came to give His life a ransom for many."

He looks for the vilest sinners (the thief on the cross, for instance), and takes them to paradise. He does not take the pretty flowers and leave the weeds. What man calls goodness is often disgusting selfishness; and people say, "If that man doesn't go to heaven, who will?" They do not know the heart at all.

It is not possible for you and me to be saved by our own efforts. Why is it impossible? Because we are sinners, and cannot save ourselves... So who am I thrown back on? I am thrown back on God. How can you be saved? You must let God save you.

These words astonished the disciples. Their Jewish thoughts of blessing on earth made them see riches and possessions as a mark of God's favour... Note that the Lord does not speak of a man who is actually rich, but of one who trusts in riches. The poorest person faces this danger just as much as the one who owns the most.

Amazed, they say to each other, "Who then can be saved?" That gives the Lord the opportunity to explain what lies at the bottom of the whole question: salvation is a matter of God, and not of man at all. Law, nature, riches, poverty — whatever a man loves or fears — has nothing to do with the saving of the soul. It rests on the power of God's grace, and on nothing else.

We emphasise that word. For men, salvation is not improbable, but IMPOSSIBLE. As far as our own efforts go, the door is barred against us. God has opened another door, but it is by death and resurrection, and the Lord was now turning His disciples' thoughts to it.

A man cannot stop the tide as it rolls onto the shore, or create an angel. He is just as unable to save a soul. With man it is impossible. No one can make a man prefer faith to sight, choose the wealth of heaven over the gold of earth, give up self for Christ, and choose God's way instead of his own. Yet the saved man, in God's account, does these things, and that means his very nature is changed. And no man can change his own nature, or anyone else's.

Why is it impossible? Because we are sinners, and we cannot save ourselves. How can you meet the claims of God in righteousness? You would have to be more than a man to do that... God has judged you, and me, to be sinners in our sins, lost and ruined. He has judged us to be what we are: unable to get ourselves out of the condition sin has landed us in. And the thing that is not possible with us is possible with Him.

The Lord's answer put the case in its right light: "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." It is a question of the heart and nature — not of wealth or a pleasant character, but of new birth (John 1:12-13), which God alone can bring about.

But with God — and we may bless Him for it — all things are possible, whatever the difficulty. So God chooses in His grace to call all sorts and conditions of people. We read of a person called out of Herod's court, and of saints in Caesar's household. A great company of the priests believed. So did Barnabas the Levite, with his houses and lands, and above all Saul of Tarsus, brought up under the teaching of Gamaliel. All these difficulties only gave God the opportunity to overcome every obstacle by His own power and grace.

But what an immense grace, which shows us what we are and what God is!... you are lost in sin, and salvation is purely of grace, impossible for man. But the work of salvation is perfect and complete, and the righteousness of God is upon all who believe in Him who has accomplished it. No part of Scripture states the basic truth of man's state, and his need of God's salvation, more clearly.

Suppose the preacher shrinks from owning that he has no power, and that every effort he makes in his own strength is independence of God, and so sinful. How can he then expect his hearers to own that they have no power to save themselves, that their best efforts are sinful, and that God is their only hope?