Mark 10:23-31
Introduction
Today’s text is a follow on from the previous passage about the rich young ruler. As we saw in the last study, the rich young ruler failed to enter the kingdom of God because his riches were more important to him than his salvation. And so, in today’s text, Jesus speaks about how wealth can be an obstacle to salvation.
Bear all of this in mind as we examine today’s passage.
Verses 23 to 25
After watching the rich young ruler walk away, Jesus turns to the disciples and says something that amazes them. He says to them, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God.”
As we saw last week, we enter the kingdom of God when we are saved. So, Jesus is saying that it is hard for wealthy people to be saved. Bear in mind that Jesus is talking about material wealth or riches.
Why is it hard for wealthy people to be saved? In the Old Testament, material wealth was seen as a blessing from God. However, it could also be a curse – the curse of self-sufficiency. It is hard for wealthy people to be saved because they often feel no need for a saviour. Their wealth is their security and it can be used to deal with all their needs and issues.
In Verse 24 the disciples are amazed at what Jesus had just said. And Jesus responds to their amazement by repeating Himself. Bear in mind that some translations miss out some of what Jesus said in Verse 24. In the full version, Jesus said, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.”
Using the full version of Verse 24, what is the difference between what Jesus said in Verse 24 and what He said in Verse 23? In Verse 23 He talked about those who ‘are’ rich but in Verse 24 He talked about those who ‘trust’ in riches. So, in Verse 24 Jesus clarifies what He said in Verse 23. This clarification helps us to better understand what Jesus is saying.
Jesus is not saying that just because someone is wealthy, it is hard for them to be saved. No, it is their attitude to their wealth that is the obstacle to salvation. It’s a matter of trust. Do they trust in their wealth instead of trusting in Jesus. Jesus is always concerned about the heart of a man.
Let’s consider what the bible has to say about wealth in general. Wealth or riches can be a blessing from God. For instance, Abraham was a wealthy man, Job was a wealthy man and Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy man. Wealth or riches is not a bad thing in itself. Any wealth or riches that we have is given to us by the grace of God. Any wealth we have is entrusted to us to be used wisely for good. But we are not to rely on or cling to our wealth. We must be willing to give it up if God so wishes.
God is opposed to those who acquire wealth by exploiting others or those who use wealth to crush or enslave others. We are to use our wealth to help those who are poor through no fault of their own.
In Verse 25, Jesus uses a strange ‘aphorism’ to illustrate what He is saying. An aphorism is quirky phrase that expresses a truth. e.g. ‘a penny saved is a penny earned’ or ‘actions speak louder that words’
So, what does Jesus mean by ‘it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle’? He is not talking about a very small gate in the wall of Jerusalem through which camels would have to crawl at the time of Jesus. That is a myth. Jesus was simply using a large animal and a very small hole to make his point. He was using an exaggerated image to make His point. He has used this method before.
Bear in mind that some people misinterpret Verse 25 by claiming that Jesus is saying that it is impossible for a rich person to be saved. But this is not true as we will see.
Verses 26 to 27
In Verse 26 the disciples ask a very important question, “Then who can be saved?” This gives an opportunity for Jesus to make a very important point about salvation.
In Verse 27 Jesus is saying that it is impossible for us to save ourselves. Only God can save us.
Think about that for a moment.
Verses 28 to 31
In Verse 28 Peter is saying that the disciples have given up everything to follow Jesus and Jesus gives the details of what they have given up in Verse 29. As it was with the 12 disciples, sometimes the Lord asks us to give up our riches or possessions in order to devote ourselves to serving Him. In Verse 30 Jesus is saying that He will replace all that they have given up many times over.
If the disciples have left behind their brothers, sisters, mothers and children, then who are the brothers, sisters, mothers and children that Jesus will supply the disciples with? They are other Christians who are part of God’s family.
What we see happening with the disciples in these verses is also true of us as disciples today. Think about that for a moment.
The ‘first’ that Jesus is talking about in Verse 31 are those that the world considers to be the most important people in society. This means that the ‘last’ in this verse are those that the world considers to be the least important people. So, Jesus is saying that in God’s kingdom, those that the world considers to be insignificant are given the highest honour.
Do, you feel insignificant in the world? Then take heart because in God’s kingdom you are highly esteemed. What gets you to be the first in God’s kingdom is fidelity and faithfulness to Christ.
And Finally
The warning that Jesus gives in today’s passage about how wealth can be harmful is more pertinent to us today than ever before in human history. In the West in particular, most of us are better off than any other generation in history. And the church is richer than ever before.
For those of us who have been saved, the risk of wealth being an obstacle in our relationship with the Lord is greater than at any time before.
Think about that for a moment.