Mark 10:23-31, The Rich Young Man Part II

²³ And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” [Wealth is never called a sin in the New Testament; however, Jesus continually warns it is an impediment to faith.] ²⁴ And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” [Humor?] ²⁶ And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” [What do you take the disciples’ reaction to mean?] ²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” [Salvation comes from God. Think of the exodus and all that the Israelites faced that made their salvation impossible, except when God acted on their behalf.] ²⁸ Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” [Perhaps Peter is a bit prideful for himself and for his band of brothers for they have done what the rich young man was unable to do. They had picked Jesus over everything else.] ²⁹ Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel [the goal of the sacrifices], ³⁰ who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions [the cross is not only an initial burden but a constant one], and in the age to come eternal life. [Our hope is set in the future.] ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” [The rich man may be first now and the disciples last, but in the age to come they will be first and the rich man will be last.]