Mark 10:24

And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(24) How hard is it for them that trust in riches.—The words have the appearance of limiting, and so softening, the seeming sternness of the previous utterance. There is, however, good reason for thinking, as they are wanting in the best MSS., that they were added by some one who sought to tone down the words of warning to what seemed a rational medium. Omitting the doubtful words, the sentence runs, “How hard is it to enter into the kingdom of God!”—hard alike for rich and poor, though, as the words that follow show, it was hardest for the former.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:23-31 Christ took this occasion to speak to his disciples about the difficulty of the salvation of those who have abundance of this world. Those who thus eagerly seek the wealth of the world, will never rightly prize Christ and his grace. Also, as to the greatness of the salvation of those who have but little of this world, and leave it for Christ. The greatest trial of a good man's constancy is, when love to Jesus calls him to give up love to friends and relatives. Even when gainers by Christ, let them still expect to suffer for him, till they reach heaven. Let us learn contentment in a low state, and to watch against the love of riches in a high one. Let us pray to be enabled to part with all, if required, in Christ's service, and to use all we are allowed to keep in his service.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Children - An expression of affection, perhaps also implying a reproof that their slowness of understanding was like that of children. When they should have seen at once the truth of what he said, they were slow to learn it. It became necessary, therefore, to "repeat" what he had said.

How hard - With how much difficulty.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mr 10:17-31. The Rich Young Ruler. ( = Mt 19:16-30; Lu 18:18-30).

See on [1473]Lu 18:18-30.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Mark 10:23"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the disciples were astonished at his words,.... For they expected, in a little while, that the kingdom of the Messiah would be set up in great worldly pomp and grandeur; and that all the rich men of the nation would come into it, become his subjects, and join to support the glory and splendour of it:

but Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, children: it was common with the Jews to call the disciples, or scholars of the wise men, "children"; hence that saying of theirs (f), , "the disciples are called children", which they prove from 2 Kings 2:3 Isaiah 8:18.

How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! This he said partly to confirm what he had before said, at which his disciples were astonished; and partly to explain it, as that he was to be understood of such that trusted in their riches, set their hearts upon them, and placed their hope and happiness in them: and the great difficulty, or rather impossibility of such, at least continuing so, entering into the kingdom of God, is still more strongly expressed in the following words.

(f) Maimon. Hilch. Talmud Tora, c. 1. sect. 2. Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora, pr. affirm. 12. Vid. T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 19. 2. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 42. fol. 36. 4. & Vajikra Rabba, sect. 11. fol. 154. 4.

Geneva Study Bible

And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 10:24. ἐθαμβοῦντο, were confounded.—πάλιν ἀποκριθεὶς prepares us for repetition with unmitigated severity, rather than toning down, which is what we have in T. R., through the added words, τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐπὶ τοῖς χρήμασιν, suggesting an idea more worthy of a scribe than of Jesus; for it is not merely difficult but impossible for one trusting in riches to enter the Kingdom. Yet this is one of the places where the Sin. Syriac agrees with the T. R.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

24. Children] By this affectionate title He softens the sadness and sternness of His words.

for them that trust in riches] Some important MSS. omit these words, and then the verse would run, “Children, how hard it is to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 10:24. Τέκνα, Children) This term of address shows, that Jesus speaks with pity, but at the same time with truth: and that He freely declares the fact to His disciples.—τοὺς πεποιθότος, those that trust) puffed up thereby, so as not to obey the word of God: ch. Mark 4:19; Psalm 62:10; 1 Timothy 6:17. [The number of those who hare riches is not much greater than that of those who trust in them.—V. g.]

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 24. - And the disciples were astonished (ἐθαμβοῦντο) - literally, were amazed at his words. The Greek word here implies wilderment. It is used again below at ver. 32. We find it also at Mark 1:27. This doctrine of our Lord was so new and strange to them. They had been accustomed to think little of the danger, and much of the advances of wealth. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches enter into the kingdom of God! He the enduring expression of "children" (τέκνα). He and takes off somewhat of the edge of the seventy of the expression, by changing the form of it into the words," how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" There is some authority for omitting the words. "for them that trot in riches;" so to reduce the sentence to the simple form, "How hard is it to enter into the kingdom of God!" Such is the reading in the two great uncial manuscripts, the Sinaitic and the Vatican. But on the whole the balance of evidence is in favor of that which was adopted in the Authorized Version, and has been retained by the Revisers of 1881; and it is reasonable to believe that our Lord qualified the former expression, in order to relieve the minds of his amazed disciples. Mark 10:24