Bible study for Today

Is salvation harder for those who have riches?
Watching the rich young ruler walk away sorrowful in Mark 7:23, Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” “Hard” in this context means impossible (see v. 25). “Riches” tend to breed self-sufficiency and a false sense of security, leading those who have them to imagine they do not need divine resources (see Luke 16:13; contra. Luke 19:2; see 1 Tim. 6:9, 17, 18).
Jesus adds that it is “easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle” (v. 25). The Persians expressed impossibility by saying it would be easier to put an elephant through the eye of a needle. This was a Jewish colloquial adaptation of that expression denoting impossibility (the largest animal in Palestine was a camel). Many improbable interpretations have arisen that attempt to soften this phrase, but Jesus’ use of this illustration was to explicitly say that salvation by human effort is impossible—it is wholly by God’s grace.
The Jews believed that with alms a man purchased salvation (as recorded in the Talmud), so the more wealth one had, the more alms he could give, the more sacrifices and offerings he could offer, thus purchasing redemption. The disciples’ question, “Who then can be saved?” (v. 26), makes it clear that they understood what Jesus meant—that not even the rich could buy salvation. Jesus’ emphatic teaching that even the rich could not be saved by their own efforts left the bewildered disciples wondering what chance the poor stood. “With men it is impossible, but not with God,” Jesus added (v. 27). It is impossible for anyone to be saved by his own efforts, since salvation is entirely a gracious, sovereign work of God.

Reading for Today:

Numbers 11:1–12:16

Psalm 31:15-18

Proverbs 11:12-14

Mark 10:1-31

Notes:
Numbers 11:17 the Spirit. This refers to the Spirit of God. It was by means of the Holy Spirit that Moses was able to lead Israel. In v. 25, the Lord gave the Spirit to the 70 men in fulfillment of the word He gave to Moses.
Numbers 11:29 that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them! Moses desired and anticipated the day when all of God’s people would have His Spirit within them. By this, he looked forward to the New Covenant. (See Ezek. 36:22–27; Jer. 31:31ff.; Joel 2:28.)
Mark 10:21 Jesus…loved him. Jesus felt great compassion for this sincere truth-seeker who was so hopelessly lost. And out of that great love He told the rich young man to sell whatever you have. Jesus was not making either philanthropy or poverty a requirement for salvation, but He was exposing the young man’s heart. He was not blameless, as he maintained (v. 20), since he loved his possessions more than his neighbors (see Lev. 19:18). More importantly, he refused to obey Christ’s direct command, choosing to serve riches instead of God (Matt. 6:24). The issue was to determine whether he would submit to the lordship of Christ no matter what He asked of him. So, as he would not acknowledge his sin and repent, neither would he submit to the Sovereign Savior. Such unwillingness on both counts kept him from the eternal life he sought. treasure in heaven. Salvation and all its benefits, given by the Father who dwells there, both in this life and the life to come (see Matt. 13:44–46).