Mark

By Joyce Webb 2023

Chapter 10      Verses 23-31

Verse 23 Jesus had just talked to the man who was rich. Jesus told him to sell all he had and give the money to the poor. The man left—he was disappointed in what Jesus said.

Jesus looked around —then he said to his disciples—”It is hard for those people who are rich—to enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
(I talked about this in the last lesson.)

Verse 24 The disciples were surprised when Jesus said that.
Jesus said again—It is hard for them who trust in riches—to enter into the kingdom of God.

(As I explained in the last lesson—-it is not the money and riches that is the problem. The problem is in the “trusting” in the money.

People who have a lot of money—do not need God to help them. Their money can buy whatever they need—-food, houses, cars, Doctors, etc.
When a person has little money—he sees his need for help. He sees his need for friends and family. He sees his need for God.

He can not trust in money— because he does not have any.
He is more likely to trust in God.

A rich person thinks he does not need God.

Spiritually, the rich man needs God as much as the poor man.

Only God can forgive our sin. Only those who are forgiven can go to God’s heaven.

The poor man is more likely to see that—-the rich man may not see his spiritual need as easily.)

Verse 25 Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, —-than for a rich man to enter into heaven.”

(Bible teachers have talked a lot about this verse. Some say Jesus meant that a real camel could not go through an eye of a sewing needle.

Some say, a “eye of a needle” was a name that was given to a small door in a city wall.

The city wall had a main gate. Off to the side of it was a small door. The small door was called an “eye of needle”. The small door was used when the main gates were shut. The small door allowed a man to enter, but it would be very hard for a camel to get through it.

Some Bible teachers have other explanations. It seems that no one knows the real meaning of this saying—or what the “eye of a needle” really meant to people of that time.)

The idea —is —that whatever it was—it would be hard for a camel to go through it. )

And it is hard for rich people to trust in God for salvation and go to heaven.  Because they trust in their money. They do not think they need God.

Verse 26 The disciples were surprised again to hear Jesus say this.
They asked—”Who then can be saved?”

The reason the disciples asked this was because the Jewish people believed that being rich was because God was pleased with you—-he blessed you with many blessings.

A person with many blessings and riches was thought to be blessed by God. If he was blessed by God, then that person would surely go to heaven.

What did Jesus mean that riches made it hard to go to heaven?

Verse 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is not possible (could not happen), But with God, all things are possible (could happen).

Verse 28 Peter said, We have left all—and followed you.
(The disciples had left their work, and their families—and followed Jesus.

God is not one to call men to walk away from their family and let the family not have food or things they need—because the father has gone to do God’s work.

People did give the disciples money and things as offerings. Judas was the one who kept the money. The money was shared among the men and Jesus for what they needed. It would seem that the men gave money to their families —to take care of them —while the men were gone.)

But Peter is right—they did walk away from their work and their homes. They probably only saw their families once in awhile.
Probably other family members watched over their family.

Verse 29-31 Jesus said to the disciples—No man who has left his home, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land,—for my sake—and the gospel’s—-He will receive 100 times more in time—with persecutions—-and in the “world to come”—eternal life.

Many that are first—will become last, and those who are last (now) will be first then.

(People who have given up everything to do God’s work—such as missionaries—-they will be rewarded some day.

Other people –also—who have given up having things of this world—- to follow God and do His work—will be given a reward some day.

Jesus said—even now—in this time—-He will reward them—and later—-they will be given a reward in heaven and in the world to come.

Jesus did say that they would have persecution. This means bad things and trouble— that people will do to them —-because they are doing God’s work.

People who have given up things of this world to follow Jesus—others may think of them as “losers” —they are “last” —they are not important.

People often think that others who are rich and have fancy homes and own large business and have millions and billions of dollars are important and “first”.

People often think that preachers that are popular on TV and have big crowds of people in their church are “great” and “first”.

Jesus said in heaven —-those who everyone thinks is “first” –will be surprised to see they are “last” in God’s eyes. And the people they thought were “last”—God will reward them as being “first”.