“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!”
My Notes
What Does Mark 10:24 Mean?
"Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" Jesus addresses the disciples tenderly — "children" (tekna) — while delivering a hard truth: trusting in riches makes kingdom entry extremely difficult. The key word is "trust" (peitho — to rely on, to place confidence in). The problem isn't having riches. It's trusting in them.
The disciples are astonished (ethambeounto — amazed, shocked, alarmed) because their worldview has been inverted. In their understanding, wealth indicated God's favor. If the wealthy can't enter the kingdom, their entire theological framework collapses.
Jesus doesn't say rich people can't enter. He says it's hard — specifically hard for those who trust in riches. The distinction matters: a rich person who doesn't trust in their wealth is in a different category than one who does. The variable isn't the bank account; it's the heart's reliance.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Do you trust in your riches — financial, relational, intellectual? Be honest.
- 2.What's the difference between having resources and trusting in them?
- 3.Why does wealth create a current against the kingdom?
- 4.How does Jesus' tender address — 'children' — change the tone of a hard teaching?
Devotional
Children. The tender word before the hard truth. How hard it is — not for people who have riches, but for people who trust in them. The having isn't the problem. The trusting is.
Jesus distinguishes between possession and reliance. You can have money and not trust it. You can lack money and still trust in the idea of it. The variable is where your confidence rests. If your security comes from your bank balance, your investments, your earning capacity — if removing those things would remove your peace — then you trust in riches. And the kingdom is hard for you.
The disciples are shocked because they've equated wealth with blessing. If the rich — the people God has obviously favored with material abundance — can't get in, then the system doesn't work the way anyone thought. The astonishment is the sound of a worldview breaking.
Jesus calls them "children" — the most intimate address He uses for the disciples. He's not scolding. He's teaching. He knows the lesson is hard. He knows it breaks their assumptions. And He addresses them with tenderness before He addresses them with truth.
The word "hard" (dyskolos) means difficult, painful, requiring effort. Not impossible — that comes with the camel and the needle. Hard. Like climbing a mountain. Like swimming upstream. It can be done, but the current is against you. Wealth creates a current that pushes you away from the kingdom. You can swim against it, but you have to know the current is there.
Do you trust in your riches — and are you honest about it?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
It is easier for a camel,.... See Gill on Mat 19:24.
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Mark 10:26
mar 10:26
mar 10:26
mar 10:26And they were…
See this passage illustrated in the notes at Mat 19:16-30. Mar 10:17 Gone forth - From the place where he had been…
I. Here is a hopeful meeting between Christ and a young man; such he is said to be (Mat 19:20, Mat 19:22), and a ruler…
Children By this affectionate title He softens the sadness and sternness of His words.
for them that trust in riches…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture