Mark 10
EdwardsMark 10:24-26
Mark 10:24-26. “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! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?” The reasons why they were astonished seem to be twofold: (1.) This was contrary to the notions they had of the Messiah’s kingdom, as a kingdom of great temporal wealth and glory. They wondered, therefore, how it should come to pass that riches should exclude men out of it; and (2.) It was very contrary to the notion they had been brought up in among the Jews, who had a high esteem of rich men. They were their scribes and others that were their great men, that were rich, were in highest esteem among them, and supposed to be highest in favor with God.
As to the poorer, meaner sort of people, they were low in esteem. In comparison of these they thought none so likely to be advanced as those, and therefore when they hear that those are like to be excluded, they say, “Who then can be saved?” Wherefore Christ greatly contradicted the notions of the Jews in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, in representing a rich man and child of Abraham as going to hell, and not to Abraham’s bosom, but seeing there, afar off, Lazarus, a poor stranger.
Mark 10:29-30
Mark 10:29, 30. “There is no man that hath left house or brethren, etc. - but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, with persecutions, and in the world to come, eternal life.” We may be helped to understand this place by Matthew’s account of the same thing, Matthew 19:27, etc., where we have an account that Christ told his disciples upon John’s asking this question at the same time, that they should sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, i.e., they should be the means of the conversion of the world, the world should be given into their hands, should be brought to embrace their doctrine, and their word should be the standard of their faith, and rule of their worship and practice, and thus they had houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, an hundred-fold. They had the houses of all the Christians to receive them, and at their service; they had brethren and sisters, for all Christians were such in Christ; they had mothers, for so were the churches of Christ. We may observe in the foregoing verse, their forsaking fathers is mentioned, the fathers are not put in here as being restored an hundred-fold, but only mothers, but one Father, even their heavenly Father; they were to have children, for so were those they converted, and lands, for most regions of the earth were to be given to them. The meek shall then inherit the earth. This is especially fulfilled in the glorious times of the church, after the fall of antichrist.