Mark 10:24

10:24 In response to the disciples’ amazement, Jesus addressed them affectionately as dear children.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 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. Mar 4:19; Psa 62:10; 1Ti 6:17. [The number of those who hare riches is not much greater than that of those who trust in them.—V. g.]

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 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.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(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.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It is easier for a camel,.... See Gill on Mat 19:24.

.

Mark 10:26

mar 10:26

mar 10:26

mar 10:26And they were astonished out of measure,.... They were still more amazed, their surprise increased exceedingly upon our Lord's using the above comparison; which, in their apprehension, showed, that it was utterly impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God; and they expressed their astonishment,

saying, among themselves, who then can be saved? in the Messiah's kingdom, if rich men are not? See Gill on Mat 19:25. The Persic version renders it, "how can this man be saved?" as if the words had a particular respect to the young man, that had great possessions, and was gone away sorrowful.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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!

Ver. 24. For them that trust in riches] As most rich men do, thinking themselves simply the better and the safer for them. This blab is soon blown up.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the disciples were astonished (eyambounto) 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 Mar_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" (tekna). 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.

Vers. 24-27. Moral impossibilities,

I "MORAL IMPOSSIBILITIES" IS A PHRASE OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE. Like all such phrases, saws, and proverbs, it represents the side of truth that is obvious and turned to general view. Men being what they arc, certain changes in the character and conduct are not likely, are scarcely probable or possible. So we argue, and justly. So Jesus speaks, using a very strong figure of speech.

II "MORAL IMPOSSIBILITIES" MAY NEVERTHELESS BE OVERCOME. AS Napoleon, in the physical sphere, blotted the word "impossible" from his dictionary, so is the Christian taught to do in the moral sphere. In one light, it looks unlikely that anybody can be saved, considering the power of sin, the "weight," and the "besetment," and the apparent lack of moral energy. But nothing that is conceivable is impossible. Nothing that is morally desirable may not be expected to come to pass.

1. We are prone to a scepticism about our own nature, which we ought to overcome. It is not justifiable, in the light of the facts of history, of personal experience, of the might and love of God.

2. A deep faith in the possibilities of human nature is inspired by the love of God. Love is the spring of the human mechanism, the leaven that works in its lump, the struggling force contending against immense disadvantages, but destined to final victory. "All things are possible with God! J.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jesus saith to them, Children - See how he softens the harsh truth, by the manner of delivering it! And yet without retracting or abating one tittle: How hard is it for them that trust in riches - Either for defense, or happiness, or deliverance from the thousand dangers that life is continually exposed to. That these cannot enter into God's glorious kingdom, is clear and undeniable: but it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a man to have riches, and not trust in them. Therefore, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

astonished

Or, amazed, i.e. as Jews: knowing that temporal prosperity was, to the Jew as such, a token of divine favour. e.g. Deu 28:1-12.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. [2237][2238][2239], k omit πεποιθότας ἐπὶ τοῖς χρήμασιν.

[2237] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[2238] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2239] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

24. ἐθαμβοῦντο. This verse has no parallel in Mt. or Lk., who habitually spare the Twelve. Mk alone uses this verb, and always of the effect of Christ’s words (Mar 1:27) or action (Mar 10:32). Lk. uses θάμβος in a similar way (Mar 4:36, Mar 5:9). For ἀποκριθεὶς λέγει see on Mar 8:29 sub fin.

πῶς δύσκολον. The adj. has three stages of meaning; “difficult to please about food,” dainty; “difficult to please,” fretful; “difficult” in any sense, as here. See crit. note. The words omitted by [2432][2433][2434] and k, one of the most important of the representatives of the Old Latin texts, cannot be original. They do not fit the context and they are less than the truth. The context requires “How hard it is for rich people not to trust in riches, and those who trust in riches cannot enter the Kingdom” (Mat 6:24). The true text says that it is hard for anyone to enter the Kingdom (Luk 13:24), and therefore very hard for the wealthy (Luk 6:24; Luk 16:19; Jas 5:1). This was a solemn warning to Judas. Celsus said that Christ took this from Plato (Laws v. p. 742), but that passage merely says that a man cannot be both very good and very rich.

[2432] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[2433] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2434] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24.] τέκνα is remarkable and a trace of exactitude: see Joh 21:5:—so also περιβλ. ver. 23.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. Οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἐθαμβοῦντο ἐπὶ τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ1—And the disciples were astonished at his words. The disciples were amazed at these words, the same as every one is amazed now; or rather, their amazement then corresponds to the entire disuse into which sayings of this class have fallen now. Then, as now, there was an established religion, in which wealth enabled its possessor to come to the front, and occupy the most prominent positions. So far from disqualifying them, it gave its possessors prestige, and always wealth leads to culture and respectability, while poverty is the parent of vice and crime. The ordinary condition of the world is that of routine morals, and it has no ear for revolutionary words like these.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.