Mark 10:26

10:26 The disciples were astounded: It was generally believed that wealth was a sign of God’s blessing that enabled the rich to do good deeds. Accordingly, it was assumed that the rich had an inside track on entering the Kingdom of God. The disciples’ question was natural, given this understanding. God’s assessment was the opposite of their conventional wisdom.

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

Mar 10:26. Καὶ, and [i.e. “who then?”]) This particle here expresses astonishment.

[26. Ἀφήσει, neither will forgive) And so will also refuse to give ear to.—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 10:26 . The disciples, amazed, ask: καὶ τίς δύναται σωθῆναι ; τίς ἄρα , etc., in Mt. The καὶ resumes what has been said, and draws from it an inference meant to call its truth in question (Holtz., H. C.) = who, in that case, can be saved?

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

Then Peter began to say unto him,.... only observing that Christ promised treasure in heaven to the young man, provided he sold all that he had, and gave it to the poor; but being, in some measure, freed from that surprise and astonishment, which had seized him, and his fellow disciples, at the representation of the difficulty of a rich man's entering into the kingdom of God, by the last words; and taking heart from thence, began to take notice of the following case, as an instance and illustration of what Christ had said; for that same power, which had caused them to quit all their worldly substance for Christ, though it was but small, could also work a like effect upon the heart of a man ever so rich:

lo! we have left all, and have followed thee: in Matthew it is added, "what shall we have therefore?" See Gill on Mat 19:27.

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

26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

Ver. 26. {See Trapp on "Mat 19:25"}

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 they were astonished exceedingly (perisswv exeplhssonto). saying among themselves according to the best reading the words are, saying unto him (pron)Then who can be saved?

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

Jesus explains:

v. 26. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who, then, can be saved?

v. 27. And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.

The disciples, by this time, were almost gasping with perturbation, with very excessive astonishment, saying one to another: Why, who, in that case, can be saved? It was the strongest expression as to man’s utter inability to work out his own salvation that they had ever heard. They naturally must draw the conclusion. But Jesus gives them the explanation. Regeneration, conversion, faith is, in every case, a miracle of the grace of God. He is able to do what seems impossible before men. Through His Word He can change hearts of stone into hearts of flesh, children of Satan into His own dear children, heirs of damnation into heirs of heaven. Through His power, exerted through His means of grace, He is able also to tear the hearts away from the love of earthly things and let them rest in full satisfaction and complete contentment in their Savior.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They were

"The disciples were"

Then who can be saved?

This can be written as a statement. AT: "If that is so, then no one will be saved!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

With people it is impossible, but not with God

The understood information may be supplied. AT: "It is impossible for people to save themselves, but God can save them" (See: Ellipsis)

Look, we have left everything and have followed you

Here the word "Look" is used to draw attention to the words that come next. Similar emphasis can be expressed in other ways. AT: "We have left everything and have followed you"

have left everything

"have left everything behind"

translationWords

amazed

save

God

Peter

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

26. πρὸς αὐτὸν ([2251][2252][2253][2254][2255]) rather than πρὸς ἑαυτούς ([2256][2257][2258][2259][2260][2261]).

[2251] 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.

[2252] 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.

[2253] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[2254] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[2255] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mar 9:5 to Mar 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

[2256] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.

[2257] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[2258] Codex Purpureus. 6th cent. Full text in Texts and Studies v. No. 4, 1899. Contains Mar 5:20 to Mar 7:4; Mar 7:20 to Mar 8:32; Mar 9:1 to Mar 10:43; Mar 11:7 to Mar 12:19; Mar 14:25 to Mar 15:23; Mar 15:33-42. See below on Ψ.

[2259] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[2260] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[2261] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

26. περισσῶς ἐξεπλήσσοντο. Cf. Mar 1:22, Mar 6:2, Mar 7:37. The O.T. teaches that God rewards good men with wealth, and most men either have it or labour to get it. How amazing, therefore, to be told that wealth is a dire obstacle to salvation!

λέγοντες πρὸς αὐτόν. See crit. note. In Mk, as in Mt., λέγειν πρός is very rare; Mar 4:41; cf. Mar 8:16, Mar 11:31.

Καὶ τίς δύναται σωθῆναι; Then who in the world can be saved? Not merely, What rich man? There is no hope that anybody will escape the enormous peril; cf. Mar 13:20. The καί accepts what is said and carries it on with emphasis; Luk 10:29; Joh 9:36; 2Co 2:2; 2Co 2:16.

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.

26.] This reiterated expression of dismay, after the explanation in ver. 24, need not surprise us. The disciples were quite as well aware as we must be, if we deal truly with ourselves, that οἱ τὰ χρήματα ἔχοντες and οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπὶ χρήμασιν are too nearly commensurate, for the mind to be relieved of much of its dread at the solemn saying which preceded.

Of the καί at the beginning of a question, Kühner remarks, on Xen. Mem. p. 117 (in Meyer) “cum vi auctiva ita ponitur, ut is qui interrogat cum admiratione quadam alterius orationem excipere, ex eaque conclusionem ducere significetur qua alterius sententia confutetur.”

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

26. περισσῶς ἐξεπλήσσοντο—before, they had been astonished; now, they were excessively beside themselves with amazement. This making the difficulty of entering the kingdom universal, and increasing it in the case of rich men to almost an impossibility, fairly took away their breath. For one of the promises in regard to that kingdom had been, that prosperity and righteousness were to become common in Israel, and even to be extended to the Gentiles. And Jesus seemed to be making it more and more inaccessible than ever.

λέγοντες πρὸς ἑαυτούς (αὐτόν)—saying to themselves (him).

αὐτόν, instead of ἑαυτούς, Treg. marg. WH. RV. א BCD Memph. Tisch. urges against this the usage of Mk., who never says λέγειν πρὸς, except with ἑαυτούς or ἀλλήλους.

Καὶ τίς δύναται σωθῆναι;—Who then (And who) can be saved? καὶ, with interrogatives, makes an abrupt rejoinder to what has been said.1

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