This is one of those scriptures that has tripped up believers for centuries! Was Jesus saying that rich people couldn't be saved? Was He telling us to avoid being rich? Let's look in detail at this passage in Mark 10.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"This is the story of the rich young ruler. Jesus loved this man. After a series of questions and answers, Jesus asked him to sell all he had and give it to the poor, then come and follow Him. The rich young ruler went away sad, for he had a great number of possessions but wouldn’t part with them. He loved and trusted in his riches more than he loved Jesus."Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter 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 the kingdom of God."
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:17-27)
Jesus was conveying the idea that it will be hard for rich people to stop trusting in their riches and to trust in Him. This isn't because God is unmerciful or unwilling for them to trust Him, but because a wealthy person grows accustomed to trusting in his own wealth for prestige, influence, status and purchasing power. This position in life can be very gratifying to the flesh, so it's difficult for some people to let go of it and to trust in God. Jesus is just stating a fact of human nature. It isn't impossible for a rich person to stop trusting in his own wealth and to follow Jesus, but it’s more difficult for him than it would be for the person who has nothing to lose. This makes logical sense, because it's the nature of the flesh.
Regarding the "eye of the needle," some people think Jesus was referring to a geographic area called "the eye of a needle," which camels had difficulty passing through. Others believer Jesus was literally speaking of a needle and thread and of the impossible task of putting a camel through the eye of a needle. Perhaps Jesus was telling the disciples that men's ways of obtaining salvation through money, influence and power were impossible, but God’s way of obtaining salvation through faith by grace was possible. In other words, the rich and the poor alike must approach God the same way—on His terms. When we do things God's way, nothing is impossible!
Clearly, the point of this passage and others we have looked at is not that it's wrong to be rich, but that it’s wrong to "trust in riches." For further study, look at several other Scriptures that convey the command not to trust in riches: Psalm 49:6,7; 52:7; 16:10; Proverbs 11:28; Matthew 13:22, Proverbs 3:5,6.
Again, we see that when we trust in our riches rather than in God and in His Word, we can be deceived and sidetracked by the deceitful allure of money. The result is that the Word is choked in our lives and we become unfruitful. God is not against us having nice things, being blessed richly or having wealth. In fact, we are told that God gives us all things richly so that we may enjoy them! What displeases God is when we trust in those riches rather than in Him.
For further study, I recommend my book, "Getting a Grip on the Basics of Prosperous Living."
Copyright © 2007 Beth Jones Ministries All rights reserved.
