Luke 18:24-27
Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
It's easy to read this and think Jesus is just saying wealth itself is bad, but his observation is more nuanced. He sees the young man's sorrow and realizes that for most people, riches become an idol that makes it incredibly hard to truly let God be God in their lives.
Jesus has just encountered a rich young ruler who, despite his earnestness and outward obedience, can't bring himself to sell all he owns and follow Him. Seeing the young man's deep sadness and his refusal of Jesus' direct challenge, Jesus turns to His disciples to explain the profound difficulty wealth presents for entering God's kingdom. This moment highlights how attachment to possessions can create a seemingly impossible barrier to true discipleship.
Why did Jesus say it's so hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom? It wasn't just about the money itself, but what money can do to our hearts.
Jesus’ statement in Luke 18:24 isn't a condemnation of wealth itself, but a stark warning about its potential to become a powerful obstacle to following God.
The Heart's True Treasure
Riches have a way of capturing our deepest affections and trust. When wealth is abundant, it's easy to feel secure, independent, and self-sufficient. This can lead to a subtle, almost unconscious, reliance on financial security rather than on God. The temptation is to let our resources become our ultimate source of comfort and control, which is precisely what keeps us from fully submitting to God's kingdom.
A Dangerous Difficulty
Commentators note that the difficulty lies not in the wealth itself, but in the trust placed in it. This misplaced trust breeds pride and an inflated sense of self-sufficiency, making it incredibly hard to humble oneself, admit dependence on God, and accept the radical demands of discipleship. The wealthy often find it difficult to relinquish the control and comfort their possessions offer, which is essential for entering God's kingdom.
Jesus says it's 'hard' for the rich, but His disciples are astonished. What’s the missing piece that turns 'impossible' into 'possible'?
The disciples’ reaction to Jesus' words about the rich reveals a crucial truth: human effort alone is insufficient for entering God's kingdom when strong attachments like wealth are involved.
The Shock of Impossibility
When Jesus declared, 'How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!' (Luke 18:24), the disciples were greatly amazed. They understood the implications – if wealth was such a barrier, who could possibly be saved?
God’s Grace is the Key
Jesus' response is powerful: 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible' (Luke 18:27, often linked to this passage). This isn't an excuse for inaction, but a profound declaration of God’s sovereign power and grace. It means that while humanly speaking, overcoming the deep-seated attachments to wealth and self-reliance is impossible, God’s transformative power can make it happen. Salvation isn't earned by shedding riches, but is a gift enabled by God's intervention in the hearts of those who truly seek Him, even the wealthy.
Understand the original words
basileia · Greek Noun
The reign, rule, or sovereign authority of God. It represents the sphere where God’s will is obeyed and where those who have placed their faith in Him experience His eternal blessings.
kamēlos · Greek Noun
A large, desert-dwelling mammal used as a symbol of something vast or impossible to maneuver through a narrow opening. In this context, it illustrates the human impossibility of entering God's kingdom while relying on material wealth.
rhaphis · Greek Noun
A small, metallic tool for sewing, used here proverbially to represent the smallest possible aperture. The image signifies the utter impossibility of human effort alone to secure salvation or entry into God's presence.
sōzō · Greek Verb
This encounter happened during Jesus' ministry, shortly before His crucifixion. The wealthy ruler's inability to follow Jesus highlights the pervasive danger of trusting in riches over God, a common struggle in ancient society that remains relevant today.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus encounters a rich ruler
A wealthy, young ruler asks Jesus how to gain eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell all he has, give to the poor, and follow Him.
c. 30 AD
Ruler departs sadly
The ruler becomes very sad because he is unwilling to give up his possessions, and he leaves Jesus.
c. 30 AD
Jesus speaks to disciples
Jesus uses the ruler's departure to teach his disciples about the difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
c. 30 AD
Parable of the Camel
Jesus employs the vivid imagery of a camel passing through a needle's eye to emphasize how hard it is for the rich to enter God's kingdom.
c. 30 AD
This passage directly parallels Jesus' statement about the difficulty the rich face in entering the kingdom, emphasizing the same theme of wealth as an obstacle.
Mark 10:24Mark's account provides a similar statement and includes Jesus' gentle address to his disciples as 'children,' highlighting the tender yet firm nature of his teaching on riches.
1 Timothy 6:10This verse addresses the 'love of money' as the root of all kinds of evil, connecting directly to the underlying issue that makes riches a stumbling block in Luke 18:24.
Proverbs 11:28This proverb warns that anyone who trusts in riches will fall, reinforcing the idea that it is the reliance on wealth, not wealth itself, that hinders entry into God's kingdom.
Matthew 6:24This teaching explicitly states that one cannot serve both God and money, illustrating the intense conflict that riches can create for a person's devotion and allegiance.
calvinLuke 18:24-27: "And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"
- And Jesus said to his disciples, Verily I say to you, A rich man will with difficulty enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24. Again I say to you, It is easier for a camel [630] to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25. And his disciples, when they had heard these things, were greatly amazed, [631] sa…
gillLuke 18:24: "And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"
And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful,.... As he might, by his looks and gestures; and perceived that he was determined not to part with his possessions, and follow him: he said to his disciples, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! embrace the Gospel, and submit to the ordinances of it; deny themselves, part with th…
It's easy to read this and think Jesus is just saying wealth itself is bad, but his observation is more nuanced. He sees the young man's sorrow and realizes that for most people, riches become an idol that makes it incredibly hard to truly let God be God in their lives.
Jesus has just encountered a rich young ruler who, despite his earnestness and outward obedience, can't bring himself to sell all he owns and follow Him. Seeing the young man's deep sadness and his refusal of Jesus' direct challenge, Jesus turns to His disciples to explain the profound difficulty wealth presents for entering God's kingdom. This moment highlights how attachment to possessions can create a seemingly impossible barrier to true discipleship.
Jesus has just encountered a rich young ruler who, despite his earnestness and outward obedience, can't bring himself to sell all he owns and follow Him. Seeing the young man's deep sadness and his refusal of Jesus' direct challenge, Jesus turns to His disciples to explain the profound difficulty wealth presents for entering God's kingdom. This moment highlights how attachment to possessions can create a seemingly impossible barrier to true discipleship.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Luke 18:24-27 is available in the Sola app.
The act of being rescued from the power and penalty of sin, restored to a right relationship with God, and granted the hope of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a work entirely of God's grace.
adunatos · Greek Adjective
Refers to the state of being unable to achieve something through human strength, intellect, or resources; in this context, it highlights the total dependence of humanity on divine intervention for salvation.
Disciples' Astonishment
The disciples are greatly amazed, questioning who then can be saved, prompting Jesus to explain that salvation is possible with God.
"Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Tho…" — It's easy to read this and think Jesus is just saying wealth itself is bad, but his observation is more nuanced. He sees the young man's sorrow and realizes that for most people, riches become an i…
