Luke 18:26
Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Luke 18:26
Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
When Jesus says it's "hard for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God," the disciples' immediate reaction isn't just about the rich; it's a broader panic. Their question, "Then who can be saved?" reveals they understood Jesus was highlighting a near-universal obstacle tied to human pride and self-reliance, not just wealth itself.
Just moments before, Jesus had told the disciples how incredibly difficult it is for a rich person to enter God's kingdom, even comparing it to a camel passing through a needle's eye. Hearing this astonishing and seemingly impossible statement, the disciples reacted with shock and asked, "Then who can be saved?" Their question reveals their bewilderment and the profound challenge they felt in Jesus' words about wealth and salvation.
Jesus just told the rich young ruler that it's incredibly difficult for wealthy people to enter the Kingdom of God. His disciples' response? Utter shock and a desperate question.
When Jesus said, '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,' he wasn't just stating a preference. He was highlighting a profound spiritual reality.
The Problem of Riches
The Disciples' Astonishment
The disciples weren't just surprised; they were deeply alarmed. If someone who seemed to have so much going for him (young, moral, wealthy, a ruler!) couldn't easily enter, then who could? Their question reveals a dawning understanding of salvation's gravity and the pervasive nature of the spiritual barriers humans face.
The disciples' question isn't just about the rich; it's about the possibility of anyone being saved. Their immediate conclusion is that salvation is beyond human capacity.
The disciples’ question, “Then who can be saved?” is a cry of desperation born from the realization that their own efforts, or the efforts of anyone, might not be enough.
The Limits of Human Ability
Jesus had just presented a scenario so difficult it seemed impossible. The disciples rightly concluded that if meeting God's standard is this hard, then human strength and willpower are insufficient for salvation. They understood that entrance into God's kingdom requires more than just following rules or possessing good qualities.
Understand the original words
sōzō · Greek Verb
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.
The disciples' question, 'Who then can be saved?' arises from their astonishment at Jesus's teaching, particularly the comparison of a camel passing through a needle's eye. This dramatic imagery highlighted the immense challenge for the wealthy, a challenge so profound it led them to question the possibility of anyone's salvation.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus ministering in Judea and Galilee
Jesus travels and teaches, attracting crowds and disciples, including the rich young ruler.
Early 1st century AD
Encounter with the Rich Young Ruler
A wealthy young man asks Jesus how to gain eternal life, but cannot bring himself to follow Jesus's command to sell all he has.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus's teaching on riches and the kingdom
Jesus uses the analogy of a camel passing through a needle's eye to illustrate the extreme difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
Early 1st century AD
Disciples' astonished reaction
The disciples, hearing Jesus's stark words, express their shock and confusion, asking who then could possibly be saved.
This passage from Matthew directly parallels the disciples' astonishment, showing their shared confusion at Jesus' teaching on riches and salvation.
Mark 10:26Similar to Luke, Mark records the disciples' reaction, emphasizing how the difficulty of salvation for the rich seemed to imply impossibility for anyone.
Luke 1:37This verse declares that 'with God nothing will be impossible,' directly answering the disciples' fearful question and highlighting God's sovereign power to save beyond human ability.
John 6:44Jesus states that 'No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,' underscoring that salvation is not a human achievement but a divine work, which resonates with the disciples' despair about who can be saved.
Philippians 2:13This verse speaks of 'God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,' echoing Jesus' point that salvation is ultimately God's work in and through believers, not their own effort.
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…
pulpitLuke 18:26: "And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?"
Verse 26. - And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? This hard saying appeared to the disciples to be terribly comprehensive in its scope; the longing to be rich was confined to no one class or order, it was the universal passion. Were theft guiltless here? Were they not looking for riches and glory in the Messianic kingdom of the immediate future? And of all peoples the Jews in every age have been credited with the bl…
When Jesus says it's "hard for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God," the disciples' immediate reaction isn't just about the rich; it's a broader panic. Their question, "Then who can be saved?" reveals they understood Jesus was highlighting a near-universal obstacle tied to human pride and self-reliance, not just wealth itself.
Just moments before, Jesus had told the disciples how incredibly difficult it is for a rich person to enter God's kingdom, even comparing it to a camel passing through a needle's eye. Hearing this astonishing and seemingly impossible statement, the disciples reacted with shock and asked, "Then who can be saved?" Their question reveals their bewilderment and the profound challenge they felt in Jesus' words about wealth and salvation.
Just moments before, Jesus had told the disciples how incredibly difficult it is for a rich person to enter God's kingdom, even comparing it to a camel passing through a needle's eye. Hearing this astonishing and seemingly impossible statement, the disciples reacted with shock and asked, "Then who be saved?" Their question reveals their bewilderment and the profound challenge they felt in Jesus' words about wealth and salvation.
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The Need for Divine Intervention
This realization is crucial. It strips away any pride or self-reliance and points to the absolute necessity of God's power. Salvation isn't something we can achieve on our own; it's a gift that requires divine intervention. The disciples' astonishment, rather than leading them to give up, should lead them (and us!) to look to God.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus's affirmation of God's power
Jesus reassures them that while salvation is impossible by human effort, it is entirely possible with God's power.
"Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”" — When Jesus says it's "hard for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God," the disciples' immediate reaction isn't just about the rich; it's a broader panic. Their question, "Then who can be…