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. (10:24)

The Lord had just upset an entire system of values. In the Old Testament, the blessing of the Lord promised riches and well-being (Prov. 10:22). Indeed, this was the criterion by which Job's friends judged the stricken patriarch. It was taken for granted, even by the Lord's disciples, that wealth and health were the natural evidences and attributes of a godly life. Bethlehem, Calvary, and Pentecost have changed all of that.

The Lord adds a word here that shows the subtlety of riches. Those who have them come to trust in them. They rely on them. Money can buy most things, so they think it can buy spiritual blessings too.

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (10:25)

The disciples would have easily understood this reference. Their astonishment must have been only increased by this familiar illustration. Apparently, the Lord's reference is to the small door that is fixed in the main door of a walled city. It was there for the convenience of people who wanted access to the city after the big door was closed; there could be no hope of getting that door opened once it was bolted and barred for the night. A traveler arriving late with a loaded camel would have a problem. The camel with its load would be too big to get through even the smaller door, which was referred to as "the eye of the needle." The owner of the camel would have to divest the beast of its load before there could be any hope of squeezing it through the small opening.

This, then, was the predicament of the rich man. To gain access to the kingdom of God through that "strait" (narrow) gate, of which Jesus spoke (Matt. 7:13-14), he must first unload the camel, divest himself of what was hindering him from getting into the kingdom of God — his wealth.

And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? (10:26)

The notion that prosperity is to be equated with godliness was deeply ingrained. Despite the Lord's blunt denial of this wrong idea, it persists to this day. Those who espouse it ignore the Lord's warnings of rejection, suffering, persecution, want, and woe that the godly can expect in this age. Multitudes believe that they are offered wealth and health, along with long life and happiness, as the birthright of belief. The whole history of the church in a hostile world puts the lie to such fanciful ideas.