Mark 10:26-27 - The Necessity of Divine Grace

Mark 10:26-27
²⁶ They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ Looking at them, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Preface -  Jesus, after speaking to the Rich Young Ruler, in answering his question on obtaining eternal life takes a moment to speak a lesson to the disciples and those around. He says that being rich makes it hard, not impossible, but hard for people then to enter the kingdom of God. We must always be careful of the matters of our heart.  

The disciples at this time could have been thinking of a former Jewish teaching that wealth often was equated with righteousness. Deuteronomy 28:11 says, "The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you." Wealth was often seen as a gift for the righteous. Even Job was renowned for his righteousness and piety as well as for his vast wealth (Job 1:1-5). 

After Jesus had basically said to them that having wealth makes it hard for a person then to enter the kingdom of God, the disciples respond that they were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved? It is almost as if they were saying, so how can this rich young ruler be saved. 

One interesting thing to note is that the disciples used the term saved here. Previously Jesus had not used that terminology or Mark had not used that terminology in describing this incident. The rich young ruler had come to Jesus to say, "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus in his response had 3 times in 3 verses (23-25) equated inheriting eternal life with entering the kingdom of God. And now the disciples replied with how can a man be saved. Thus, inheriting eternal life, entering the kingdom of God, and salvation were all the same thing here. Salvation was wrapped up in all of these meanings. I think this is significant because part of my study of Mark and reading of it over this time is to try to understand from this book how salvation is defined. And what was being taught of salvation. And here there is a clear connection that salvation is inheriting eternal life; it is entering the kingdom of God. 

Thus, for all of these things - eternal life, the kingdom of God, salvation, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” The crux of salvation falls on God making it happen. Man does not make salvation, eternal life, entering the kingdom of God on his own. Man does not achieve this as a separate work. The Rich Young Ruler had kept the law, but that wasn't the ticket. He had accumulated wealth and therefore was probably well respected in his day, but that wasn't the ticket. It wasn't obtained through doing, it comes about because of what God has done: With people it is impossible. People don't make it happen.   All things are possible with God. God makes it happen. It is all possible because of God. 

I was speaking with a person that attends the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints recently and he remarked that salvation occurs after man lives his life to the best of his ability. So all of the days on earth are spent by man doing the best that person can do, following ordinances, obeying commands, and then after all that man has done, Christ saves a person. This seems to infer that salvation is man and God working in tandem. Man does his part and Christ then will usher in the final decision. But, Jesus does not present that sort of message here. Man's efforts don't get him anything at all. It is not a decision in tandem, rather it is only possible with God.    


Summary - The disciples are hungry for truth. In response to them seeing that a rich young man who has kept the law and commandments does not enter the kingdom of God through this effort and Jesus remarks that it is very hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. The disciples wonder then how can a person be saved. Jesus responds that salvation with people is impossible. But with God all things are possible.

Promise: Christ alone brings salvation and we trust in Him alone to save sinners and to presever them in His grace.

Prayer: Lord, you are the author of salvation. With you all things are possible. On my own, even keeping the law will not merit eternal life. Thank you for making the way possible for me. Thank you for your great love for me and your gift of grace. Help this truth to rein in our world today so that many more would catch on and understand this truth.