Mark 10:27
Notice that Jesus doesn’t correct the disciples. They are thinking nobody can get saved if rich people can’t. Well, if the basis for salvation is anything other than the grace of God, then the answer is yes, nobody can get saved. And that is what Jesus wants his followers to understand.
So, only by the grace of God is anyone able to be saved. This is why Jesus doesn’t modify the disciples words. He confirmed that it is an impossibility for us to be saved. But God is in the impossibility business.

Heavenly Father, thank you for making the impossible possible! May we never get over the miracle of salvation. That you have made your grace available to us is so wonderful. You give freely, and you really love us. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:26
Well, the disciples got the implication of Christ’s words. But, they still failed to get the theology of it. They understood that Jesus was describing an impossibility. But they couldn’t get themselves out of traditional Jewish thinking. In their minds, if the rich couldn’t be saved, there was no hope for anyone!

Heavenly Father, your creation is amazing! It is so wonderful to be able to see the trees and the birds, and all of the glorious things you have made. Thank you! I will praise your for your infinite wisdom. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:25
Much conjecture has surrounded this verse. This is due to our attempts to understand the illustration Jesus gives here. Several have said that the ‘eye of a needle’ refers to a particular type of entrance. This would be a smaller one-person size entrance located near the main gate. The idea was that one could get a camel through it, but only with great difficulty.
However, I think this type of explanation is unnecessary. As we see in the next few verses, Jesus is describing an impossibility, not an improbability. So, to understand the eye of a needle as exactly what it is will not hurt the meaning in the least. It is completely impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. It is completely impossible for anyone, by their own effort, to enter into the kingdom of God. This is consistent with what Jesus had already been teaching in this passage.

Heavenly Father, may we never fail to understand our dependence upon you. You are the one we look to for everything. You are the only one who has the answers. It is only by trusting Christ completely that we can hope to enter into heaven. Without him, our salvation would be an impossibility. Thank you for salvation in Christ! The name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Mark 10:24
Why the repitition? Well, the disciples had quite a bit of trouble with this teaching for one thing. But, also, Jesus was making a big deal out of it too. He really wanted them to get this. The Jews naturally thought that rich people were righteous becuase they assumed that God would not bless them so much if they weren’t. Jesus, on the other hand basically preaches this guy into hell.
And why? Does Jesus just not like rich people? On the contrary, Jesus had several rich friends. He simply wanted his followers to understand that salvation would not be based on riches, or works of the law. Salvation is based on our acceptance of Christ. Following him is the requirement. And this is the vitally important point that Jesus wants us to understand.

Heavenly Father, thank you for making your Word clear to us. The illumination of your truth by the Holy Spirit is a great blessing to our souls. You never give us anything we don’t need. That’s an amazing thought! Your time is spent giving us what we need, even if we don’t see it that way. You show us how we should live. May we always be witnesses for you of what you have done for us. We must spread your truth to the world. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:23
This is a very significant teaching of Christ right here. It shows us that there will be many that never make it to heaven simply becuase of perceived comfort in this life.
There is a great danger in thinking that we are safe. This is not to say that the Lord would have us life lives filled with worry and care. But, freedom from such anxiety comes with entrance into the kingdom. So, before salvation there needs to be some healthy worry about the destiny of our souls.

Heavenly Father, help us to understand your comfort. So often in this world we seek comfort in all the wrong places. There is a great lack of understanding that you have our best at heart. You are going to bring us to a place of contentment, but by the road less traveled. You are the one who brings us to yourself. Thank you for drawing us, for with our natural tendency to find comfort in sin, we would not come to you on our own. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:22
Notice here the grief! You would think that grief would cause this young man to change his outlook. But this sorrow is not the kind to produce repentance. It is the ‘that’s too bad’ sorrow. There will be a whole multitude of persons in hell quite sorrowful for thier state, but too late to change it. Why? All for this type of sorrow. It is a ‘feeling sorry for yourself’ sorrow. It has never done anybody any good.

Heavenly Father, you always have the best plans in mind. We think we know what is best for ourselves, but we just don’t. Lord you are so patient! You don’t just give up on us. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:21
The first bit of this verse is quite intriguing. Does this mean that Jesus loved this man more than others? No. But, what then does it mean? Well, the disciples knew Jesus fairly well, and they knew his mannerisms. Likely, they saw the look in Jesus’ eyes as he spoke with this man. They probably saw the same kind of look that Jesus had when each of them were called. In other words, this is a recognition of Jesus’ willingness to have this man as one of his followers. Though he knew this would not happen, his desire was there.
Notice also that Jesus asks for two things from this man. He asked for his loyalty in giving. The man would have to be willing to give up whatever was asked for the cause of Christ. But, also Jesus asks for the man to follow him. The first was the cause of this man changing his mind about Christ. However, the second is really the more costly and difficult, though very rewarding. The man could not see the implications of the second because of the first.

Heavenly Father, thank you for challenging us! We tend to want to be happy with where we are, and never try to grow beyond it. You equip us for the work anyway. It is all of you, and you deserve the glory. I will praise you for the hard things, and the easier things. You don’t give us difficulties because you hate us, but because you love us. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:20
This fellow was under the impression that he had kept the law. Now, we could be real hard on him here. But, given what he had likely been taught by the Jewish leaders, we can understand why he thought this possible. Indeed, in that society, this man’s prosperity alone would have been seen as a token of great righteousness.
Obviously, this fellow was looking at things subjectively. He had not broken any of these commands directly. So, he assumed, compared to others, that he was in pretty good shape. He was not claiming sinless perfection, but adherence to accepted standards.

Heavenly Father, thank you for helping us to understand our righteousness. Our tendency to justify ourselves can get us into so much confusion. But, your truth gives us an objective measure. That really grounds us. Thank you for always leading us to more truth! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:19
Jesus now tests this young man even further. He gives him an opportunity to examine his life in relation to the law. This is not to say that Jesus would consider the works of the law a reliable path to salvation. But, remember, the law is our schoolmaster. It brings us to an understanding of our need for Christ.

Heavenly Father, you are worthy of the praise for your perfect law. Though it cannot save us, it is the reason behind our salvation. It shows us what is expected. It gives us the framework to be able to grasp the full magnitude of your grace. You are so intelligent and you have shared your knowledge with us. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:18
Many have pointed to this verse as evidence that Jesus did not claim to be God. This is based on a misunderstanding of Jewish theology. Jesus did not need to identify himself as God in order for it to be understood that he is indeed equal with God.
The New Testament teaches that God is triune. The three distinct persons of the Godhead are equal in one Divine essence. The Old Testament has the same approach. The prophecies concerning the Messiah make it clear that he is equal with God. Jesus did not say he was God the Father simply because he is God the Son. And he definitely did claim that identity.
So, what is Jesus saying here? Rather than denying his deity, he is trying to get this man to think about Who he is. Many of the Jews saw Jesus as a ‘good’ teacher, or even a prophet. But did this man see him as the Messiah? If so, the word good would signify much more than just excellence or distinction.
Jesus always tries to get people to step beyond where they are to get to a place of greater truth. He wanted this man to understand that wasn’t just a great prophet, but that he is The Messiah. Unfortunately, this man ended up leaving Jesus, failing to realize what he was forsaking.

Heavenly Father, you always encourage us to grow beyond where we are. Thank you for working with us like that! You really do care about us. We know that you want to see us succeed in our spiritual lives. You are amazing! We will thank you all our lives for your intervention. You put truth before us and challenge us to grab it. There is always something more we can learn about you. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.