Mark 10

The Needles Eye and Salvation

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And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto His disciples
“How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”
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!                            
And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”   And Jesus looking upon them saith,
“With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”
Mark 10:23-27

Jesus has just spoken with a young man of  great wealth.  He has asked Jesus how that he might inherit eternal life.  Jesus basically tells him that he must obey the Ten Commandments.  When he said that he had been obedient since youth Jesus told him to  go and sell all that he had.  That was too much and he went away.

By his leaving as he did shows us that his heart was away from God so he had not been obedient to the first four of the Ten.  His heart was on His wealth.

Jesus then teaching His disciples that it is hard for the rich to get into heaven, then they ask Him, “Who then can be saved?”

What is that “Needles eye”?  A camel and a needle?  A camel passing through a needle’s eye?  I have known some who say that there is a small gate in the walls of Jerusalem called the Needles Eye Gate, and they say that for someone take a laden camel through that gate they needed to unload all their packs, for the camel to get through.   There are also some who believe that The Needles Eye is exactly that and shows us that we cannot save ourselves, by unloading our sins, but solely by the power of God and His grace.  Jesus said,  “Come unto Me all of you who are burdened, and heavy laden and I will give you rest’

With God nothing is impossible; even getting a camel through the eye of  a needle; and especially a rich man to receive eternal life through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  He died, He was buried, and He rose again.

What Jesus Says About Marriage and Divorce

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And He answered and said unto them,
“What did Moses command you?”
And they said, “Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.”  And Jesus answered and said unto them,
“For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;  and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
And in the house His disciples asked Him again of the same matter. And He saith unto them,
“Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.  And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
Mark 10:3-12

Delivered To Die

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And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, saying,
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again.”
Mark 10:32-34

…He shall rise again

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And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto Him,
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again.”
Mark 10:32-34

They Were Told, and Told Again

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And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto Him, saying,
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again.” Mark 10:32-34

And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of His doing.
The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory. Psalm 64:9-10

We can, as Christians, learn a lot from the teachings of Jesus, and from the way the disciples listened to Jesus. Several times as we read just one of the gospel accounts Jesus told them that He was going to die, and rise again.

They had other ideas. Do we hear Him today? Do we have our own ideas and plans in the way we want to follow Him? It would do all of us who are the redeemed of the Lord to hear Him, then we will not be surprised at His word being fulfilled.

All Things Are Possible With God

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And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto His disciples,
“How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”
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! 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.”
And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” And Jesus looking upon them saith,
“With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”  Mark 10:23-27

Authority

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“But Jesus called them and saith unto them,
‘Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ ”  Mark 10:42-45

Prayer for the Leadership

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“A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.”  Proverbs 19:5
“Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.”  Mark 10:15

Our Father in heaven all glorious above. You have given us Your Son not just to be an example for leadership, holiness, righteousness and justice; but also and probably foremost to be our Redeemer the atonement for the sins of the world.

Lord, there are many false witnesses in government, in churches, and in homes who are always telling things on others that are not true, and Your word says that they shall not be unpunished. Liars will not escape Your wrath and judgment.

Open the eyes of leaders everywhere that they may realize that leadership is a place of humble service, serving You, and serving the people who put them in their respective places. May they see that they are not lords and masters, but servants to the people. May they also see that their places of service is not for their gaining of wealth and prosperity, but a place for giving; not the people’s money but their own.

Open their eyes, Lord, to realize that there is a greater kingdom; the kingdom of God; to which they must yield, and that the only way to be a part of His kingdom is to come to Him with the faith of a child, fully submitting to His Lordship, and living for Him.

Save, Lord, to the uttermost all those who are perishing. Amen.

Words of Jesus; Son of God, God the Son – 081820

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And He arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto Him again; and, as He was wont, He taught them again. And the Pharisees came to Him, and asked Him, ‘Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?’ tempting Him. And He answered and said unto them,
‘What did Moses command you?’
And they said, ‘Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.’ And Jesus answered and said unto them,
‘For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.’
And in the house His disciples asked Him again of the same matter. And He saith unto them,
‘Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.’ ”  Mark 10:1-12

As They Followed Him They Were Afraid

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“And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto Him,
‘Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again.’” Mark 10:32-34  (KJB)

This was the final time Jesus and His disciples would be going up to Jerusalem.  The disciples seemed to understand that, but not really understanding the coming consequences of this trip.  They had heard Jesus mentioned His death; and they had seen the hatred of the religious leaders toward Him.

They probably were afraid of any coming backlash against them, because they were His followers; and of what would become of them following the worst they could imagine.

Verse 32 was my focus as I was reading chapters 10-12 today. There are times I am fearful.  Sometimes it is a senseless fear.  I mean by that it is something contrived in my own mind. Other times it comes from real time and life situations. When ever fear invades is usually when I am not expecting it.  When I am afraid I choose to hear what the Master says, rather than what my fearful thoughts have imagined.

I have learned that I must question my fears; never my faith.  I am still learning that.

Don’t you just love the way Jesus comforts, and encourages His disciples?  He tells them the events that are going to happen; the ones they are fearful of; but does not leave them without the promise, “He shall rise again.”

Are you going through a fearful situation? Is it something too big for you to handle? Is it a contriving of your own mind?  Either way remember He has risen.  He died on the cross for the sins of the world; yours and mine; then, He was buried, and He rose again.  He forever lives that we too might live and reign with Him forever.