Matthew 19:23
Monday, 11 May 2026
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:23
“And Jesus, He said to the ‘disciples, His’, ‘Amen! I say to you that wealthy, impracticably, he will enter into the ‘kingdom, the heavens’.’” (CG)
In the previous verse, the rich young ruler went away sorrowful because he had great possessions. With his departure, the narrative continues, “And Jesus, He said to the ‘disciples, His’, ‘Amen!’”
Jesus has a statement of surety to be considered based on what has just happened. His initial statement, “Amen,” calls for attention to what He will next say. And what He will say was, and remains in people’s minds to this day, a shocking proclamation. He said, “I say to you that wealthy, impracticably, he will enter into the ‘kingdom, the heavens’.”
A new adverb is seen here, duskolós, impracticably. It refers to that which is impracticable. The word “hardly” almost measures up to the thought, but it implies something that can be done with effort. The biblical understanding of the words excludes merit. As such, impracticably, which refers to something “incapable of being performed or accomplished by the means employed or at a command” (Merriam-Webster), is a better fit.
Jesus doesn’t state the reason here, but as noted, understanding His meaning from the greater body of biblical Christian theology, it is understood that identifiers such as lineage, gender, status, wealth, culture, etc., have nothing to do with entry into the kingdom of the heavens.
Jesus’ words will cause a state of mental confusion among the disciples, but His reassurances will let them know that what is impracticable from one angle is perfectly plausible and practicable from another.
Life application: Anywhere you go on our spinning blue ball called Earth, there will be rich people and poor people. A common trait among the majority of the wealthy is that they have been blessed by God, or gods, or their own efforts (as if they are gods), and those around them have not been so blessed.
This is natural to assume. Hollywood actors may be good at what they do, but there are innumerable other actors who are just as good or better who came at the wrong time, had a bad day while interviewing, etc.
But those who get the actor position don’t consider all the variables. Most assume it was because of their greatness that they were selected. Eventually, this forms into a god complex as people throw themselves at their feet, money comes in so quickly they cannot spend it all, and everything seems as if the world was fashioned just for their existence.
Such thoughts will inevitably lead to the thought that God must love them because He set up their lives to be so marvelous. If this is so, there is no need to rely on another for the greater spiritual matters involved in a relationship with God. Such as that is for those who aren’t in His favor and need to “work” at getting right with Him.
As noted, the disciples were a part of the Jewish culture. They were surrounded by the rich, spiritually elite, kings, and so forth. The natural assumption was that God had blessed these people, as if the material world is what God is interested in. Jesus is working them through such misconceptions, but it won’t be until His crucifixion and resurrection that their understanding will begin to truly develop.
And yet, years later, there were still incorrect assumptions in their minds. Peter showed this when he failed to uphold the purity of the gospel as recorded by Paul in Galatians 2. Peter was still relying on earthly aspects of cultural adherences and identities as having a priority over faith in Jesus Christ. Paul had to call him out on that.
No such thing matters in this physical world concerning what is needed to be right in the spiritual kingdom, which God has ushered in. Faith. Faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done is what matters. Add anything else into the mix, and it becomes about us and what we have, do, or are. Fix your eyes, heart, and affections on Jesus!
Lord God, the Christian faith turns the ideas of this world upside down. We know that a difficult life, even one filled with pains or sadnesses, does not mean we are not favored by You. Thank You for the reassurances we have that Jesus has accepted us because of faith in what He has done. Thank You for this simple path back to You. Amen.
