And Jesus looking upon them said,
With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
All Commentaries on Mark 10:27 Go To Mark 10
Bede
AD 735
A certain man had heard from the Lord that only they who are willing to be like little children are worthy to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and therefore he desires to have explained to him, not in parables, but openly, by the merits of what works a man may attain everlasting life. Wherefore it is said: “And when He was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to Him, and asked Him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”.
But by this one God, Who is good, we must not only understand the Father, but also the Son, who says, “I am the good Shepherd;” For the One and Undivided Trinity itself, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is the Only and One good God. The Lord, therefore, does not deny Himself to be good, but implies that He is God; He does not deny that He is good Master, but He declares that no master is good but God.
But observe that the righteousness of the law, when kept in its own time, conferred not only earthly goods, but also eternal life on those who chose it. Wherefore the Lord’s answer to one who enquires concerning everlasting life is, “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill”; for this is the childlike blamelessness which is proposed to us, if we would enter the kingdom of heaven. On which there follows, “And he answered and said unto Him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.”.
For God loves those who keep the commandments of the law, though they be inferior; nevertheless, He shows to those who would be perfect the deficiency of the law, for He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. Wherefore there follows: “And said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me;” for whosoever would be perfect ought to sell all that he has, not a part, like Ananias and Sapphira, but the whole. Theophylact: And when he has sold it, to give it to the poor, not to stage-players and luxurious persons.
For he follows the Lord, who imitates Him, and walks in His footsteps.
But there is a great difference between having riches, and loving them; wherefore also Solomon says not, He that hath silver, but, “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver.” Therefore the Lord unfolds the words of His former saying to His astonished disciples, as follows: “But Jesus answereth again, andsaith unto them, Children, how hard it is for them that trust in their richesto enter the kingdom of God.” Where we must observe that He says not, how impossible, but “how hard”; for what is impossible cannot in any way come topass, what is difficult can be compassed, though with labour.
