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
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Hom. in Matt., 63: Because however he had come to Christ as he would to a man, and to one of the Jewish doctors, Christ answered him as Man.Wherefore it goes on: “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but the One God. "In saying which He does not exclude men from goodness, but from a comparison with the goodness of God.
Cat. in Marc. Oxon.: It is worthy of enquiry, however, how He loved a man, who, He knew, would not follow Him? But this is so much as to say, that since he was worthy of love in the first instance, because he observed the things of the law from his youth, so in the end, though he did not take upon himself perfection, he did not suffer alessening of his former love. For although he did not pass the bounds of humanity, nor follow the perfection of Christ, still he was not guilty of any sin, since he kept the law according to the capability of a man, and in this mode of keeping it, Christ loved him .
Well too did He say, not eternal life, but “treasure”, saying, “And thou shalt have treasure in heaven”; for since the question was concerning wealth, and the renouncing of all things, Heshews that He returns more things than He has bidden us leave, in proportion as heaven is greater than earth.
And the Evangelist adds the cause of his grief, saying, “For he had great possession.” The feelings of those who have little and those who have much are not the same, for the increase of acquired wealth lights up a greater flame of covetousness. There follows: “And Jesus looked roundabout, and said unto His disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.”.
But the Lord said this to His disciples, who were poor and possessed nothing, in order to teach them not to blush at their poverty, and as it were to make an excuse to them, and given them a reason, why He had not allowed them to possess any thing.It goes on: “And the disciples were astonished at His words”; for it is plain, since they themselves were poor, that they were anxious for the salvation of others.
Or else, after saying, "difficult,” He then shows that it is impossible, and that not simply, but witha certain vehemence; and He shows this by an example, saying, “It is easier fora camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”.
And the reason why He says that this is the work of God is, that He may show that he who is put into this path by God, has much need of grace; from which it is proved, that great is the reward of those rich men, who are willing to follow the discipline of Christ.
