Who then can be saved?

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

The typical response of readers to Jesus’ interaction with the rich young ruler is to focus on the question of how hard it is for the rich to be saved. This focus tends to ease kingdom insecurities. The reader reasons, “Well I am not rich so I need not try to enter through the eye of a needle.” Since most people don’t self-identify as rich, this passage does not make them nervous. But, looking more closely, how did the disciples react?

And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”

“Exceedingly astonished” is a strong phrase. Not one of the disciples considered themselves to be rich, but Jesus' words caused them to wonder if anyone could be saved. Why? Jesus isn’t describing how a person can avoid hell when they die. He is describing how to enter the kingdom of God right now (v. 24-25), which inevitably tends to lead to life after death. The rich young ruler realized he could not be the king of his own kingdom and also follow Jesus in his kingdom—and he did not want a kingdom where he couldn't be king himself. The disciples connected the dots and realized how difficult it would be for anyone to enter regardless of annual income or net worth. Everyone fancies themselves the sovereign ruler of their own lives.

The good news is that Jesus can and does change the hearts of the filthy rich, the dirt poor, and everyone in between. Ask him to change yours too, so it longs for his rule over every aspect of your life.