Vv. 23-27. Conversation ensuing (Mk. x. 23-27; Lk. xviii. 24-27)—Ver. 23-
21—27.
οὐρανῶν.
τρυπήµατος1 ῥαφίδος διελθεῖν,; ἢ πλούσιον eis τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ 25. ᾿Ακούσαντες δὲ of μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ὃ ἐξεπλήσ-
Θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν.'
σοντο σφόδρα, λέγοντες, “Tis dpa δύναται σωθῆναι;
257
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24. πάλιν δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, εὐκοπώτερόν ἐστι " κάµηλον διὰ τ Ch. iii. 4
xxiii. 24.
26. ᾿Ἐμβλέ-
as δὲ 6 ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “*NMapad ἀνθρώποις τοῦτο ἀδύνατόν
ἐστι, ' παρὰ δὲ Θεῴ πάντα δυνατά ἐστι. 4 27. Τότε ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος εἶπεν αὐτῷ, '΄ Ιδού, ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν
1 τρηµατος in SB.
5 Rom. ii. 13 (Gen. xviii. 14).
2 The majority of uncials have εισελθειν (‘Tisch.), but BDX have διελθειν as in Τ. R. This reading requires εισελθειν in the next clause (so in BD).
3 avrov wanting in NBCDLZA. 4 εστι is omitted in BCA al.
Though found in parali. (Lk.), from which it has
probably been imported, the sentence is more impressive without it.
ἀμὴν, introduces as usual a solemn utter- ance.—rAovotos: the rich man is brought on the stage, not as an object of envy or admiration, which he is to the worldly- minded, but as an object of commiseration. —8voxddws εἰσελεύσεται, etc.: because with difficulty shall he enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This is stated as a matter of observation, not without sympathy, and not with any intention to pronounce dogmatically on the case of the inquirer who had just departed, as if he were an absolutely lost soul. His case suggested the topic of wealth as a hindrance in the divine life—Svoxédws: the adjective δύσκολος means difficult to please as to food (Sus, κόλον), hence morose; here used of things, occurs only in this saying in N. T.—Ver. 24. πάλιν δὲ λέγω: τε- iteration with greater emphasis. The strong language of Jesus here reveals a keen sense of disappointment at the loss ofso promising a man to the ranks of disciplehood. He sees so clearly what he might be, were it not for that miserable ΠΠΟΠΕΥ.---εὐκοπώτερον, etc. : a comparison to express the idea of the impossible. The figure of a camel going through a needle-eye savours of Eastern exaggera- tion. It has been remarked that the variation in the parallel accounts in respect to the words for a needle and its eye shows that no corresponding proverb existed in the Greek tongue (Camb. G. T.). The figure is to be taken as it stands, and not to be “civilised” (vide H.C.) by taking κάµηλος (or κάµιλος, Suidas) = a cable, or the wicket of an Oriental house. It may be more legiti- mate to try to explain how so grotesque a figure could become current even in Palestine. Furrer suggests a camel driver leaning against his camel and
trying to put a coarse thread through the eye of a needle with which he sews his sacks, and, failing, saying with comical exaggeration: I might put the camel through the eye easier than this thread (Tscht., fir M. und Ἐ.).--τρήµατος from τιτράω, to pierce.—fadisos, a word disapproved by Phryn., who gives βελόνη as the correct term. But vide Lobeck’s note, p. go. It is noticeable that Christ’s tone is much more severe in reference to wealth than to wedlock. Eunuchism for the kingdom is optional ; possession of wealth on the other hand seems to be viewed as all but incom- patible with citizenship in the kingdom.
Ver. 25. ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα : the severity of the Master’s doctrine on wealth as on divorce (ver. 12) was more than the disciples could bear. It took their breath away, so to speak.—tis ἄρα, etc. : it seemed to them to raise the question as to the possibility of salva- tion generally. The question may re- present the cumulative effect of the austere teaching of the Master since the day of Caesarea. The imperfect tense of ἐξεπλήσσοντο may point to a continuous mood, culminating at that moment.—Ver. 26. ἐμβλέψας denotes a look of observa- tion and sympathy. Jesussees that He has made too deep an impression, depressing in effect, and hastens to qualify what He had said: ‘with mild, meek eye sooth- ing their scared mind, and relieving their distress ” (Chrys., Hom. Ixiii.).—wapa ἀνθρώποις, etc.: practically this re- flection amounted to saying that the previous remark was to be taken cum grano, as referring to tendency rather than to fact. He did not mean that it was as impossible for a rich man to be saved as for a camel to pass through a