Matthew 19:26
in Matthew 19Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jesus looking upon them said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
KJV
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
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This verse in Matthew 19
Commentary
16 notes on this verseAccording to this, no rich man can be saved. But if we read Isaiah, how the camels of Midian and Ephah came to Jerusalem with gifts and presents, and they who once were crooked and bowed down by the weight of their sins, enter the gates of Jerusalem, we shall see how these camels, to which the rich are likened when they have laid aside the heavy load of sins, and the distortion of their whole bodies, may then enter by that narrow and strait way that leads to life.
This site's exposition
exceedingly amazed
on Matthew 19:25-26
Who then can be saved captures the disciples' exceeding amazement, since wealth was widely read in their culture as a mark of God's own favor, so if the rich could hardly be saved the case seemed hopeless for everyone. With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible answers the young ruler's whole encounter, the bench reading it as the chapter's real center: no man, rich or poor, earns eternal life by his own doing, and what the law could only expose, grace alone supplies. The saying reaches back to Genesis 18:14's nothing too hard for the Lord and forward to the whole New Testament's teaching on salvation by grace rather than works.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
This must not be so understood as though it were possible for God to cause that the rich, the covetous, the avaricious, and the proud should enter into the kingdom of heaven; but to cause him to be converted, and so enter.
It has learnt not to respect life; how much more food? [You ask] "How many have fulfilled these conditions? "But what with men is difficult, with God is easy. Let us, however, comfort ourselves about the gentleness and clemency of God in such wise, as not to indulge our "necessities" up to the point of affinities with idolatry, but to avoid even from afar every breath of it, as of a pestilence.
How is it, then, that we read, "With men these things are impossible, but with God all things are possible; " and again, "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise? " Let me ask you, if you were to manumit your slave (seeing that the same flesh and soul will remain to him, which once were exposed to the whip, and the fetter, and the stripes), will it therefore be fit for him to undergo the same old sufferings? I trow not.
(Verse 24 and following) And again I say to you: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' This statement shows that it is not difficult, but impossible. For if a camel cannot enter through the eye of a needle, so a rich person cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, no rich person will be saved. But if we read Isaiah, how the camels of Midian and Ephah come to Jerusalem with gifts and offerings (Isa. 60): and how those who were previously bent and distorted by the corruption of vices enter the gates of Jerusalem, we will see how even these camels, to whom the rich are compared, when they have unloaded the heavy burden of sins and the corruption of the whole body, are able to enter through the narrow gate and the narrow way that leads to life (Above 7). But when the disciples asked and were amazed at the severity of his words, he tempered the severity of his statement with his mercy, saying: What is impossible for men is possible for God.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 63 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
At least, when the disciples were troubled, He said, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Therefore, having first "beheld them, He said unto them, The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God." For with a mild and meek look, having soothed their shuddering mind, and having put an end to their distress (for this the evangelist signified by saying, "He beheld them"), then by His words also He relieves them, bringing before them God's power, and so making them feel confidence. But if thou wilt learn the manner of it likewise, and how what is impossible may become possible, hear. For neither for this end did He say, "The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God," that thou shouldest give it up, and abstain, as from things impossible; but that having considered the greatness of the good work, thou shouldest hasten to it readily, and having besought God to assist thee in these noble contests, shouldest attain unto life.
9 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
In this way they hold the Monarchy, but they hold neither the Father nor the Son. Well, but "with God nothing is impossible." True enough; who can be ignorant of it? Who also can be unaware that "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God? " The foolish things also of the world hath God chosen to confound the things which are wise.
The Medieval Church2 voices
When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible. The disciples, being compassionate, did not ask this question for …
And Jesus beholding, said to them: with men this is impossible etc. Here he responds to their astonishment, saying: with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. But what is it that he says? For it seems that free will perishes …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Jesus looking upon them - To compose their hurried spirits. O what a speaking look was there! Said to them - With the utmost sweetness: With men this is impossible - It is observable, he does not retract what he had said: no, nor soften it in the least degree, but rather strengthens it, by representing the salvation of a rich man as the utmost effort of Omnipotence.
But Jesus beheld them,.... Looking wishfully and earnestly at them; signifying thereby, that he knew their reasonings among themselves, though they did not speak out so as to be heard by him; and that there was no reason why they should be in so much concern, as their countenances showed, or possess themselves with such fears: and said unto them, with men this is impossible.
Christ did not take his leave of Galilee till he had done his work there, and then he departed thence. Note, As Christ's faithful ministers are not taken out of the world, so they are not removed from any place, till they have finished their testimony in that place, Rev. xi.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
With men this is impossible - God alone can take the love of the world out of the human heart. Therefore the salvation of the rich is represented as possible only to him: and indeed the words seem to intimate, that it requires more than common exertions of Omnipotence to save a rich man.
The first thing that we learn in these verses is the immense danger which riches bring on the souls of those who possess them. The Lord Jesus declares that “a rich man shall hardly enter the kingdom of heaven.” He goes even further.
The first thing that we learn in these verses is the immense danger which riches bring on the souls of those who possess them. The Lord Jesus declares that “a rich man shall hardly enter the kingdom of heaven.” He goes even further. He uses a proverbial saying to strengthen his assertion: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” Few of our Lord’s sayings sound more startling than this; few run more counter to the opinions and prejudices of mankind; few are so little believed; yet this saying is true, and worthy of all acceptation. Riches, which all desire to obtain—riches, for which men labor and toil and become gray before their time—riches are the most perilous possession. They often inflict great injury on the soul; they lead men into many temptations; they engross men’s thoughts and affections; they bind heavy burdens on the heart, and make the way to heaven even more difficult than it naturally is. Let us beware of the love of money. It is possible to use it well, and do good with it; but for one who makes a right use of money, there are thousands who make a wrong use of it, and do harm both to themselves and others. Let the worldly man, if he will, make an idol of money, and count him happiest who has most of it. But let theChristian, who professes to have “treasure in heaven” set his face, like a flint, against the spirit of the world in this matter. Let him not worship gold. He is not the best man in God’s eyes who has most money, but he who has most grace. Let us pray daily for rich men’s souls. They are not to be envied, they are deeply to be pitied. They carry heavy weights in the Christian course; they are of all men the least likely so to run as to obtain.( 1 Corinthians 9:24 ). Their prosperity in this world is often their destruction in the world to come.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐμβλέψας | emblepsas | Having looked on [them] | G1689 → | |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰησοῦς | iesous | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| εἶπεν | eipen | said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| αὐτοῖς· | autois | to them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| παρὰ | para | With | G3844 → | 192 times |
| ἀνθρώποις | anthropois | men | G444 → | 549 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἀδύνατόν | adunaton | impossible | G102 → | |
| ἐστιν, | estin | is, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| παρὰ | para | with | G3844 → | 192 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| θεῷ | theo | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| πάντα | panta | all things [are] | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| δυνατά | dunata | possible | G1415 → | 32 times |
ἐμβλέψαςHaving looked on [them]
emblepsasG1689 →
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἸησοῦςJesus
iesousG2424 →908 times
εἶπενsaid
eipenG2036 →925 times
αὐτοῖς·to them;
autoisG846 →5565 times
παρὰWith
paraG3844 →192 times
ἀνθρώποιςmen
anthropoisG444 →549 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
ἀδύνατόνimpossible
adunatonG102 →
ἐστιν,is,
estinG1510 →2333 times
παρὰwith
paraG3844 →192 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
θεῷGod
theoG2316 →1312 times
πάνταall things [are]
pantaG3956 →1235 times
δυνατάpossible
dunataG1415 →32 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 1:37For no word from God will ever fail.”
it leads to
- Jeremiah 32:17
“Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!
Reached by 5 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 32:27
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 18:14
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Mark 10:27
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 18:27
But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
- Jeremiah 32:17
Through
Mark 10:27Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
it leads to
- Job 42:2
“I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Job 42:2
Through
Luke 18:27But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
it leads to
- Luke 1:37
For no word from God will ever fail.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 1:37
Through
Jeremiah 32:27“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?
it leads to
- Isaiah 64:8
But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.
- Isaiah 64:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Matthew
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 63; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Remigius of Rheims, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Tertullian, On Idolatry; Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh; Tertullian, Against Praxeas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.