The teaching concerning riches in 10:17-31 is also related to the kingdom of God. For example, in verse 24 the Lord says, “Children, how difficult it is to enter into the kingdom of God!” Then in verse 25 the Lord goes on to say, “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.” These verses indicate that what we have in 10:17-31 is not merely a story for children; what we have here is a serious word concerning the kingdom of God.
In verse 26 we see the disciples’ response to the Lord’s word about entering into the kingdom of God: “But they were even more astounded and said among themselves, Then who can be saved?” Here we see that although the Lord was teaching about entering into the kingdom of God, the disciples’ minds were occupied with the matter of being saved. In verse 27 the Lord went on to explain, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
In verse 28 Peter, speaking frankly, began to say to the Lord, “Behold, we have left all and followed You.” I appreciate Peter’s frankness. He seemed to be saying, “Behold, Lord, we have left everything in order to follow You. We left our family, our fishing boats, and even the Sea of Galilee. Doesn’t this merit something?”
In verses 29 and 30 we have the Lord’s reply: “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel’s sake but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, with persecutions, and in the coming age, eternal life.” Here eternal life is not mentioned with respect to our salvation. In this verse eternal life is a reward as our enjoyment in the coming age. In the coming kingdom the overcoming believers will enjoy eternal life. To enter into this enjoyment in the coming age is to enter into the coming kingdom and participate in its enjoyment of eternal life.
Now we can see that what is contained in chapter ten is related to the kingdom. The Lord’s word here is related to receiving the kingdom of God and, in particular, to entering into the kingdom in the coming age.
In 10:2-31 we see three matters that may frustrate us from entering into the coming kingdom: marriage, oldness, and riches. The disciples had been brought into the way that leads into the kingdom. Now in chapter ten it was necessary for them to be taught concerning three things that could frustrate them from entering into the kingdom of God.
If we would enter into the coming kingdom, we need to learn to handle rightly the three matters of marriage, age, or oldness, and money. We need to take care of marriage according to God’s ordination, we need to keep from becoming old spiritually, and we need to handle our money in a proper way. May we be impressed with the fact that the Lord’s teaching concerning these matters in chapter ten is related to entering into the kingdom of God.