Luke 18:26
And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
In first-century Judaism, wealth was universally viewed as evidence of God's blessing and righteousness. This theology derived from Deuteronomy 28-30, where obedience to the Law results in material prosperity. The patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and kings (David, Solomon) were all wealthy, reinforcing the connection between godliness and riches. Rabbinical teaching emphasized that the wealthy had special advantages for righteous living—freedom from anxiety about daily needs, ability to study Torah, and capacity for generous giving.
The disciples' astonishment reveals how thoroughly this worldview permeated their thinking. If a rich young ruler who kept the commandments from his youth couldn't be saved, their entire framework for understanding salvation collapsed. The question "Who then can be saved?" expresses genuine theological crisis.
Jesus' teaching here was revolutionary, directly confronting the prosperity theology of His day. This moment prepared the disciples for the gospel of grace that would be fully revealed after Christ's resurrection. The early church would face this same challenge when wealthy converts sought salvation—Paul's epistles repeatedly emphasize that salvation comes through faith alone, not through wealth, status, or works (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5).
Questions for Reflection
- How does this verse challenge contemporary prosperity theology that equates material blessing with spiritual favor?
- In what ways do we subtly trust in our own resources, status, or achievements rather than God's grace alone?
- How should the impossibility of human salvation shape our evangelism and our understanding of conversion?
- What cultural "advantages" (education, morality, family background) do we wrongly assume make salvation easier?
- How does this verse prepare us to understand Jesus' declaration in verse 27 about God's saving power?
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Analysis & Commentary
And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? This verse captures the disciples' astonishment at Jesus' statement about the difficulty of the rich entering God's kingdom. The Greek verb akousantes (ἀκούσαντες, "having heard") indicates they comprehended Jesus' radical teaching. Their question, Tis dynatatai sōthēnai (Τίς δύναται σωθῆναι, "Who is able to be saved?"), reveals their shocking realization.
The verb sōzō (σῴζω) means "to save, rescue, preserve," encompassing both temporal deliverance and eternal salvation. The disciples' use of the passive infinitive sōthēnai ("to be saved") subtly acknowledges that salvation is something done to a person, not achieved by them. The pronoun tis ("who") broadens the question beyond the rich—if wealth, often seen as God's blessing, doesn't guarantee salvation, then who can be saved?
This question exposes the futility of all human effort in salvation. Jewish theology taught that riches indicated divine favor and righteousness, yet Jesus inverts this assumption. The disciples' shock demonstrates their dawning awareness that salvation transcends human capability, foreshadowing Jesus' response in verse 27: "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." This verse establishes the critical doctrine of salvation by grace alone—no human status, wealth, or effort can earn redemption.