And the disciples were astonished at his words
For they expected, in a little while, that the kingdom of the Messiah would be set up in great worldly pomp and grandeur; and that all the rich men of the nation would come into it, become his subjects, and join to support the glory and splendour of it:
but Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, children:
it was common with the Jews to call the disciples, or scholars of the wise men, "children"; hence that saying of theirs F6, (Mynb Mywrq Mydymlth) , "the disciples are called children", which they prove from ( 2 Kings 2:3 ) ( Isaiah 8:18 ) .
How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the
kingdom of God!
This he said partly to confirm what he had before said, at which his disciples were astonished; and partly to explain it, as that he was to be understood of such that trusted in their riches, set their hearts upon them, and placed their hope and happiness in them: and the great difficulty, or rather impossibility of such, at least continuing so, entering into the kingdom of God, is still more strongly expressed in the following words.