into the Kingdom of God.' 26. And they were
astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, 'Who then can be
saved?'" Our Lord, in the 23rd verse, asserts it to be almost
impossible for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of
God. When he observes the astonishment of his disciples, he explains
to them the reason of his passing a judgment so severe, by stating
the cause of that difficulty, of which he spoke as amounting almost
to an impossibility. It is next to Impossible for a rich man to enter
the Kingdom of God, because he trusts in his riches. So that the
expression is not introduced with a view of making riches appear less
dangerous to the possessor, but rather with a view of explaining why
they are so dangerous.

The repetition of the general declaration in the strongest terms as
it is found in the 25th verse, shows that this is the meaning of our
Lord; and the increased astonishment of the Disciples plainly gives
the same intimation. It is evident that they were not led, by this
explanation, to consider the case of the rich less hopeless or
deplorable; for they cry out: "Who then can be saved? "--evidently
the expression of men whose difficulties were confirmed, not removed,
by the answer they had received. The simple meaning, therefore, of
the passage seems to be this; The danger of riches is their being
trusted in; and the difficulty of possessing them, and not trusting
in them for happiness and protection, is as the difficulty of a
camel's going through the eye of a needle: therefore, "lay not up for
yourselves treasures upon earth, for where your treasure is, there
will your heart be also". But the man whose soul the love of Christ
has touched, does not look on the question as one merely involving
danger to himself: he looks on wealth, as well as every other gift,
as an instrument of bringing glory to his Lord, by feeding the little
ones of his kingdom, or in some way extending the savour of his name.
It is not a matter of law, but a golden opportunity on which
affection seizes, to bring a leaf to the wreath of praise and honour,
that crowns Him Lord, to the glory of God the Father, who has won the
hearts, and is entitled to the uncontrolled dominion of his own
saints.

From the observations suggested by the conduct of the "young man" let
us pass on to the memorable comment of our Lord on the charity of the
poor Widow, as recorded by St. Mark (12. 41, etc.). "Jesus sat over
against the treas