Matthew 19 25

Matthew 19:25 kjv

When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

Matthew 19:25 nkjv

When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"

Matthew 19:25 niv

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

Matthew 19:25 esv

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"

Matthew 19:25 nlt

The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.

Matthew 19 verses

Matthew 19 25 Meaning

Matthew 19:25 captures the disciples' profound astonishment and desperate question after Jesus declared the extreme difficulty for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Their question, "Who then can be saved?", reflects their prior assumption that wealth signified God's favor and blessing. If even the rich, who seemed to possess every advantage, could not attain salvation, it logically appeared impossible for anyone relying on human merit or resources. The verse sets the stage for Jesus' crucial teaching that salvation is not a human accomplishment but a divine possibility.

Matthew 19 25 Context

Matthew 19:25 directly follows Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler and His subsequent statement about the extreme difficulty for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 19:16-24). The disciples’ question "Who then can be saved?" reveals their deep confusion and astonishment. In the Jewish culture of that time, wealth was generally seen as a sign of God's blessing and favor, indicating one's righteousness and adherence to the Law (e.g., Abraham, David, Solomon were rich and blessed). The assumption was that if anyone could attain salvation, it would be the wealthy, who had resources to give alms and follow the Law. Jesus' teaching shattered this prevailing mindset, making salvation seem utterly unattainable from a human perspective. Their bewilderment opens the door for Jesus to declare that human effort is insufficient, and salvation is solely possible by God.

Matthew 19 25 Word analysis

• When the disciples heard this:

  • Greek: ἀκούσαντες (akousantes - having heard). This is a participle emphasizing their immediate and full comprehension of Jesus' previous statements about the rich man.
  • Significance: Their reaction is not based on hearsay, but a direct understanding of the shocking truth Jesus just uttered.

• they were greatly astonished:

  • Greek: ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα (exeplēssonto sphodra).
    • Exeplēssonto (from ekplēssō): Struck out, profoundly amazed, utterly astounded, deeply bewildered. It suggests being shocked out of their normal state of mind, often implying fear or confusion alongside awe. This verb is frequently used for people reacting to Jesus' teachings or miracles.
    • Sphodra: Excessively, greatly, intensely, very much.
  • Significance: Their reaction indicates not just mild surprise, but an intense, paradigm-shattering shock. It reveals the depth of their cultural and theological assumptions being challenged by Jesus' radical teaching on wealth and salvation. They were disoriented by the contradiction between Jesus' words and their prevailing worldview.

• and asked:

  • Greek: λέγοντες (legontes - saying). This is a common Greek participle often translated as "asked" when a question follows.
  • Significance: The question is posed with urgency and despair, not as idle curiosity, but as a genuine seeking of understanding in the face of apparent impossibility.

• 'Who then:

  • Greek: τίς ἄρα (tis ara).
    • Tis: Who.
    • Ara: Then, therefore, consequently, indeed.
  • Significance: The "then" is crucial. It connects their question as a logical deduction from Jesus' preceding statement. If it's impossible for the rich (who, they thought, had the best chance), then who is left? It expresses a profound conclusion based on Jesus' statement, implying, "If not them, then literally no one can."

• can be saved?':

  • Greek: δύναται σωθῆναι (dynatai sōthēnai).
    • Dynatai (from dynamai): Is able, possible, has the power to.
    • Sōthēnai (from sōzō): To be saved, delivered, preserved. This is aorist passive infinitive, focusing on the result of being saved.
  • Significance: The question concerns ultimate salvation and eternal life, not just earthly success. It highlights their awareness of their own inadequacy and that of all humanity if the criteria for salvation were based on human merit or possession. The question effectively summarizes the human condition when confronted with the holy standard of God.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished": This phrase underscores the seismic shift Jesus' teaching caused in the disciples' understanding. It wasn't just hearing; it was a comprehension that upended their accepted theological framework, causing extreme emotional and intellectual disarray. Their astonishment validates the radical nature of Jesus' statement on the rich.
  • "and asked, 'Who then can be saved?'": This powerful rhetorical question reflects universal human despair when faced with the absolute standard of God and their own inability. It moves beyond just wealth, becoming a question about humanity's inherent capacity for salvation through self-effort. It's the critical turning point where human impossibility is highlighted before divine possibility is revealed.

Matthew 19 25 Bonus section

• Universal Applicability: While prompted by the rich young man's story, the disciples' question "Who then can be saved?" extends beyond the specific challenge of wealth. It applies to every person, regardless of their status or possessions. Everyone, whether poor or rich, religious or irreligious, is inherently incapable of achieving salvation through their own merit or effort when confronted with God's perfect standard. The question effectively transforms the teaching on wealth into a universal truth about human inability and the exclusive nature of divine salvation.
• Contrast to Pharisaic View: This passage stands in stark contrast to the common Pharisaic emphasis on works-righteousness and the notion that precise adherence to the Law, particularly the traditions, could earn one a place in God's Kingdom. Jesus’ statement shatters this merit-based system, which the disciples, influenced by their background, still largely subscribed to.

Matthew 19 25 Commentary

Matthew 19:25 captures a moment of deep spiritual bewilderment among Jesus' disciples. Having heard Jesus declare the profound difficulty for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven – likening it to a camel passing through the eye of a needle – their cultural and theological assumptions were utterly shattered. In their worldview, wealth was often a tangible sign of divine favor and blessing. If those who appeared most favored and had means to fulfill the Law could not secure salvation, then it seemed utterly hopeless for anyone else. Their exclamation, "Who then can be saved?", is therefore born of profound shock and a dawning realization of human spiritual bankruptcy.

This verse serves as a crucial setup for Jesus' following declaration in Matthew 19:26: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." The disciples' desperate question is the necessary pre-condition for grasping the radical nature of God's grace. It exposes the futility of human effort, self-righteousness, or material advantages in securing eternal life. Salvation is not a reward for accumulated righteousness, nor a privilege for the financially blessed. Instead, it is revealed as a miracle wrought by God's omnipotence alone, extending to those who acknowledge their own utter inability. It refutes any form of "prosperity gospel" that equates material wealth with spiritual favor or means of salvation, directing all focus away from human performance and solely onto divine power.