Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 18:24

"And Jesus seeing him said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" — Luke 18:24 (ASV)

The ruler’s sorrow over the decision about his wealth recalls the far deeper sorrow rich people who have incurred Jesus’ “woe” will experience (6:24). Jesus’ intense focus on the man as he spoke to him about the problem of wealth limits the application of v.24 to the kind of attitude the ruler had. The vivid hyperbole about the camel makes the point unforgettable (see comment on Mk 10:25).