the problem of wealthy people who want to be followers of Jesus is there from the beginning. The story declares flatly that it is not only difficult but impossible for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God (vv. 23–27; equated with “have treasures in heaven,” v. 21; “inherit eternal life,” v. 17; “be saved,” v. 26). Apart from ancient scribal efforts to alleviate the problem by changing the text itself (see notes f and g above), the history of interpretation evinces a number of hermeneutical moves