Jesus agrees with what they say. Indeed, it is humanly impossible for a person to save himself. No one can enter the kingdom of God by his own might. Everyone needs to realize this. Recognizing this is quite a challenge. Yet, salvation is possible for a person, for God can and will bring this about, says Jesus.
And that has everything to do with Jesus! He is on his way to Jerusalem and on the way, he visits Jericho. There he wants to speak to and meet someone. This man's name is Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector who was very wealthy. In his heart, he longs to see Jesus. Jesus sees him sitting in a tree and calls out, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down for I must stay at your house today
(Luke 19:5). And so it happens, and at the end of the visit, Jesus says, Today salvation has come to this house…. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost
(Luke 19:9–10).
God makes the impossible to be possible. A person can be saved! That is a great miracle. It is pure grace, through Jesus. We are to show profound gratitude for this divine gift.
27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”