Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 7. Sone of them can by any means redeem his brother ] Wealth cannot save from death; brother, however rich, cannot save his brother; nor will God accept riches as a ransom for the life or soul of any transgressor.
To procure health of body, peace of mind, redemption from death, and eternal glory, riches are sought for and applied in vain.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-14 - Here is a description of the spirit and way of worldly people. A ma may have wealth, and may have his heart enlarged in love, thankfulness and obedience, and may do good with it. Therefore it is not men' having riches that proves them to be worldly, but their setting their hearts upon them as the best things. Worldly men have only some floating thoughts of the things of God, while their fixed thoughts their inward thoughts, are about the world; that lies nearest the heart. But with all their wealth they cannot save the life of the dearest friend they have. This looks further, to the eternal redemptio to be wrought out by the Messiah. The redemption of the soul shall cos very dear; but, being once wrought, it shall never need to be repeated And he, the Redeemer, shall rise again before he sees corruption, an then shall live for evermore, Re 1:18. This likewise shows the folly of worldly people, who sell their souls for that which will never but them. With all their wealth they cannot secure themselves from the stroke of death. Yet one generation after another applaud their maxims and the character of a fool, as drawn by heavenly Wisdom itself, L 12:16-21, continues to be followed even among professed Christians Death will ask the proud sinner, Where is thy wealth, thy pomp? And in the morning of the resurrection, when all that sleep in the dust shal awake, the upright shall be advanced to the highest honour, when the wicked shall be filled with everlasting shame and contempt, Da 12:2 Let us now judge of things as they will appear in that day. The beaut of holiness is that alone which the grave cannot touch, or damage.
Original Hebrew אח251 לא3808 פדה6299 יפדה6299 אישׁ376 לא3808 יתן5414 לאלהים430 כפרו׃3724
