“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24). A common interpretation is that Jerusalem had a main gate, beside which was a smaller gate called “the eye of a needle.” When the main gate was closed, a camel had to forsake its load, then get on its knees and crawl through the smaller gate to enter the city. This is what a rich man must do to enter the celestial city. He must forsake his riches and humble himself to enter. Interesting though it may sound, it is unlikely that this is correct, because of the response of both the disciples and Jesus. If that’s what Jesus was saying, the disciples would have more than likely responded with something like, “That makes sense.” Instead, they were “exceedingly amazed.” What Jesus had said astonished them. He didn’t then respond to their astonishment by saying that it was “difficult” for a camel to get through the eye of the needle. Rather, He used the word “impossible.” It would seem therefore that the analogy was to a literal camel and a literal needle. Charles Spurgeon said, “The gate of heaven, though it is so wide that the greatest sinner may enter, is nevertheless so low that pride can never pass through it.”
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 20:07:31 +0000