NEEDLES & CAMELS. Pts. 1-2

Pt. 1

 ^“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’

Jesus looked at them, and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”

Matthew 19:23-26

In recent years, I have been “taken up” with the New Testament believers’ understanding of various verses of scripture versus our modern day watered down, “ho hum,” uninformed understanding of the same verses.

Over the past couple of centuries, one of the most referred to of Jesus’ allusions among pulpiteers originates in the foregoing passage of scripture. It had been widely taught that there exists in Jerusalem a gate referred to as “The Needle’s Eye” through which a camel could not pass unless its burden was removed, and it bent its ungainly legs.

For you see, when evening came and the main gates were shut, travelers or merchants were required to use this smaller entrance through which a camel might only enter…on its knees.

Of course, who can deny this interpretation of Christ’ story represents great sermon material, with its parallels of a sinner approaching the Almighty on his knees, and finally bereft of the weight which has encumbered him for so long.

In spite of current photos of one or more rather miniscule openings in Jerusalem’s wall, this widely preached explanation of the ingredients of Jesus’ story is said to be mythological and altogether unfounded.

Pt. 2

“Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”

In the Book of Matthew the Greek word for needle is ‘rafic.’ In Luke it is ‘belone.’ Nonetheless, both words infer an implement used in sewing fabric, or flesh, (as in a surgical procedure).

However, in regard to the living, breathing two humped entity we refer to as a camel (‘kamilos’) in Jesus’ story, some first century copies of the New Testament substitute the word, ‘kamelos’ or rope.

Thus, Jesus might well have said,

“…It is easier for a rope to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”

Whether there is any credibility in the original interpretation of Jesus’ words (in which a merchant unloads his camel, and forces it to crawl on its knees through a small opening in Jerusalem’s wall), or whether the latter explanation of threading a needle with a rope is the authentic rendering, we are left with a compelling commentary.

Jesus’ listeners believed that wealth and prosperity indicated God’s blessing. Thus, they were incredulous that the Savior seemed to be saying,

“If the rich are so close to losing their salvation, who then can be saved?”

Some modern day Christians have inferred that wealth is a hindrance to the spiritual lives of believers, and indeed it can be, but then there are a myriad of other things which may impose themselves upon us, and  restrict our full and free participation in the things of God.

Whether we have here a camel stooping to crawl through a small gate in Jerusalem’s wall, or a rope being threaded through a needle’s eye, it is apparent that our Lord was attempting to emphasize the near impossibility of the problem, and to deemphasize our wherewithal to do anything about it ourselves.

Afterward

Speaking of the impossibility of saving ourselves from God’s righteous judgment, scripture assures us that,

“For by grace are you saved by faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Speaking of the portal by which we may enter into the joys of heaven, (whether we liken it to a needle’s eye, or a gate in a wall) scripture is resolute about the manner by which we have been promised the wherewithal to stand in the presence of our Creator.

For you see, my friends, In John Chapter 14 Jesus made the politically incorrect claim that He, alone is capable of ushering us into the presence of His Father; as the result of His finished work on the cross. (“No man comes to the Father, except by Me”). As frail creatures of the dust, we are unable to add or detract from the free gift of salvation which He has won for us in the shedding of His own blood on the cross.

And speaking of the pathway or portal by which we have been granted an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Savior Jesus Christ, our Lord made the following claim.

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:9

Thank God, a way has been made for us to “thread the needle” and to “walk through the gate.”

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 77. Copyright pending
 
 If you wish to copy, share or save this blog, please include the credit line, above