Help to Understand this Verse Please

Andres · #1 (**permalink**) 08-31-2009, 07:16 AM

Quote:

16And behold, a man came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" 17And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." 18He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20The young man said to him, "All these I have kept. What do I still lack?" 21Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." -Matthew 19:16-24

I would like to please get some takes on how you interpret this passage, specifically verse 24. (Also found in Mark 10:24-25 and Luke 18:24-25). I do feel that I understand that this passage to deal with the cost of discipleship and how the man loved his possessions more than Christ. What I am having trouble with is understanding verse 24.
Is this verse to be understood literally? Is Jesus referencing an actual needle that one would use for sewing similar to our modern day needles? If this is the case, I immediately tend to think that it is impossible for a camel to pass through there! Does this mean it should be taken that it is impossible for the rich to enter heaven? I have of course heard the example of this being reference to a low gate that a camel had to duck down to enter. I seem to remember reading Gordon Fee state in How to Read the Bible For All It’s Worth that the low-gate theory was myth. Any light on this interpretation? Thank you in advance for helping me with this passage and verse.

chbrooking · #2 (**permalink**) 08-31-2009, 07:23 AM

I think it is an hyperbolic expression. The low gate thing, I believe, is a myth.

Irish Presbyterian · #3 (**permalink**) 08-31-2009, 07:35 AM

D. A. Carson, Expositor's Bible Commentary:

"Jesus is not saying that all poor people and none of the wealthy enter the kingdom of heaven (v.23). That would exclude Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, to say nothing of David, Solomon, and Joseph of Arimathea. The point of Jesus' teaching lies elsewhere. Most Jews expected the rich to inherit eternal life, not because their wealth could buy their way in, but because their wealth testified to the blessing of the Lord on their lives. Jesus' view is a different and more sober one. The proverbial saying of v.24 refers to the absolutely impossible. The camel was the biggest animal in Palestine (a similar proverb in Berakoth 55b prefers "elephant" to "Camel" because elephant were not uncommon in Babylon). Attempts to weaken this hyperbole by taking "needle," not as a sewing needle, but as a small gate through which an unladen camel could squeeze- only on his knees- are misguided. This conjecture may come from some of Jerome's allegorizing."

busdriver72 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-31-2009, 09:24 AM

What may also help is the way many Jews of that day viewed the wealthy. They were viewed as being favored by God, sorta like they were special. Their view was something like "Well, God has really got to like them alot...I mean, look at how He has blessed them. They're doing something right."
Jesus also knew the hearts of all men. Though there may have been a degree of sincerity in the rich man, Jesus knew the man down deep. Perhaps the rich man saw eternal life as simply another possession to add to his already rich life, and his possessions were things he had worked for an earned. But salvation is not just a "possession" to be had, it is a change of direction, a change of heart, life and purpose as well. It is having a new Lord.
The rich man would have had to given up ownership of his life, and that was not acceptable to him.
Also, the saying concerning the camel & needle, consider this.
Since the Jews viewed the wealthly as special people, favored by God, they thought that it should be a simple matter for them to enter the Kingdom of Heaven since they supposedly had one footin the door anyway.
But when Jesus drew the comparison between the rich man and the camel, the disciples view of the wealthy was shaken up.
I think verse 26 explains it when Jesus says "With men it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible."
You and I could not get a camel throught he eye of a needle (...well, not alive and in one piece)....but GOD can!
It is impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (the rich man being used as an example since he was allegedly already blessed by God), but with God all things are possible.
It would take a miracle...a direct intervention of God, to get a camel through the eye of a needle.
Regardless of how "good" any man may appear, apart from the intervention of God through Christ, it is impossible he will enter the Kingdom.

larryjf · #5 (**permalink**) 08-31-2009, 09:40 AM

You need to go to the next couple of verses for your answer...

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Mat 19:25-26)

Because it's "impossible" with man, i don't take it as hyperbole.