Through the eye of a needle

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven.”  Matthew 19:24

Centuries ago in the Middle and Far East, it was common for a city to build a wall around the outer perimeter for the safety of the people.  During the day, multiple gates would be opened so that the people could come and go, and visitors and merchants could travel and bring their wares from city to city.  As soon as it was dusk, or at the first sign of a foreign army, these gates would all be closed, and anyone left outside was left to their own defenses.  The gates were huge, large enough for the bustle of everyday to come and go. 

Legend has it that set inside one of these gates was a smaller gate.  This gate was the only way in after dark.  If a merchant happened to arrive at the city after the gates were closed, but didn’t want to stay outside and risk being robbed, he would appeal to the keeper of this gate.  Once the gate keeper determined he wasn’t a threat to the city, he would open this small gate.  The merchant would then completely unload his camel.  He would then force the camel down on its knees.  It would have to bow its head and crawl through the small door in the gate.  This gate was referred to as the eye of the needle. There is no archeological evidence of this, but it is one explanation of what Jesus might have been saying in this verse. It’s an amazing word picture. 

Jesus has nothing against wealth.  Money is earthly, temporal, and Jesus seems much more concerned about the eternal.  He has every resource of heaven and earth at his disposal.  Money is an earthly tool that we use to help accomplish the work of heaven on earth.  But Jesus knows the kind of people we are, and He knows the hold wealth can have on us.  He knows how consumed we become with the manufacture and maintenance of wealth. 

If we focus on this picture, we miss the important part of this verse:

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!” Matthew 19:26

It is not easy for a wealthy man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It is not easy for any man, or woman, to enter the Kingdom. In fact, in our own strength, it is impossible for any of us to enter the Kingdom of God. Only Jesus can secure our salvation.  Any of us who desire to be saved must shed all of the trappings of wealth, and all of the attitudes and desires that accompany the pursuit of wealth. We must rebuke the attitude that anything we possess can get us into heaven. Instead, we must then humble ourselves, get down on our knees and bow our head before God. We must remember to live in submission and gratitude to the only one who can save us.

By the standards of most of the rest of the world, most of us living in the United States are wealthy.  Are we willing to give up the pursuit of wealth to pursue instead the things of God? Are we willing to quit living in dependence on our bank accounts and credit cards and instead focus on loving God? The best we have is worthless until it turned over to God’s use. For all of us, our very best is paltry and insufficient in the sight of God, our self-made righteousness is as filthy rags.

Dear Jesus, You have blessed us beyond measure.  We give You our wealth, our attitudes, our selfishness, and ask You to bring us into Your kingdom.  Give us desires that are in line with Yours. Remind us to live in gratitude.