23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.24I’ll say it again—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!”
25The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
26Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
Do you think this reading applies to you? Are you rich? Lets ask the question this way: When Jesus stands at the gate of heaven and welcomes child after child, from every corner of earth, who has died of starvation and malnutrition and lived in gross poverty, looks at your life here on Earth, does He see you as rich or poor?
Now can you see yourself going through the eye of a needle? But wait, there is good news. Can you see Jesus who healed the lepers and fed the 5,000 getting you through the needle’s eye?
There is an entirely different way to read this story. I have found no archeological evidence for it, but even if it is true, it is still a great biblical lesson for us. You see, the wall around Jerusalem had a very small gate in it to allow a person to enter the city after the gates were closed. It was very small so it would be easy to defend and only one person could get through it at a time. Some claim the gate was called “The Needle’s Eye”, but there is no evidence for that. The story claims that on a rare occasion, a camel could get through that gate. It was so rare, people would gather to see it. The camel had to be small and extremely well trained. It would have to be so disciplined that it’s owner could make it walk on it’s knees. It would have to be lean and skinny, and still would often scape it’s skin on the sides of the door. But the camel would follow it’s owner, even though it was painful.
I think Jesus meant a sewing needle eye, but even if he didn’t, think of this: The camel had to be small (humble), trained (God discipline’s those he loves), have a strong willingness to obey, walk on its knees (prayer), lean (hard working), and willing to suffer to follow its master. The only master who can train us to be that camel is God.
Lord, be my master and use this life to make me the camel that you get through the eye of the needle. Beginner’s Online Bible Study *obbs*
