The beloved physician Luke wrote how, “a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why do you call me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and your mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lack you one thing: sell all that you have, and distribute unto the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”, and in chapter eighteen and verse twenty-five of his book Luke wrote how Jesus said, “it is easier for a camel to go through a needles eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” where we read:
For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye,
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
The verse reads, “For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, ...” Luke began with the words, “for it is easier” or “because, since and on account that it is better for toil and more facile” “for a camel” which means “for a camel animal” “to go through a needle's eye” or “to enter, arise, come in and puncture the hole in a needle” that for the following to occur. Luke shared how Jesus said it is more “simple” for a “camel” to pass through the hole in a needle than for the following to happen.
The verse goes on to say, “... than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Luke continued with the words, “than for a rich man” or “than for a wealthy, abounding in material resources and abundantly supplied person whether male or female” “to enter into the kingdom of God” which means “to make entrance, arise and come into the royal power, kingship, dominion and rule of the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. Luke shared how Jesus said it is “easier” for a “camel” to go through the “hole” in a “needle” than for a “wealthy” person to “come into” God's Kingdom.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how difficult it is for a “wealthy” person to come into God's Kingdom. Jesus said it was easier for a camel to pass through a “needle's eye” than for a “rich person” to enter the Kingdom of God. This “needle” may have been a reference to the “needle” gate within the wall of the city of Jerusalem where a person with a loaded “camel” would unload it, allow the camel to crawl through the wall upon it's knees, push the load through the hole and go through the “needle gate” himself where he would reload the camel for travel in the city. Of course, this requires a great deal of effort. However, others believe this to be a “sewing needle” through which “string or thread” passes through the hole. We can only imagine how difficult it would be to get a camel through that hole. God's desire is to have every person enter His Kingdom through His Son Jesus, and because this seems like an impossibility, only God can be relied upon to make it come to pass. Those who carefully consider these words will understand the words of Jesus and yield their lives to Jesus who alone is able to make provision for both rich and poor to enter the Kingdom of God.
Next time Luke shares how Jesus' disciples ask Him, “who then can be saved?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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