In Matthew 19:24, Jesus tells His listeners, "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” From the Lord's words, He is telling us a story about how it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for the rich to enter heaven.
With this being said, what is the significance of a camel and the eye of a needle? Is there a deeper meaning behind this figure of speech?
Understanding A Camel and An Eye of a Needle
As part of the broader context, Jesus is talking to the young rich ruler. The young man is asking what else he needs to do to enter the kingdom of God, and Jesus answers, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me" (Matthew 19:21).
The young man goes away sad because he is extremely wealthy. This is the broader context of Jesus' statement. He is literally saying it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for the rich to enter heaven.
Why is this true? The rich are normally self-assured, and they are normally well off. They don't have to worry about having enough food, shelter, or money. Since this is true, they don't often think of eternity because they have always been comfortable on earth.
Due to the fact that they have experienced much in the way of discomfort because of their great riches, it can be hard for them to come to know Jesus or follow Him.
This doesn't mean rich individuals cannot come to know Jesus because they can; however, it does mean that it can be extremely difficult for the rich to come to know Christ.
I remember taking an undergrad class on the four gospels, and my professor talked specifically on the topic of a camel and the eye of a needle, as recorded in Matthew 19:24.
He said, according to the surrounding context and the original language of the text, that Jesus isn't using allegorical speech in this statement.
The Lord is literally saying it is harder for a camel to go through the eye of a needle for the rich to be saved. If we look at a camel, we can see how big it is.
Most camels are anywhere from 6 feet to 11 feet tall and can weigh anywhere from 1000-2000 pounds. When we look at this in comparison to the eye of a needle, we can see how impossible it would be for this large creature to go through the tiny opening of the eye of a needle.
During summer, my mom used to have my sisters and me do various crafts to keep us busy. One of these crafts we did was cross-stitching. If you have done cross-stitching, then you have worked with the eye of a needle.
From first-hand experience, I can attest to how hard it is to even thread a skinny thread through the eye of a needle, much less a huge camel! Jesus talks to the people with this figure of speech in order to convey the deep truth.
Just as difficult as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle is how difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
What the Bible Says About the Rich
As mentioned, the rich are normally comfortable, and they don't have much to fear in life. They don't have to worry about not having enough money when the rent is due or having enough money for groceries.
While being rich isn't a sin, it can be more difficult to see your need for Christ. Those who are not rich know what it's like to struggle, have hard times, and be taken advantage of because you are poor.
It is through these difficult times and difficult struggles that we can begin to recognize our need for Jesus. If a person is rich, they are going to be less likely to have these things happen to them, which in turn, can make it more difficult for them to know Jesus and to accept Him as their Savior.
Within the rich community, there is also a sense of pride and a sense that you don't need anybody's help. As the old saying goes, pride always comes before the fall.
If someone is always prideful and refuses to see their need for a Savior, they will never be able to be saved, nor will they be able to enter heaven.
It is also common for the rich to believe they are their own "saviors," especially if they are the ones who got themselves out of their poverty. While being rich doesn't automatically equate to difficulty accepting Christ, it can put a person at a great disadvantage in ever placing faith in Him.
It is through our human depravity and our suffering that we come to know the Lord. While even the rich are not spared from all the pains of life, they are spared from many pains that the impoverished and exploited have to undergo.
Jesus tells us about the imagery of the camel and the eye of the needle in order to help us see how difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom as well as to show the severity of the situation.
The Bible tells us that the rich young ruler walks away sad, yet we never have a follow-up to see if he made a decision. It is plausible the rich young ruler obeyed Christ and returned to follow Him; however, we are never directly given this information.
While we can hope the rich young ruler obeyed, we simply don't know. The important thing we do in the present is to pray for all people to come to know Christ, including the rich.
What Does This Verse Mean for Today?
If you are rich and you are reading this, know that just because you are wealthy doesn't mean you don't qualify for salvation.
If you want to come to know Jesus today, you can. Even if you don't feel ready to make that commitment today, you can think about it and come back to the topic in a week or so.
If you do want to place faith in Jesus, all you have to do is believe that Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and rose again (John 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). If you believe this, you are forgiven, eternally saved, and given eternal life in the kingdom of God.
It is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, but nothing is impossible. If a person sees their need for Jesus and accepts Him, they are eternally saved.
Whether they are rich or poor, young or old, male or female, they will be accepted into the kingdom of God because of Jesus. It is hard to enter the kingdom of God if you are rich, yet if you turn to God, you too can be saved.
For further reading:
What Is the Meaning of Lazarus and the Rich Man?
What Is the Meaning and Warning in the Parable of the Rich Fool?
How Did Jesus View Wealth and Poverty?
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