The Camel and the Needle

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus famously said those words in response to the rich young ruler choosing to walk away sad rather than wholeheartedly following Jesus. The thought of a camel going through the tiny eye of a needle is humorous, but is that really what Jesus said? Let’s face it, that is impossible to do.

I remember being taught that there was a gate in the wall around Jerusalem called the Needle’s Eye. The point of the illustration, according to this theory, is that the only way a camel could fit through the Needle’s Eye was if someone unloaded whatever burden the camel carried, and then the camel would have to essentially scoot through it. Difficult, yes, but not impossible. There is one problem with this theory, though, and that is this: there is no evidence of there ever having been a Needle’s Eye in the wall. It is not mentioned in the Scriptures, the Talmud, the Mishna, or any ancient writings. It is purely a fabrication. In fact, in the Jewish New Testament the phrase is actually “through a needle’s eye.” If there was any such Needle’s Eye Gate, surely the Jews would have translated the verse accordingly. Wuest’s Greek New Testament says “through the eye of a sewing needle.” 

Another explanation is that there is a scribal error here. The Greek word for camel is kamelos; kamilos, on the other hand, is the word for a large rope or cable. Perhaps Jesus was saying it is easier to thread a needle with a rope than for a rich man to be saved. This sounds good, and would even be a clever play on words from Jesus, but that cannot be the case. All three Synoptic Gospels contain this line, and all three say camel. This would require not one, but three scribes making the same error. It would probably be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for that to happen. 

So where does that leave us? Taking it exactly as Jesus said: this is impossible. We really understand that by looking at what He said next: “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God (Luke 18:27).” My belief is that people want to water down the language of Jesus because they do not like the thought of wealthy people being unable to enter the kingdom. The point Jesus is making, however, is not about wealthy versus poor people, but about the general impossibility of mankind being saved. It is impossible for anyone to be saved because we all are born as sinners, and as the Bible says, as enemies of God. 

But the good news is seen in the next phrase. With man, salvation is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. All who call upon the name of the Lord can be saved. We cannot come to God on our terms, in our strength, or with our resources. We must come to Him bankrupt, asking Him to do what only He can do. And He will. We cannot buy our way into heaven or work our way there. That is as impossible as a camel going through the eye of a needle.