How and why does the saying go that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich

Question

How and why does the saying go that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven and what does it mean?

I really like these answers they are all so enlightening.

Answer 1

It goes along with early Christianity's attempts to defile merchants (which subsequently led to Europe's anti-semitism during the middle ages).

Answer 2

>The "eye of a needle" was a low doorway,
>in the wall of a city in those times. To go
>thru a camel would have to basically kneel
>and "waddle" through the doorway.

That is one "explanation" and quite probably the correct one. If so, then it shows the attitude of humility (kneeling and probably entering with very little encumberments).

Or it could just be a hyperbole, an illustration saying that rich people find it difficult to enter heaven because their riches keeps them thinking of other things.

Answer 3

When you enter heaven, you are at your most humble state, going before God with nothing but your love for Him. But a story in the Bible shows a rich man refusing to give up all of His money to serve God for her was very arrogant and greedy. It pretty much means that a greedy man can't get into heaven with all of his riches, but a camel can get through a needle because at least it is something fathomable.

Answer 4

There are actually several theories:
-A gate in Jerusalem called "The Eye of the Needle," which would be difficult, but not impossible, for a camel to pass through
-Misprinted Greek: "kamilos" means "camel" while "kamêlos" means "cable," which would make much more sense
-A mistranslation from Aramaic: "gamla" means both "camel" and "rope."

Answer 5

"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.” (Mark 10:25 - Luke 18:25 -

Jesus apparently was referring to a sewing needle. Since both bone and metal needles of ancient origin have been found in that region, they must have been common household items. Luke 18:25 removes any uncertainty about Jesus’ words, for it quotes him as saying: “It is easier, in fact, for a camel to get through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God.”

Various lexicographers agree with the rendering “sewing needle” as found in the New World Translation. The Greek word for ‘needle’ at Matthew 19:24 and Mark 10:25 (rha·phis′) is drawn from a verb meaning “sew.” And the Greek term found at Luke 18:25 (be·lo′ne) is used to refer to a literal surgical needle. Says Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words: “The idea of applying ‘the needle’s eye’ to small gates seems to be a modern one; there is no ancient trace of it. The Lord’s object in the statement is to express human impossibility and there is no need to endeavour to soften the difficulty by taking the needle to mean anything more than the ordinary instrument.”—1981, Volume 3, page 106.

Some suggest that in these verses “camel” should be rendered “rope.” The Greek words for rope (ka′mi·los) and camel (ka′me·los) are similar. However, the Greek word for “camel” rather than the one for “rope” appears at Matthew 19:24 in the oldest extant Greek manuscripts of Matthew’s Gospel (the Sinaitic, the Vatican No. 1209, and the Alexandrine). Reportedly, Matthew originally wrote his Gospel in Hebrew and may personally have translated it into Greek. He knew exactly what Jesus said and therefore used the proper word.

So, then, Jesus meant a literal sewing needle and a real camel. He was using these to emphasize the impossibility of something. But did Jesus mean that no rich man could ever get into the Kingdom? No, for Jesus’ statement was not meant to be taken literally. He was using hyperbole to illustrate that just as a literal camel cannot go through the eye of an actual sewing needle, it is impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom if he continues to cling to his riches and does not put Jehovah first in his life.—Luke 13:24; 1 Timothy 6:17-19.

Jesus made this statement just after a rich young ruler turned down the grand privilege of becoming Jesus’ follower. (Luke 18:18-24) A wealthy individual having greater love for his possessions than for spiritual things cannot expect to gain everlasting life in the Kingdom arrangement. Yet, certain rich people did become Jesus’ disciples. (Matthew 27:57; Luke 19:2, 9) So a rich person who is conscious of his spiritual need and who seeks divine help can receive God-given salvation.—Matthew 5:3; 19:16-26.

If you would like further information, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 6

"A young pupil, unknown to his shaikh (as he thought)
had a small hoard of gold pieces.

The shaikh said nothing, and one day they set out
together on a journey. At length they came to a dark
valley at the entrance of which were two roads.

The pupil began to be afraid, for gold corrupts its
possessor. Trembling, he asked the shaikh, 'Which
road ought we to take?' The shaikh replied:

'Get rid of that which makes you afraid, then
either road will be good. The devil fears him
who is indifferent to money, and promptly flees
from him.

For the sake of a grain of gold you would split
a hair. In the way of religion gold is like a
lame donkey; it has no value, only weight.
When wealth comes to a man unawares it first
bewilders him, then governs him. He who is
identified with the love of money and posses-
sions has been bound hand and foot and thrown
into a pit.

Avoid this deep pit if you can, if not, hold
your breath, for the air in it is quite extra-
ordinary.'"

AT1-01
------------------------------------------------------------

AT1 - The Conference of the Birds
Farid Ud-din Attar
C. S. Nott, trans.
Samuel Weiser, Inc.
New York, NY
- 01 p. 60

Answer 7

the eye of the needls was like a gate. After nightfall is you wanted to enter into the city you had to go through the eye of the needle. THis meant that your camel had to have everything it was carrying stripped off of it, and crawl on its knees through the gate.

Very symbolic of our need to strip ourselves from earthly things.

Answer 8

The Eye of the Needle was an opening in the outer defensive wall of Jerusalem. A camel had to be unloaded and led through on it's knees in order to clear the opening. Thus, very difficult. This refers to how a lot of people who gain wealth put the acquisition of wealth above God. You can't serve two masters, God and money. So, while it's not a sin to be wealthy, it is a sin to put it above God.

Answer 9

Christ said it. Matt 10:24

The "eye of a needle" was a low doorway, in the wall of a city in those times. To go thru a camel would have to basically kneel and "waddle" through the doorway. (IT was done to protect cities from invasion)

Answer 10

The love of money is the root of all evil.Wealth can make a person forget in God or their fellowman.It is not impossible although for a rich person to get to heaven.

Answer 11

A needle is a narrow door they have in Israel but more then that He was saying "dude if you love money so much that its all you think about you get to stay right with it"