Needle-Gate: Why it Doesn’t Matter

I sarcastically wrote yesterday that I was going to write a brilliant message, juxtaposing exegesis, and hermeneutics. Sounds kinda hoity-toity, doesn’t it? Hmmm: how do I deal with that?

These two concepts in theology pretty much deal with interpreting and explaining biblical texts, but hermeneutics does so more from the perspectives of historical context, cultural background, linguistic nuances, and so on. Exegesis may be of use, for example, when preparing a sermon, and hermeneutics when writing an academic paper. Both can obfuscate the point of the scripture, hiding the intent from the intended audience.

I believe that Jesus encountered this problem frequently when speaking with his disciples. For example, in Mark 8:14-21 where Jesus is warning His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod, they think He was talking about bread, where He was meaning that the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod – their perspectives and teachings – would not elevate them.

There is so much wasted effort applied to giving explanations of scripture simply to make the presenter seem more educated, or important, and not given to raising the faith of the listener. Does it matter to you that the first three books of the New Testament are referred to as Synoptic Gospels, because they cover similar material?

It shouldn’t: but now that I have opened that door, allow me to go to the passages of Matthew 19: 23-24, Mark 10.25 and Luke 18.25. Each of these relate the same teaching about the difficulty a rich man would encounter in trying to enter the Kingdom of Heaven with his worldly possessions, and Jesus equates it to a camel passing through the eye of a needle.

And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, 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.” [Matthew 19: 23-24 ^NASB]

So much effort has been wasted on trying to explain “the eye of a needle” – yes wasted. The two primary rabbit trail explanations are 1) a mistranslation from Aramaic to Greek where the Aramaic for a “rope” (possibly knotted) is mistranslated to “camel”, and 2) There is a narrow gateway into Jerusalem at which, camels heavily loaded with goods would have to be unloaded in order to pass through. There is absolutely no documentation supporting either of these.

I could go further but you, the reader, have the same access to Google as I do, if you wish to pursue it further. Personally, I like the “amplified gate explanation” where it’s actually a narrow short door built into a larger gate, but I like this only because the camel needs to not only be unburdened, but forced to its knees to pass through. But, it doesn’t matter.

As always, the Bible explains itself and Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, and Luke 18:18-30, present The Rich Young Ruler who asks “Teacher, what good thing shall I do so that I may obtain eternal life?” He is devastated when Jesus says to him “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 

You cannot buy your way into Heaven using worldly possessions. To to get into heaven, shed your love of worldly possessions, pray on your knees, and follow Jesus.

Lord Jesus: I want to be in your company in Heaven. Lord: give me the strength to dispel all love of worldly possessions and replace it with my love for You. Amen.