a camel through a needle

Mt 19.16ff - And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell 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.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Conversion that leads to salvation is humanly impossible.

This man approaches Jesus claiming to have kept the whole law - including loving his neighbor as himself. It seems however that Jesus does not agree with his assessment. He tells the man that if he wants to accomplish what is needed to inherit eternal life he must free his heart from his possessions, attain a heart for the poor, treasure God in heaven, and then follow Him.

Sadly the man leaves grieving. To this Jesus teaches that, "Only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell 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." How difficult will it be? Impossible. A camel cannot go through the eye of a needle.

Some would argue and try to create some way in which it may be possible. They might even claim that this man only needed to follow the direction Jesus provided and then create some story like the eye of a needle isn't really that but rather a gate in a wall that camels can only pass through after stripping everything off. I don't think so but even if it were so, that's not the point. The man cannot do this on his own.

The disciples understood that. They asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus could have replied that the poor can be saved or believers can be saved or my followers can be saved or ... but instead He taught a greater truth. He understood our propensity for formulas and methods. He taught us that "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

The problem isn't wealth (although that surely can be an obstacle). The problem is the human heart. No man can find salvation unless God intervenes and changes his heart. The Kingdom of God is about grace. It is about the Holy Spirit touching a heart in a way that illumines the pathway to Truth. He empowers us to receive forgiveness from our King and follow His leadership. This is a present reality and as well as a future hope. Short of that, man is lost - separated from the Fatherhood of God forever.

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