Jesus’ words about the camel and the eye of a needle are among His most sobering. He wasn’t using exaggeration for effect, He was declaring a spiritual reality about wealth, pride, and salvation. Let’s examine this statement and its surrounding context to understand what the Lord meant.
The Encounter with the Rich Young Ruler
This teaching begins with a real conversation. A wealthy young man approached Jesus and asked,
“Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16)
Jesus told him to keep the commandments, and the young man replied that he had. Then Jesus said,
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21)
But the man walked away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. He could not part with his wealth to follow Christ. That moment revealed where his heart truly was.
Jesus’ Warning About Riches
Then Jesus turned to His disciples and said,
“Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:23)
And to emphasize the point, He added,
“And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24)
Luke and Mark record the same statement (Mark 10:25, Luke 18:25). Jesus did not say it was impossible; He said that it was harder than passing a camel through a needle’s eye, an intentionally impossible image.
The Meaning of the Metaphor
Some have speculated about a small gate in Jerusalem called “the Needle’s Eye,” but there is no biblical or historical evidence to support that. Jesus was using literal language. A camel, the largest animal in that region, cannot physically go through the eye of a sewing needle. It was a powerful picture to show that wealth makes entering God’s kingdom humanly impossible.
Wealth isn’t evil, but it can blind the heart. The rich often rely on money, status, and comfort rather than on God. 1 Timothy 6:10 warns,
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness.”
Jesus wasn’t condemning wealth; He was exposing idolatry. When money sits on the throne, there’s no room for the King.
God’s Power to Save
The disciples were shocked by Jesus’ words. They asked,
“Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25)
Jesus replied with the heart of the gospel,
“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
No one can be saved through their own effort, rich or poor. Salvation is a work of God, not of man. This is the same truth found in John 1:13, where it says we are born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
The Rewards of Sacrificial Faith
Peter then reminded Jesus that they had left everything to follow Him. Jesus responded,
“Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29)
Riches are no substitute for righteousness. When someone leaves earthly treasure to follow Christ, they gain something eternal. Jesus isn’t looking for what you own, but whether He owns you.
My Final Thoughts
Jesus’ words about the camel and the needle are not hyperbole; they are a spiritual x-ray of the human heart. Wealth is not the problem. Pride and self-reliance are. The rich man walked away because his treasure was in the wrong place. The way into the kingdom is narrow, not because God is stingy, but because few are willing to leave everything and follow.
May we never be so rich in this world that we are poor in eternity. May we say like Paul,
“I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)
