Mythbusting: the camel and the needle

Day 28

OT Reading: Exodus 16-18

NT Reading: Matthew 19:16-36

I'm starting to realize that some days there are about 14 different points I'd like to write about, then other days I simply think, "Ummm...ok so about these fantastic genealogies...again..." Today was one of those days when there are are several, but we'll just stick with one. And if you don't mind, I think I'll do it Mythbusters style.

Myth:

A few years ago I was presented with an idea about Matthew 19:24 which reads, "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter in the kingdom of God." (NIV) To that point in my life I had always taken the statement at face value, understanding that Jesus was using an analogy to make a point. Perhaps that's how you've understood this passage.

With that interpretation in mind I was then told about a gate which was called "the eye of the needle." Because city gates were large and would be closed at night for protection, smaller man-sized gates were built into city walls to allow appropriate entrance and exit while not making the entire city vulnerable. It was explained to me that it was through this smaller gate that a camel could enter, but only after removing all of its belongings and possessions it was carrying, getting to its knees and lowering it's head. Therefore, based on this idea Jesus was showing how it was possible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom, but only after removing from himself the importance of all his earthly possessions, and submitting to the Lordship of Christ.

And that is a beautiful picture...a camel lowering itself, bowing even in submission. It's poetic even. But is it true? Well let's look at a few different perspectives:

History/Archeology

This interpretation was first introduced during the middle ages, over a millennia after Jesus walked this earth. During the Crusades soldiers saw these very sorts of gates in the walls of cities, and witnessed this sort of activity with donkeys, camels, etc. With that in mind, the interpretation was made, and has stuck around ever since. However archeology tells us that these gates were in fact not in existence in Jesus' day. In fact every example of any gate we have from Jesus' day would have been easily large enough for any camel to walk through. So history

Context

If we continue on in the verses that follow we find that the disciples are astonished and ask, "Who then can be saved?" (Matthew 19:25b, NIV) If the illustration Jesus is using is something from everyday life, why would they be astonished and see salvation as an impossibility? It would be like me saying, "I can turn on my lights with the flip of a switch." If you've seen that happen dozens or even hundreds of times, why would you find it astonishing? We find things extraordinary things, not ordinary things, astonishing.

Theology

Continuing on in even the next verse we're presented with an important piece of theology (not a dirty word by the way). In Matthew 19:26 Jesus says, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (NIV) Throughout Scripture we are taught that man cannot save himself. To say that if a rich man just does all the right things he can thereby enter the Kingdom on his own merit is a contradiction of what we understand all throughout the Bible.

Result

If you've never seen the show, after testing and reviewing all the evidence three options are given for a myth: busted, plausible or confirmed. In this case I hope it's clear to you that this myth is totally busted. Historically, contextually and theologically the idea that Jesus was using a literal illustration just does not stand up.

Maybe I gave a lot more information than anyone really cared to know, and maybe I could have looked for a more "devotional" sort of thought...but this is one of those reoccurring stories I've heard numerous times, and I just wanted to hit this one while we were here. But if you have a question or have heard a theory that you'd like discussed. Send it my way and we'll see if we can set it aside and see how the evidence stacks up.

***Remember, even though I'm a paid professional DO, I repeat DO try this at home. There is little to no danger in researching Biblical answers on your own.