it is easier
The phrase "it is easier" comes from the Greek "εὐκοπώτερον" (eukopoteron), which suggests something that is more manageable or less difficult. This comparative term highlights the extreme difficulty of the task being described, setting up a stark contrast between the two scenarios Jesus presents.

for a camel
The "camel" (Greek: "κάμηλος," kamelos) is the largest animal found in the region of Palestine, often used in hyperbolic expressions to illustrate impossibility. The camel was a common sight in the ancient Near East, symbolizing something large and unwieldy. This imagery would have been immediately understood by Jesus' audience as representing something exceedingly difficult to manage.

to pass through
The phrase "to pass through" is translated from the Greek "διελθεῖν" (dielthein), meaning to go through or traverse. This verb implies movement and transition, suggesting an action that is not just difficult but practically impossible in the context of the metaphor.

the eye of a needle
"The eye of a needle" (Greek: "τρῆμα ῥαφίδος," trema rhaphidos) refers to the small opening in a sewing needle. This metaphorical expression is often debated, but traditionally it is understood as a literal needle, emphasizing the impossibility of the task. Some historical interpretations suggest a narrow gate in Jerusalem called the "Needle's Eye," but the primary understanding remains a literal needle, underscoring the hyperbolic nature of Jesus' teaching.

than for a rich man
The term "rich man" (Greek: "πλούσιος," plousios) refers to someone possessing great wealth. In the cultural and historical context of Jesus' time, wealth was often seen as a sign of God's favor. However, Jesus challenges this notion by suggesting that wealth can be a hindrance to spiritual entry into God's kingdom.

to enter
"To enter" (Greek: "εἰσελθεῖν," eiselthein) implies gaining access or admission. This verb is significant in the context of the kingdom of God, as it denotes the transition from one state of being to another, from earthly life to eternal life.

the kingdom of God
The "kingdom of God" (Greek: "βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ," basileia tou Theou) represents the reign and rule of God, both in the present spiritual sense and in the future eschatological fulfillment. This concept is central to Jesus' teaching, emphasizing the values and priorities of God's rule, which often stand in contrast to worldly values, such as the accumulation of wealth.

"I would ride the camel,
Yea leap him flying, through the needle's eye
As easily as such a pampered soul
Could pass the narrow gate."

(Southey.) It seems strange that the three evangelists, SS. Matthew, Mark, and Luke, who tell this story of the young questioner and the Master's conversation with him, do not mention his name. And yet he must have been a conspicuous personage in the society of the time. First of all, his riches were evidently remarkable. One account tells us that he was" very rich." Two of the Gospels mention his "great possessions." St. Luke tells us that he was "a ruler." He was, then, certainly a very wealthy Jew holding a high official position, not improbably a member of the Sanhedrin council. Why is he nameless in the three Gospels? Dean Plumptre has a most interesting theory that the young wealthy ruler was Lazarus of Bethany. He bases his hypothesis upon the following data: He begins by stating that "there is one other case in the first two Gospels which presents similar phenomena. ]n the narrative of the supper at Bethany, St. Matthew and St. Mark record the passionate affection which expressed itself in pouring the precious ointment of spikenard upon our Lord's head as the act of 'a woman' (Matthew 26:7; Mark 14:3), leaving her unnamed. In John 12:3 we find that the woman was Mary, the sister of Lazarus. The train of thought thus suggested points to the supposition that here also there may have been reasons for suppressing in the records a name which was familiar to the narrator. What if the young ruler were Lazarus himself? The points of agreement are sufficiently numerous to warrant the conjecture. The household of Lazarus, as the spikenard ointment shows, were of the wealthier class. The friends who came to comfort the bereaved sisters were themselves, in St. John's language, 'of the Jews,' i.e. of the chief rulers (John 11:19). The young ruler was obviously a Pharisee, and the language of Martha (John 11:24) shows that she, too, believed in eternal life and the resurrection of the dead. The answer to the young ruler, ' One thing thou lackest' (as given by St. Mark and St. Luke), is almost identical with that to Martha, 'One thing is needful' (Luke 10:42). In such a case, of course, nothing can be attained beyond conjectural inference; but the present writer must avow his belief that the coincidences in this case are such as to carry the evidence to a very high point of probability."

Parallel Commentaries ...