Only logged in members can reply and interact with the post.
Join SimilarWorlds for FREE »

Can someone explain this part of the bible?

"It is easier for a rich man to get through the eye of a needle than it is for a camel to pass into heaven" Or something like that, I may be misremembering.

So just because somebody is rich they are automatically bad? What about a rich man who is also good???
Matthew 19:24
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 into the kingdom of God.

From Barnes' Notes on the Bible
It is easier for a camel ... - This was a proverb in common use among the Jews, and is still common among the Arabians.
To denote that a thing was impossible or exceedingly difficult, they said that a camel or an elephant might as soon walk through a needle's eye. In the use of such proverbs it is not necessary to understand them literally. They merely denote the extreme difficulty of the case.

A camel - A beast of burden much used in Eastern countries. It is about the size of the largest ox, with one or two bunches on his back, with long neck and legs, no horns, and with feet adapted to the hot and dry sand. They are capable of carrying heavy burdens, will travel sometimes faster than the fleetest horse, and are provided with a stomach which they fill with water, by means of which I they can live four or five days without drink. They are very mild and tame, and kneel down to receive and unload their burden. They are chiefly used in deserts and hot climates, where other beasts of burden are with difficulty kept alive.

A rich man - This rather means one who loves his riches and makes an idol of them, or one who supremely desires to be rich. Mark says Mark 10:24 "How hard is it for them that trust in riches." While a man has this feeling - relying on his wealth alone - it is literally impossible that he should be a Christian; for religion is a love of God rather than the world - the love of Jesus and his cause more than gold. Still a man may have much property, and not have this feeling. He may have great wealth, and love God more; as a poor man may have little, and love that little more than God. The difficulties in the way of the salvation of a rich man are:

1. that riches engross the affections.

2. that people consider wealth as the chief good, and when this is obtained they think they have gained all.

3. that they are proud of their wealth, and unwilling to be numbered with the poor and despised followers of Jesus.

4. that riches engross the time, and fill the mind with cares and anxieties, and leave little for God.

5. that they often produce luxury, dissipation, and vice. that it is difficult to obtain wealth without sin, without avarice, without covetousness, fraud, and oppression, 1 Timothy 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 6:17; James 5:1-5; Luke 12:16-21; Luke 16:19-31.

Still, Jesus says Matthew 19:26, all these may be overcome. God can give grace to do it. Though to people it may appear impossible, yet it is easy for God.
MsMelissa · 31-35, F
Thank you, very interesting
@Knuckles-The-Enchilada: You're welcome. There is a website...biblehub.com...that has several good commentaries. I use it quite often when I study.
This comment is hidden. Show Comment
VioletDreams · 36-40, F
Matthew 19:24
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

my interpretation is a rich person will most likely indulge in more sin than a poor person.
PeanutsauntieP1982 · 41-45, F
"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven". I've always taken that verse to mean that though a camel, to us humans, is an ungainly looking animal, since the camel has little to hold on to in the way of temptations and material goods, if he were a poor man (the little in the way of material goods), it would be much easier for him to give up what he doesn't have and to follow Christ than the rich man, who is more accustomed to the temptations and goods of the world and would find it harder to give up his material possessions and call on Christ to enter his heart and save him.
MasterDvdC · 61-69, M
No. Just because someone is rich doesn't automatically make them bad. However there is a greater chance that they are selfish, at best. Remember after Christ said that (the quote is that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven) He also said that with God anything is possible.
This comment is hidden. Show Comment
Hoosierxdaddy62 · 61-69, M
It's easier to get a 🐪 through the eye of a needle...

It basically means Christ expects people to he charitable and treat others well.

Christ had no problem with wealth, just how people used the wealth (we assume)
walabby · 61-69, M
Yeah... I think that you are supposed to give all your money to the church, or something...
tynamite · 31-35, M
It means that the rich should give to the poor. Duh!
The meek shall inherit the earth...

 
Post Comment