Reflections on Matthew 19:24; Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25

While there is disagreement about what Jesus meant by, “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” (cf.mat.19:24; Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25), I would like to share a few thoughts on what challenges me:

1. If Jesus is talking about a literal “eye of the needle”, then it is clearly letting us know the impossibilities of earning salvation on any merit of our own, and;
2. “riches” are NOT necessarily a sign of our righteousness and blessing.

If it relates to a particular gate that livestock went through, then I see a strong word-picture of surrender and humility that Jesus presents us with.  And there are three components to getting through this livestock gate:

1. We need to surrender and humble ourselves to “the gate” – Jesus said that He is the “gate” for God’s sheep (John 10:7);
2. We must yield and surrender to the “gate-keeper” – God, the Father is the “gate-keeper” (cf. Psalm 24:7-10); and,
3. We must yield and surrender ourselves to the Spirit of God who leads us through the gate and sets the pace for us (Galatians 5:25).