One day, a rich young man approached Jesus, asking him what he had to do to inherit eternal life. He was convinced that he could earn his way into heaven. After he left, Jesus told his disciples that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
That statement got the disciples’ attention. In fact, it scared them. None of them likely considered themselves wealthy. Most of them were fisherman, after all. Yet they realized that they had more wealth than many other people. “Who, then, can be saved?” they asked Jesus.
Jesus’ statement about rich people getting to heaven and camels going through the eyes of needles ought to get our attention, too. Like the disciples, most of us probably don’t consider ourselves wealthy. Yet compared to many people in our world today, and certainly compared to the vast majority of people who have ever lived in this world, we are fabulously wealthy. So, what does that say about our chances of getting into heaven? Does worldly wealth automatically prevent someone from being saved? And if this is true, who ultimately can be saved?
Over the years, some people have come up with a creative answer to these vexing questions. You may have come across this answer yourself at some point. They claim that there was a very small gate in the walls of Jerusalem that was used after the main gate was closed. This gate was called “the eye of the needle.” While a person could walk through the small door, it would be impossible for a camel to go through unless they unloaded whatever it was carrying and forced the camel to go down on its knees. According to this theory, to get into heaven, one must “unload your baggage” (including excessive wealth) and “get on your knees,” in other words, bow before the sovereign Lord.
To many, this sounds plausible. There are just two problems with it. First, there is absolutely zero evidence of any such gate existing in ancient Jerusalem. It seems to be one of those urban legends perpetuated by the internet. And second (and most importantly), that made-up meaning behind Jesus’ words contradicts the very point Jesus was making to his disciples. Jesus wasn’t saying that it’s difficult to get into heaven, but if you try hard enough, believe strongly enough, and act devoutly enough, you can do it. Actually, he was saying that it’s literally impossible for us to do. He answered his disciples’ question about who can be saved by saying, “With man, this is impossible.”
Salvation isn’t just a difficult thing to attain, like getting a camel to go down on its knees. It’s absolutely impossible, like trying to force a huge animal through a tiny opening in a needle. It’s impossible for sinful mortals. Rich or poor, none of us measures up to God’s expectations. And no amount of effort can get rid of a single sin.
Thankfully, Jesus didn’t stop with the words, “with man, this is impossible.” He went on to say, “But not with God; all things are possible with him.” What we can’t do, Jesus did. He lived the perfect life God demands. And through faith in him, we get the credit. He died the kind of death our sins deserve. And through faith in him, our sins are removed forever.
We enter the narrow gate of heaven, not by our efforts, but by God’s grace, and by his grace alone. Thank God!
• Brent Merten is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Juneau, a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. “Living and Growing” is a weekly column written by different authors and submitted by local clergy and spiritual leaders. It appears every Saturday on the Juneau Empire’s Faith page.
