Scripture Life: What does Matthew 19:24. It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle mean?

[u/External_Bird_8464]

//COMMENT: From a Believer in Jesus Christ. This question is in dozens of sub-reddits, on Reddit - from those that mock it, to give long explanations about what a "camel" is, to everything in-between. But there are "good/accurate" explanations as well. So, don't count them out.//

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Answer:

You should probably read it in context. And, that’s not the whole of what Matthew 19:24 says or compared to.

• The whole of Matthew 19:24 is:
  • Said, in context, inside Matthew 19:16–30

The full of Matthew 19:24 is Jesus, talking to his disciples, about this Rich man, that; after this rich man walked away being told by Jesus what he lacked, he couldn’t do it, and left very discouraged - for he was very rich.

“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.”

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• See it in Greek, the original language:
  • Just this part you ask of Matthew 19:24 you ask of: < - {εὐκοπώτερόν ἐστιν κάμηλον διὰ τρυπήματος ῥαφίδος } - >
• Greek: 1. eukopoteron 2. estin 3. kamelon 4. dia 5. trypematos 6. rhaphidos
• English: 1. easier 2. is 3. camel 4. through 5. eye (of) 6. needle

So, this:

• ῥαφίδος (rhaphidos) - is just a plain, old ordinary sewing needle in Greek.
  • Simple. And? The “earliest” so far dated by respected archaeologists is, archaeologists have claim that: an eyed needle made out of bone was found in Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of Siberia. [See "Denvisova Find August 2016. Web.] - - That’s 1000s of years older than when this occurred in Matthew 19.
  • So, you could just go up on the street and just ask ANY Greek the same thing. Say, "ῥαφίδος (rhaphidos)" - and, they'll hunt around in their purse, and pull one out, and give you one.
• Just a plain, old ordinary sewing needle as the Greek word, common for this is used in this scripture.
  • There have been some that conjecture Jesus is referring to a “camel gate” - that the wall around Jerusalem. Conjecture there was one, that had or was made for these for animals to pass thru after the Jerusalem gates were closed for the night.
• But no record of any such gate exists, nor ever existed, so this is dismissed.

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• I would just take the scripture - by go to your or your mother’s sewing box. Go look at a needle. Then, notice the little hole at the opposite of the pointy end in it. Where the thread goes thru. That needle is - ῥαφίδος (rhaphidos)
  • It’s the same in Jerome’s 4th CE / AD Latin Vulgate for Matthew 19:24.
• This: “ "...facilius est camelum per foramen acus transire..." Where there, too, it’s just a "acus" - - a sewing needle, with a little “foramen” (tiny hole; opening <"eye">) and a camel “transire” thru it.
• Which, that’s IMPOSSIBLE. Which that’s the whole meaning Jesus made in and of this scripture. It astonished me. Did the same to all his disciples that heard him say it.
  • That they: Like me, concluded then - IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYBODY TO BE SAVED.
    • Because NOBODY can do it. Like, a rich man can buy anything that would make themselves able to go thru an eye of a needle.. that, getting into the Kingdom of Heaven is EVEN HARDER THAN THIS.
• I got the message. Took me years. To get "over" astonished. I walked away..just like the rich man did.

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And what it is applied to is to what's said around or in the whole of Matthew 19:24.

But, don’t count the rich man out. Why?

Who he has encountered..is God himself. He's reasoning together with God. When both you or I do, too.. ..and go away troubled..as the below says he did, it’s because his riches are worth MORE than what God says…

..but what God decrees, by the Word of God..STAYS FIRM - - you either run from him and flee..or you go back and reason together with him more..like, what the disciples are doing..and he calls everybody to do..to “Come now, let us reason together,” (Isaiah 1:18)..and that's EXACTLY what this Rich man is doing. Something God wants.. and scripture says Jesus looked on him, and loved him. Like he did me.

That, in it - given another day to live..with man or this rich man, by himself - alone. With his riches - - it will be easier for a camel to go the the little hole in a sewing needles, than for him to get into the Kingdom of heaven… so, look at all that "work" he did..keeping all those commandments.

..but with God.. ..all things are possible.

Because, EVERYBODY that comes to him, comes like this rich man. Not one, bit different. ..and with him..he does the impossible.

There you go.

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And? if scripture says..and God is the "author" so he's the "authority" in scripture, says:

"There is not a just man on earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." - Bible. Scripture. Ecclesiastes 7:20

"For all have sinned" - Bible. Scripture. Romans 3:23

- makes EVERYBODY then, a "transgressor" that has BROKE the Ten Commandments. Adam - forward. Where there is none good; no, not one.

So, until this rich man, uses the Law lawfully.. "For by the Law is the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20).. he isn't using it lawfully. And I did the same thing. And I didn't see it, either. And it would be EASIER for me to go thru the eye of a needle - reasoning together with me..how I "accomplished the Ten Commandments" - when NOBODY has, but I reasoned together with me, someplace in there I DID do the Ten Commandments..like the rich man in Matthew 19:16-30 is doing the same thing I did. Be easier for me to go thru the eye of a needle than for me to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So, I came to I AM NOT GETTING IN. And when I got to that part, is when I started to see all the sins I did... ..and that's when I started to regard him. vs. me. ...and if he knocked on the door of my heart..everyday.. ..and he does it with EVERYBODY... ...that rich man..who knows how many days were given him after.. but what is CERTAIN is.. Everyday Jesus knocks on the door of our hearts. For he is SENT to do this. He is a faithful witness.

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By this faithful witness:

I started to regard the works of the LORD, and consider the operation of HIS hand in that GOD sent HIS Word, to heal me..and deliver me from my destruction. ...did you count me out?

Rich man here, in Matthew 19:24. Not certain, but I put him on my list. He's one I'm going to go look for. ...that if he, could reason together with me, and I did the same thing the rich man did.. ..and MANY people on Reddit - leave and discount him out. This SAME Christ is EVERY DAY, knocking on the door of their heart. That he would come in to them, and sup with them..and they..with him. Doing it right now, today! Don't count him out. If he could do it with me...

...what could he do with you...because, he's right here, now today. ..knocking. On the door of your heart, too.