Luke 18:25

KJV

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

KJV (with Strong's)

For {G1063} it is {G2076} easier {G2123} for a camel {G2574} to go {G1525} through {G1223} a needle's {G4476} eye {G5168}, than {G2228} for a rich man {G4145} to enter {G1525} into {G1519} the kingdom {G932} of God {G2316}.

Complete Jewish Bible

It’s easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Berean Standard Bible

Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

American Standard Version

For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 18:25 presents one of Jesus's most striking hyperboles, declaring that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. This profound statement, delivered in the wake of a wealthy man's inability to surrender his possessions for the sake of discipleship, powerfully underscores the profound spiritual obstacles that material wealth can pose, challenging the common ancient assumption that riches were a sign of divine favor and highlighting the radical nature of true kingdom citizenship.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This potent declaration by Jesus immediately follows His poignant encounter with the rich young ruler in [Luke 18:18-23](/luke/18-18-23 "The Rich Young Ruler"). The ruler, a man of significant wealth and apparent moral uprightness, approached Jesus inquiring about inheriting eternal life. After affirming his adherence to the commandments, Jesus challenged him to sell all his possessions, distribute the proceeds to the poor, and then follow Him. The ruler's profound sorrow at this command, due to his immense wealth, prompted Jesus's initial observation in [Luke 18:24](/luke/18-24 "Jesus's observation about the rich") about the difficulty for those who trust in riches to enter God's kingdom. Verse 25 intensifies this observation with vivid hyperbole, setting the stage for the disciples' bewildered question ("Who then can be saved?") and Jesus's crucial clarification in [Luke 18:27](/luke/18-27 "God makes the impossible possible"), "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." This entire pericope forms a cohesive unit addressing the nature of discipleship, the deceptive power of wealth, and the divine sovereignty in salvation.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Jewish society, wealth was often perceived as a tangible sign of God's blessing and favor, a reward for righteousness (e.g., Abraham, Job, Solomon). Poverty, conversely, could sometimes be associated with divine disfavor or a lack of diligence. This cultural assumption made Jesus's statement particularly shocking to His hearers. The imagery of a "camel" and a "needle's eye" is a classic example of hyperbole, a common rhetorical device in the ancient Near East used to emphasize an extreme difficulty or impossibility. While some popular interpretations have suggested a literal narrow gate in Jerusalem called "the Needle's Eye," there is no historical or archaeological evidence to support this theory. The most widely accepted scholarly understanding is that Jesus employed a vivid, memorable, and intentionally exaggerated metaphor to convey the near-impossibility of the situation from a human perspective, challenging the prevailing cultural understanding of wealth and salvation.

* **Key Themes:** Luke 18:25 contributes significantly to several major theological and narrative themes within Luke's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the **Deceptive Nature of Wealth**, illustrating how material possessions can become an idol, fostering self-sufficiency and blinding individuals to their desperate need for God's grace. The rich young ruler's inability to part with his wealth revealed where his true trust lay, not in God but in his riches, a theme echoed in [Matthew 6:24](/matthew/6-24 "You cannot serve God and money"). Secondly, the verse underscores the **Radical Demands of the Kingdom of God**. Entering God's kingdom requires absolute surrender, prioritizing God above all earthly attachments, including wealth, as Jesus teaches about counting the cost of discipleship in [Luke 14:26-33](/luke/14-26-33 "The Cost of Discipleship"). Finally, and crucially, this hyperbole sets up the theme of **Divine Possibility in Human Impossibility**. While human effort or resources cannot secure salvation, Jesus immediately clarifies that "what is impossible with man is possible with God" ([Luke 18:27](/luke/18-27 "God's power to save")), emphasizing that salvation is a work of divine grace, not human merit or financial standing.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **easier (Greek, _eukopṓteros_):** G2123, a comparative form meaning "better for toil" or "more facile." Its use here emphasizes the relative ease of an absurdly difficult physical act (camel through a needle's eye) compared to the spiritual challenge of a rich person entering God's kingdom. It underscores the profound spiritual obstacle, not a literal comparison of physical difficulty.
* **camel (Greek, _kámēlos_):** G2574, referring to the large, common beast of burden in the ancient Near East. The choice of a camel, the largest animal familiar to the audience, maximizes the hyperbolic effect when paired with the tiny "needle's eye," making the image of passage utterly preposterous and memorable.
* **rich man (Greek, _ploúsios_):** G4145, meaning "wealthy" or "abounding with." This term specifically identifies the subject of Jesus's warning. The danger is not wealth itself, but the rich man's tendency to trust in his riches, to find security and identity in them, rather than in God, making him resistant to the radical call of the kingdom.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye":** This clause introduces the first part of Jesus's striking hyperbole. The image of a large, cumbersome camel attempting to pass through the minuscule opening of a sewing needle is inherently absurd and physically impossible. Jesus uses this vivid, unforgettable illustration to set a benchmark of extreme difficulty, a task that no human or animal could ever accomplish.
* **"than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God":** This second clause presents the spiritual reality that Jesus intends to emphasize. By comparing the entry of a rich person into God's kingdom to the impossible feat of the camel, Jesus highlights the profound spiritual barrier that wealth, when clung to and trusted in, creates. It signifies that from a purely human perspective, relying on one's own resources or status, entry into God's reign is just as impossible as the camel's passage.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in Luke 18:25 is **Hyperbole**. Jesus uses extreme exaggeration—the image of a **camel** passing through the eye of a **needle**—to emphasize the immense difficulty, indeed the human impossibility, for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God if their wealth is their ultimate trust and security. This is not meant to be taken literally but rather to shock the audience and underscore the gravity of the spiritual obstacle. Coupled with this is **Metaphor**, where the physical impossibility of the camel's passage serves as a powerful metaphorical representation of the spiritual impossibility of a wealth-dependent individual entering God's kingdom. The vivid imagery creates a memorable and impactful statement that transcends literal interpretation, forcing listeners to confront their own values and dependencies.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 18:25 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of salvation and the kingdom of God. It challenges the human tendency to rely on self-sufficiency, particularly when bolstered by material wealth, which can become an idol that supplants God as the source of security and identity. True entry into God's kingdom requires a radical reorientation of values, a complete surrender of all that one holds dear, including possessions, to the sovereignty of God. This verse underscores that salvation is not earned through human effort, moral uprightness, or material status, but is a gift of divine grace, made possible only by God's power. It highlights the spiritual danger of loving money, which can blind individuals to their spiritual poverty and their desperate need for a Savior, ultimately hindering their ability to embrace the self-denying call of discipleship.

* [Matthew 19:23-26](/matthew/19-23-26 "Jesus on the Difficulty of Wealth and Salvation")
* [Mark 10:23-27](/mark/10-23-27 "The Rich Young Man and the Kingdom of God")
* [1 Timothy 6:9-10](/1_timothy/6-9-10 "The Dangers of the Love of Money")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 18:25 is a timeless challenge to every individual, regardless of their financial standing. It compels us to deeply examine the true objects of our trust and affection. In a world that often equates success with material accumulation, Jesus's words serve as a stark reminder that earthly treasures, far from guaranteeing spiritual well-being, can become significant impediments to our relationship with God and our entry into His eternal kingdom. This verse calls us to honest self-assessment: Do we find our security, identity, and hope in our financial portfolios, possessions, careers, or social status, or do we wholeheartedly trust in God alone? It urges us to cultivate a posture of radical dependence on God, recognizing that all we have is from Him and should be stewarded for His glory and the benefit of others. Our priorities must align with seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, understanding that true riches are found not in what we accumulate on earth, but in our relationship with Christ and the eternal treasures He offers.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **Where do I truly place my ultimate trust and security in life? Is it in my finances, possessions, or achievements, or solely in God?**
* **What earthly "camels" might be hindering my spiritual journey or my full surrender to God's will?**
* **How can I cultivate a heart of generosity and detachment from material possessions, viewing them as tools for God's kingdom rather than objects of my affection?**
* **In what ways might the pursuit or possession of wealth blind me to my spiritual poverty and my desperate need for God's grace?**

### FAQ

**Does this mean that rich people cannot be saved, or that wealth is inherently evil?**

Answer: No, this verse does not mean that rich people are eternally condemned or that wealth itself is evil. Jesus's statement is a hyperbole, an intentional exaggeration to emphasize a profound spiritual truth: from a human perspective, it is exceedingly difficult for someone who trusts in their riches to enter the kingdom of God. The issue is not the possession of wealth, but the **love of wealth** and the **trust placed in it** (as seen in [1 Timothy 6:10](/1_timothy/6-10 "The love of money is the root of all evil")). Wealth often fosters a sense of self-sufficiency, making individuals less likely to recognize their desperate need for God's grace and to surrender fully to His will. Jesus immediately clarifies this human impossibility with the divine possibility in [Luke 18:27](/luke/18-27 "What is impossible with man is possible with God"), stating, "What is impossible with man is possible with God." This means salvation, for rich and poor alike, is a work of God's grace, not human effort or financial status.

**Is there a literal "Needle's Eye" gate in Jerusalem that Jesus was referring to?**

Answer: While this theory has been popular, there is **no definitive historical or archaeological evidence** to support the existence of a literal narrow gate in Jerusalem called "the Needle's Eye" through which camels had to stoop or be unloaded. Scholars widely agree that Jesus was employing a common form of **hyperbole**, a deliberate exaggeration for emphasis, to illustrate an extreme impossibility. The image of a large camel trying to pass through the tiny eye of a sewing needle would have been instantly understood by His audience as an absurd and impossible feat, powerfully conveying the spiritual difficulty He was describing.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 18:25, with its stark declaration of human impossibility, finds its profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. While it is impossible for a rich man (or indeed, any man relying on his own efforts or resources) to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus Himself is the one through whom the impossible becomes gloriously possible. He is the ultimate "gate" to the kingdom ([John 10:9](/john/10-9 "Jesus is the gate")), the only "way, the truth, and the life" through whom anyone can come to the Father ([John 14:6](/john/14-6 "Jesus is the Way, Truth, and Life")). Christ, though rich, became poor for our sakes, so that through His poverty we might become rich ([2 Corinthians 8:9](/2_corinthians/8-9 "Christ became poor for our sakes")), demonstrating the ultimate surrender and detachment from earthly wealth. He calls for a radical discipleship that prioritizes Him above all possessions and even family ([Luke 14:26-27](/luke/14-26-27 "The Cost of Discipleship")). Through His atoning sacrifice, He provides the only means of entry into God's kingdom, a salvation freely offered by grace through faith, not by human merit or material status ([Ephesians 2:8-9](/ephesians/2-8-9 "Salvation by Grace Through Faith")). Thus, the "impossible" human task of entering the kingdom is made possible by God through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who invites all, regardless of their earthly condition, to find their true treasure and security in Him alone ([Matthew 6:19-21](/matthew/6-19-21 "Treasures in Heaven")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 23:24

[Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.