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Commentary on Luke 18 verses 18–30
In these verses we have,
I. Christ's discourse with a ruler, that had a good mind to be directed by him in the way to heaven. In which we may observe,
1.It is a blessed sight to see persons of distinction in the world distinguish themselves from others of their rank by their concern about their souls and another life. Luke takes notice of it that he was a ruler. Few of the rulers had any esteem for Christ, but here was one that had; whether a church or state ruler does not appear, but he was one in authority.
2.The great thing we are every one of us concerned to enquire after is what we shall do to get to heaven, what we shall do to inherit eternal life. This implies such a belief of an eternal life after this as atheists and infidels have not, such a concern to make it sure as a careless unthinking world have not, and such a willingness to comply with any terms that it may be made sure as those have not who are resolvedly devoted to the world and the flesh.
3.Those who would inherit eternal life must apply themselves to Jesus Christ as their Master, their teaching Master, so it signifies here (didaskale), and their ruling Master, and so they shall certainly find him. There is no learning the way to heaven but in the school of Christ, by those that enter themselves into it, and continue in it.
4.Those who come to Christ as their Master must believe him to have not only a divine mission, but a divine goodness. Christ would have this ruler know that if he understood himself aright in calling him good he did, in effect, call him God and indeed he was so (Luk 18:19): "Why callest thou me good? Thou knowest there is none good but one, that is, God; and dost thou then take me for God? If so, thou art in the right."
5.Our Master, Christ himself, has not altered the way to heaven from what it was before his coming, but has only made it more plain, and easy, and comfortable, and provided for our relief, in case we take any false step. Thou knowest the commandments. Christ came not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to establish them. Wouldest thou inherit eternal life? Govern thyself by the commandments.
6.The duties of the second table must be conscientiously observed, in order to our happiness, and we must not think that any acts of devotion, how plausible soever, will atone for the neglect of them. Nor is it enough to keep ourselves free from the gross violations of these commandments, but we must know these commandments, as Christ has explained them in his sermon upon the mount, in their extent and spiritual nature, and so observe them.
7.Men think themselves innocent because they are ignorant; so this ruler did. He said, All these have I kept from my youth up, Luk 18:21. He knows no more evil of himself than the Pharisee did, Luk 18:11. He boasts that he began early in a course of virtue, that he had continued in it to this day, and that he had not in any instance transgressed. Had he been acquainted with the extent and spiritual nature of the divine law, and with the workings of his own heart, - had he been but Christ's disciples awhile, and learned of him, he would have said quite the contrary: "All these have I broken from my youth up, in thought, word, and deed."
8.The great things by which we are to try our spiritual state are how we stand affected to Christ and to our brethren, to this world and to the other; by these this man was tried. For, (1.) If we have a true affection to Christ, he will come and follow him, will attend to his doctrine, and submit to his discipline, whatever it cost him. None shall inherit eternal life who are not willing to take their lot with the Lord Jesus, to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. (2.) If he have a true affection to his brethren, he will, as there is occasion, distribute to the poor, who are God's receivers of his dues out of our estates. (3.) If he think meanly of this world, as he ought, he will not stick at selling what he has, if there be a necessity for it, for the relief of God's poor. (4.) If he think highly of the other world, as he ought, he will desire no more than to have treasure in heaven, and will reckon that a sufficient abundant recompence for all that he has left, or lost, or laid out for God in this world.
9.There are many that have a great deal in them that is very commendable, and yet they perish for the lack of some one thing; so this ruler here; he broke with Christ upon this, he liked all his terms very well but this which would part between him and his estate: "In this, I pray thee, have me excused." If this be the bargain, it is no bargain.
10.Many that are loth to leave Christ, yet do leave him. After a long struggle between their convictions and their corruptions, their corruptions carry the day at last; they are very sorry that they cannot serve God and mammon both; but, if one must be quitted, it shall be their God, not their worldly gain.
II. Christ's discourse with his disciples upon this occasion, in which we may observe, 1. Riches are a great hindrance to many in the way to heaven. Christ took notice of the reluctancy and regret with which the rich man broke off from him. He saw that he was very sorrowful, and was sorry for him; but thence he infers, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! Luk 18:24. If this ruler had had but as little of the world as Peter, and James, and John had, in all probability he would have left it, to follow Christ, as they did; but, having a great estate, it had a great influence upon him, and he chose rather to take his leave of Christ than to lay himself under an obligation to dispose of his estate in charitable uses. Christ asserts the difficulty of the salvation of rich people very emphatically: 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, Luk 18:25. It is a proverbial expression, that denotes the thing to be extremely difficult. 2. There is in the hearts of all people such a general affection to this world, and the things of it, that, since Christ has required it as necessary to salvation that we should sit loose to this world, it is really very hard for any to get to heaven. If we must sell all, or break with Christ, who then can be saved? Luk 18:26. They do not find fault with what Christ required as hard and unreasonable. No, it is very fit that they who expect an eternal happiness in the other world should be willing to forego all that is dear to them in this world, in expectation of it. But they know how closely the hearts of most men cleave to this world, and are ready to despair of their being ever brought to this. 3. There are such difficulties in the way of our salvation: as could never be got over but by pure omnipotence, by that grace of God which is almighty, and to which that is possible which exceeds all created power and wisdom. The things which are impossible with men (and utterly impossible it is that men should work such a change upon their own spirits as to turn them from the world to God, it is like dividing the sea, and driving Jordan back), these things are possible with God. His grace can work upon the soul, so as to alter the bent and bias of it, and give it a contrary ply; and it is he that works in us both to will and to do. 4. There is an aptness in us to speak too much of what we have left and lost, of what we have done and suffered, for Christ. This appears in Peter: Lo, we have left all, and followed thee, Luk 18:28. When it came in his way, he could not forbear magnifying his own and his brethren's affection to Christ, in quitting all to follow him. But this we should be so far from boasting of, that we should rather acknowledge it not worth taking notice of, and be ashamed of ourselves that there should have been any regret and difficulty in the doing of it, and any hankerings towards those things afterwards. 5. Whatever we have left, or laid out, for Christ, it shall without fail be abundantly made up to us in this world and that to come, notwithstanding our weaknesses and infirmities (Luk 18:29, Luk 18:30): No man has left the comfort of his estate or relations for the kingdom of God's sake, rather than they should hinder either his services to that kingdom or his enjoyments of it, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, in the graces and comforts of God's Spirit, in the pleasures of communion with God and of a good conscience, advantages which, to those that know how to value and improve them, will abundantly countervail all their loses. Yet that is not all; in the world to come they shall receive life everlasting, which is the thing that the ruler seemed to have his eye and heart upon.
(Hom. de eleemos.) The merchant when he goes to the market, is not loth to, part with all that he has, in order to obtain what he requires, but thou art grieved at giving mere dust and ashes that thou mayest gain everlasting bliss.
“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” This is great power. It has great weight in words. With what other words would he more vehemently express that a rich person must not boast in his riches than these by which a compassionate person is defined as against nature?… You can also understand it morally, about every sinner and haughty rich person. When he did not dare to raise his eyes to God, the tax collector, burdened with the awareness of his own sins, was like a camel. Through the help of his confession, he will pass more easily through the eye of a needle than the Pharisee will enter the kingdom of heaven. The Pharisee was arrogant in prayer, boasting of innocence, and overconfident of glory. He rebuked mercy, proclaimed himself, and accused another. He would rather confront the Lord than beg him. If anyone trembles at the camel, let him shudder at him whose deeds are uglier than a camel.
(Hom. 24. in 1 ad Cor.) Abraham indeed possessed wealth for the poor. And all they who righteously possess it, spend it as receiving it from God, according to the divine command, while those who have acquired wealth in an ungodly way, are ungodly in their use of it; whether in squandering it on harlots or parasites, or hiding it in the ground, but sparing nothing for the poor. (Hom. 18. in Joan.). He does not then forbid men to be rich, but to be the slaves of their riches. He would have us use them as necessary, not keep guard over them. It is of a servant to guard, of a master to dispense. Had he wished to preserve them, He would never have given them to men, but left them to remain in the earth.
(Hom. 80. in Matt.) There is no profit in riches while the soul suffers poverty, no hurt in poverty, while the soul abounds in wealth. But if the sign of a man waxing rich is to be in need of nothing, and of becoming poor to be in want, it is plain that the poorer a man is, the richer he grows. For it is far easier for one in poverty to despise wealth, than for the rich. Nor again is avarice wont to be satisfied by having more, for thereby are men only the more inflamed, just as a fire spreads, the more it has to feed upon. Those which seem to be the evils of poverty, it has in common with riches, but the evils of riches are peculiar to them.
(Hom. 63. in Matt.) These weighty words so far exceeded the capacity of the disciples, that when they heard them, they asked, Who then can be saved? not that they feared for themselves, but for the whole world.
(de Quæst Evang. lib. ii. c. 42.) The name of "rich" he here gives to one who covets temporal things, and boasts himself in them. To such rich men are opposed the poor in spirit, of whom is the kingdom of heaven. Now mystically it is easier for Christ to suffer for the lovers of this world, than for the lovers of this world to be converted to Christ. For by the name of a camel He would represent Himself: for He voluntarily humbled Himself to bear the burdens of our infirmity. By the needle He signifies sharp piercings, and thereby the pangs received in His Passion, but by the form of the needle He describes the straitening of the Passion.
(ut sup.) Seeing that there is an incomparably greater number of poor which might be saved by forsaking their riches, they understood that all who love riches, even though they cannot obtain them, were to be counted among the number of the rich. It follows, And he said to them, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God, which must not be taken as if a rich man with covetousness and pride might enter into the kingdom of God, but that it is possible with God for a man to be converted from covetousness and pride, to charity and humility.
The ruler was too weak in his intentions and could not be prevailed upon even to listen to the advice of selling his possessions, although it would have been good for him and full of reward. Our Lord lays bare the sickness that has its home in the rich, saying, "How hard it is for those that have riches to enter into the kingdom of God! I say to you, that it is easier for a camel to enter in through the eye of a needle than for a rich man into the kingdom of God." Now by a camel he means not the animal of that name but rather a thick cable. It is the custom of those well-versed in navigation to call the thicker cables "camels."
For 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. If it is easier for a camel, which has enormous and huge limbs, to pass through the narrow eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, then no rich man will enter the kingdom of God. And how is it that both in the Gospel according to Matthew, Zacchaeus, and Joseph, as well as in the Old Testament, so many rich men of God have entered the kingdom? Unless perhaps they learned, by the Lord's inspiration, either to value riches at nothing or to leave them entirely? Did David, who sang about himself: "For I am poor and alone" (Ps. XXIV), trust in the riches of his kingdom? And he advises others: "If riches increase, do not set your heart on them" (Ps. LXI)? I believe he did not dare say "Do not accept them." Is it credible that Abraham preferred his possessions to the Lord, for whose sake he did not hesitate to strike his only heir? In a higher sense, it is easier for Christ to suffer for the lovers of the world than for the lovers of the world to be able to be converted to Christ. For by the name of the camel, He wished to be understood, because He voluntarily humbled Himself and bore the burdens of our weakness. In what indeed is it more clearly understood than in what is written of Him: "The greater you are, humble yourself in all things" (Eccli. III)? By the needle, he signifies the punctures, and by the punctures, the sufferings endured in His passion. Therefore, the eye of the needle denotes narrowness and sufferings. When it is split, He deigns somehow to mend, that is, to restore our nature’s garments, so that after the fall we may be better reformed, as we rejoice in the testimony of the Apostle, who says: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galat. III).
As if he says, We have done what Thou commandedst us, what reward then wilt Thou give us? And because it is not enough to have left all things, he adds that which made it perfect, saying, And have followed thee.
The sense then is this; He who in seeking the kingdom of God has despised all earthly affections, has trampled under foot all riches, pleasures, and smiles of the world, shall receive far greater in the present time. Upon the ground of this declaration, some of the Jews build up the fable of a millennium after the resurrection of the just, when all things which we have given up for God's sake shall be restored with manifold interest, and eternal life be granted. Nor do they from their ignorance seem to be aware, that even if in other things there might be a fit promise of restoration, yet in the matter of wives, who might be according to some Evangelists an hundred fold, it would be manifestly shocking, especially since our Lord declares that in the resurrection there will be no marrying. And according to Mark, those things which have been given up, He declares shall be received at this time with persecutions, which these Jews assert will be absent for a thousand years.
“How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 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!” When all the saints heard this command, they thought they should withdraw from this hardness of riches. They parted with all their goods. By this distribution of their riches to the poor, they laid up for themselves eternal riches. They took up the cross and followed Christ. Some followed, being made perfect by martyrdom, even as I have already told you, while others by the practice of self-denial did not fall short of them in the life of the true philosophy. Know that this is a command of Christ our King and God that leads us from corruptible things and makes us partakers of everlasting things.
Our Lord, seeing that the rich man was sorrowful when it was told him to surrender his riches, marvelled, saying, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! He says not, It is impossible for them to enter, but it is difficult. For they might through their riches reap an heavenly reward, but it is a hard thing, seeing that riches are more tenacious than birdlime, and hardly is the soul ever plucked away, that is once seized by them. But he next speaks of it as impossible. It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye. The word in the Greek answers equally to the animal called the camel, and to a cable, or ship rope. However we may understand it, impossibility is implied. What must we say then? First of all that the thing is positively true, for we must remember that the rich man differs from the steward, or dispenser of riches. The rich man is he who reserves his riches to himself, the steward or dispenser one who holds them entrusted to his care for the benefit of others.
Again, observe that He says, a rich man can not possibly be saved, but one who possesses riches hardly; as if he said, The rich man who has been taken captive by his riches, and is a slave to them, shall not be saved; but he who possesses or is the master of them shall with difficulty be saved, because of human infirmity. For the devil is ever trying to make our foot slip as long as we possess riches, and it is a hard matter to escape his wiles. Poverty therefore is a blessing, and as it were free from temptation.
With men therefore whose thoughts creep earthward, salvation is impossible, but with God it is possible. For when man shall have God for his counsellor, and shall have received the righteousness of God and His teaching concerning poverty, as well as have invoked His aid, this shall be possible to him.
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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. 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 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, "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. 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. 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), emphasizing that salvation is a work of divine grace, not human merit or financial standing.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
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.
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
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). 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, 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), the only "way, the truth, and the life" through whom anyone can come to the Father (John 14:6). Christ, though rich, became poor for our sakes, so that through His poverty we might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9), 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). 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). 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).