### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word τρυμαλιά (trymaliá), Strong's `{{G5168}}`, is derived from a root suggesting the action of "wearing away," "piercing," or "boring through." Its core meaning denotes an "orifice" or "hole" created by such an action. In its singular New Testament usage, its semantic range is highly specific, referring exclusively to the "eye of a needle." This precise definition underscores a very narrow opening, emphasizing the constricted nature of the passage it describes. The comparison to τρύπημα (trypēma), `{{G5170}}`, which also means "a hole" or "perforation," further confirms its fundamental sense of a small, precise opening.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term τρυμαλιά appears exclusively in the Synoptic Gospels, specifically within the pericope concerning the rich young ruler and Jesus' subsequent teaching on wealth and the Kingdom of God. It is found in [[Matthew 19:24]], [[Mark 10:25]], and [[Luke 18:25]]. In each instance, Jesus employs the vivid hyperbole: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (τρυμαλιά) than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."
The immediate context is the rich young ruler's inability to forsake his possessions and follow Jesus, leading to his sorrowful departure. Jesus then uses this striking image to underscore the profound difficulty, indeed human impossibility, for those who trust in their riches to enter God's Kingdom. The "eye of a needle" is not a reference to a small gate in a city wall, but to the literal, tiny opening of a sewing needle. This interpretation aligns with the astonishment of the disciples ([[Matthew 19:25]]), who then ask, "Who then can be saved?" The image's extreme nature highlights the radical demand of discipleship and the complete inadequacy of human effort or material security for salvation.
### Related Words & Concepts
The etymological roots of τρυμαλιά connect it to a family of words indicating a process of wearing down or piercing. These include:
* τρύω (tryō): to wear away, rub down.
* τραῦμα (trauma, `{{G5134}}`): a wound, often implying a piercing or laceration.
* τρίβος (tribos, `{{G5147}}`): a beaten path, a track, from the idea of rubbing or wearing away the ground.
* τρώγω (trōgō, `{{G5176}}`): to gnaw, chew, or eat, again implying a wearing down or consumption.
Conceptually, τρυμαλιά relates to other New Testament themes of "narrowness" or "difficulty" associated with the path to salvation, such as the "narrow gate" ([[Matthew 7:13-14]]). It stands in stark contrast to the human tendency to rely on perceived strengths, particularly wealth, for security. The word also implicitly connects to the broader biblical concept of the "impossibility with man" versus the "possibility with God," a theme that Jesus explicitly states immediately after the "needle's eye" saying ([[Matthew 19:26]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of τρυμαλιά is profound, serving as a powerful metaphor for the nature of salvation and entry into the Kingdom of God.
1. **Human Inability:** It emphatically declares the utter impossibility of human beings, particularly those entangled by worldly attachments like wealth, to achieve salvation through their own means or efforts. The image is one of absolute obstruction when viewed from a human perspective.
2. **Divine Omnipotence and Grace:** The disciples' bewildered question, "Who then can be saved?", elicits Jesus' crucial response: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" ([[Matthew 19:26]]). This shifts the focus entirely from human striving to divine initiative and power. Salvation is not earned by human merit or material sacrifice, but is a gift made possible solely by God's sovereign grace.
3. **Radical Discipleship:** The "needle's eye" metaphor underscores the radical reorientation of values required for Kingdom entry. It challenges the assumption that wealth is a sign of divine favor or a means to secure one's future, instead presenting it as a potential spiritual hindrance that must be relinquished in favor of complete reliance on God.
4. **Humility and Dependence:** The image cultivates humility, impressing upon the hearer the need to abandon self-reliance and embrace complete dependence on God for spiritual transformation and eternal life.
### Summary
The Greek term τρυμαλιά (`{{G5168}}`) denotes a "hole" or "orifice," specifically the "eye of a needle." Its sole New Testament appearance in [[Matthew 19:24]], [[Mark 10:25]], and [[Luke 18:25]] is within Jesus' teaching on the difficulty for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of God. The word's root, implying "wearing away" or "piercing," aptly describes the extremely narrow opening of a needle's eye. Theologically, this powerful metaphor highlights the absolute human inability to achieve salvation through personal effort or material possessions. It serves to underscore the radical nature of God's Kingdom, emphasizing that entry is not a matter of human capacity but is made possible only through the infinite power and sovereign grace of God.
TRV