By Izar Tirta
Jesus' expression of the camel
and the eye of a needle provokes a big question mark, both for the church in
the early centuries, as well as for the church today. Various point of views
and commentaries have been made for an attempt to explain what Jesus means by His
words. Nevertheless, among them, there are two most popular commentaries on
this expression of Jesus:
First, a very small door
There is an opinion that the eye of a needle meant by Jesus in the phrase is actually a small door at the gate of a city (maybe Jerusalem city). It is said that the small door was made for the travelers who arrived in the city at night, when the main gate was closed. For security reasons, the door is intentionally made in small size. So when a camel is about to enter through the door, the camel must bend and crawl and must release all the goods it carries.
Dr. John Phillips, a Biblical
scholar who is very active in writing biblical expositions, reveals this in his
book “Exploring the Gospel of Matthew.” Phillips says:
“When the main gates were closed for the
night, the merchant arriving late was forced to enter through the small postern
gate. Usually he had to unload his camels so that they could get through.”[1]
Such an interpretation is not
really a new interpretation. The idea of a small door at the gate of the city
has emerged since the 15th century. Some theologians have even said that this
theory has been around since the 9th century AD. The problem for us now is,
wheter we can accept the theory?
At first glance, the idea of a
small door is indeed quite reasonable. There is an impression of beauty in it.
How a camel should kneel and let go of its burden to enter the small door, as
if to indicate the element of humility and submission in the activity.
However, such commentaries have
some fatal flaws:
First, historically there is no such small door at the city gate at the time of Jesus ministry. Archaeological research related to Bible proofs never found such a door. So in other words, the interpretation of the door is basically just a figment. It just sounds beautiful to the ears, only to satisfy our curiosity for just a moment, but it is not for real. It's just a fiction. There is hardly any theologian of this century who still holds that idea in their exposition.
Second, the Greek term used in these verses, very clearly speaks of the holes found in the needle used for sewing.
The Gospel of Matthew uses the
term τρυπήματος ῥαφίδος (read: trupematos rafidos). Trupematos (τρυπήματος) itself means holes commonly found in needles. While rafidos (ῥαφίδος) means needles. So the term trupematos rafidos literally can be translated into "the hole
in the needle." It sounds a bit awkward indeed, but what I want to say
here is that the two words have mutually emphasized the meaning of each other.
Meanwhile, the term used by
Mark is τῆς τρυμαλιᾶς τῆς ῥαφίδος (read: tes trumalias
tes rafidos). As we have seen, Mark gives the definite article on the
word "hole" & "needle." In English, the term used by
Mark can be translated into "the hole of the needle."
The addition of the word "the" in English or " τῆς " in Greek emphasizes that the object is a certain
thing already known to the other person.
The Gospel of Luke uses the
term τρυμαλιᾶς ῥαφίδος (read: trumalias rafidos),
almost the same as Matthew. The difference lies in the use of neuter nouns (by
Matthew) and feminine nouns (by Luke). In this case I find it fair that Luke
uses a more specific Greek term than Matthew does, since Luke is indeed a
Greek, while Matthew is a Jew. Luke was born in Antioch and studied Greek
philosophy, history and medicine. In addition, the Gospel of Luke is also known
as the Gospel written by using the highest quality of Greek and more difficult one
than Matthew, Mark or John.
In another manuscript of the
Greek Bible for the Gospel of Luke, the word used is βελόνης (read: Belones), which means a
needle used for sewing wounds in a medical operation. I think this is not
surprising, given the fact that Luke's profession as a doctor.
Of the three Gospels which we see here, it is clear that what Jesus meant was indeed a hole in the needle. There is no reason to say that the word "the eye of a needle" refers to any other different understanding.
Third, the idea of a very
small door is inconsistent with the doctrine of salvation contained in other
parts of the Bible. The whole Bible teaches us that man can not save himself
from the penalty of sin. Man can only be saved by the grace of God through
faith in Jesus Christ. Anyone who reads the Bible well, it should not be
possible to miss this teaching, which is one of the core teachings of the
Bible.
If the idea of the eye of a needle is the same as a small gate that requires the camel to pass through it by bending down, then would not the camel be able to enter with his own effort, though difficult? Is Jesus thus saying that man can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven by his own efforts, though difficult? If so, then how do we have to understand Jesus' next words: "to man is impossible, but to God all things possible"? Is not that in the sense, there is the impression that even to humans it may also happen?
From some of the above reasons,
the popular view that "the eye of a needle" is reffering to a small
door or a small gate, is clearly unacceptable.
If we want to interpret the Bible properly and responsibly, then surely the idea of a small door at the city gate must be removed from our minds.
Second, not a camel but a rope
There is also an opinion expressed by a Doctor as well as Bishop of a church in Alexandria Egypt in the 5th century AD named Cyril. He says that the Bible we have now mistakenly copied from the original manuscript. The word used should be κάμίλος (read: kamilos) which means rope and not κάμηλος (read: kamelos) which means camel.
This idea is also no longer acceptable, for until now there is no evidence that there is an original manuscript using the word kamilos. Both Matthew, Mark or Luke all use the word kamelos (κάμηλος) which means camel.
After all, what does this rope idea want to achieve? Does it mean that the ropes have to be peeled one by one to get into the eye of the needle? This idea is just as wrong with the idea of a small gate in the city wall that we have already discussed.
A PICTURE OF AN IMPOSSIBLE
CIRCUMSTANCE
Attempts to explain the meaning of the phrase "camel and the eye of a needle" by using a picture of a "small door" or a "rope" are actually proof of our failure to see the heart of Jesus' message about how much of a man's chances for enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The phrase similar to the
"camel passing through the eye of a needle" is actually present also
in ancient Persian poetry and Babylonian Talmud[2].
It's just that, in those literature, the animal used is not a camel but an
elephant. In the Berakoth tract (תברכו) contained in the Babylonian Talmud collection for example, there is an
expression:
... a man is never shown a date palm of gold, or an elephant going through the eye of a
needle.[3]
Through that expression, a
Jewish Rabbi wants to teach that a dream can show the deepest things that exist
in the human mind. And a healthy mind usually never fantasize about impossible
things like "a date palm of gold" or "an elephant going through
the eye of a needle." Notice that the phrase "elephant entering the
eye of a needle" is juxtaposed with "a tree gold dates. "For the
audience at that time, the two expressions were clearly captured as an
expression of impossibility. They no longer need to think, does the "the
eye of a needle" in the term refer to a door? Or is the "golden date
tree" something other than a date palm made of gold?
These ancient literatures have further reinforced our assumption that Jesus' words about "the camel through the the eye of a needle" actually refer to an impossibility circumstance. For a sinful man, whether he is endowed with abundant wealth or not, it is impossible to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus uses the word
"camel" and not "elephant," because it is possible that the
camel is the largest mammal that can be easily encountered by Jesus' listeners
at that time, rather than an elephant. While the the eye of a needle is the
smallest hole that everyday they can meet. When Jesus says that "it is
easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle" Jesus actually
wants to say that it is impossible to do by a human being. If the
"easier" alone is impossible, then what about the "very
difficult" or “with difficulty” one? The answer is really impossible for
humans.
Although impossible for man,
not so for God. God is able to bring someone into the kingdom of heaven,
through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. And of course it is not
easy for Jesus to sacrifice Himself for you and me. The blood that He shed was
not a special effects as we usually see in Hollywood movies. The blood He shed
was the real blood, from the real wounds and which had brought Jesus to a real
death. Nothing is easy and there is nothing cheap for Jesus to bring you and my
sinful person to come into God's presence one day.
It is much easier for Jesus to miraculously put a camel through the eye of a needle. As miraculous as He has walked on water. As miraculous as He has turned water into wine. As miraculous as He has made five loaves of bread and two fish for the consumption of thousands of people. Why is it "much easier?" Because there is no bloody event in all such miracles. But to bring in sinful person like me, for example, Jesus had to bleed, even die horribly.
The kingdom of heaven is not obtained by good deeds or because of our ability to carry out the Ten Commandments, the Kingdom of heaven is accepted as a gift from God to everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
I hope through this discussion, we are again reminded of our incompetence and unworthiness before God. Only Jesus can make us worthy before God, for He alone has died for our sins and only He who has risen to give us eternal life. For Him, it is not impossible to save ourselves from the penalty of sin. The problem is, will we make Him the only Savior and the only God in our lives?
God bless us.
