“I learned the path to heaven is full of sinners and believers

Learned that happiness on earth ain’t just for high-achievers.” This week I encountered a brief moment of loss. As a sinner and a believer, I converged with a pick-pocket in Italy. Don’t know whether the person believes or not, but she/he goes forward carrying my phone and my forgiveness. Personally, the event became an unexpected blessing, I resolved that I will never again go forward dwelling on the importance of stuff.

Jesus was frequent with pithy expressions. “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of G_d! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of G_d.” When I was young, I envisioned a gate shaped like a needle, a skinny bottom that widened at the top. I presumed that Jesus was referring to an entrance to a city. Camels with goods packed on their backs would require a large top, but a narrow bottom allowing only one camel at a time to pass through.

As I got older, I looked for examples of such an “eye of the needle” gate in Jesus time. I looked for a point of reference to his image, but found none. There is some speculation that Jesus referred to a little door within the big gate of a city, but these references do not show up until the ninth century. I think someone in eight hundred years would have mentioned this gate. There is a similar comparison in an ancient commentary on Solomon’s Song of Songs. The writer suggests that G_d only needs an opening as large as the eye of a needle to enter our lives, perhaps that was Jesus meaning. Jesus was making an example of the largest known animal of his world passing through an impossibly small opening. His audience, the disciples, could relate to the difficulty in this comparison, but they also had witnessed G_d, on multiple occasions, do the impossible.

A rich young man told Jesus that he had kept the Law since his childhood and having done this asked Jesus how he could inherit eternal life. Many would have questioned the accuracy of such a boast, but Jesus gives the young man the benefit of the doubt. Jesus lovingly said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

As the man sadly walked away, Jesus looked toward his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of G_d!” The disciples, and many in Jewish antiquity, believed, based on the writings in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, that wealth and prosperity were a sign of G_d’s blessing. The disciples asked, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus replied, “With men it is impossible, but not with G_d; for all things are possible with G_d.” Jesus looked closely at his band of faithful followers, none of them had ever been rich, and none could infer that he had kept all the commandments, all his life.

Peter could only reply, “we have left everything and followed you.” The twelve were there with Jesus willingly, and they believed. Jesus assured them that giving up earthly possessions and following Him would not be without extreme difficulty, but all that was lost for the sake of the Gospel would be returned many times over, “and in the age to come, eternal life.” But just as their belief had brought them to Him, a life long patience would be required, “many that are first will be last, and the last first.”

I have heard this passage from Mark turned around to portray wealth as a hindrance to salvation, which it can be, but no more than other things to which we might cling. Jesus’ answer suggests “even the rich, not “only the rich,” will find it impossible to save themselves, but with G_d all things are possible. Jesus becomes the only wealth necessary for a Divine life. The Bible could be viewed as a book of pithy sayings, collected as a book of Life for us. A book with the message that salvation is impossible for “all sorts and conditions of men.” A book teaching that our eternal salvation comes from G_d alone and cannot be substituted.

Pax,

jbt