UNRAVELED

Matthew 19:24 (KJV) 24 And again I say unto you, 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.
I’ve always heard the explanation that the eye of the needle is an opening in the main gate of a city, and we must unpack our good’s to God to get through that needle. While this sounds all fine and dandy, we are missing what is being said because of a mistranslation in scripture and a reasoning to make it make sense.

In this passage, needle from the Greek is "rhaphis" which is an actual needle you sew with; NOT an entry way in a gate. This makes it sound like rich people are not going to heaven because it’s impossible to get a camel through an eye of a sewing needle. The reasoning happens by trying to make the events, prior to this saying, based around money.

A rich young man comes to Yeshua asking how to gain eternal life (Matt 19:16). Yeshua starts reciting the Ten Commandments (Matt 19:18-19). He did not quote the first four commandments, but this does not mean we can have idols. The first four commands pertain to the love of God, this man did not have an issue there. This man’s issue was with the love of man, being the last six commandments. Before Yeshua could finish, the young man interrupted and said, “I have kept these from my youth up” (Matt 19:20).

Yeshua then gave him a offer that He would not give many others. While Christ healed many, and many wanted to follow, Yeshua would send them on their way. But this man he said, “sell all that you have and give it to the poor, come and follow me” (Matt 18:21). He said the same thing to this man that He said to Peter, James, and John; you follow me. This story is not about money, it’s about giving up who you are, it’s about becoming the broken vessel (Ps 31:12); it’s about giving up all and pursuing Christ with all we have.

In the original Aramaic text, the word to which the Greeks obtained “camel” is "Gamala". "Gamala" does not mean camel, that is "Gimel". "Gamala" is a heavy rope. Thus, Yeshua was saying, “It is easier to get a heavy rope through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to go to Heaven.”

To get a heavy rope through a needle, it must be unwoven, broken down, it’s strength of itself loosened; like that broken vessel. Every thing we are, every strength which we think we have, and every thing which we own must be unraveled and passed through.

This is a perfect parable for today. The word is spreading, we need to be giving up the so called riches, the TV, the video games, movies, sports, and such. We need to unravel everything we have and pass it through. Yet, like the rich man in the parable, most are not willing to part with these things for a true study and earnest seeking of Adonai. They are not willing to give up all they have for that treasure (Matt 13:44), for that precious pearl (Matt 13:45-46). They are only willing to meet part way (Rev 3:16-17); thus it’s easier to get a rope through the eye of a needle then a rich man to get to Heaven.
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