Luke 18:24–27

Context

In Luke 18:18–23, a certain ruler asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life. When the ruler says he has kept the commandments, Jesus tells him to sell all that he has, distribute it to the poor, and follow Him. Because the ruler was very rich, "he was very sorrowful." This passage records what Jesus said as He looked at him immediately afterward, along with the exchange that followed when those who heard Him asked, "Who then can be saved?" In the verses that follow (28–30), Peter says that the disciples have left all and followed Jesus. The same account also appears in Matthew 19 and Mark 10.

Interpretation

• Salvation as the work of God: Verse 27 is read as a declaration that no one can attain salvation by human effort and that salvation is possible only by the grace of God. This reading is shared by many denominations and is especially emphasized in the Reformed tradition.
• A warning about wealth: The Gospel of Luke is marked by its concern for the poor and its warnings about riches (Luke 6:20, 24). Within this emphasis, wealth is read as a real obstacle to entering the kingdom of God. Some interpreters also read the account of Zacchaeus in the following chapter (Luke 19) as an example of God accomplishing what is "impossible with men."
• Hyperbole: The camel and the needle's eye are understood as a deliberate exaggeration that forcefully conveys impossibility.

Debates and Issues

• The "Needle's Eye" gate story: Sermons sometimes present the explanation that the "needle's eye" refers to a small gate in the wall of Jerusalem. Many, however, point out that no ancient sources support this claim. Some later manuscripts read "rope" (kamilos) in place of the similarly spelled "camel" (kamēlos), but the great majority of manuscripts and translations read "camel." The Korean Revised Version renders the word as yakdae (an older Korean word for camel), while the New Korean Revised Version renders it as nakta.
• Relationship to prosperity theology: Critics of prosperity theology cite this passage against the view that wealth is evidence of blessing. Others, by contrast, hold that the problem lies not in wealth itself but in a heart that trusts in riches.
• Citing verse 27 in isolation: Verse 27 is often quoted on its own as a word of encouragement in times of illness or hardship. Some respond that the original context concerns the salvation of the rich. Others hold that the verse may be read more broadly as a general principle about the power of God (compare Luke 1:37).

In the Korean Church

The expression "a camel going through the eye of a needle" is widely used, even outside the church, as an idiom for something extremely difficult.

Related Passages

• Matthew 19:23–26
• Mark 10:23–27
• Luke 19:8–9
• 1 Timothy 6:17–19
• Luke 1:37