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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 1, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 13.

1340.—The Eye of a Needle. Matt. 19:24.

Please give an explanation of Matt. 19:24. C. P. W.

“It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God,” is generally considered to be a common proverb used to express a practical impossibility. Lightfoot gives several quotations from the rabbis, where difficulty is represented by an elephant going through a needle’s eye. In the walls of some oriental cities there are several gates open after the large gates are closed. These gates are called needle’s eyes, as window’s are sometimes called “bulls’ eyes.” A laden or erect camel can not squeeze through these gates. The only way he can be gotten through is to unload his burden, and to cause the beast to shuffle through on his knees. So the rich must yield all to Christ and humble himself. But then in himself he is a rich man no longer.