Some scholars say that the "eye of a needle" refers to the "Needle's Eye," a low gate in Jerusalem. It was a smaller, man-sized gate that opened at night when the main gate was closed. It would be very difficult to get a camel through, but not impossible. An animal that large would have to be unsaddled and stripped of all its "possessions" to come through. While this imagery works, others suggest that specific gate might not have been added until centuries later, implying Jesus had something else in mind.

Others read the expression more poetically, and the words more literally—the largest animal in the area and the smallest hole. Another Jewish idiom mentions an elephant going through the eye of a needle. The impossibility of this, physically, would have been part of the disciples' confusion. If the rich—who they saw as clearly blessed by God—cannot enter heaven, then who can (Mark 10:26)?

Some note that the Greek word for "camel," kamelon, is very similar to the Aramaic word for "thick rope," kamilon. This Gospel was written in Greek, however, so had Jesus intended to say, "thick rope," a word such as kalodio would have been recorded. That imagery is consistent with His meaning, however.

Jesus tells the rich young man to sell all his possessions, possibly including his land, and give everything he had to the poor. This is not a universal mandate. It is a precise command to a particular person who worships a specific idol: wealth. The point Jesus makes is not that money is incompatible with salvation. He's only demonstrating—for this person—that there is one thing he's not willing to sacrifice for the sake of obeying God.

Jesus will also continue to tell the disciples that to inherit the kingdom of God, they must let go of their desire for power and authority. Salvation must be dependent on our trust in Jesus to carry our sins, or no one would ever be saved (Mark 10:27). To fully follow Him, however, Jesus calls us to be willing to surrender our idols. For some, it is enormous wealth. But, for others, the idol may simply be the sense of "financial security," where we don't feel any risk or sacrifice in our giving. It may be personal health, security under a political system, or the freedom to choose what is best for ourselves and our families. Jesus doesn't promise any of this. Indeed, Paul sacrificed everything, including his life, in his mission to spread the gospel. Still, he said, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18).

We need to consider what earthly treasure we are holding on to so tightly that our grip could pull a camel through the eye of a needle. Then we need to be able to open our hands and offer it to God.

Mark 10:17–31 begins as Jesus is trying to teach the disciples that God's kingdom values the powerless (Mark 9:36–37), the faithful (Mark 9:38–41), women (Mark 10:1–12), and children (Mark 10:13–16). The disciples, perhaps, are distracted by the many people who want to arrest or kill Jesus (John 7:32–52; 8:58–59; 10:22–39; 11:45–54; Luke 13:31). A wealthy young man asks Jesus about eternal life—and gets an unexpected answer in return. His response to Jesus' answer shows that his interest in God is limited by one thing: his money. Through all of history, wealth has been assumed to suggest the favor of God. But Jesus reveals that those whom God blesses often value the gifts more than the Giver. This story is also in Matthew 19:16–30 and Luke 18:18–30.

In this passage, Jesus again confronts the Pharisees by clarifying God's views on marriage and divorce. He reminds the disciples not to dismiss the spiritual perspective of children. This chapter also records Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler, who becomes an object lesson in why wealth makes it hard for people to rely on God. After this, Jesus deftly sets aside an arrogant request from James and John, and again predicts His impending death. Just prior to the triumphal entry of chapter 11, Jesus is sought out by Bartimaeus, whom He heals of blindness.

In between chapters 9 and 10, Jesus resumes His public teaching as He travels to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (Luke 9:57—18:14; John 7—10). We meet Him here across the Jordan in Perea and follow as He makes His way west again to Jericho. This chapter surrounds a third prophecy of Jesus' death (Mark 10:32–34) with lessons on His value for those others often dismiss: women (Mark 10:1–12), the powerless (Mark 10:13–16), those who value God more than the world (Mark 10:17–31), servant-hearted leaders (Mark 10:35–45), and those with bold faith (Mark 10:46–52). Next is the triumphal entry and the beginning of Passion Week.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.

Accessed 7/26/2024 9:50:56 PM

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