The Eye of the Needle!
In Jesus’ times, all the big cities were surrounded by big walls that protected them. To enter a city, someone had to go through the city’s gates, those heavy and sturdy doors that were to be closed in times of danger.
In Jerusalem those doors were closed every Friday evening to stop people from bringing in goods in order to trade on Saturday, God’s appointed day of rest.
Within the main gate of Jerusalem there was a small door cut out of it that offered access to the city to any late traveler. In relation to the big gate, this little opening looked like the eye of a needle, and that is how it was called.
When the late travelers would arrive in Jerusalem on Friday evening, they would find the main gates closed and locked, but they would still be able to enter the city through the “eye of the needle”.
Their loaded donkeys, however, or their camels would not fit through it, and they would have to be unloaded, made to kneel if too tall for the door, and made to crawl through the eye of the needle!
Jesus used this common and bothersome procedure as an example and said:
“It is difficult for someone rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!” (Matthew 19: 23-24)
“For the gate that leads to Eternal Life is narrow (just like the eye of the needle) and the road that leads to life is full of sorrows… Few are those who will keep on walking on it to the end.” (Matthew 7: 14)
And while on the subject, Jesus also said:
“If you are not willing to give up all your wealth and belongings you cannot be my disciple!” (Luke 14: 33)
“The Son of Man (Jesus himself) will one day appear on earth, in all his glory, and he will say: You all saw me being hungry and thirsty when I was on earth. You saw me being in need of clothes, in need of help, of protection and love!
Some of you did help me out: you fed me, clothed me, and cared for me. Come now and enter in my heavenly Kingdom.
But the rest of you, you who saw me in need and did nothing about it, you will not escape from being thrown into the eternal fire of Hell that has been prepared for the Devil and his followers!
Because, what you did not do to one of the least important of my followers, you effectively did not do it to me personally!” (Matthew 25 : 31-46)
“Do not be afraid, you, the little flock that follows me. Do everything I am telling you to do: Sell whatever is not absolutely necessary in your belongings and give the money to those who badly need it.” (Luke 12: 32-33)
“And do not be too concerned as to how you will manage to survive in this life, like the people of the world do. God your Father knows what you need in order to live! So, trust him and seek above all to receive entrance into God’s Kingdom, and to live this life with righteousness and, all these things that are so necessary for your earthly life will also be given to you.” (Luke 12 : 29-31)
“Stop worrying about how you will survive in the future… Just worry about today’s problems.” (Matthew 6: 34)
“Do not work hard in order to get rich here on earth, but rather work hard in order to get rich in Heaven. For where your treasure is, that is where your heart will lead you… ” (Matthew 6: 19-21)
“Consider the birds of the sky: they don’t plant seeds, neither do they gather them or store them. They don’t worry about the future, and yet God feeds them everyday of their lives! How much more will he do that to you, oh you of little faith!” ( Luke 12: 24)
“Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed, because excessive possessions will become a stumbling block that will prevent you from entering the Eternal Life.” (Luke 12: 15)
“What good will it be to you if you actually manage to obtain and enjoy everything that you desire in this world, but, by doing so, you forfeit your eternal soul? Is there anything more important to you than your soul’s eternal happiness?” (Mark 8: 36)
“You cannot try to achieve two opposing goals in life: You cannot seek to please God and simultaneously strive to get rich.
Either you will despise the riches of this world and set your mind at doing what pleases God, or you will despise God’s ways, and go after money.
So, prove to yourself and to God that you are truly following me by using the money that you earn in this unfair and unequal society to help others. If you do this, you will be allowed to enter heaven. And, those you have helped on earth will be your friends there…” (Luke 16: 9-13)
“As for you sinners, you who pretend to be religious and righteous but who are full of greed and evil: Give your belongings to the poor and by doing this you will be healed from your folly and greed…”(Luke 11: 39)
Dear reader and fellow Christian,
As you can see, Jesus unmistakably expects us to help those who are in need. By not caring for his brothers and sisters in need, we are not caring about him personally.
And he takes it personally…
Constantin Economides