Flashback Episode — Giving Wealth Away: Mark 10:17-31

If you have ever felt conflict over the role of money in our relationship with God, chances are that you have come across a verse that is found in our passage for this week. The verse is Mark 10:25, and the New Century Version translates it as: “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 and Luke also share this verse as well, and these three gospels share this statement almost word-for-word identical.

When preparing for this podcast episode, I found no shortage of opinions surrounding this verse and teaching. When looking at what other people think about this impossible-sounding teaching, there is a huge range of ideas. Two theories surrounding this passage are worth mentioning to set the stage for this passage.

The first theory regarding this “eye of a needle” reference refers to a narrow gate through the wall in Jerusalem, which a camel would need to be blindfolded to go through, because it believed the opening to be too small. The second, but also similar, theory worth mentioning is that others who hold to this “eye of a needle” gate belief say that this gate would let a camel through, but only if it was completely emptied of its load.

However, while researching this passage and uncovering these theories to help explain Jesus’ words, I couldn’t validate them with other evidence. As far as I am aware, no evidence of such a gate ever existed, and if there was a crack like this in the walls of Jerusalem, I suspect it would have been patched or secured quickly. With how often Jerusalem was attacked and put under siege, a weak point in the wall would need to be patched instead of made into an alternate entrance.

Also, while reading these theories and the disciples’ reaction, I am less inclined to believe in a “needle-gate” theory. I’m doubtful of this angle of interpretation because if a camel could get through the needle-gate, the reaction of those present wouldn’t be one of impossibility. The needle gate theory claimed it was possible for a camel to fit, and those present believed Jesus’ words to be impossible.

However, the really amazing part of this verse about rich people, camels, and the eye of a needle does not come when we look at the verse itself. The amazing truth this verse hints at is found when we look at the context in which this verse is given. To help us unpack this truth, let’s read the context for this event from Mark’s gospel, and discover what Jesus wants to teach us about wealth and the role of money when being a follower. We’ll start reading in Mark, chapter 10, and like we did earlier, we will read from the New Century Version. Starting in verse 17, Mark tell us that:

¹⁷ As Jesus started to leave, a man ran to him and fell on his knees before Jesus. The man asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to have life forever?”

¹⁸ Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. ¹⁹ You know the commands: ‘You must not murder anyone. You must not be guilty of adultery. You must not steal. You must not tell lies about your neighbor. You must not cheat. Honor your father and mother.’”

²⁰ The man said, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these things since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus, looking at the man, loved him and said, “There is one more thing you need to do. Go and sell everything you have, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”

²² He was very sad to hear Jesus say this, and he left sorrowfully, because he was rich.

We’ll pause briefly in the passage to draw our attention onto a key idea: We don’t learn the end to this man’s story. While he did leave sorrowfully, nothing in this verse stops us from wondering if a week or a month later, after wrestling with Jesus’ words, the man decided to obey Jesus’ instructions. While traditional thought says this man ultimately chose to reject Jesus in favor of keeping his riches, the passage leaves the end of this man’s story open-ended – and this is good news for us.

With this event as a backdrop for a teaching moment, we’ll continue reading as Jesus then turns to His followers because He senses a teaching moment. Picking back up in verse 23, Mark tells us that: 

²³ Then Jesus looked at his followers and said, “How hard it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

²⁴ The followers were amazed at what Jesus said. But he said again, “My children, it is very hard to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ 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.”

²⁶ The followers were even more surprised and said to each other, “Then who can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “For people this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

We’ll stop reading here, because in what Jesus has shared, we have a full picture of the craziness of Jesus’ words and the response of those who were present to hear them. The most basic reading of this idea is that it is easier for a camel, which is something large enough for a person to ride, going through the eye of a needle – which is an opening designed for only thread, and in most cases, only large enough for a strand or two of thread. Maybe needles had bigger eyes in Jesus’ day, but even still, needles were used to make and mend clothing, and they needed to be small to go through fabric.

The reaction of Jesus’ followers is perfect in this situation. They ask, “Then who can be saved?” Using the metaphor of a camel and the eye of a needle set the bar so high that it was truly impossible. While the context relates to wealthy people, the immediate context for these verses is everyone.

Jesus concludes with a promise: “For people this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

The big message Jesus wants the disciples to learn is that the best idea we could come up with as a solution to the sin problem would still not be enough. This big message says that the best, most selfless actions from our best people is still not good enough to gain entrance into God’s kingdom.

However, while dashing our hopes of being able to save ourselves, Jesus quickly follows up with the promise that God can turn our impossible into being possible with Him. In the rich man’s case, while he obeyed the law, it’s likely that he hadn’t learned the love within the law, and that his money had been clouding his vision. Generosity was the key that could grow a loving outward-focused character in this potential disciple’s life.

But the real question many people have with this entire event is about who should pay attention to Jesus’ instruction for this “rich, young ruler” to sell everything and give it away to the poor. Is this an instruction for everyone, is it an instruction for only those who are rich, or is it an instruction for a specific person in a specific context?

While you might have a quick and clear answer from these three options, I am inclined to believe that Jesus’ focus is different from all three of these categories, and it is more based on the theme of what Jesus shared rather than on the specific message.

The really big truth I see in Jesus’ instruction for this almost-a-disciple, and in what He shares with the disciples, is that we must learn to be generous and dependant on God. Dependence on God is often harder to learn if you have always had money, and if one has always been poor or had to work hard to get by, being generous might not come easily.

For those who started off with nothing and earned their way into wealth, it is impossible for them – but just as impossible for each of us. For every human who has ever lived, salvation is impossible. That is why we must learn to depend on God and to lean on Him.

This truth makes our passage’s focus be on something other than the amount of money we have saved or haven’t saved. This truth is a challenge for us to depend on God for His help. It is also a challenge for us to be generous like He is generous.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always open these challenges by saying, intentionally seek God first in your life and learn to depend on God above everything and everyone else. If the thought of giving money away makes you feel uneasy, perhaps it is because your money has inched its way into a space of your heart that God was designed to fill. Perhaps Jesus’ challenge to this rich man is a challenge for you to give some of your money away.

However, before you give anything away, prayerfully study the Bible for yourself and don’t take my word – or anyone else’s word about this. While reading about Jesus from gospels, listen for a message that God will impress upon your heart and follow that. It is better for you to follow what the Bible says and model the love we see present within Jesus’ life rather than take other people’s ideas without personally studying them out.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or give up on where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!