NEEDLE’S EYE
In an illustration pertaining to entry into the Kingdom, Jesus Christ said: “It is easier for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 19:24; Mark 10:25) Some have held the needle’s eye to be a small gate through which a camel, if relieved of its load, could pass with difficulty. However, the Greek word (hra·phisʹ) for “needle” found at Matthew 19:24 and Mark 10:25 is drawn from a verb meaning “to sew.” Also, the Greek word (be·loʹne) appearing in the parallel passage of Luke 18:25 is used to refer to a literal needle. Regarding these Greek terms An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words by W. E. Vine (Vol. III, p. 106) notes: “The idea of applying ‘the needle’s eye’ to small gates seems to be a modern one; there is no ancient trace of it. The Lord’s object in the statement is to express human impossibility and there is no need to endeavour to soften the difficulty by taking the needle to mean anything more than the ordinary instrument.”