Daily Writing

Tuesday, 12 May 2026

And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  Matthew 19:24

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Again, now, I say to you, easier, it is: camel through ‘aperture, needle’ to traverse, if rich entered into the ‘kingdom, the God’.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus noted the impracticability of a rich man to enter the kingdom of the heavens. He now shows just how hard this is, saying, “Again, now, I say to you, easier, it is.”

Jesus will give an example of the immense impracticability of a rich person getting into the kingdom of the heavens. His words have resulted in several unfounded explanations of the meaning. What He says is, “camel through ‘aperture, needle’ to traverse.”

Two new words are introduced here. The first is trupéma, an aperture. In the case of a needle, it would be what we call its eye. The second is the rhaphis, a needle, coming from rhapto, to sew.

In plain English, Jesus says that it is easier for a camel to go through the aperture (the eye) of a needle than what He will next state. Before that, two amendments to this over the centuries to soften the meaning have been made. The first is that some claim the word is not κάμηλος [kamelos], a camel, but κάμιλος [kamilos], a cable. It is agreed there is no support for this, but it was introduced.

The second change-up is a switcheroo in the meaning of “aperture.” Instead of it being a literal needle’s eye, it is a gate called the Eye of the Needle, which is not big enough for a camel to go through.

This is something that was introduced much later in Christian history. Most believe it came about around the 1400s to soften the meaning of Jesus’ words, probably introduced by someone who was rich and didn’t like the implication of what Jesus says, which continues with “if rich entered into the ‘kingdom, the God’.”

In other words, it is easier for a camel to squish through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get to heaven. The comparison of an animal going through a literal needle’s eye is seen elsewhere in Mideastern writings. The Koran uses Jesus’ statement exactly, without regard to a gate. The Talmud uses the term “elephant” instead of “camel.”

Another point is that the word trupéma, aperture, in Matthew is changed in Mark 10:25 to trumalia, orifice. Likewise, the word rhaphis, needle, is changed in Luke 18:25 to belos, a missile (as in the flaming darts of Ephesians 6:16).

Why are these changes important? It is because they demonstrate that Jesus was talking of something small, held in the hand, and that has an aperture or an orifice, not an eye. The word “eye” is an explanation, not a translation. In other words, Jesus was speaking of a literal needle with a teeny weeny, eensy weensy hole in it.

It was a phrase that would have been known and understood by the disciples without any changes or needed modifications.

Life application: At times, pastors will use the “small gate” explanation in an attempt to justify why it is ok to be rich, teaching that Jesus was giving a moral lesson and He wanted to show that a camel must get on its knees to squish through such a small gate. Thus, we should be humble as we rake in the millions.

This is a ludicrous twisting of Scripture, and it completely misses Jesus’ point. The words of this verse are making a point about trusting in anything but God for a right standing with him. Jesus will even say this explicitly.

But people run ahead with teachings that are easy to comprehend, sensational, or that seem to relieve the immense tension that arises with such a bold statement about wealth and salvation. If they would pick up the Bible and read it in context and from cover to cover, the tension would fade away.

Paul explains exactly what the meaning of Jesus’ words is in 1 Timothy 6:17 –

“Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.”

Jesus was speaking about trust. Paul, speaking through Timothy to rich people (yes, saved rich people), speaks about trust. Trust in Jesus, regardless of how much you have, little or much. That is the sweet spot.

Heavenly Father, whatever wealth or possessions we possess, they ultimately came from You. We thank You for what we have, but we also know it could all be gone in a flash of fire or a deluge of water. We will put our trust in You alone for all things. Amen.

Monday, 11 May 2026

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 19:23

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And Jesus, He said to the ‘disciples, His’, ‘Amen! I say to you that wealthy, impracticably, he will enter into the ‘kingdom, the heavens’.’” (CG)

In the previous verse, the rich young ruler went away sorrowful because he had great possessions. With his departure, the narrative continues, “And Jesus, He said to the ‘disciples, His’, ‘Amen!’”

Jesus has a statement of surety to be considered based on what has just happened. His initial statement, “Amen,” calls for attention to what He will next say. And what He will say was, and remains in people’s minds to this day, a shocking proclamation. He said, “I say to you that wealthy, impracticably, he will enter into the ‘kingdom, the heavens’.”

A new adverb is seen here, duskolós, impracticably. It refers to that which is impracticable. The word “hardly” almost measures up to the thought, but it implies something that can be done with effort. The biblical understanding of the words excludes merit. As such, impracticably, which refers to something “incapable of being performed or accomplished by the means employed or at a command” (Merriam-Webster), is a better fit.

Jesus doesn’t state the reason here, but as noted, understanding His meaning from the greater body of biblical Christian theology, it is understood that identifiers such as lineage, gender, status, wealth, culture, etc., have nothing to do with entry into the kingdom of the heavens.

Jesus’ words will cause a state of mental confusion among the disciples, but His reassurances will let them know that what is impracticable from one angle is perfectly plausible and practicable from another.

Life application: Anywhere you go on our spinning blue ball called Earth, there will be rich people and poor people. A common trait among the majority of the wealthy is that they have been blessed by God, or gods, or their own efforts (as if they are gods), and those around them have not been so blessed.

This is natural to assume. Hollywood actors may be good at what they do, but there are innumerable other actors who are just as good or better who came at the wrong time, had a bad day while interviewing, etc.

But those who get the actor position don’t consider all the variables. Most assume it was because of their greatness that they were selected. Eventually, this forms into a god complex as people throw themselves at their feet, money comes in so quickly they cannot spend it all, and everything seems as if the world was fashioned just for their existence.

Such thoughts will inevitably lead to the thought that God must love them because He set up their lives to be so marvelous. If this is so, there is no need to rely on another for the greater spiritual matters involved in a relationship with God. Such as that is for those who aren’t in His favor and need to “work” at getting right with Him.

As noted, the disciples were a part of the Jewish culture. They were surrounded by the rich, spiritually elite, kings, and so forth. The natural assumption was that God had blessed these people, as if the material world is what God is interested in. Jesus is working them through such misconceptions, but it won’t be until His crucifixion and resurrection that their understanding will begin to truly develop.

And yet, years later, there were still incorrect assumptions in their minds. Peter showed this when he failed to uphold the purity of the gospel as recorded by Paul in Galatians 2. Peter was still relying on earthly aspects of cultural adherences and identities as having a priority over faith in Jesus Christ. Paul had to call him out on that.

No such thing matters in this physical world concerning what is needed to be right in the spiritual kingdom, which God has ushered in. Faith. Faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done is what matters. Add anything else into the mix, and it becomes about us and what we have, do, or are. Fix your eyes, heart, and affections on Jesus!

Lord God, the Christian faith turns the ideas of this world upside down. We know that a difficult life, even one filled with pains or sadnesses, does not mean we are not favored by You. Thank You for the reassurances we have that Jesus has accepted us because of faith in what He has done. Thank You for this simple path back to You. Amen.

Sunday, 10 May 2026

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Matthew 19:22

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And having heard, the young man, the word, he departed – grieving, for he was ‘having possessions, many’.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus said to the young ruler, “If you desire to be complete, you go, you sell your ‘the possessings,’ and you give these to ‘poor’, and you will have treasure in heaven. And you, hither! You follow Me.”

That was the final instruction for this young man to enter perpetual life in the manner he requested. Matthew next records, “And having heard, the young man, the word, he departed – grieving.”

It must be remembered that this person was asking how he could merit perpetual life. This is the problem. The young ruler was making the issue about himself and his merit before God. All three synoptic gospels indicate this. Matthew, which is indicative of the other accounts, said, “Teacher, what ‘good’ I should do that I may have ‘life perpetual’?”

He was doing this based on the words of the law found in Leviticus 18:5. Jesus’ answer was necessary to give as He did because the law was still in full force. It would be inappropriate for Him to say that He could find life some other way at this time.

Therefore, Jesus gave the commandments He wanted the young man to focus on, and then He said to be complete in meeting them, he would need to sell what he possessed, give it to the poor, and he would have treasure in heaven. Then he was to come to Jesus and follow Him.

This is what brought about his grief. He would have to give up everything to attain life, but what a challenge! But this is how the law works. If he couldn’t love his neighbor as himself, he proved, by default, that he did not love God above all else.

Because of this, Matthew records, “for he was ‘having possessions, many’.” As the subject and accomplishment were about himself while living under the law, he could not find the spiritual stamina to do it. And indeed, no one could. Approximately fourteen hundred and fifty years of Israel living under the law proved this.

But step back now and look at what he missed by making it about himself. Jesus told him to keep certain commandments. Did Jesus do this? Yes, He fulfilled the law perfectly. But more, before He did that, what did He do? He gave up all of the riches of heaven to accomplish the necessary requirements of the law –

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

Jesus gave up everything, giving Himself to the poor people of the world who were stuck under the authority and condemnation of Satan. He did not ask the ruler to do anything He didn’t do. Now that Christ has fulfilled the law, the answer to the same question can be answered quite differently –

Q: Teacher, what ‘good’ I should do that I may have ‘life perpetual’?
A: Trust in the completed work of Jesus Christ, and you will have ‘life perpetual’.

Jesus had not yet completed His mission when the young man came to Him. Therefore, the answer had to be about the law leading to death. Now, with Christ’s sacrificial offering that brought the law to an end, there is no law to deal with. Rather, there is Christ’s fulfillment of it. Our faith is in what He did, not in what we must do. Our “doing” is His “having done.”

Life application: The general tone of commentaries concerning this passage is essentially that we must do what Jesus instructed this young man. And it is true, if we accept the premise that we are under law, such as the Seventh Day Adventists, Hebrew Roots adherents, etc., claim, then we are obligated to do just what Jesus told him to do.

However, if we accept the premise that Jesus died in fulfillment of the law, we are under no obligation to do those things. They have been done for us. Why would Jesus tell you to do the things of the law that He accomplished, fulfilled, and annulled? That would mean His cross was a pointless gesture.

He wouldn’t, and He doesn’t. All He asks of the people of the world to do is to trust that His doing was sufficient and that He will be our representative before the Father. So the proposition is laid forth for you. You can go it alone under law, or you can trust Jesus, who accomplished all, all by Himself. Choose wisely. Choose Jesus.

Lord God, it is not easy to set ourselves aside and say, “I will relinquish my very soul into the hands of another.” But when the “other” is You, how easy it suddenly becomes. Thank You, O God, for coming in the form of a bondservant under the law to redeem us to Yourself. What manner of love this is! Hallelujah to You, O God. Amen.

Saturday, 9 May 2026

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Matthew 19:21

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“He said to him, Jesus, ‘If you desire to be complete, you go, you sell your ‘the possessings,’ and you give these to ‘poor’, and you will have treasure in heaven. And you, hither! You follow Me.’” (CG)

In the previous verse, the young ruler told Jesus that he had guarded all the commandments Jesus referred to in the previous verses since his youth. With that having been said, Jesus next gets to the root of the man’s true state by giving him one last directive. Matthew records, “He said to him, Jesus, ‘If you desire to be complete, you go, you sell your ‘the possessings,’.’”

A new word is seen, huparchó, to exist, to be, to possess. It is from hupo, under, and archomai, to commence. The connection can be seen in the sentence, “It is he who is the pastor of the church.” He possesses the position of pastor. The things that the ruler had existed under him.

Jesus’ instruction is to take those things which existed under him, which were obviously unnecessary to him if he faithfully kept the commandments he claimed he kept. The reason for this, in particular, is because of the last one Jesus referred to. It was not a part of the decalogue. Instead, it was a principle found in the moral codes of Leviticus, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

If he loved his neighbor as himself, he would tend to his neighbor as he tended to himself. But he was rich, and many of his neighbors, the people of Israel and any strangers among them (Deuteronomy 10:18, etc.), were poor.

If he loved them as he loved himself, he would tend to their needs just as he tended to his own. Jesus has, as in Matthew 5, raised the bar from simple precepts to what lies behind them. The parable of the Good Samaritan is an example of such a situation. The idea of tending to them in this way is made explicit in the next words, “and you give these to ‘poor’, and you will have treasure in heaven.”

A bar has been set for this young ruler. To attain perpetual life under the law, he would need to give up everything he possessed as a demonstration of his true care for the precepts of the law. Understanding this, He next says, “And you, hither! You follow Me.”

Another new word is seen, deuro, hither, or here. In most cases, it is used as an emphatic verb, signifying to come hither. But the verb is only implied. It can also be used as an adverb. It is used that way in Romans 1:13, where it says, “Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now [deuro]) …”

Jesus implores him that if he wants to learn the way of meriting favor through the law, he will sell everything, give it all to the poor as a demonstration of his love for his neighbor, and then come to Him to learn the way of attaining perpetual life as stated in Leviticus 18:5 –

“And you guard my enactments and my verdicts, which he will do them, the man, and he lived in them. I, Yehovah.” Leviticus 18:5 (CG)

The man’s question was based on that precept. Therefore, Jesus gave His answer to this man based on his question. He did not introduce salvation by grace through faith at all. Rather, He confirmed what is necessary to attain eternal life through law observance.

Life application: This interaction between the ruler and Jesus has nothing to do with Christians attaining eternal life through the finished work of Jesus. The man was emphatically implored by Jesus to follow Him. Jesus had not yet died in fulfillment of the law. If the man followed His instructions and then followed Him as instructed, he would have been “perfect” in his pursuit of the law.

Obviously, this could not have happened, but Jesus’ words were an instructional tool to learn what is required if one wants to attain life through law observance. The key to understanding this interaction is the man’s initial words concerning his desire for perpetual life. He said, “Teacher, what ‘good’ I should do that I may have ‘life perpetual’?”

He inserted himself into the equation, “What good shall I do?” If he had asked, “Teacher, how can I be granted eternal life?” Jesus’ response may have been completely different. The answer to the question for us is, “There is no good thing you can do to merit eternal life.” Instead, we must trust in what Jesus has done.

Understanding this, it is ridiculous to use this interaction as an example of what Christians should do. The Roman Catholic Church has what are known as the “counsels of perfection.” They build their theology on works, known as supererogation, based on this example. But perfection cannot come through works. We are already tainted with sin.

Rather, perfection comes through faith in Christ. His perfection is imputed to us. This interaction between the ruler and Jesus has nothing to do with Christian faith. It should never be used as an example of what we are to do to be pleasing to God.

To do so will only diminish the glory of what God has done for us in the giving of Jesus. Let us not mar grace. After salvation, if we want to do good stuff, that is great. But it should never be considered a condition for attaining perfection.

Lord God, thank You for the lessons we learn in Scripture. They lead us to the understanding that Jesus is all we need to be right with You. May we never assume that we can merit Your favor apart from Him. All glory to You, O God! Amen.

Friday, 8 May 2026

The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Matthew 19:20

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“He says to Him, the youth, ‘All these I guarded from my youth. What yet, I lack?’” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus finished His list of things to do in order to merit perpetual life. His answer was in response to the ruler’s question about what he needed to do to obtain it.

Before evaluating the verse, it should be noted that there are some differences between texts –

“He says to Him, the youth, ‘All these I guarded from my youth. What yet, I lack?’” (CG)
“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?” (BSB)

With these differences noted, and now that Jesus’ list has been given, this man replies to Jesus. Matthew records, “He says to Him, the youth.”

A new word is seen here. The man is now identified as a neaniskos, a youth. The term is used concerning a man up to the age of forty. It is ultimately derived from the adjective neos, new, as in “what was not there before”.

So, despite being a ruler, he is not an elderly person. This may explain why he is naïve about the ways of law, death, and attaining eternal life. Although the inability to perceive one’s own sin does not suddenly perish with age.

However, this person sees that aging and death lie ahead, and he is looking to avoid that by meriting what had thus far eluded the people of Israel. Having been presented with Jesus’ words, he says, “All these I guarded from my youth.”

Two new words are seen here. However, they are only in some texts. For other texts, they will be introduced in the parallel account found in Mark 10. The first word is phulassó. It signifies to watch or guard, being derived from phulé, an offshoot, such as from a race or clan.

The idea is that someone from a particular race is isolated to that race. Hence, one would guard his genealogy, watching or guarding it as his heritage. This young man claims to have watched over his keeping of each commandment given by Jesus, not having strayed at all from faithful observance. And he has done it from his neotés, youth.

This is the second new word. It too is derived from neos, new. So this man is a youth who claims he has kept watch over the necessary commandments stated by Jesus since his youth. It seems a point is being made here about a lack of understanding by saying he was a youth, and yet the man is claiming he kept all the commands since his youth.

He is overly confident in his accomplishments despite lacking the years necessary to understand how things actually work. Despite this, he continues by asking Jesus, “What yet, I lack?”

One more new word is seen, hustereó, to be later. By implication, it means to be inferior or to fall short or be deficient. In other words, if someone is in a race and he comes in later, or last, he is deficient in what is necessary to win.

This young ruler is in a race to attain perpetual life. He wants to know how he can win this race by eliminating whatever will cause him to “arrive later” at the goal.

Life application: The word hustereó is used several times in a manner similar to the question of the young ruler here. In Romans 3, Paul says, “for all have sinned and fall short [hustereó] of the glory of God.” Again, in Hebrews 4, it says –

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short [hustereó] of it.” Hebrews 4:1

Another time where it is in a similar context, it says –

“…looking carefully lest anyone fall short [hustereó] of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”

Paul elsewhere equates our time in this life as a race, noting of himself, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippines 3:14). If we are somehow trying to merit our salvation, we will always arrive late, lacking the necessary requirement to attain eternal life.

Paul’s race was not one attempting to merit salvation. Rather, his race was one ran because of his salvation. He was striving ahead in Christ’s salvation, offered to all and attainable by simple faith in what He has done. This is what is pleasing to God. It is certain that God has no time for braggadocios who set out to impress Him with their insufficient efforts to merit His favor.

He is looking for those who are trusting in His provision. We are already in the ocean of sin. There is nothing we can do to get ourselves out of it. But He is pleased to extend His hand through Christ if we are willing to reach out for it. Be wise and take it! That is where God will find true pleasure in you.

Lord God, we are lost sinners heading for destruction without reliance on Jesus. But You sent Him! Despite our fallen state, You were willing to send Your Son into the world to rescue us. Where does such love come from? Thank You, O God, for the wonderful grace found in Jesus Christ our Lord., and Savior. Amen.