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A man came to Jesus and asked, “What good thing must I do to receive eternal life?”

Jesus told him to keep the commandments, to which the young man replied that he had. Jesus then told him to sell his possessions and give to the poor. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was very rich.

Jesus then said to his disciples “It is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.” The disciples were amazed at this and Peter asked what reward they could expect for giving up everything. Jesus promised them rewards in his kingdom and concluded with a warning, “Many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.”

Understanding the text

In this encounter with a rich young man, and in the conversation with his disciples afterwards, Jesus teaches about having the right attitude to wealth and possessions.

• The young man has tried to live a good life and has kept the commandments. However, this is not enough. Jesus knows that his real stumbling block is his wealth, which he is not prepared to give up in order to follow Jesus. Having possessions is not wrong, but there is a problem when they get in the way of following Jesus. This passage teaches it is important for people to get their priorities right.
• Jesus’ reference to the impossibility of a camel passing through the eye of a needle could be an illustration of the impossibility of a rich person entering the Kingdom of God. However, it may also be a reference to a narrow gateway in the city walls of Jerusalem, known as ‘the eye of the needle’. A heavily laden camel was too wide to pass through and had to be unloaded before it could enter the city.
• The disciples are amazed at Jesus’ teaching as in their society wealth was often seen as a sign of God’s blessing. Jesus reassures them that everyone who has made sacrifices for him will be rewarded in God’s kingdom.