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Snowball's chance


Photo by Katie Gerrard on Unsplash
Photo by Katie Gerrard on Unsplash

I have engaged, over the past few years, in some serious debate about today's Gospel. In it, Jesus states that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.


Well that really undercuts the Lord's fundraising efforts, doesn't it? In centuries past, there has been some mention in glosses (notes written in the margin of some biblical manuscripts) that there might be a small, man-door next to the gate in Jerusalem that a camel might be able to be made to fit through. While there is reference to a reference to it, the evidence is lacking that there was such a door, or that it was called the eye of the needle.


We actually don't need to resolve the debate. Jesus was basically saying that a rich man has a snowball's chance in hell of entering the Kingdom of God. Now before we get our rather expensive knickers in a bunch, let's jump to the punchline: “For men it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” Oh, so the rich man must rely upon God to enter the Kingdom? Yes! The poor man also, the middle-class man also. The challenge is that the rich man is more likely to fool himself that he has it all figured out.


In the time of Jesus, there was a very strong belief that one's fortunes were tied to God's favor. If you were rich and things went well for you, then God must be pleased. Jesus spent no small effort in breaking down this thinking. We have a version of this today that says, my wealth shows that I have this life mastered. Even if our wealth comes as part of our family status, education, and of course natural abilities that God has given us.


If we soft-peddle Jesus' hyperbole, we might come to the conclusion that the rich man can do some things himself to get into heaven. Nope. He must rely on Jesus. This is hard for a self-described, self-made man or woman to admit. But they have to. There is no other way. If they don't follow Jesus and rely upon His love and forgiveness, they have a snowball's chance in ... well you know what I mean.



 
 
 

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