The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Mark 10:25, “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.”

Kids do some strange things! When we were hardly in our teens, my “pals” and I inevitably

discovered the multiple caves that just begged to be explored. One cave, I remember so clearly,

had a very narrow opening; and even the skiniest of us had to squeeze to get through the opening. Once inside, however, there was “much” to explore.

Funny, how that cave experience came to mind when I was reading that “camel” verse in seminary.

It had always come to me just as it reads. But some “scholar” somewhere decided that there was a

very small entrance to an ancient city that required a camel’s load to be removed before he could get through the narrow entrance; so someone named it “The Needles Eye.”

Well, the Greek word for “needle” here is ???????, rhaphidos, a sewing needle; and Jesus was focusing on the difficulty for those who trust in their riches, instead of Him, to get to Heaven, through the needle’s “eye.”

Jesus often used stories in order to make His point with the multitudes. Let’s admit it: we all like stories! But how are we to understand Jesus’ meaning with the way He said it in our verse above? He was using hyperbole, a figure of speech that’s an intended exaggeration for the sake of emphasis.

What Jesus said not only applies to riches; it applies to everything except faith and trust. We must trust Jesus for salvation and Heaven! There is no other way. It’s not by having good morals, or by joining a church, or by helping the poor. It’s only by faith in Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross and arose from the dead. He alone was the Father’s sacrifice for our sins. Many may just squeeze through, but it’s still only by faith. Trust in Jesus; there is no other way.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom