Luke 18:25

Luk 18:25 . τρήματος βελόνης : each evangelist has his own expression here. τρῆμα from τιτράω , τίτρημι (or τράω ), to pierce, bore through; hence τρανής , penetrating, clear; βελόνη , the point of a spear.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

easier for a camel, &c.--a proverbial expression denoting literally a thing impossible, but figuratively, very difficult.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 25. It as easier for a camel] Instead of καμηλον, a camel, S, and four other MSS., read καμιλου, a cable. See the same reading noticed on the parallel place, Mt 19:24.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(25) Through a needle’s eye.—The Greek word for “needle” in the better MSS. differs from that in St. Matthew and St. Mark, and is a more classical word. That which the others use was unknown to Attic writers. The fact, small as it is, takes its place among the signs of St. Luke’s culture.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. for a camel to go through a needles eye] To soften the apparent harshness of this expression, some have conjectured Kamilon, ‘a rope;’ and some have explained ‘the needle’s eye’ of the small side gate for passengers (at the side of the large city gates), through which a camel might press its way, if it were first unladen. But (i) the conjecture Kamilon is wholly without authority, (ii) The name of ‘the needle’s eye’ applied to small gates is probably a modern one which has actually originated from an attempt to soften this verse:—at any rate there is no ancient trace of it. (iii) The Rabbinic parallels are decisive to prove that a camel is meant because the Babylonian Jews using the same proverb substitute ‘an elephant’ for ‘a camel.’ (iv) It is the object of the proverb to express human i?npossibility. In the human sphere—apart from the special grace of God—it would be certain that those who have riches would be led to trust in them, and so would fail to enter into the kingdom of God, which requires absolute humility, ungrudging liberality, and constant self-denial.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For it is easier for a camel,.... These words were spoken to the disciples again, and were a second address to them, after they had shown astonishment at the former; See Gill on Mat 19:24 and See Gill on Mar 10:24.

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Luke 18:26

luk 18:26

luk 18:26

luk 18:26And they that heard it, said, who then can be saved? These were the disciples of Christ, who so said; see Mat 19:25.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Ver. 25. It is easier for a camel] Caveant ergo divites (saith an interpreter) et solicite; mane, vesperi, interdiu, noctu, secum de periculosa vitae suae ratione commententur. Let rich men therefore weigh their danger, and beware.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle"s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. This simile, taken in its plain and obvious sense, appears to many an exaggerated one, and various explanations have been suggested to soften it down. The best is found in Lord Nugent"s "Lands Classical and Sacred," who mentions that in some modern Syrian towns the narrow gate for foot-passengers at the side of the larger gate by which waggons, camels, and other beasts of burden enter the city, is known as the "needle"s eye." It is, however, very uncertain whether this term for the little gate was known in ancient times. But the simile was evidently a common one among the Jews. The Talmud, for instance, gives us the parallel phrase of an elephant passing through a needle"s eye. The Koran repeats the very words of the Gospel. it is the object of the proverb to express human impossibility. "I would ride the camel, Yea leap him flying, through the needle"s eye As easily as such a pampered soul Could pass the narrow gate. (Southey.)

It seems strange that the three evangelists, St. Matthew, Mark, and Luke, who tell this story of the young questioner and the Master"s conversation with him, do not mention his name. And yet he must have been a conspicuous personage in the society of the time. First of all, his riches were evidently remarkable. One account tells us that he was" very rich." Two of the Gospels mention his "great possessions." St. Luke tells us that he was "a ruler." He was, then, certainly a very wealthy Jew holding a high official position, not improbably a member of the Sanhedrin council. Why is he nameless in the three Gospels? Dean Plumptre has a most interesting theory that the young wealthy ruler was Lazarus of Bethany. He bases his hypothesis upon the following data: He begins by stating that "there is one other case in the first two Gospels which presents similar phenomena.]n the narrative of the supper at Bethany, St. Matthew and St. Mark record the passionate affection which expressed itself in pouring the precious ointment of spikenard upon our Lord"s head as the act of "a woman", (Mat_26:7 Mar_14:3) leaving her unnamed. In Joh_12:3 we find that the woman was Mary, the sister of Lazarus. The train of thought thus suggested points to the supposition that here also there may have been reasons for suppressing in the records a name which was familiar to the narrator. What if the young ruler were Lazarus himself? The points of agreement are sufficiently numerous to warrant the conjecture. The household of Lazarus, as the spikenard ointment shows, were of the wealthier class. The friends who came to comfort the bereaved sisters were themselves, in St. John"s language, "of the Jews," i.e. of the chief rulers. (Joh_11:19) The young ruler was obviously a Pharisee, and the language of Martha (Joh_11:24) shows that she, too, believed in eternal life and the resurrection of the dead. The answer to the young ruler, "One thing thou lackest" (as given by St. Mark and St. Luke), is almost identical with that to Martha, "One thing is needful". (Luk_10:42) In such a case, of course, nothing can be attained beyond conjectural inference; but the present writer must avow his belief that the coincidences in this case are such as to carry the evidence to a very high point of probability."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. τρήματος אBD, La[315] Ti[316] for τρυμαλιᾶς (AEFG) or τρυπήματος. βελόνης אBDL. ῥαφίδος is from the parallels.

[315] La. Lachmann.

[316] Ti. Tischendorf.

25. κάμηλον. To soften the apparent harshness of this expression, some have conjectured κάμιλον, ‘a rope;’ and some have explained ‘the needle’s eye’ of the small side gate for passengers (at the side of the large city gates), through which a camel might press its way, if it were first unladen. But (i) the conjecture κάμιλον is wholly without authority. (ii) The name of ‘the needle’s eye’ applied to small gates is probably a modern one which has actually originated from an attempt to soften this verse:—at any rate there is no ancient trace of it. (iii) The Rabbinic parallels are decisive to prove that a camel is meant because the Babylonian Jews using the same proverb substitute ‘an elephant’ for ‘a camel.’ (iv) It is the object of the proverb to express human impossibility. In the human sphere—apart from the special grace of God—it would be certain that those who have riches would be led to trust in them, and so would fail to enter into the kingdom of God, which requires absolute humility, ungrudging liberality, and constant self-denial.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. In the Talmud an elephant passing through the eye of a needle is twice used of what is impossible; also a camel dancing in a very small corn measure. See Lightfoot, Schœttgen, and Wetstein, ad loc. For εὐκοπώτερον see small print on 5:23. The reading κάμιλον = “cable” here and Mat 19:24 is an attempt to tone down a strong statement. It is found only in a few late MSS. The word κάμιλος occurs only in Suidas and a scholiast on Aristoph. Vesp. 1030. Some would give the meaning of “cable” to κάμηλος (so Cyril on Mat 19:24), but no doubt the animal is meant. Others would make the “needle’s eye” into a narrow gateway for foot-passengers; but this also is erroneous. See Expositor, Ist series, 3. p. 369, 1876; WH. 2. App. p. 151. For βελόνης, which occurs nowhere else in bibl. Grk., Mt. and Mk. have ῥαφίνη, and for τρήματος Mk. has τρυμαλιᾶς. Hobart claims both βελόη and τρῆμα as medical, the former with good reason (p. 60).

Celsus said that this saying of Christ was borrowed along with others from Plato. But the passage which he quoted from the Laws (v. p. 742) merely says that a man cannot be at once very good and very rich. There is nothing about a camel or a needle. Orig. Con. Cels. 6:16, 1. The saying in the Koran (7:38), “Neither shall they enter into paradise, until a camel through the eye of a needle,” is probably taken from the Gospels (Sale, p. 108).

It is specially to be noted that this hard saying about the difficulty of those who have riches entering into the Kingdom of God is in all three Gospels and not merely in the one which is supposed to be Ebionite in tone. Comp. Mat 6:19-21; Mar 12:41, Mar 12:42. Lk.omits the great amazement, ἐξεπλήσσντο σφόδρα (Mt.), περισσῶς ἐξεπλήσσοντο (Mk.), which this second utterance on the impediments caused by wealth excited in the disciples.

The Latin translator of Origen’s comm, on Mat_19. has the following extract from “a certain Gospel which is called According to the Hebrews.” But neither this preface not the extract are in the Greek text of Origen. Dixit ad eum alter divitum, Magisterter, quid bonum faciens vivam ? Dixit ei, Homo, legem et prophetas fac. Respondit ad eum, Feci. Dixit ei, Vade, vende omnia quæ possides et divide pauperibus et veni, sequere me. Coepit autem dives scalpere caput suum (sic), et non placuit ei: Et dixit ad eum Dominus, Quomodo dicis Legem feci et prosphetas ? quoniam scriptum est in lege Diliges proximum tuum sicut te ipsum, et ecce multi fratres tui, filii Abrahæ amicti sunt stercore, morientes præ fame, et demur tua plena est multis bonis, et non egreditur omnino aliquid ex ea ad eos. Et conversus dixit Simoni discipulo suo, sedenti apud se, Simon, fili Johannæ, facilius est camelum intrare per foramen acus quam divitem in regnum cæorum. See also the fragment quoted from the narrative of the man with the withered hand (Luk 6:8). These specimens explain why the Gospel according to the Hebrews was allowed to pass into oblivion. and it is difficult to believe that this Nazarene Gospel was the original Hebrew of our Mt. If it was, “our Greek Evangelist must have been a most unfaithful translator” (Salmon, Int. to N.T. p. 166, 5th ed.). We may add that he must have been a person of very superior taste and ability.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Camel. See on Mt 19:24.

To go through the eye of a needle [δια τρηματος βελονης εισελθειν] . Rev., more literally, to enter in through a needle 's eye. Both Matthew and Mark use another word for needle [ραφις] ; see on Mr 10:25. Luke alone has belonh, which, besides being an older term, is the peculiar word for the surgical needle. The other word is condemned by the Greek grammatrians as barbarous.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.