Swallowing A Camel!
Matthew 23:24 “Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and
swallow a camel!” is in the middle of JESUS’ woes to the Scribes and Pharisees
for their hypocritical practice of The Torah; verses one through thirty-six.
This is pure hyperbole just like, “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 into Heaven.” Matthew 19:24
I do not understand why there is so much controversy in the
Church about this verse. JESUS had just spoken to a rich young man who did not
want to give up his riches so he could have eternal life; that was his question
to JESUS in verse sixteen, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may
have eternal life?” He just wanted to earn his way in.
Verses 21-24 “ 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. But when the young man heard that saying, he went
away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 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. 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 into Heaven.”
JESUS explains His statement so there should be no question
about what He meant, it is impossible for a worldly rich man to be saved,
because he cannot give up his wealth and prestige.
Just like Matthew 23:24, JESUS is not saying that the
Pharisees can swallow camels; and no one ever tries to teach there is some
alternative meaning for straining gnats and swallowing camels. Verses one
through thirty-six are the explanation for His hyperbolic statement; there is
no hope for them because, “But all their works they do to be seen by men. …”
23:5.
This passage is in Matthew 19:16-30, but most who try to make
an alternative teaching out of this saying stop at verse twenty-six, where
JESUS says, “…With men this is impossible, but with GOD all things are
possible.”
But the disciples understood the greater context of JESUS’
message; “Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘See, we have left all and
followed You. Therefore what shall we have?’ So JESUS said to them, ‘Assuredly
I say to you, that in The Regeneration, When The Son of Man Sits on The Throne
of His Glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or
sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My Name’s sake,
shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first
will be last, and the last first.’” Matthew 19:27-36
The point of both of these statements is not an impossible
task set before us! It is not some mystery we have to unravel! It is being
obedient to the Will and Purpose of GOD for our life. GOD can and does what He
wants with our life and we have to be willing to give up everything in this
world to obey.
