‘But Jesus answers again and says to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter under the Kingly Rule of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter under the Kingly Rule of God.” '
‘Children.' A tender word. Possibly this was a hint to them that they should remember what He had said about the need to become like little children (although the word consistently is different). But more likely it was an affectionate ‘lads'. Then He went on to stress that entry under the Kingly Rule of God was difficult for all, never mind the rich. It was not easy for anyone. That was why so few entered. And that for the rich it was virtually impossible. It was like trying to get a camel through the eye of a needle. Rich men found it hard to become like little children, bringing nothing with them and being always ready to receive freely. They relied on their own riches and enjoyed the pleasures that resulted, regularly only paying lip service to God and His purposes. They had little real sense of need and thought they could buy God's acceptance, either by a multiplicity of sacrifices, or by gifts. They rather needed desperately to consider whether their hearts were truly right towards God.
The illustration is typical of Jesus' vivid metaphors. The thought of a camel going through the eye of a needle was ludicrous, but it well illustrated the point of impossibility. The Babylonian Talmud would later use the picture of an elephant going through the eye of a needle. There is no foundation in fact, however, for a needle gate used by camels, which is a picturesque modern invention (in spite of photographs of ‘it' i.e. of a gate dating centuries later), although it is an interesting suggestion. There is simply no evidence for it.