[JHBowden]

Read the parable of the young rich man, Matthew 19:16-28.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

He says it is difficult, not impossible. The young rich man was asking, obliquely, what he could give to Jesus in order to recieve eternal life. Jesus response was that it couldn’t be bought, but that by selling everything and giving it away he could accept the gift of eternal life without feeling like he “deserved” it by giving Jesus something.

The love of money, not money itself, is what Jesus was pointing out to the young man as the obstacle to salvation.

[mountn man]

The parable of the rich man WASN"T about the wealth the rich man had. The rich man came to Jesus, pretty sure he had EARNED his way there. When Jesus told him what to DO, he said I've done that. Jesus knew what was in the mans heart, and what the man was getting at. He knew that the man valued his money over all else. So he told the man to give his money to the poor.

Also, Jesus said a rich man COULDN'T get to heaven, he said it was easier for a camel to get through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.

Meaning its hard, not impossible.

[Raider Sam]

There was a gate in Jerusalem known as the eye of the needle. Most rich men loaded there posessions on the sides of their camels. In order for a camel to pass through, you had to take all of your possesions off.

The parable is saying that for a rich man to enter Heaven, he will not be able to bring his posessions with him. It doesnt mean it is impossible for rich men to get into Heaven.