Don't Know Much About the Bible - Kenneth C. Davis [155]
• “Do not think that I have to come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword…. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matt. 10:34, 37-38)
While the reference to the “sword” may have fired up zealous followers who thought Jesus was actually going to lead a revolt against Rome, this was a metaphorical sword, one that would sever the “old ties.” Jesus was telling his disciples that his mission and theirs was not going to be a pleasant one; it demanded unconditional acceptance of his words and complete rejection of their past lives.
• “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.” (Matt. 19:24)
How does a camel fit through a needle’s eye?
Jesus often said challenging, demanding things. He said confusing things. He even said contradictory things. And sometimes he said puzzling things. This famous verse about the needle’s eye is one that many people find puzzling. It was spoken to a wealthy young man who asked Jesus what he needed to do to gain eternal life. The young man assured Jesus that he had kept all the commandments and obeyed all the laws. Jesus told him to sell everything, give away the money, and follow him. The rich young man couldn’t do it and left grieving. That’s when Jesus told his disciples about the camel and the needle’s eye.
A camel, of course, would have been familiar to all the disciples. A needle, perhaps for a tent-maker, was also commonplace. So Jesus was using a hyperbole—an outrageous exaggeration for the idea of something very large being able to get through something small. It made for a curious but understandable image.
There is another simpler view of Jesus’ words. The Greek word for “camel” is very similar to the word for “cable,” and some early Bible texts used “cable,” which can also be translated as “rope.” Without changing the essential point, Jesus could have been talking about someone trying to thread a thick piece of rope through a needle hole. Either way—camel or cable—Jesus was saying this wasn’t easy.
Where does that leave the rich? Jesus’ view of wealth and material goods makes many Christians uncomfortable. He demanded that his disciples give everything away, and they did. Jesus had higher praise for a poor widow who gave to charity her few small coins, all she had, than he did for the wealthy who gave but could afford to give more. Discussing the issue of wealth and the Bible in his bestselling biblical study, The Good Book, the Reverend Peter Gomes writes, “Wealth is not what you have; wealth is what you have been given that enables you to give to others.”
Luke expresses this sentiment in another memorable verse: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be expected.” (Luke 12:48)
Mary Magdalene: naughty or nice?
The name “Mary,” derived from the Greek form of the common Hebrew Miriam, the name of the sister of Moses, makes several New Testament appearances, sometimes creating a bit of confusion over which Mary is which. Jesus’ mother Mary makes a few cameos in the Gospels, and she does appear in John at the time of her son’s death. Luke tells the story of another Mary, one of two sisters. When Jesus comes to their house, this Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to him teach. Her sister Martha performs the usual domestic role of getting the New Testament version of “chips and dip” ready. Martha gets a little miffed because she’s working and Mary’s sitting. When she lets Jesus know that her sister should be in the kitchen, he cuts Martha short and says that Mary has “chosen the better part” in listening to him speak. Occasionally Jesus’ divinity slipped past his humility.
The third significant Mary is usually called Mary Magdalene but is more appropriately named Mary of Magdala,