Why do we have a Progressive Tax System??

[tooAlive]

I would respectfully remind you the rich man will have a harder time getting into heaven than a camel will have passing through the eye of the needle (know what the needle is?).

So. IMO that is am excerpt reminding folks not to be lazy with their gifts in the middle of a larger text.

Still not a bad point and I do not mean to belittle your opinion. I just disagree.

That's a very interesting quote, and definitely one that would depict Jesus as a socialist. Here's my interpretation.

I believe Jesus is referring to the love of money keeping people from heaven; not money itself. Here's why:

First of all, Jesus is known for performing miracles. So the act of a rope passing through a needle would certainly be possible in Jesus' realm. Now lets go into the context in which Jesus said that.

A man came to Jesus and asked him what he had to do to get into heaven. Here's the actual text (I'm using the amplified version):



Jesus notices this man is lacking spiritual maturity, and instructs him to get rid of his material possessions in order to reach it.



This is a key point here. When given the instruction as to what he is required to do in order to reach the Kingdom of Heaven, the man is second-guessing it! In other words, he has more love for his material things than for the Kingdom of God. Otherwise he'd sell everything in a heartbeat.

Which is when Jesus replies,



It's not the money that keeps men from getting into the Kingdom of Heaven, but the love of money. In other words, worshiping money. And like Jesus said, it's very difficult for a man to rid himself of that.

25 When the disciples heard this, they were utterly puzzled (astonished, bewildered), saying, Who then can be saved [[g]from eternal death]?
26 But Jesus looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, but all things are possible with God.

..but all things are possible with God.

Again, this is just my interpretation.

But Christ also said to the wealthy young man that wanted to be christ like, give all your possessions to the poor and follow me. Also he said "it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get in to heaven"

I know, that's in my quote above.

Read what I said about it. Jesus is referring to the love of money in the young man. Or his worshiping of money.

Because when confronted with the choice between reaching the Kingdom of Heaven and keeping his material possessions, he's very troubled by it. Which tells us he values his money more than salvation.

Jesus is telling us that a man that loves money more than God cannot get into His Kingdom.