These are familiar words of Jesus, said in response to his disciples’ shock at both the rejection of the wealthy man and his words about it being easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom. Given the context, the force of the impossibility can seem rather strong, and rather than consider the actual “why” of the impossible, we assume that God makes it possible through his Son Jesus Christ, our righteousness.
However, the impossibility of which Jesus speaks is connected to the wealthy man’s expectation/belief that he can inherit eternal life without actually doing Torah. In other words, what makes his ability to enter the kingdom impossible is that he refuses to do the just works required of him. That is, he refuses to make right with those he has wronged, namely those whom he has defrauded (see 10:19 and note that rather than say do not covet, Jesus says do not defraud followed by the 4th commandment). Thus, it is impossible to enter the kingdom because the justice required is not being done (see Jesus words to him in Mark 10:20-22). Hence, Leviticus 19:13: “You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning.” To expect otherwise can be likened to trying to put a square peg through a round hole. Or, to take a cue from Jesus’ peasant humor, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. It is impossible.
If readers find themselves unconvinced, I think a good place to go is later in Mark’s Gospel and Jesus’ dialogue with the scribe concerning the greatest commandment (12:28-34). After some back and forth, the scribe says to Jesus,
“You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; 33 and ‘to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices (32-33).”
However, it is Jesus’ response to this that is revealing. He says to the scribe, “you are not far from the kingdom of God.” He is “not far” but not “in.” At first, we might find this perplexing until we read Jesus’ words concerning such scribes a few verses later. He tells his audience to beware of them, that they devour widows’ houses among many of the problematic things they do (Mark 12: 38-40). They claim and appear to be holy while they break Torah. Here’s Exodus 22:22: “You shall not abuse any widow…” Indeed, the scribe was “near” to the kingdom but could not enter until he made things right with the widows whose houses he devoured. Indeed, such is impossible so long as God’s purposes are not followed and embodied.
Really, what we are seeing herein is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer referred to as cheap grace. These men thought they could have their cake and eat it, too. That is, they thought they could get the benefits of the kingdom while not being about justice and mercy. That, my friends, is impossible. However, God makes entering into his kingdom possible through the human one Jesus, who begins his ministry with the words, “Follow Me.”
If I may step out of Mark for a moment, arguably the best place to really see this in action where the impossible becomes possible is with Zacchaeus the tax collector. Jesus invites himself into his house, and after this encounter, Zacchaeus promises to give back fourfold to anyone he had defrauded. And what is Jesus’ response?
“Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost” (Luke 19:9-10).
Zacchaeus, in response to the grace and love of Jesus, sought to make things right (justice), rather than simply seek to get himself off the hook. Rather than the impossible way, he went the possible way, God’s Way.
A Foolish Way 