[tsimionescu]

The reason why people don't want to take this line literally is very simple: they don't want to believe that they can't live a life of luxury and still go into heaven. If you're both a believer and rich, you can either live with the cognitive dissonance, renounce your faith, or just reinterpret the precepts you don't like to suit you.

[anonymous_sorry]

There are some lyrics by a band called the Divine Comedy (how apposite) that used to make me smile:

The cars in the churchyard are shiny and German

(Distinctly at odds with the theme of the sermon),

And during communion I study the people

Threading themselves through the eye of the needle.

[DontchaKnowit]

Love those lyrics

[NotYourLawyer]

Or just understand that people spoke hyperbolically 2000 years ago just like they do now.

[starcraft2wol]

Now read the next verse.

[tsimionescu]

I know - the meaning is actually indisputable from all of the context, regardless of the precise phrase.

But, even so, it is also indisputable that many who consider themselves devout Christians, rich and poor alike, reach a very different conclusion about the meaning of this whole exchange. I can only imagine this must be motivated reasoning.

I found a thread showing some such rationalizations:

https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/60225/how-d...

Interestingly, it seems modern day prosperity gospel sorts don't go for a reinterpretation of the camel, but for a reinterpretation of the word "rich".

[johnsonjo]

I think gp meant the next two verses. Where the verse two after the one we are talking about says:

Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.