Why Wealth Hinders Entry Into Heaven Biblically
Jesus taught that "a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty" [1]. This statement, recorded in Matthew 19:23, introduces a significant theme in Christian theology regarding the spiritual perils associated with wealth. The disciples were "exceedingly amazed" by this teaching, as they likely anticipated a worldly kingdom filled with rich men [6].
The difficulty for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of Heaven is further emphasized by Jesus's famous analogy: "It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" [7]. This imagery underscores the near impossibility of such an entry through human effort alone [8]. Some ancient manuscripts vary slightly, using a Greek word for "rope" (kamilos) instead of "camel" (kamēlos), but the core message of extreme difficulty remains [8].
The primary reason wealth poses a hindrance is its tendency to foster covetousness and reliance on earthly possessions rather than on God. Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, identifies covetousness as an "inordinate desire of wealth" [3]. This desire can become a dominant force in the human heart, leading individuals away from God's fellowship [3]. The Lord's instruction to the rich young ruler—"If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me"—highlights the detachment from material possessions that Jesus calls for [4, 11]. If rich individuals were to follow this counsel, they would not "perish by their riches" [4].
The Patristic writers also addressed this issue. Clement of Alexandria, in Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?, notes that some interpret Jesus's words about the camel and the needle's eye as a reason to "despair of themselves as not destined to live" [9]. However, he argues that such an interpretation misses the point that what is impossible for humans is possible for God [9]. Origen, in his commentaries, records Jesus clarifying that the difficulty is specifically for "those that rely on their possessions" [7]. This distinction is crucial: it is not wealth itself that condemns, but the attachment to it and the trust placed in it.
John Gill, in his commentary on Matthew, explains that Jesus made these observations to his disciples after the rich young man departed, using the incident to instruct them [2]. The disciples' astonishment reveals their preconceived notions about the Messiah's kingdom, which they imagined would be a worldly one where the wealthy would thrive [6]. Jesus's teaching challenged these expectations, redirecting their focus from earthly gain to spiritual priorities.
The concept of "entering the kingdom of heaven" can be understood in a twofold sense: entering the Gospel dispensation by embracing its truths and ordinances, or entering the kingdom of glory [2]. In either case, wealth can present an obstacle. The "shutting of the gate" to heaven is primarily due to sin, which prevents individuals from entering the "holy way" [5]. While Aquinas, in Summa Theologica, discusses sin as the general impediment, the specific sin of covetousness, often fueled by wealth, is a significant barrier.
The danger of wealth lies in its capacity to burden faith, bind the spirit, and hinder the soul [4]. When individuals are "involved in earthly things," they become vulnerable to spiritual dangers [4]. This entanglement can lead them to prioritize worldly security over heavenly treasure, making them less inclined to follow Christ's call to self-denial and service to the poor. The Lord's statement is a warning against the spiritual complacency and self-sufficiency that riches can foster.
The Bible consistently contrasts earthly riches with heavenly treasures. For instance, the prophet Haggai reminds the people that "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts" [10]. This emphasizes God's ultimate ownership of all material wealth, challenging any human claim to absolute possession or security derived from it [10]. The true "glory" that God promises is not found in outward adornment of gold and silver, but in the presence of His divine Son [10].
Sources
- Matthew “Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. -- Matthew 19:23”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 19:23: Then said Jesus unto his disciples..... When the young man was gone; taking this opportunity to make some proper observations for the use and instruction of his disciples, after, as Mark observes, he had "looked round about"; with concern, and in order to affect their minds with this incident, and to raise their attention to what he was about to say: verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven: either into the Gospel dispensation, and receive the truths, and submit to the ordinances of it, or into the kingdom of glory herea”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 52: miserable. There is more of this dreadful spirit in the human heart, than we are willing to acknowledge. Montesquieu says that every 465 man has a secret satisfaction in the misfortunes even of his dearest friends. As envy is the antithesis of love, it is of all sins the most opposed to the nature of God, and more effectually than any other excludes us from his fellowship. Thirdly, the Scriptures, however, make mention most frequently of covetousness under the form of an inordinate desire of wealth. The man of whom covetousness is the cha”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — ON THE LAPSED.(2) (part 8): faith burdened, and the spirit bound, and the soul hindered; so that they who were involved in earthly things(2) might become a booty and food for the serpent, which, according to God's sentence, feeds upon earth. And therefore the Lord the teacher of good things, forewarning for the future time, says, "If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."(3) If rich men did this, they would not perish by their riches; if they laid”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Effects of Christ's Passion, Art. 5: Article: Whether Christ opened the gate of heaven to us by His Passion? I answer that, The shutting of the gate is the obstacle which hinders men from entering in. But it is on account of sin that men were prevented from entering into the heavenly kingdom, since, according to Is. 35:8: "It shall be called the holy way, and the unclean shall not pass over it." Now there is a twofold sin which prevents men from entering into the kingdom of heaven. The first is common to the whole race, for it is our ”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 19:25: When his disciples heard it..... That is, the difficulty of a rich man's entering into the kingdom of heaven, aggravated by the above proverbial expression, they were exceedingly amazed. They were surprised at his first words; but when he confirmed them by the proverb of a camel's passing through the eye of a needle, they were, as Mark says, "astonished out of measure": they did not imagine there was any difficulty of rich men coming into the kingdom of the Messiah, which they took to be a worldly one, and would be filled with rich men; for so they understood Chri”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — SECTION XXIX. (part 1): 29 1 Verily I say unto you, It is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of 2 heaven. And I say unto you also, that it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of 3 a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And the disciples were wondering at these sayings. And Jesus answered and said unto them again, My children, how hard it is for those that rely on their possessions to enter the 4 kingdom of God! And those that were listening wondered more, and said amongst 5 themselves, being agit”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 19:24: 19:24 easier for a camel: This analogy reinforces the difficulty that wealthy people face in entering the Kingdom. A few manuscripts have a Greek word meaning rope (Greek kamilos) instead of camel (Greek kamēlos), a difference of only one letter. • to go through the eye of a needle: The image makes the wealthy entering the Kingdom an impossibility. The situation is not utterly hopeless, however (19:26-27). See study note on Mark 10:25.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — WHO IS THE RICH MAN THAT SHALL BE SAVED? (part 2): for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven,"[4] despair of themselves as not destined to live, surrender all to the world, cling to the present life as if it alone was left to them, and so diverge more from the way to the life to come, no longer inquiring either whom the Lord and Master calls rich, or how that which is impossible to man becomes possible to God. But others rightly and adequately comprehend this,”
- Haggai (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Haggai 2:8: The silver is mine-- (Job 41:11; Psa 50:12). Ye are disappointed at the absence of these precious metals in the adorning of this temple, as compared with the first temple: If I pleased I could adorn this temple with them, but I will adorn it with a "glory" (Hag 2:7, Hag 2:9) far more precious; namely, with the presence of My divine Son in His veiled glory first, and at His second coming with His revealed glory, accompanied with outward adornment of gold and silver, of which the golden covering within and without put on by Herod is the type. Then shall t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM LII.[4] (part 10): thou shalt have seen and feared, in order that thou mayest hereafter laugh. For what doth it profit thee, if thou dost want means, and thou burnest with cupidity? When our Lord Jesus Christ to that rich man that was grieved, and that was departing from Him, had said, "Go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven, and come follow Me:"[9] and great hopelessness for rich men foretold, so that He said, more easily could a camel pass through the eye of a needle, than a rich man ente”