Was that a hard choice? Let us recall the case of the righteous young man who had kept every point of the law and asked to become a disciple of Christ: “Yet lackest thou one thing,” the Lord told him (Luke 18:22 [Luke 10:9]), “if thou wilt be perfect” (Matthew 19:21 [Matthew 9:22]). There was yet one thing—the law of consecration, which crowns all the others. But the young man could not take that one step because he was very rich, and for that the Lord turned him away sorrowing: he did not call him back to suggest easier terms but turned to his disciples and pointed out to them by this example how hard it is for a rich man to enter heaven—only a special miracle could do it, he explained; it is as impossible to enter the celestial kingdom without accepting the celestial law as it is for a camel to get through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19:24 [Matthew 9:23]). The disciples marveled greatly at this, for they had never heard of that convenient postern gate, invented by an obliging nineteenth-century minister for the comfort of his well-heeled congregation—the ancient sources knew nothing of that gate, and neither did the baffled apostles. (That is another “para-scripture.”)
The Rich Young Ruler; Laborers in the Vineyard
A man who has kept the commandments since childhood asks what he still lacks, and is told the one thing, and goes away. The disciples ask who can be saved at all; Peter points out that they, at least, left everything; and the answer is a parable about a householder who pays the last man the same as the first.
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Note. The Joseph Smith Translation corrects the same sentence in all three Gospels. “With God all things are possible” is not left as a blanket assurance: in each account it becomes an answer with a condition attached.
? How to read this edition
The reading is the Joseph Smith Translation, in the text of the Covenant Christian Edition, carried beside each Gospel and set against the King James baseline. Headers give both numbering systems: the CCE chapter and verse, and the traditional KJV reference.
16And behold, one came and said, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17And he said unto him, Why do you call me good? There is none good but one — that is, God. But if you will enter into life, keep the commandments. 18He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. 19Honor your father and thy mother. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 20The young man said unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up. What lack I yet? 21Jesus said unto him, If you will be perfect, go sell that you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in Heaven; and come and follow me. 22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Truly I say unto you that a rich man shall difficultly enter into the kingdom of Heaven. 24And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25When his disciples heard it this, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26But Jesus beheld them their thoughts and said unto them, With men, this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. if they will forsake all things for my sake, with God, whatever things I speak are possible.
27Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all and followed you. What shall we have therefore? 28And Jesus said unto them, Truly I say unto you that you who have followed me shall, in the regeneration resurrection, when the Son of Man shall sit in come sitting on the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life. 30But many of the first shall be last, and the last, first.
1For the kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man, a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. 2And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the third hour and found others standing idle in the marketplace, 4and said unto them, Go also into the vineyard, and whatever is right, I will give you. And they went their way. 5Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour and did likewise. 6And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said unto them, Why stand you here all the day idle? 7They say unto him, Because no man has hired us. He said unto them, Go also into the vineyard, and whatever is right, you shall receive.
8So when evening came, the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward, Call the laborers and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9And when they came that began about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more. And they likewise received every man a penny. 11And when they had received it a penny, they murmured against the master of the house, 12saying, These last have wrought one hour only, and you have made them equal unto us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day. 13But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do you no wrong. Did not you agree with me for a penny? 14Take that thine is yours and go your way. I will give unto this last even as unto you. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is your eye evil because I am good? 16So the last shall be first, and the first, last. And many are called, but few chosen.
17And when he had gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18And Jesus said unto him, Why do you call me good? None is good but one — that is, God. 19You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not kill; do not steal; do not bear false witness; defraud not; honor your father and mother. 20And he the man answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him and said unto him, One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in Heaven; and come take up the cross and follow me. 22And he the man was sad at that saying and went away grieved, for he had great possessions.
23And Jesus looked round about and said unto his disciples, How difficultly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God my Father. 24And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus spoke again and said unto them, Children, how hard is it for them who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God? 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? 27And Jesus, looking upon them, said, With men that trust in riches, it is impossible; but not with God: for with God all things are possible. not impossible with men who trust in God and leave all for my sake. For with such, all these things are possible.
28Then Peter began to say unto him, Behold, we have left all and have followed you. 29And Jesus answered and said, Truly I say unto you, there is no man that has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel’s, but 30he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time — houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions — and in the world to come, eternal life. 31But many that are there are many who make themselves first that shall be last, and the last, first. This he said rebuking Peter.
18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19And Jesus said unto him, Why do you call me good? None is good save one, that is God. 20You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother. 21And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet you lack one thing; sell all that you have and distribute unto the poor, and you shall have treasure in Heaven; and come follow me. 23And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich. 24And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How difficultly shall they who have riches enter into the kingdom of God, 25for it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26And they who heard said unto him, Who then can be saved? 27And he said unto them, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. It is impossible for them who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God, but he who forsakes the things which are of this world, it is possible with God that he should enter in.
28Then Peter said, Behold, we have left all and followed you. 29And he said unto them, Truly I say unto you, there is no man who has left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, 30who shall not receive manyfold more in this present time, and in the world to come, life everlasting.
Not Only Some Things, but Everything
A Religion That Does Not Require the Sacrifice of All Things
This does not cite the passage. The sixth of the Lectures on Faith, given to the elders’ school in Kirtland in the winter of 1834–35 and printed in 1835 as the first part of the Doctrine and Covenants, lists what a man lays down in almost the words of Jesus’ answer to Peter (“houses, or brethren, or sisters… or wife, or children, or lands,” Mark 10:29), and says that only such a sacrifice brings the faith that leads to eternal life, the thing the ruler asked for. It is shown as an echo of that answer.
Lectures on Faith, Lecture Sixth, ¶¶5–7, in Doctrine and Covenants (Kirtland, 1835), pp. 60–61 · canonized in the CCE as Teachings and Commandments 110 · Joseph Smith Papers ↗Also recorded in Teachings and Commandments 110, Lecture 6:5–7.
For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, requires more than mere belief, or supposition that he is doing the will of God, but actual knowledge: realizing, that when these sufferings are ended he will enter into eternal rest; and be a partaker of the glory of God.
For unless a person does know that he is walking according to the will of God, it would be offering an insult to the dignity of the Creator, were he to say that he would be a partaker of his glory when he should be done with the things of this life. But when he has this knowledge, and most assuredly knows that he is doing the will of God, his confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker of the glory of God.
Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things, that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has, for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice, because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice & offering, & that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life.
To Gain Salvation the Laws of God Must Be Obeyed
The ruler’s question (“what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”) assumes salvation is a matter of doing enough. Joseph Smith answered it in a single sentence, spoken in the Assembly Room at Nauvoo after an Episcopalian minister had lectured there and asked him to respond. Richard C. Galbraith’s Scriptural Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith keys this passage to Matthew 19:16–22.
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1, p. 1896 (21 February 1844, Assembly Room, Nauvoo) · History of the Church 6:223 · Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 332 · Joseph Smith Papers ↗The Rev. Mr. De Wolfe, Episcopalian, lectured in the Assembly Room in the evening. I attended, and after the sermon at his request, spoke to the people, showing them, that to get salvation, we must not only do somethings, but every thing which God has commanded. Men may preach and practice every thing except those things which God commands us to do, and will be damned at last, we may tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs and still not obey the commandments of God, the object with me is to obey and teach others to obey God, in just what he tells us to do. It mattereth not whether the principle is popular or unpopular, I will always maintain a true principle even if I stand alone in it.
The History’s fuller reading is worked up from this diary entry; Wilford Woodruff also noted the evening in his journal, but his record of it is not in The Words of Joseph Smith and is not transcribed here.
There Was No Postern Gate
Nibley read the young man’s failure as a failure at the law of consecration, and had no patience with the gloss that softens the camel and the needle. The “needle’s eye gate” is not in the ancient sources, and the apostles’ astonishment proves they had never heard of it either.
Nibley returned to the saying often. In “Eloquent Witness” (Collected Works, Vol. 17) he calls it a Sprichwort, a proverb whose whole point is that the thing is impossible, and notes that the disciples “took it literally,” which is why they were left asking who then can be saved.