τρύπημα

a hole, the eye of a needle

Definition

τρύπημα refers to a hole or perforation, most specifically the eye of a needle. In its sole New Testament occurrence (Matthew 19:24), it is used in the famous proverbial saying of Jesus about a camel passing through the eye of a needle. The word denotes a very small opening, emphasizing the impossibility of the task described. While the term could theoretically refer to any hole in other contexts, the biblical usage fixes its meaning on this specific, narrow aperture.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Matthew 19:24, within the context of Jesus's conversation with the rich young ruler. Jesus employs it in the hyperbolic saying, 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (τρύπημα) than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.' The usage is entirely proverbial and illustrative, designed to shock the listener and underscore a spiritual principle about human impossibility and divine grace.

Etymology

τρύπημα is a noun derived from the verb τρυπάω (trypaō), meaning 'to bore' or 'to pierce.' It is built on the root τρυπ-, which conveys the sense of perforation. The noun form indicates the result of the action—the hole that is made. Cognates include τρύπα (trypa), another word for a hole, and the English word 'trypanosome' (a boring or piercing organism), which shares the same Greek root.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as the centerpiece of Jesus's teaching on wealth and salvation in Matthew 19:24. The vivid imagery of a camel (the largest common animal in Palestine) passing through a needle's eye (the smallest of holes) graphically illustrates human impossibility. This sets the stage for the doctrine of salvation by God's grace alone ('With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,' Matthew 19:26). It challenges reliance on personal resources or merit for entering God's kingdom.

The 'eye of a needle' was understood as the tiny opening at the end of a sewing needle, making the analogy immediately clear to an ancient audience. Some later traditions speculated about a small gate in Jerusalem called 'the Needle's Eye,' but there is no historical evidence for this in the first century. The proverb was a known hyperbolic figure of speech in Jewish and other ancient literature to describe something utterly impossible. The camel represented the largest beast of burden, creating the greatest conceivable contrast.

τρύπα (trypa, G5168) — A more general term for a hole or aperture, not specifically the eye of a needle.

Word Details

Scripture References