Was there a gate called "the eye of a needle" or was Jesus talking about a literal 1st century needle and a camel?
Every use of a word must be compared the the whole . Sometimes a word is used only once and we must search out the metaphor used in the parable. Like "heart of the earth" used with. . "belly of the whale" to represent the sufferings of hell. .
I would offer. Like the use of the word "eye of the heart" It is used to represent a vision or prophecy. The "eye of a needle" is used in a similar way to represent vision of entering the gateway to salvation
.Needlework, the work of unveiling, revealing the hand of the master..
The vail 60 ft high represents the flesh of the Son of man, Jesus (high enough for a camel) .the sign of circummsion
When Christ said it is finished the needlework was rent from the top to the bottom to represent the circumcision of the first born. The way to enter the new heavenly Jerusalem (Zion) was made known .The graves were opened the glory revealed .
The eye of the needle a vision when entering the gate of the city. Christ's triumphant entry.
Exodus 26:35-37 King James Version (KJV) And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them
An Ass is set aside in a ceremonial law to represent a unclean Animal as non redeemed mankind and not a Camel another unclean .The camel is used in another purpose, Kings of the pagan nations. Camel were adorned with gold just as the King who rode them . (.
Judges 8:26)
The Israelites used a Ass (un-belief no faith) to represent Kings. The gospel a picture of salvation redemption hid in that ceremonial parable below .
Exodus 13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
A picture of salvation
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Judges 8:26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks
Rather than breaking the neck to indicate those not redeemed the pagan kings adorned the neck of camels in false pride.
It would be easier for a rich man to enter heaven than for mankind to change the law of redemption.
The unclean or un-redeemed do not serve God. He is not served or worshipped by the corrupted hands as flesh of mankind in any way shape or form ( Acts 17)
Many attribute the work to the apostles (sent one) .But even the Son of man Jesus the apostle lived in a earthen body of death, and required the power to do the will of the father and not that of his own flesh it had no power other than that which worked in him. with him.. . yoked together.
Again he uses a Ass a unclean animal to represent the unredeemed. Putting His words on the tongue of the Ass .It faithfully stopped the madness of the false prophet Balaam
Numbers 22:28-30
And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? and he said, Nay.