In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus presents us with two
choices: “Enter through the narrow
gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to
destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the
gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.”
So the choices are a narrow gate and a wide gate. Like the different doors on “Let’s make a deal”, one door, one choice is much, much better than the other.
I find the hard part of this teaching is that while Jesus
says that we need to enter through the narrow gate He also says that there will
be few that find it or choose it. We all
have many family, many friends, many neighbors and to think that many will
choose the path that leads to destruction while only few will find true life is
very sobering. Nevertheless, it is a
choice that is freely made.
Note also the choice of the narrow gate. Jesus
refers to Himself as the gate in the story of the Good Shepherd in the
gospel of John. Note that while Jesus
says that this choice, this door or gate is narrow, the choice itself is not
difficult.
It is the road that then follows that is difficult, not
the choice. Jesus told us, "In the
world you will have trouble.” Then Jesus added, "But take heart! I have
overcome the world" (John 16:33)
The road can be difficult because of persecution. This is
all too frequent today in places like Egypt, Nepal and Iran and Jesus warned of
that as well (Matthew 5:11-12). Jesus
also said that us that the world would hate us (John 15:18-19).
The Greek word that is translated for the word strive
when Luke refers to this teaching and Jesus says, ‘Strive to enter through the
narrow gate” is agonizomai. You don’t
need to know Greek to see the similarity with our word, “agonize”.
We choose the narrow gate, the right path and then we
struggle and strain. Along with the
trouble and the persecution we are often like a athlete straining towards to
end-zone, an Olympian putting all of their effort behind their opportunity to
gain the gold.
I’ve referenced other
great scholars commenting on this teaching and they are all clear: Our striving and our effort, no matter how
great will not save us. The Bible is
very clear that salvation is by the grace of God through of faith (Ephesians
2:8-9).
We don’t earn heaven by striving for it. This narrow gate is Jesus Himself and the door is
open to us; to those few who make the choice.
