The Narrow Gate
The Narrow Gate.
“Strive to enter in at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are they who go in by that way. Because narrow is the gate and narrow the way which leads to life, and few there are who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14).
Let’s define some words from this verse:
“Strive” – the Greek word means to agonize; to strain; to exert ourselves with vigor; to use all our attention.
“Narrow” – compressed; tightly contracted path; a closely defined gateway.
“Life” – The Greek word is Zoe, which refers to quality of life; well-being; flourishing; the greatest fulfillment in life; prosperity; satisfaction.
“Wide” – spacious; broad.
“Destruction” – in this context, means wasted, spoiled or squandered; as in a wasted opportunity; a squandering of rewards; to experience an unblessed life; the loss of potential well-being.
Thoughts on the Narrow Gate and the Wide Gate:
(1.) Jesus IS the Narrow Gate. This passage is referring to ‘narrow’ as in ‘exclusive.’ Don’t be surprised when Christ and His followers are called ‘narrow.’ The truth is, Jesus is the only way to the Kingdom, to the Father. All paths do not lead to God, as if it doesn’t matter which path one chooses. Different paths end up in different places. All doors do not open to the same spiritual world. The Person of Jesus provides the only way road to God. He is the gateway to Yahweh. Access to the Father is only through Him. As spelled out in the Gospels, Jesus is the only way to God and to abundant, eternal life. There is a Jesus way to do things, a Jesus way to live life. His way is energized by and rooted in love. Love is the Jesus way. He began His Farewell Discourse with this declaration, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35). Love is the distinctive way of life for Jesus-followers. Love is the defining lifestyle, now, and as it was in the early Christian community. In fact, members of the Christian Faith were even called people of The Way before they were called Christians (Acts 9:2). Early believers adopted the Jesus way, and were known by their love for each other. The narrow way is the Jesus way, the way of love.
(2.) Jesus is the New Moses. Jesus may have been referring to the parting words of Moses to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; I command you today to love the Lord Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways and to keep His commandments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it… Choose life in order that you may live… for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them.” (Deut. 30:15-16, 19-20). By offering a choice of two gates, Jesus is following a time-honored tradition in Judaism, the “Two Ways” principle: A deliberate choice of each individual between wise and foolish, blessed and unblessed, righteous and wicked, good and evil, life and death, prosperity and misfortunate. Jesus added to this Jewish principle by having His listeners choose between narrow and wide.
(3.) A Wasted Life. Many Greek scholars say that in this context “destruction” is referring to this life more than the next. They believe that ‘destruction’ is not intended to refer to ultimate matters as much as temporal ones, just like Moses in the earlier passage in Deuteronomy. Destruction here does not mean damnation, and life does not mean salvation. Jesus seems to be saying that those who choose the wide way are those who will end up wasting their life, squandering their prime opportunity to live with an intimate relationship with God. Those who enter through the wide gate are going to live an unblessed life, an unfulfilling life. Jesus instead wants people to enter through the narrow way, His Way, to live an abundant life, a spiritually satisfying and fulfilling life, the way life is meant to be lived. This passage is not necessarily saying that hell will be overcrowded with those who choose the wide gate, that somehow the majority of the people who have ever lived in the history of the world will not be able to enter the Kingdom. Jesus wants all of His people, who are all made in the image of God, to live a wonderful life in which they flourish. “The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). And as the Lord told Ezekiel, “As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked would turn from his way and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11). Jesus truly doesn’t want an overcrowded hell, but instead a standing-room-only heaven. In the meantime, Jesus wants all people to choose Him and thus experience this life in its fullness and abundance. “I urge then, first of all that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving should be offered for everyone… For He wants everyone to be saved, and reach full knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1, 4).
(4.) No Family Plan or Group Rate. The wide gate can accommodate many people at the same time. The wide gate is the one gate people commonly choose to go through, the people who choose to go with the flow, go with the crowd. The wide gate is easier to discover, more obvious because it seems to be the most crowded gate. The wide gate might be more appealing because it’s the one of choice for those who want to follow popular public opinion. But the narrow gate only admits one heart at a time, only one person at a time. One cannot enter the “Good Life” in Christ by sneaking in because one’s grandparents were saints or one’s parents were strong Christians, and maybe that will allow entrance. God sets before each of us a deliberate choice that is private and personal. Each person is responsible to make that choice, for good or ill.
(5.) Freedom. One scholar, Dr. Brad Scott, had looked at Jesus’ words here in this passage in a very interesting way. He says that in most larger cities during that time there were at least two gates through which people entered the city… a general larger gate and a much smaller narrow gate. They called this smaller gate the “Gate of the Elders,” because that narrow gate was where the elders of the city would gather to settle disputes and arrange matters regarding indebtedness. If one was a debtor, and one wanted to settle that debt and be freed from being under it, everyone knew to enter at the narrow gate so the elders could help you do just that. If you had a dispute with a neighbor that was impossible to settle, one would go through the narrow gate to meet with the elders to settle the dispute and make for peace. Once matters were settled at the narrow gate, the person who had a dispute or was in debt could walk freely anywhere in the city without the fear of assault or harassment. Once the elders settled matters at the narrow gate, they were settled. On the other hand, if one was in a dispute with someone or indebted to someone and didn’t want to settle matters, they would just walk through the wide gate to enter the city. But they would enter at their peril, because at any time the person who has something against you could approach you, make you accountable, and make life extremely unpleasant and difficult. One could always choose to take their chances at the wide gate, but it was usually an unwise thing to do. Those who entered at the narrow gate were assured that their debts were cleared and their disputes were settled, and they could enjoy a life of freedom without the burden of fear, a freedom to enjoy life and find fulfillment. The wide gate only led to lots of unfortunate problems and fearfulness. Jesus our Elder is at the narrow gate, ready to clear our debts and help us make peace with everyone. Choose the narrow gate.