The Narrow Gate
By Jonathan Mitchell
In Lu. 13:23a, we read:
"Now at one point, someone said to Him, "Sir (or: Master; Lord), [I wonder] if [only] a few are proceeding in being saved or kept safe (or: if few are progressively being rescued; if the folks presently being healed and made whole are a small number)?"Let us consider how Jesus responded to this question: So He said to them,
24. "YOU folks be continually struggling and constantly exerting yourselves vigorously even to the point of agonizing, as contestants in the public games, to at once enter through the narrow gate, or door (or: cramped entry), because many people - I now tell you - will continue seeking to enter, and yet they will not continue having strength.
First of all, the context of both the question and Jesus' response was the times of His teaching in various cities and villages, during His journey to Jerusalem (Lu. 13:22). During one of those teaching sessions, someone asked whether only a few were being saved, or kept safe, or rescued, or healed, or made whole. Note the broad semantic range of the word first rendered, "saved." So, what was this person asking? This entire section from vs. 22 through vs. 30 is in a context all its own. The ambiguity of the question demands that we not presume that this person was asking about the situation of people after they die, or about their ultimate destiny. That meaning of "saved" does not fit the context of first century Palestine or Second Temple Judaism, but has later been read into the NT texts by institutional Christianity.
We are not told what the questioner had in mind with this question, so we are well advised not to jump to any conclusions. But the next thing to recognize is that Jesus' response was directed to that immediate context, within that particular town or village. He answers with an imperative in the second person plural:
"YOU folks be continually struggling (etc.)..."
He was speaking to those who were listening to His teaching. He was telling them to continually act like those who participated in the public games. They must exert themselves vigorously with a view to entering "through the narrow gate, or door (or: cramped entry)." He then advises them that many people "will continue seeking to enter, and yet they will not continue having strength." So struggle and strength were required in order to be able to enter through the gate, or door. What did He mean by this? Apparently "casual living" would not attain this goal.
Now Jesus often gave oblique responses that did not really answer someone's question. His teaching was often aimed at making people think, rather than giving them answers. So we should keep this in mind and not presume that His response was meant to answer the person's question about "being saved or kept safe (etc.)."
"As we know there seems to be a repetition in many of Jesus teaching and parables which pictures a loss of stewardship for Israel, which is then given to the gentiles. It seems that not being able to enter into the kingdom is an internal matter, since in Luke 17:21 Jesus told us that the kingdom is in us" (Marz; from a personal email).
Jesus explains further about the gate, or door, in the next verses...
25. "From [the point or time] where the master of the house (or: the owner and lord of the house; the householder) may get up and lock off (close and bar) the door (or: entry), and then YOU folks should begin to stand outside and to repeatedly knock [at] the door (or: entry), repeatedly saying, 'Sir (or: Master; Lord; [other MSS: Sir, sir! {or: Lord, Lord!}]), open up to us (or: for us)!' And then, giving a decided reply, he will proceed in declaring to YOU folks, 'I have not seen, and thus do not know, YOU people. From what place are YOU? (or: I am not acquainted with whence you are, what exists being your source, and why are you [here]!).'
The first clause of this verse tells us that the narrow gate, entry or door was one that either allowed or prevented entry into "the house." Of what house was He speaking? Was He using "the house" simply as a metaphor for a place into which entry was desired? Was "entry" a figure for being able to participate in something, such as a wedding feast (Mat. 25:1-11)? The answer given to those foolish virgins is similar to the one given by "the master of the house" here in vs. 25:
"So, during their going off to make a purchase (to buy), the bridegroom came, and the ladies who were prepared and ready entered in with him into the wedding festivities (or: marriage feast), and then the gate was shut and barred (or: the door was closed and locked). Now subsequently the rest (remainder) of the virgins are finally coming as well, [as a group] saying, 'O sir! Sir! (or: Master! Master!) Open up at once to (or: for) us!' But the person [answering the door], making a discerning reply, said, 'I now say in truth to you folks, I have not seen you nor am I presently acquainted with you people'" (Mat. 25:10-12).
Here, in Luke, the admonition is for struggle and strength; in Matthew it was for being prepared and on time. But in both situations, the immediate end of their story was about them not being able to attain their desired entry.
With the virgins, in Mat. 25, the goal of entry was participation in the wedding feast - which was a figure and symbol for being involved with the activities of the coming Messiah (Who had come and was telling them these parables). Here in Lu. 13, we see in vss. 28-29 that He was speaking of participating in God's reign (sovereign activities, etc.). Both Mat. 25 and Lu. 13:22-30 seem to be speaking of the same thing.
Observe that once again His words were directed at His immediate listeners. Take note of my renderings, "YOU folks... YOU people." What He said applied to THEM, not to us.
With this in mind, when Jesus said, "many people will continue seeking to enter" (vs. 24, above), to whom was He referring? Verses 26-28 give us the answer: it was the Second Temple folks who were listening to Him, and/or, opposing Him. They wanted to be a part of the Messiah's reign, but did not want to be His followers, and be known by Him.
26. "At that point YOU will begin to be saying, one after another, 'We ate and drank in front of you (in your sight)! Also, you taught in our town squares (plazas; broad streets)!'
Note the immediacy of the context: "you taught in our town squares." He is referring to this present journey to Jerusalem, when He was doing this very thing. He had also shared meals with them.
27. "And yet, he will continue declaring, 'I am now saying to YOU, I have not seen, and thus do not know, from where you are, nor what exists being your source, nor why you are [here]. Stand off away from me, all workers of injustice and un-neighborliness (laborers in that which is not right; unfair workmen; folks whose actions do not accord with the Way pointed out; un-neighborly workers void of rightwised relationships)!'
In Mat. 21:43, Jesus said it this way:
"I am now saying to you men that God's reign (or: the kingdom of God; the influence and activity of God's sovereignty) will be progressively lifted up away from you folks, and it will proceed being given to an ethnic multitude (or: nation; people group; swarm of people) consistently producing its fruit!"
"Again, the fruits are a matter of the internal dynamics of a person" (Marz; ibid).
28. "Whenever YOU folks may [other MSS: will] see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - as well as all the prophets - within the midst of God's reign (or: centered in sovereign activities and influence from God; in the kingdom of God; or: in union with the kingship which is God), yet YOU yourselves are one after another being thrown outside, the weeping and the grinding (or: gnashing) of the teeth (= the sorrow and regret) will continue being [out] there, in that place.Consider His words in the context of Mat. 8:
10. Now at hearing [that], Jesus was astounded (was amazed) and said to those following after Him, "Truly I am saying to you folks, with no one in Israel do I find so much faith, trust and loyalty [as this]! (or: I did not find such great trust and confidence at the side of even one person within the midst of Israel!).
11. "Now I further say to you that many people from eastern lands, as well as western regions, will continue arriving. And they will one-after-another be made to recline [and dine] with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, within the reign and sovereign rule of the heavens (or: the kingdom of the atmospheres).
12. "Yet the 'sons of the kingdom (or: reign; = those who were in line to inherit the kingdom; or: = those who were supposed to manifest its reign and dominion; = Second Temple Judaism)' will be progressively thrown out into the external darkness (external obscurity of the shadows). There [= outside the banqueting building] it will continue being 'the weeping and the grinding of teeth' (or: The crying and the gnashing of teeth will continue being in that [outdoor] place, or situation)." [note: grinding/gnashing of teeth = either regret, or anger] Cf Mat. 13:42; 24:51
Marz again comments: "Perhaps entering into the Kingdom of God is a matter or consciousness. Perhaps entering into the life of the ages is a matter of recognizing and then knowing both the father and the son. Perhaps it then leads us to recognize the son in us which leads us to a transformation of our consciousness in which the old us, the man that was created by us and the world is cast out and the Christ in us our hope of glory is revealed. The people Jesus is speaking to didn't know Jesus the Christ. Since he is the gate, many of them were not going to enter into this internal kingdom through him. So how do they enter? It seems that they enter through destruction, but they still enter. Perhaps this destruction of the false self reveals to us who The Father and Jesus are and ultimately who we are."
29. "Not only that, people will continue arriving from eastern regions and western territories, as well as from [the] north and [the] south, and they will proceed in being made to recline back at a meal, within God's reign (kingdom; sovereign projects and programs).
In a recent podcast Jerod Byas ("The Bible for Normal People") pointed us to the characteristic of "inclusion" that we can observe in Jesus' words in this verse. Even though He spoke of "the narrow gate, or door (or: cramped entry)," in vs. 24, above, this Gate/Door would accommodate the ethnic multitudes from all over the earth, when, in the 1st century, God moved His reign from a single people unto the masses of humanity (cf Rom. 5:14-21; 11:17ff; Eph. 2:7-22). And recall Jn. 10:9,
"I Myself AM the Door (or: Gate; Entrance); if anyone should enter in through Me he will be constantly kept safe and protected (made whole and returned to his original condition; rescued; delivered; saved), and he will be habitually going in (entering) and going out (exiting), and he will continue finding pasture (something to feed on)."
Now let us look at how Paul came to see this all happening, via this "Door/Gate," and how he described the scene spoken of by Jesus (here in vs. 29), in his letter to the Colossians, chapter 1:
17. And He is before (prior to; or: maintains precedence of) all things and all people, and the whole has (or: all things have) been placed together and now continues to jointly-stand (stands cohesively; is made to have a co-standing) within the midst of and in union with Him,
18. and so He is the Head (or: Source) of the body - which is the called-out community (the ecclesia; the summoned congregation) - Who is the Beginning (or: the Source, Origin and Ruling Principle; the Beginning Power and Ability of the process), a Firstborn forth from out of the midst of dead folks, to the end that He would be birthed (may come into existence; or: could come to be) within all things and in all people: He continuously holding first place (or: constantly being preeminent; or: habitually being the First One; or: continuing being the First Man [note: this phrase has in Greek literature been used as a title for a person]),
19. because WITHIN Him all - the entire contents (the result of that which fills everything; all the effect of the full measure [of things]) - delights to settle down and dwell as in a house (or: because He approved all the fullness [of all existence] to permanently reside within Him)
20. and THROUGH Him at once to transfer the all (the whole; = all of existential creation), away from a certain state to the level of another which is quite different (or: to change all things, bringing movement away from being down; to reconcile all things; to change everything from estrangement and alienation to friendship and harmony and move all), INTO Him - making (constructing; forming; creating) peace (harmonious joining) through the blood of His cross: through Him, whether the things upon the earth (or: land) or the things within the atmospheres and heavens!
So the Narrow Gate leads into a very expansive place that, with each in his or her own place in line (1 Cor. 15:23), will in time contain "the entire contents" of "all." We see, above, that, "the whole has (or: all things have) been placed together and now continues to jointly-stand (stands cohesively; is made to have a co-standing) within the midst of and in union with Him." This is a work of Christ, Who, "at once [transferred] the all (the whole; = all of existential creation), away from a certain state to the level of another which is quite different: INTO Him." So much could be said, here; just meditate on it.
Before concluding our observations on this passage in Lu. 13, let us consider another place where Jesus used the metaphor of a Gate, in Mat. 7:
13. "You folks enter at once through this (or: the) narrow, restrictive and cramping Gate - because wide [is] the gate and spacious (roomy, having the characteristics of free, open country) [is] the roadway habitually leading off into the loosing-away of loss, ruin and destruction (or: demolition), and many are the folks continuously (or: one after another in a steady stream) entering through, and by means of, it -
14. "for this (or: the) Gate is narrow, cramping and restrictive which is habitually leading off into the Life - and this (or: the) Path has been compressed and squeezed [to where the traveler is being pressed and encumbered] - and the folks presently (or: one after another, in a continuous procession) finding it are few.
Marz adds: "Many will not be able to enter through the narrow gate so they will enter through the wide gate. It seems that to be saved, healed and made whole is more of an internal matter in which we in ever greater degree participate in our sonship, the Christ that is in us, our hope of glory continues to cleanse us of missing the mark" We suggest that the "spacious roadway" of Mat. 7:13 was a figure for the way of life being lived by Second Temple Judaism, in the 1st century AD. This was a description to their everyday lives, and they were on their way to AD 70: a time of Judea's "loosing-away of loss, ruin and destruction (or: demolition)." Although the Judean leadership wanted to be in charge of God's kingdom, they were not bearing the fruit of its Spirit (Love). In Mat. 3, John the immerser had harsh words for them:
8. "Produce, then, fruit which has a corresponding value to, and is appropriate of, a change in thinking, attitude and state of consciousness, as well as a turn [toward God].
9. "Furthermore, do not presume to be habitually saying among yourselves, 'We continue having Abraham [as] a father,' for I am now saying to you that God continues able (or: constantly has power) to at once raise up (or: awaken) children to Abraham (or: for Abraham; in Abraham) from out of these stones!
10. "Now you see, the axe is already continuing lying [being focused] toward (or: facing toward) the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree not habitually (repeatedly; = seasonally) producing beautiful (ideal; fine) fruit is customarily being cut out [of the orchard or garden], and is normally thrown into a fire. [comment: to be used for fuel; also: prefigures AD 70]
11. "I myself, on the one hand, continue immersing you folks in water, [which proceeds] into the midst of a change in thinking (a change of perception, attitude, frame of mind, way of thinking, mode of thought, in state of consciousness, as well as a turning back [to Yahweh]). On the other hand, the One progressively coming close after me is (exists being) stronger than I, Whose sandals I am not competent (or: adequate) to lift up and carry off. He, Himself, will proceed immersing (baptizing) you folks within the midst of a set-apart Breath-effect and Fire (or: will repeatedly submerge you to the point of saturation, in union with [the] Holy Spirit, even to the permeation of a Sacred Attitude, as well as with [the] Fire) -
12. "Whose winnowing fork (or: shovel) [is] within His hand, and He will proceed thoroughly cleaning up (clearing, scouring and cleansing) His threshing floor and then will progressively gather (bring together) His grain into the storehouse (granary; barn), yet the chaff (straw and husks) He will continue completely burning, in an inextinguishable Fire." [cf Ezk. 36:26-27; 37:14; 39:29; Isa. 44:3; Joel 2:28; comment: a prophecy aimed at the Judean leadership; chaff, a figure of the old covenant and the first Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), is the part of the plant that bore the Grain, but is no longer useful, as food]
The picture of "the narrow, restrictive, cramping Gate" (Mat. 7:14a, above) may be a picture of what Jesus said in Mat. 16:
25. "You see, whoever may intend (or: should purpose; might set his will; happens to want) to keep his soul-life safe (rescue himself; preserve the conscious life that he is living) will continue loosing-it-away and destroying it. Yet whoever can loose-away and even destroy his soul-life (the consciousness of self) on My account, he will continue finding it!
26. "For what will a person (or: mankind) proceed being benefited, or in what will he (or: it) continue helped or augmented, if he (it) can or would advantageously procure and gain the whole ordered system of society: government, economy, culture, religion - even the whole universe, yet would be undergoing the loss of, receive damage to, or be made to forfeit, his soul-life (the consciousness which he is; or: its interior self [in its reality])? Or what will a person (or: mankind) proceed giving as a result of a change-instead (or: in exchange) pertaining to his (or: its) soul (or: as an effect corresponding to transformation of the consciousness of, or which is, himself/itself which makes him/it other than he/it is)?
27. "You see, the Son of the Man (or: mankind's son; or: = the Son of Adam; or: [the eschatological Messianic figure]; or: the Human Being) is presently about to continue progressively coming (or: repeatedly passing from place to place) within the glory (the manifestation which calls forth praise; the assumed appearance) of His Father, with His agents (messengers; folks with the message). And at that time, He will proceed giving back (or: repaying; recompensing) to each one in corresponding accord with his practice, behavior and operation of business.
Mk. 8:35b uses a different verb than that which ends Mat. 16:25b,
"Yet whoever destroys his soul (or: soul-life; consciousness of the estranged self) on account of Me and for the sake of the good news will progressively deliver (rescue; save) it (or: will continue restoring it to health, wholeness and its original state and condition)."
These passages in Matthew and Mark shed light on the life-way of being "the body of Christ," and walking with Him. These descriptions of "the Way of the disciple" also speak to the question that was asked in Lu. 13:23a, above.
30. "And so - now think about this - last folks are they who will continue being first ones, and yet first folks are they who will continue being last ones (or: they continue being last ones who will proceed in being first ones; and they continue being first ones who will regress to being last ones)."
We suggest that the "last folks" to which He refers were the outcasts and no-accounts who became disciples and followers of Jesus. They were on the lower rungs of the Judean society of that time and place. The "first folks" were those who were at that time the elites of their society. These "first folks" were not given to accept Him and believe in Him (cf Mat. 13:11-17), and so were "broken out" of their olive tree (Rom. 11:17-23), but Rom. 11:23-33 explains how these "first folks" will later be brought through "the narrow gate" (grafted back into their own olive tree). The olive tree was the source of oil, which in turn was a figure of the anointing. Anointing someone was a symbolic act signifying God's Spirit resting upon them and selecting them to function in a leadership role, within Israel: as a prophet, a priest or a king. Being "broken out" did not mean that they ceased to be God's people, but that they had lost their position of leadership and would likely live in a state of metaphorical exile (as seen in Israel's history).
The positions of "last" and "first" were relational terms speaking of the same context. If applied to social stratification, they could refer to the lower strata and the upper strata - but both strata being in the same society. If speaking of running a race (e.g., 1 Cor. 9:24) in the games (as signified by the imperative "struggle, exert and agonized," in vs. 24, above), it would in vs. 30 indicate that some of the Judeans would finish the course, but might cross the line in "last place."
This verse does not speak of exclusion, but of relative places within the same context. Jesus did not say that entering the House meant "going to heaven," while being closed out of the House meant "going to hell." The "heaven or hell" message of institutional Christianity is a false dichotomy, and has no foundation in either the Old Testament or the New Testament (when these are translated literally, and properly). Jesus' call was for discipleship; being a disciple of Jesus had a view to leadership within His reign. The House in His parables signified participation in reigning with Him in His kingdom. In John 15:1ff He used the metaphor of a Vine with branches. Both figures speak of the same thing, just as Paul refers to the covenant communities as being both "the body of Christ," and "a Temple (House) of God." The followers and communities were set to minister Life and healing to those around them, not to be exclusive groups. They were called to "place (set; lay; put) [their] souls (or: inner beings; selves; persons; the consciousnesses which they are) over [the situation or circumstances of; = to cover] (or: on behalf of) [their] friends" (Jn. 15:13b; modified).
Jonathan
PS: John Gavazzoni has added this insightful perspective:
"Here's a thought: suppose there is a broader application beside the obvious that Jonathan has so clearly shown, an application stemming from an always present and thus multi-applicable principle. Jesus' words, in that respect, paint a word-picture for me. I see the two gates, the wide and the narrow, not side by side, but the narrow gate further down the road after one has entered the wide/broad gate. On the broad road that leads to destruction a straight gate appears down that road that 'few' are drawn through which to enter. As to the very apparent application for those to whom He was speaking at that time, for that time, after all, Paul goes on to explain, that God chose the Gentiles to make the Jews jealous.
"You see, we all, since Adam, have entered through the wide gate and started down the road to destruction... all of us have, and all in the future will also. The certainty of broad gate-entrance encompasses all people of all time, past, present, and future, but pertaining to entering the narrow gate and onto the road that leads to life, AT any given time, only a few find that gate, and purely by election. BUT, the key phrase is, 'at any given time.' Up until today, only certain ones have found and entered that gate, but each day onward, on this side, and the other side, daily, more and more of the 'few' go through the narrow gate, UNTIL finally, inevitably the few become the many/all.
"I find it an incontrovertible truth that election, the choosing of some exclusive of the many others, always leads to absolute inclusivity. I used the illustration in a conference years ago, that when a doctor inoculates a person, he chooses one tiny point of the body for the needle's insertion... one tiny spot, but then, from that exclusivity, the inoculated substance then spreads to the whole body by way of the blood. This is seen in Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane: On one hand, He said He was not praying for the world, but for those the Father had (at that time) given Him, yet He went on to pray that the world would know through the witness of the elect, that the Father had sent Him, AND that the world would believe through them. Exclusivity for the purpose of inclusivity."
PPS: To John's thoughts I would add that the choosing of Israel exemplified his final paragraph, above. Also, Paul spoke to what John says in his second paragraph, "AT any given time," in 1 Cor. 15:23,
"yet each person within the result of his or her own set position [in line] (or: effect of ordered placement; appointed class; arranged time and turn, or order of succession; = place in a harvest calendar, thus, due season of maturity)..."
And then Heb. 13:8 informs us that,
"Jesus Christ [the Gate; Door] [is] the same yesterday and today and on into the ages."
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