The Narrow Gate
TRANSLATION
(13) “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter that way are many. (14) For the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
(15) “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are rapacious wolves. (16) You will know them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? (17) So every healthy tree produces good fruit, but diseased trees produce bad fruit. (18) A healthy tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor does a diseased tree produce good fruit. (19) Every tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Therefore you will know them by their fruit.”
OBSERVATIONS
In the first two verses of this segment, we find important contrasts: “narrow” vs. “broad,” “destruction” vs. “life,” “many” vs. “few,” along with several repetitions. These include “enter” (twice in vs. 13), “gate” (three times in vss. 13 & 14), “way” and “leads to,” (both used twice in vss. 13 & 14).
In the next six verses, we find additional contrasts: “sheep” vs. “wolves,” “grapes” vs. “thornbushes”, “figs” vs. “thistles,” “healthy” vs. “diseased,” and “good” vs. “bad.” Repetitions included seven uses of “fruit” (vs. 16, twice in vss. 17 & 18 and vss. 19 & 20). Three of these are modified by “good” while two are modified by “bad.” Five uses of “tree(s)” are also found (vss. 17, 18, & 19), two modified by “healthy” and one by “diseased.” “Produce(s)” is likewise found five times (vss. 17, 18 & 19). The aphorism, “you will know them by their fruit,” found first in verse 16, was repeated in the closing statement (vs. 20).
OUTLINE
I. We find the way to life by entering through the “narrow gate.” (13 & 14)
II. We pursue the way of life by continuing with those who produce “good fruit.” (15-20)
IDEA STATEMENT
Both entering and continuing on the way to life requires that we possess wise and discerning hearts.
APPLICATION
After warning his disciples about exhibiting a judgmental, critical spirit (Mt. 7:1-6), Jesus with his next statements called on them to be discerning regarding spiritual truth. Two related issues were of particular concern to him and should be to us. This first involved how disciples discover the pathway that leads to life and the second how they are to remain on that path. Many falsely claimed to know the way to eternal life. Some held that the way to God required keeping the Law. Others declared that there were many ways to climb the mountain so as to reach the summit, basically validating all “sincere” approaches to God. Jesus would later teach his disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me” (Jn. 14:6). When it comes to discovering the one path that leads to heaven, we must enter by the “narrow gate,” the way that Jesus himself has pioneered for us.
The same holds true for our remaining on that path. Only as we walk by the guidance and enablement of the Holy Spirit will we successfully reach our destination in heaven. That there is only one way to God should not surprise nor offend us. If our destination is the Father’s house and the Father’s Son has blazed the trail for us, it should make perfect sense that the Son’s way is the one and only way to heaven. He has not made access to this destination inaccessible or impossible. He has simply required that we trust in him alone, not in ourselves nor in any other pathway, to lead us there.