------------------
We think Mr. Ratliff is misunderstanding Jesus' teaching on the narrow door (gate). His understanding is a common idea among Christians, likely arising from Reformed doctrine/Calvinism. The belief is that there won't be many saved, based partly on the idea that there will be a last days apostasy with a lot of phony Christians who are not true followers. The narrow door/gate fits right in with this idea.
We think Mr. Ratliff is misunderstanding Jesus' teaching on the narrow door (gate). His understanding is a common idea among Christians, likely arising from Reformed doctrine/Calvinism. The belief is that there won't be many saved, based partly on the idea that there will be a last days apostasy with a lot of phony Christians who are not true followers. The narrow door/gate fits right in with this idea.
We think it is wrong, however. What happens with interpreting these passages is one of the main reasons we embarked on our Doctrinal Rethink. We began to see that too often the Bible translators don't translate words correctly, or they carry preconceptions, which leads us to false doctrines and false teaching.
Here's the first passage:
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Mt. 7:13-14 (NIV)
"Narrow" (the narrow gate) in verse 13 is stenos, which the NIV translators correctly render. But "narrow" (narrow the road) in the next verse is a different Greek word, thlibó, to press, afflict... I make narrow (strictly: by pressure); I press upon, (b) I persecute, press hard. To translate both words as "narrow" implies Jesus was repeating his thought but He wasn't. The word thlibó carries a completely different thought.
Notice the present-ness of this. We believe Jesus was speaking of what was happening right at that moment. Literally, of those who were listening to him, not many were finding the way of life He was telling them about. Few are those... "Are" is eiemi, the present tense. Again, we need to clearly understand the target of Jesus' comments. Few of His fellow Jews are traveling through the narrow gate because it is difficult, and in fact, being a Jew isn't good enough.
Some translations convey the meaning better:
ESV For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
NKJV Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
NLT: "But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it."
CSB: "How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it."
The crux of our thesis is that Jesus is particularly talking about a hard journey. And, the two words translated “narrow” in verse by the NIV are two different Greek words.
We think the NIV translators engage in an egregious mistranslation of the word, which changes the whole meaning.
The second passage sort of expands the idea:
Lk. 13:23-23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, `Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, `I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, `We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, `I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.” NIV
This opens with someone specifically asking about salvation: Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?
We can say with certainty that this question was not about gentiles. Jews considered the salvation of God to be for Israel only. So the question is a Jewish question. "Jesus, you have been preaching a new way, and we don't understand. Please explain. Are you really saying only a few of us going to be saved?"
The questioner was probably catching on to the idea that this gospel Jesus was preaching meant that not every Jew was going to be saved. This would be a startling revelation to the typical Jew, who would consider himself to be part of the chosen nation as a son of Abraham.
Jesus answered him, that the door is narrow, and many will try and fail to enter. Who are these that fail to enter? Jesus tells them directly: We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets. He was talking to and about Jews. They would consider themselves brothers, but they are the ones Jesus never knew.
Jesus' countrymen will be told that He did not know them.
John references this reality:
Jn. 1:11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
"His own" are the Jews. They did not recognize Him or receive Him. Paul explained why:
Ro. 9:6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
At this very time Jesus was speaking there were not many Jews who accepting His message, they were not entering in the narrow door. It's narrow because only a few of God's chosen people were entering this "new and living way" (He. 10:20).
Jesus was speaking to specifically to Israel. That's the obvious context. He was speaking to His listeners, and His listeners were Jewish. So how would they understand it? They would recognize that He was speaking to their current situation. Thus He essentially was saying, "Here I am, and not many of you are taking me up on what I offer."
He goes on to explain that from every corner of the earth the "last" (that is, the gentiles) will take their places at the feast, and the Jews (the "first") will be the last.
Jesus speaks something that must have surprised His hearers: The most righteous-seeming Jews they knew of would not enter the Kingdom.
5 And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He was marveling at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching. Mark 6:5-6 (LSB)
Some say that the number of true Christians is determined by how many are members of a certain religious group. Others say that this number is determined by how many have met a certain checklist of religious requirements. These and many other Christian apologists come up with their own requirements. Wouldn’t it make a lot more sense to go by what our Lord taught instead? The issue with all of these determining lists of requirements is that they are based on human merit in one way or another. However the Word of God tells us clearly that NO ONE is saved according to this.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (LSB)
In this singularly profound passage we have God’s own determining factors for our salvation. What are they? Christians are saved by God’s grace through faith. Neither of these factors are of our own doing in any way whatsoever. Why? This is a gift of God. If it had anything to do with us then it would be the result of works in one way or another. Why? God did it this way so that no one may boast. Are you in Christ? If you are then you are in Him according to God’s Grace through faith as a gift of God. You did nothing to earn or deserve it…nothing! Before His crucifixion, our Lord was asked, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” (Luke 13:23) This question could have been prompted by the subsiding numbers of faithful followers after our Lord’s hard preaching in John 6:66. His message to the people was not one of easy-believism. Instead, it was becoming more and more demanding in a way to discourage the half-hearted. In Matthew 7:14 He stated, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” These facts could have prompted the question in Luke 13:23. What was our Lord’s response?
23 And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 And He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU WORKERS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out. 29 And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.” Luke 13:23-30 (LSB)
23 Εἶπεν δέ τις αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ ὀλίγοι οἱ σῳζόμενοι; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· 24 ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῆς στενῆς θύρας, ὅτι πολλοί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ζητήσουσιν εἰσελθεῖν καὶ οὐκ ἰσχύσουσιν. 25 ἀφʼ οὗ ἂν ἐγερθῇ ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης καὶ ἀποκλείσῃ τὴν θύραν καὶ ἄρξησθε ἔξω ἑστάναι καὶ κρούειν τὴν θύραν λέγοντες· κύριε, ἄνοιξον ἡμῖν, καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ἐρεῖ ὑμῖν· οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς πόθεν ἐστέ. 26 τότε ἄρξεσθε λέγειν· ἐφάγομεν ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ ἐπίομεν καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἡμῶν ἐδίδαξας· 27 καὶ ἐρεῖ λέγων ὑμῖν· οὐκ οἶδα [ὑμᾶς] πόθεν ἐστέ· ἀπόστητε ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ πάντες ἐργάται ἀδικίας. 28 ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων, * ὅταν ὄψησθε Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ καὶ πάντας τοὺς προφήτας ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὑμᾶς δὲ ἐκβαλλομένους ἔξω. 29 καὶ ἥξουσιν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν καὶ ἀπὸ βορρᾶ καὶ νότου καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ. 30 καὶ ἰδοὺ εἰσὶν ἔσχατοι οἳ ἔσονται πρῶτοι καὶ εἰσὶν πρῶτοι οἳ ἔσονται ἔσχατοι. Luke 13:23-30 (NA28)
23 And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door, because many, I say to you, will seek to enter and they will not be able to. 25 After the Master of the House has arisen and He closes the door , and you begin to stand outside and to knock on the door saying, Lord open up for us, and having answered He will say to you, I do not know where are you from 26 Then You will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence, and You taught in our streets.” 27 and He will speak saying to you, “I do not know where you are from; Go Away from me, all workers of unrighteousness. 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you being thrown out outside 29 and they will come from East and West and from North and South and they will recline at table in the Kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.” (Luke 13:23-30 translated from the NA28 Greek text to English)
The Greek word translated in v24 as “strive” is ἀγωνίζεσθε. This verb is in present tense, imperative mood, and active voice, therefore, this is a command to do something in the future which involves continuous or repeated action. This word defines action of contention or struggle for victory. Is our Lord contradicting what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8,9? No! Salvation cannot be according to merit so this striving to enter the narrow door is not in any way a suggestion that salvation could be earned or deserved through it. So, what is our Lord telling us? Salvation is solely by grace, not by works. However, those who are saved because they are justified by faith must also strive to enter the narrow gate, which is very difficult. The entering it is not what saves them, but all who are truly saved must, nevertheless, enter this difficult way. This is another description of the cost of discipleship. Entering the narrow gate is difficult because of its high cost in terms of human pride, the demand of walking in repentance, and because to do so puts believers in opposition to the world and its ways. Therefore, what is our Lord commanding us to do? All genuine believers are commanded to undertake a life of walking in repentance as they submit to the Lordship of Christ in all parts of their lives. This is why this is difficult and why so few respond to the real Gospel. Oh, the easy-believism versions of the gospel may fill up church pews or church rolls or evangelism success stories, but if the demands of Christ’s narrow door is laid before them, only a few would be willing to undertake it. This is why He also said that only those who take up their crosses and follow Him are really His disciples.
In v25 our Lord uses the analogy of the master of the house rising and closing the door. Those who believed they were “in Christ” on their own terms were left outside. The genuine believers have already entered by this very narrow door while those not wanting to undertake a life of repentance and submission to the Lordship of Christ are outside knocking on the door to be let in. What was the response of the master? ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then those left outside will respond, “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” Of course, this is an analogy of the judgment when many will protest that they deserve entrance into heaven (cf. Matthew 7:21-23), but they are not our Lord’s disciples. They proved this by not entering by the narrow door. All of our Lord’s genuine believers do strive to enter by the narrow door. They may struggle mightily, but because they are the children of God, He gives them grace and the helper so that they are able. On the other hand, those religious people who are not sheep of our Lord’s hand will demand entrance based on their own merit, but they will be told, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” No relationship ever existed between them and our Lord. They may have thought that there was because of their religiosity, but He will be emphatic in sending them to that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
So, according to our Lord’s response, are there only a few saved? If it is determined by some apologists that salvation is based on something other than what is clearly taught in scripture then those they represent are not genuine Christians. Those who take up their crosses, deny themselves, follow Jesus and enter by the narrow door prove they are authentic Christians as they live their lives as living sacrifices before the face of God.
1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—living, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (LSB)
This passage is a wonderful example of what this crucified life is all about. I pray that all reading this will submit themselves to the Lordship of Christ, take up their own crosses and follow the Lord through His narrow door.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jesus speaks something that must have surprised His hearers: The most righteous-seeming Jews they knew of would not enter the Kingdom.
Mt. 5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.So this was a teaching specifically aimed at the Jews, who would largely reject Him and have their house left to them desolate (Mt. 23:38).
Jesus was speaking to His contemporaries, He is addressing His audience; they are the ones who only a few were choosing the difficult road. The "few" are those Jews who received the Gospel, while the rest will be shut out. Therefore, we would say that Matt. 7:13-14 and Lk. 13:23-3 teach different aspects of the same idea - - and it has nothing to do with just a few being saved.
Jesus' heart was first for His people, the Jews, and they were rejecting Him. This is how we should understand these passages.
5 And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He was marveling at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching. Mark 6:5-6 (LSB)
Some say that the number of true Christians is determined by how many are members of a certain religious group. Others say that this number is determined by how many have met a certain checklist of religious requirements. These and many other Christian apologists come up with their own requirements. Wouldn’t it make a lot more sense to go by what our Lord taught instead? The issue with all of these determining lists of requirements is that they are based on human merit in one way or another. However the Word of God tells us clearly that NO ONE is saved according to this.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (LSB)
In this singularly profound passage we have God’s own determining factors for our salvation. What are they? Christians are saved by God’s grace through faith. Neither of these factors are of our own doing in any way whatsoever. Why? This is a gift of God. If it had anything to do with us then it would be the result of works in one way or another. Why? God did it this way so that no one may boast. Are you in Christ? If you are then you are in Him according to God’s Grace through faith as a gift of God. You did nothing to earn or deserve it…nothing! Before His crucifixion, our Lord was asked, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” (Luke 13:23) This question could have been prompted by the subsiding numbers of faithful followers after our Lord’s hard preaching in John 6:66. His message to the people was not one of easy-believism. Instead, it was becoming more and more demanding in a way to discourage the half-hearted. In Matthew 7:14 He stated, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” These facts could have prompted the question in Luke 13:23. What was our Lord’s response?
23 And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 And He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU WORKERS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out. 29 And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.” Luke 13:23-30 (LSB)
23 Εἶπεν δέ τις αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ ὀλίγοι οἱ σῳζόμενοι; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· 24 ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῆς στενῆς θύρας, ὅτι πολλοί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ζητήσουσιν εἰσελθεῖν καὶ οὐκ ἰσχύσουσιν. 25 ἀφʼ οὗ ἂν ἐγερθῇ ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης καὶ ἀποκλείσῃ τὴν θύραν καὶ ἄρξησθε ἔξω ἑστάναι καὶ κρούειν τὴν θύραν λέγοντες· κύριε, ἄνοιξον ἡμῖν, καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ἐρεῖ ὑμῖν· οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς πόθεν ἐστέ. 26 τότε ἄρξεσθε λέγειν· ἐφάγομεν ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ ἐπίομεν καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἡμῶν ἐδίδαξας· 27 καὶ ἐρεῖ λέγων ὑμῖν· οὐκ οἶδα [ὑμᾶς] πόθεν ἐστέ· ἀπόστητε ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ πάντες ἐργάται ἀδικίας. 28 ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων, * ὅταν ὄψησθε Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ καὶ πάντας τοὺς προφήτας ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὑμᾶς δὲ ἐκβαλλομένους ἔξω. 29 καὶ ἥξουσιν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν καὶ ἀπὸ βορρᾶ καὶ νότου καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ. 30 καὶ ἰδοὺ εἰσὶν ἔσχατοι οἳ ἔσονται πρῶτοι καὶ εἰσὶν πρῶτοι οἳ ἔσονται ἔσχατοι. Luke 13:23-30 (NA28)
23 And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door, because many, I say to you, will seek to enter and they will not be able to. 25 After the Master of the House has arisen and He closes the door , and you begin to stand outside and to knock on the door saying, Lord open up for us, and having answered He will say to you, I do not know where are you from 26 Then You will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence, and You taught in our streets.” 27 and He will speak saying to you, “I do not know where you are from; Go Away from me, all workers of unrighteousness. 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you being thrown out outside 29 and they will come from East and West and from North and South and they will recline at table in the Kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.” (Luke 13:23-30 translated from the NA28 Greek text to English)
The Greek word translated in v24 as “strive” is ἀγωνίζεσθε. This verb is in present tense, imperative mood, and active voice, therefore, this is a command to do something in the future which involves continuous or repeated action. This word defines action of contention or struggle for victory. Is our Lord contradicting what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8,9? No! Salvation cannot be according to merit so this striving to enter the narrow door is not in any way a suggestion that salvation could be earned or deserved through it. So, what is our Lord telling us? Salvation is solely by grace, not by works. However, those who are saved because they are justified by faith must also strive to enter the narrow gate, which is very difficult. The entering it is not what saves them, but all who are truly saved must, nevertheless, enter this difficult way. This is another description of the cost of discipleship. Entering the narrow gate is difficult because of its high cost in terms of human pride, the demand of walking in repentance, and because to do so puts believers in opposition to the world and its ways. Therefore, what is our Lord commanding us to do? All genuine believers are commanded to undertake a life of walking in repentance as they submit to the Lordship of Christ in all parts of their lives. This is why this is difficult and why so few respond to the real Gospel. Oh, the easy-believism versions of the gospel may fill up church pews or church rolls or evangelism success stories, but if the demands of Christ’s narrow door is laid before them, only a few would be willing to undertake it. This is why He also said that only those who take up their crosses and follow Him are really His disciples.
In v25 our Lord uses the analogy of the master of the house rising and closing the door. Those who believed they were “in Christ” on their own terms were left outside. The genuine believers have already entered by this very narrow door while those not wanting to undertake a life of repentance and submission to the Lordship of Christ are outside knocking on the door to be let in. What was the response of the master? ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then those left outside will respond, “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” Of course, this is an analogy of the judgment when many will protest that they deserve entrance into heaven (cf. Matthew 7:21-23), but they are not our Lord’s disciples. They proved this by not entering by the narrow door. All of our Lord’s genuine believers do strive to enter by the narrow door. They may struggle mightily, but because they are the children of God, He gives them grace and the helper so that they are able. On the other hand, those religious people who are not sheep of our Lord’s hand will demand entrance based on their own merit, but they will be told, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” No relationship ever existed between them and our Lord. They may have thought that there was because of their religiosity, but He will be emphatic in sending them to that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
So, according to our Lord’s response, are there only a few saved? If it is determined by some apologists that salvation is based on something other than what is clearly taught in scripture then those they represent are not genuine Christians. Those who take up their crosses, deny themselves, follow Jesus and enter by the narrow door prove they are authentic Christians as they live their lives as living sacrifices before the face of God.
1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—living, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (LSB)
This passage is a wonderful example of what this crucified life is all about. I pray that all reading this will submit themselves to the Lordship of Christ, take up their own crosses and follow the Lord through His narrow door.
Soli Deo Gloria!
No comments:
Post a Comment