afterWORD Matthew 7 PART 2 Narrow Gate and Way

Let's start it right this time:
Consider the following literal and cultural context in your thinking about this set of verses, by imagining what the use of these words and the images they might have sparked in the hearers of Jesus in that time and place.  These thoughts are not intended to say that this is absolutely what He meant. Rather meditate on the words in hopes the richer connotations might expound on the history and setting of His sermon and expand your joy in Christ.


Last time we talked about genealogy in context of what some historians describe about the first century and OT Jewish culture and its influence on the hearing of the passage on the tree and its fruit "after its own kind."  Today is entirely literal.  It involves a couple words in the English language--narrow, broad/wide--but in the original language it is four words.  In Matthew 7:13-14 it talks of a narrow gate and narrow way that leads to life and a wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction.  Let's consider these six words.

gate.  Construct in your head the picture of a gate, something on this side leading to the gate, a path or road on the other side. Only don't think of a picket or chain link fence gate like today.  Rather the opening is really the gate, not necessarily just a piece of swinging wood or metal.  It is an opening in a boundary.  Think of the gate of a sheepfold, which may merely be an opening in a foot or two thick stone wall (and the shepherd standing in the gap is the "gate") or even the gates of a walled city like Jericho with 40 ft thick walls. 

wide is the gate.  The original word would conjure a gently sloping wide open field. Spread out and flat. Doesn't sound like much of a boundary, and it would take an incredible hinge if it were chain link or wood.
broad is the way.  spacious, broad.  That does not mean just that it's a wide open field but there's plenty of room to walk and no one pushing against you going the other direction (you'll see in a second).  You can also envision the space in front of you, not really any way to mark your progress walking across a field or a desert (again, you'll see in a second).
"Indeed the safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." - C. S. Lewis The Screwtape Letters

narrow (strait) is the gate.  narrow because of obstacles around it (think Straits of Magellan).  The root word this is based on means suffering.  The original language gives an image of an opening so tight that you would have to suffer to squeeeeeze through it, leaving behind anything you carry because it's so tight, and even then it is still painful to pass through. 
narrow is the way. narrow because of a crowd. Literally the word means groaning, affliction, suffering, tribulation, a throng.  It's not that there isn't a wide path, it's that there's difficulty walking forward through all the people pressing against you opposing your progress.  Every step forward is a burden.  Imagine a NY city street, you could get carried the opposite way.  Only, they aren't just traveling in a different direction, they are troubling your progress.  Progress is an important aspect of this word "narrow".

Go back to that picture. A gate, on the incoming side incredible obstacles leading to a painfully tight fit through a potentially thick boundary.  Come out on the other side to meet a way pressed through a throng, a tumult of people, progress is difficult and groaning with persecution.

way that leads to life. This word "way" is little but packs a punch. It means the physical road, the route or directions, the distance, the act of traveling that road, and even the progress along the route being traveled.  All in one little word.  In English we think some of this too but not all at the same time.  The way to the store, I'm on my way (or for you texters, OMW), show me the way, which way, along the way, ONE WAY, WRONG WAY...way too much information?  It's the route to take, the road you walk to get there, and the progress you've made to your destination...sometimes all at once.  Chew on this, we'll come back to it.

It's a sermon:
So why mention this suffering strait gate only found through the obstacles that comes out headlong into the groaning suffering throng way leading to life?

Immediately before v12.  Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 

These are the blessednesses...I have come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.  These are the true demands of the Law.  Therefore, be the salt. Do all things whatsoever to all the throng that cause groaning, bless those who persecute you, pray for those who spitefully use you...for this is the Law and the Prophets...that leads to life. And there are few who find it (the gate, the way, the life).

Immediate after v15ff.  ...this is the Law and the Prophets...beware of FALSE prophets--ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing.  You have heard by them of old the Law says this, but I say otherwise.  True conversion is a gate amid obstacles.  The true road to life is strait, suffering, through the throng (not with it). And consider those who tell you almost the truth but not quite, the false, the imposter, as the persecutors.  It's not just those who hate the gospel to stand against you in the throng as you pursue faith. It's also those who make it hard to pursue through false teachings, slowing you down, relaxing your pursuit, steering you out of the truth into the high grass where it's harder to walk and see the steps of those who have gone before.  But your job in faith is doing ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER to all men (even those in the throng working against you) as you believe they should do to you--that's the REAL Law and the Prophets!

Is Jesus saying this is the blessednesses (Matt 5) and the true demands of the Law?  Does v12 ring true with Matt 5?  Does true and false ring true with Matt 6?  Is He saying suffering what it takes to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God even if persecuted for righteousness sake is the way to true life?  He is the author (Matt 7:24), and He comes to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matt 5).

Want an application?  Well, this is as close as I can get:
1. who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame...I AM the WAY, the Truth, and the LIFE. (Alpha and Omega, the source and the destination, the seed and the exceeding great reward).  No man comes to the Father but by ME.  He is the suffering gate amid obstacles, the groaning way against the throng, and the Life awaiting. 

2. What good father who's son asked for bread would give him a stone.  You want blessing? It's not comfort and relaxation.  That is not true blessing. Poor in spirit, persecuted for righteousness sake, the narrow way--that is true blessing because it gives us Him more perfectly and closely.  for so persecuted they the prophets of old. 

Every NT writer talks of this:
Acts 9:15-16, Rom 8:15-19, 2 Cor 1: 5, Phil 1:29, Heb 2:10;11:25, James 5:10, I Pet 2:20ff, Rev 2:8-11

3. the light of the body is the eye.  Did you know that if your printer is without black ink, it won't print color pictures correctly?  that's just good advice.  But keep in mind "secret" in the sermon is not the same as darkness.  How you see black and white (truths) changes how you receive colorful joy.  James tells us that persecution is not working against us but actually is evidence God is working for us, to perfect our faith and bring us joy.  James 1:2-4.  What you see is what you get.  So now, for the joy set before you, despise the shame, take up your cross and follow the author and finisher of your faith who was made perfect through suffering

One Sermon.
Part 1 and Part 2 of this afterWORD come together in John 8, starting in verse 31 and really going to the end of the chapter. "then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him... "

If you have a few minutes this week, consider the text yesterday with the Jewish culture as you read John 8, looking for the words "seed" and "My word in you" and "father" and "fruit" and "come from".  And then think on today's words in the original language as you read "continue" "life" "free" "keep".