Matthew 7:13-14 | "Enter Through the Narrow Gate" [The Way]

I. Reading of Scripture

Matthew 7:13 ESV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

Matthew 7:14 ESV

14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

This is God’s Word, Amen.

Pray

II. Introduction

A. Introduction to Theme

It is very interesting how our minds work and process thoughts even when we are not aware of it.

We may desire to purchase a particular type of car, and what happens? As we think about that car, and research that car, and simply have an interest in that car — it seems that we find those cars appearing everywhere we look — on TV commercials, on billboards, and being driven next to us on the roads.

Those TV commercials, billboards, and cars on the roads had been there all along, its just that we start to notice them when we look for them.

When we think about them and talk about them, we become more aware of them.

When we seek them, we find them.

This is the kind of transforming effect that the Word of God has upon us. This is the effect the teachings of Jesus have upon all who are near to hear.

The teachings of Jesus are not sayings to be applauded. They are sayings to be applied.

As someone observed (Stott?) —

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most well-known and celebrated of teachings and yet it is the least obeyed.

While many hear Jesus’ words, only a few receive them, believe them, and obey them.

This is made visible in the setting of this Sermon. The crowds are gathered around and hear. But the disciples have come near to Jesus. The disciples not only hear, but also receive what He speaks as those who will do something with it.

That first action of the disciples was an important one.

Matthew 5:1 ESV

1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

“his disciples came to him.”

That is the first step of seeking. Not standing at a distance, but coming to him. Come near. It’s a posture of receiving to believe and obey.

Up until this point, you may have heard Jesus’ teachings and remained relatively comfortable. Because what Jesus says, sounds goods to you. “Love your enemies.” That’s a hard teaching, but it sounds good.

But here, at the conclusion of The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus begins to clearly distinguish the thoughts of His hearers — separating those who think these things sound good, from those who think upon these things to seek after them, and do them.

This is where, as R.T. France says, that a contrast is presented between a “disciple’s profession” and “his performance.”

What we seek after, we find. What we think upon, we apply. Who we are, is revealed by what we do.

Has your profession of faith informed the practice of your faith?

Your profession of faith will not grant you access into Heaven. A profession is simply words. But it is your profession accompanied with your belief that is the evidence of God’s saving and transforming work.

So what is it that you see, as you look around? Whatever appears is evidence of what you are seeking after, and shows the intentions of your heart - whether Christ dwells there by faith or not. What you see around you are indicators, like billboards, of the way you are walking, and the destination you will arrive at in the end.

B. Introduction to Text

Our Lord has been teaching his disciples on the mountain about two priorities they are to diligently and prayerfully seek after — God’s Kingdom and God’s Righteousness (6:33).

These are two prominent themes of Jesus’ teaching that will occupy the thoughts and desires of any person who has already responded to Jesus’ preaching, by repenting of sin, and preparing for God’s coming kingdom (4:17).

Through teaching, Jesus clears up any errant thoughts his followers may have had about the reason for His coming. He is not abolishing the Law and the Prophets. He is not erasing their history or religion. But He is fulfilling it, by bringing all the Law and Prophets to their intended end.

And after concluding the main body of teaching in The Sermon on the Mount, which in itself is full of commands, warnings, and instructions, Jesus now summarizes His teaching with a series of short applications and final words that will distinguish the disciples from the crowds, and the wheat from the weeds.

Jesus speaks about Gates, Ways, Destinations and Numbers.

The word “gate” [πύλη] represents an entranceway. Most often, it is used of the entrance not to a building, like a door, but to a city.

Many important activities happened at city gates. The elders of a city would gather at the gates and conduct business or legal transactions there (think about Boaz, conducting the business of the kinsmen-redeemer in Ruth, with the elders at the city gate).

The mention of gates may refer to the city elders or leaders. It may also refer to passage for entrance or exit.

But Jesus does not limit his illustration only to a gate.

Gates define a point. But what about the process for getting to that point?

So Jesus also speaks about a Road [ὁδός] or way.

These roads, or ways lead somewhere. So Jesus speaks about a Destination [ἀπάγω].

The gate and road represent entrance to a particular destination or end point.

And lastly, Jesus speaks about Numbers. He employs generic, quantitative descriptors to represent the popularity of the respective gates and ways.

And he doesn’t leave his disciples wondering which option they should choose.

Instead he tells them outright in a form of command:

III. Exposition

A. Command (7:13a)

Matthew 7:13 ESV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

“Enter by the narrow gate.”

This is the command.

Don’t mistake Jesus speaking about two gates, ways, and destinations, as if he is presenting us with two options to choose from — one or the other.

That’s a common thought, but it is wrong!

Jesus is not providing options for his disciples. His disciples don’t get to choose the gate or road.

And we don’t either!

The only decision to be made, is whether or not to obey!

Look again at verse 13!

Matthew 7:13 ESV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

Before Jesus gives any of the options, he tells them which way to go!

He commands them which way to go!

He gives them the address and the coordinates to enter into their GPS.

How easily we pass over this! We start to debate, and question, “Which gate am I entering? Which way am I on?” And we miss the fact that Jesus tells us which gate to enter, and which way to be on.

We only need to obey Him, and follow Him!

I believe the word order is so intentional here, because Jesus is testing us.

He does not want our attention to be on the gate, the way, or the destination. He wants our attention to be on Him and His Word!

We can obsess about doing good works (like the Pharisees), so much that we miss the good word of Jesus’ command.

And if we would simply hear, and obey the command, the rest is not necessary for us to know!

We could end this teaching with “Enter through the narrow gate” and we have our answer! No explanation needed!

The preaching and teaching of the church has gone astray in this regard, for too much has been made about the destination.

What is the number one question you have been trained to ask when you desire to tell someone about Jesus? Something like this — “Are you 100% certain that if you were to die tonight, you would go to Heaven?”

Salvation somehow became about the destination — only. So we have become accustomed to look for gates, and roads, instead of simply obeying what Jesus tells us by faith!

Hear this — if you don’t know Jesus in the way, you won’t know him in the destination!

We cannot live our own way, and believe that will lead us to eternal life.

In other words — we can’t have it both ways. For there is only one!

And the gate, way, and destination are all inseparably linked together.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

B. Explanation (7:13b-14)

Jesus does not need to explain His command, but it was an unusual thing to speak about — entering through a narrow gate.

That’s odd. That’s different. That goes against our nature. And it was unusual even in Jesus’ day.

So Jesus explains it this way —

1. Broad Gate (13b)

Matthew 7:13 ESV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

“For the gate is wide.”

a. Gate [ πλατύς]

Notice that Jesus does not say yet, where this gate grants access to.

He does not say this is the “Kingdom” gate. Or the “gate to Heaven.” Because that is not the focus. That is not what is often seen or thought by us, is it?

If two gates are standing before us, our first thought is not a matter of its end (where does this gate lead), but is that how easy it is to pass through it.

Jesus describes the gate itself as “Wide.” “Broad.” “Spacious.”

That would naturally be our first preference, would it not?

Think about the larger entrance to DisneyWorld, with a very large gate and nice paved roads that lead to that iconic castle.

We would drive through that without a thought, over entering by a chain-length side gate that we would have to walk through for a very long way on foot.

Not only is the gate, the point of entrance wide, but Jesus says the road, or Way is wide too. By implication, it is easy.

b. Way [εὐρύχωρος]

Matthew 7:13 ESV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

“For the gate is wide and the way is easy”

This is walking by “sight,” not “faith.”

Don’t mistake the message of this beautiful Sanctuary.

This beautiful Sanctuary does not represent that following Jesus will be easy and comfortable.

This beautiful Sanctuary is just that — a Sanctuary, a place of safety and refuge. A glimpse of glory in what is otherwise a very dark, and difficult world. It is a reminder of how hard, and narrow, and difficult the way is of following Jesus.

It is a symbol of what is to come in fullness, but what is yet to be now.

c. Destination [ἀπώλεια]

Matthew 7:13 ESV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

“For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction.”

Only after describing the gate, and the way, does Jesus tell of its destination.

And don’t miss this point — it is only AFTER you have entered the gate and travelled the way that the destination becomes evident.

This wide and spacious and easy entrance and way leads to destruction. To ruin.

This destruction is Hell.

If people knew where that wide gate led, to Hell, do you think they would have entered through it?

But they didn’t know, until after they passed through the gate, and found themselves on the way.

And the way is so easy, that they may not still know, until they arrive in the lake of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth and eternal torment, and judgment for every sin against a holy God.

It is easy to lie. It is easy to receive a lie. It is easy to believe a lie. It is easy to seek after a lie!

It is hard to tell the truth. And many times, we’d rather not have to bear the truth because it hurts.

Jesus teaches that many will enter this way.

d. Many who enter [πολύς/εἰσέρχομαι]

Matthew 7:13 ESV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

“For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”

Every one of us are born on this way. Sin is in our DNA. We are born into sin, because Adam sinned and turned his eyes away from God’s command (do not eat of the tree of knowledge and good evil) and instead, turned his eyes upon the end (you will be like God).

Adam cared more for the destination than he did the instruction of God.

And we are born in this life, not as children of God, but as children of Adam, on the way of Adam, the way of deception and destruction.

Unless, and until we hear about another gate, and another way, and find it.

There is only one of its kind. And it is narrow.

2. Narrow Gate (7:14)

a. Gate [στενός]

Matthew 7:14 ESV

14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

“For the gate is narrow.”

This means it is restricted (LN). It is exclusive.

Many have pointed out that a narrow gate means you have to leave things behind to fit through it.

Surely you’ve tried to move a large refrigerator into a kitchen. Sometimes you have to take the door off its hinges to get it to fit through. Sometimes you have to take the door off the refrigerator itself, with its handles, to get it to fit through!

That’s the imagery. Leave your bags behind. You can’t drive through this gate with all your belongings. You must walk on foot. It is narrow. You have no merit that will grant you access on this way.

b. Way [θλίβω]

Matthew 7:14 ESV

14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

“the way is hard”

Entrance is not only restricted, but the way is constricted (LEB).

Think of a boa constrictor. It squeezes, it constricts, and makes it difficult and ultimately impossible for its victim to breathe.

The word “hard” references tribulations (Luz). You will think you are on the WRONG way! You may look for an out!

But Jesus says this is the out —

c. End [ζωή]

Because this narrow gate, and difficult way, leads to life.

Matthew 7:14 ESV

14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life.”

Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven!

And there are few who find it.

d. Few who find [ὀλίγος/εὑρίσκω]

Matthew 7:14 ESV

14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

We are not born on this way. We do not automatically enter this way. It is a way that must be sought after, and found.

And once found, it is discovered to be hard. It requires holiness. It requires obedience, and seeking after God’s Kingdom and Righteousness. It will make us distinct from the world. Mocked by the world. Hated by the world.

But it’s end is life.

IV. Conclusion

This is the Gospel Proclamation!

Jeremiah 21:8 ESV

8 “And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

Who is that way?

Jesus is that way!

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The gate is narrow, so that we may stay near and not wonder off of it.

The way is hard, because by it God is taking us THROUGH the place we don’t belong, so that we might arrive at where we do!

And it is a way that Jesus has travelled ahead of us! Every difficulty and tribulation he knows very well.

Because the way Jesus travelled was the way to the cross. And the way to the cross was the way to the grave.

But by the power of God, the way to the grave was the way to the resurrection and eternal life!

God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah and said:

Jeremiah 29:13 ESV

13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

And Jesus says that seeking with the heart is more than a confession. It is words put to action. It is belief.

Romans 10:9 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So let us hear his command, and obey.

“Enter through the Narrow Gate.” What does that mean?

Jesus will say it later —

B. Exhortation & Application

Matthew 16:24 ESV

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.