Matthew 7:13
“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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus highlights that the "wide gate" isn't just an easy entry point, but a deceptive one where the gate itself leads you away from the path to destruction. You don't have to seek out the destructive path; it's the default, and the gate to it doesn't require any decision or effort to enter.
Jesus has just delivered the Sermon on the Mount, laying out the radical counter-cultural ethics of God's kingdom. Now, he contrasts the path of discipleship with the path of the masses, emphasizing that entering God's kingdom requires a deliberate choice to follow a difficult, less-traveled way rather than the easy, popular route leading to destruction.
Jesus doesn't just talk about where life leads; He talks about how you start the journey. This verse highlights a crucial first step.
The Gate is the Beginning
Notice Jesus says, "Enter by the narrow gate." This isn't about the end of a long journey; it's about the point of entry.
Why do so many people seem to be on the same path? Jesus reveals the deceptive nature of the crowd.
Why the Majority Chooses Easy
Jesus contrasts the narrow gate with a "wide gate and a broad way" that leads to destruction.
Understand the original words
stenēs pylēs · Greek Noun phrase
A metaphorical entryway representing the singular, exclusive path of salvation and discipleship. It signifies the difficult, intentional commitment required to follow Christ.
apōleian · Greek Noun
The ultimate state of spiritual death and eternal separation from God’s presence. It is the consequence of rejecting the narrow path of obedience and repentance.
This passage echoes Matthew 7:13 with a similar image of striving to enter a narrow door, emphasizing the effort required for salvation versus the ease of destruction.
Proverbs 14:12This verse presents a direct parallel to Jesus' teaching, stating that 'There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death,' highlighting the deceptive nature of the broad path.
Galatians 5:17Paul's description of the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit in Galatians mirrors the struggle inherent in choosing the narrow path, as the desires of the flesh lead away from God's will.
1 Corinthians 10:13This verse offers a crucial counterpoint to the narrowness of the path, assuring believers that God provides a way of escape from temptation, showing that while the path is narrow, God’s grace is sufficient.
John 14:6Jesus declares, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life,' directly linking Himself to the narrow way, implying that entry into life is through Him, not through self-effort on a broad, easy path.
vincentMatthew 7:13: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"
Strait gate (στενῆς πύλης)Rev., narrow. A remarkable parallel to this passage occurs in the "Pinax" or "Tablet" of Cebes, a writer contemporary with Socrates. In this, human life, with its dangers and temptations, is symbolically represented as on a tablet. The passage is as follows: "Seest thou not, then, a little door, and a way befo…
bensonMatthew 7:13: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"
Matthew 7:13. Enter ye in at the strait gate — The gate of true conversion, of self-denial, mortification, and universal holiness; the gate in at which few, comparatively speaking, are inclined to enter. “How strait,” says Erasmus, in his paraphrase on the place, “is the gate, how narrow the way that leadeth to life! In the way, nothing…
Jesus highlights that the "wide gate" isn't just an easy entry point, but a deceptive one where the gate itself leads you away from the path to destruction. You don't have to seek out the destructive path; it's the default, and the gate to it doesn't require any decision or effort to enter.
Jesus has just delivered the Sermon on the Mount, laying out the radical counter-cultural ethics of God's kingdom. Now, he contrasts the path of discipleship with the path of the masses, emphasizing that entering God's kingdom requires a deliberate choice to follow a difficult, less-traveled way rather than the easy, popular route leading to destruction.
Jesus has just delivered the Sermon on the Mount, laying out the radical counter-cultural ethics of God's kingdom. Now, he contrasts the path of discipleship with the path of the masses, emphasizing that entering God's kingdom requires a deliberate choice to follow a difficult, less-traveled way rather than the easy, popular route leading to destruction.
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The 'narrow' path isn't popular, but Jesus connects it to something infinitely valuable.
Value Found in Scarcity
Jesus's mention of a "narrow" path speaks volumes about the Christian life.
"“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." — Jesus highlights that the "wide gate" isn't just an easy entry point, but a deceptive one where the gate itself leads you away from the path to destruction. You don't have to seek out the destructi…
