Is the following an accurate picture of what Christ was saying about the broad and narrow way?
All scripture is in agreement; there are no contradictions. Though the Bible has many human contributors, it has one ultimate author - God himself - with a unified message. Many things may appear at odds within the Bible but when you dig deep you find they are pointing to the same God "...with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." Jas 1:17 ESV
Before taking a course in hermeneutics (principles of biblical interpretation) many passages in scripture were unclear and confusing to me. For example, the broad and narrow gate (door) passage coming right after the "golden rule" always puzzled me. The broad and narrow gate teaching seemed to be a random one inserted into the larger passage with no connection to the surrounding verses - which is how it's usually treated.
But how does it fit in with the rest of this passage or the sermon as a whole?
Is there a common thread that runs through this chapter (or the entire sermon in chapters 5-7 - or all of scripture, for that matter)? If so, what is it?
On close examination we see a primary thread through this sermon is how to relate to and treat others - whether the "other" is God himself, our neighbors, or anyone (including those who see us as enemies). The entire sermon has to do with loving God and others, i.e. applying the greatest commandment and the 2nd which is like it "...which is a summary of the Law and the Prophets" i.e. the main overall teaching of the OT as well as the NT.
Is the "golden rule" mentioned in verse 12 and the broad and narrow way right after it randomly sandwiched between other teachings of Christ with no apparent relationship to the surrounding verses i.e. completely out of place and standing on its own? The "golden rule" is actually the unifying thread throughout the whole sermon on the mount. We could argue it is the unifying message of the bible itself.
We may have heard the narrow and broad gate is about our eternal destination, who and how many go where eternally - as pictured at the beginning above. But the context is not directly about our eternal destination.
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. “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 narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." - Matthew 7:12-14 ESV
In light of this context, how should we interpret the broad and narrow gate (way) passage? I offer the following interpretation for consideration.
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this (my command to love your neighbor as you love yourself) is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter by the narrow gate (of treating others as you want them to treat you). For the gate - of loving yourself more than others - is wide (most go through it) and the way - of loving yourself more than others - is easy (it's much easier to be selfish than selfless. But selfishness...) that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way (of sacrificial love) is hard that leads to life (i.e. life and flourishing now, not necessarily later during our eternal life) and those who find it are few (i.e. very few people connect with God and His infinite love well enough that they are empowered to live and love sacrificially i.e. few live for God and others first instead of just for themselves). Sacrificial living is hard - "faith is hard work." Very few live this way. Matthew 7:12-14 ESV
The context calls for us to understand the narrow way of living is by the golden rule. The reason the other gate is broad is that most don't live sacrificially. In fact, very few consistently do. Those who live this way are few. It is truly a narrow gate to go through.
To not live according to the golden rule does in fact lead to great harm and destruction here on earth… our own as well as that of others. We see it daily all around us. It is, in fact, the reason for all ¹human conflict on this planet right now.
Before taking a course in hermeneutics (principles of biblical interpretation) many passages in scripture were unclear and confusing to me. For example, the broad and narrow gate (door) passage coming right after the "golden rule" always puzzled me. The broad and narrow gate teaching seemed to be a random one inserted into the larger passage with no connection to the surrounding verses - which is how it's usually treated.
Is there a common thread that runs through this chapter (or the entire sermon in chapters 5-7 - or all of scripture, for that matter)? If so, what is it?
On close examination we see a primary thread through this sermon is how to relate to and treat others - whether the "other" is God himself, our neighbors, or anyone (including those who see us as enemies). The entire sermon has to do with loving God and others, i.e. applying the greatest commandment and the 2nd which is like it "...which is a summary of the Law and the Prophets" i.e. the main overall teaching of the OT as well as the NT.
Is the "golden rule" mentioned in verse 12 and the broad and narrow way right after it randomly sandwiched between other teachings of Christ with no apparent relationship to the surrounding verses i.e. completely out of place and standing on its own? The "golden rule" is actually the unifying thread throughout the whole sermon on the mount. We could argue it is the unifying message of the bible itself.
We may have heard the narrow and broad gate is about our eternal destination, who and how many go where eternally - as pictured at the beginning above. But the context is not directly about our eternal destination.
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. “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 narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." - Matthew 7:12-14 ESV
In light of this context, how should we interpret the broad and narrow gate (way) passage? I offer the following interpretation for consideration.
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this (my command to love your neighbor as you love yourself) is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter by the narrow gate (of treating others as you want them to treat you). For the gate - of loving yourself more than others - is wide (most go through it) and the way - of loving yourself more than others - is easy (it's much easier to be selfish than selfless. But selfishness...) that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way (of sacrificial love) is hard that leads to life (i.e. life and flourishing now, not necessarily later during our eternal life) and those who find it are few (i.e. very few people connect with God and His infinite love well enough that they are empowered to live and love sacrificially i.e. few live for God and others first instead of just for themselves). Sacrificial living is hard - "faith is hard work." Very few live this way. Matthew 7:12-14 ESV
The context calls for us to understand the narrow way of living is by the golden rule. The reason the other gate is broad is that most don't live sacrificially. In fact, very few consistently do. Those who live this way are few. It is truly a narrow gate to go through.
To not live according to the golden rule does in fact lead to great harm and destruction here on earth… our own as well as that of others. We see it daily all around us. It is, in fact, the reason for all ¹human conflict on this planet right now.
This ultimately leads to our eternal destruction but in this context, living by the golden rule is primarily about the here and now, not eternity, i.e. how we treat others today.
The sermon on the mount deals with the direction of our hearts. Christ knows - and assumes - we cannot live by this sermon without being empowered by God and his love. We can't and won't love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength unless we know we are loved by God in this way 1st.
The sermon on the mount deals with the direction of our hearts. Christ knows - and assumes - we cannot live by this sermon without being empowered by God and his love. We can't and won't love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength unless we know we are loved by God in this way 1st.
_________________________________________________________
¹If you look at why some countries do far better morally, socially, or economically, it always points back to whether the values of that country are based on honoring God and others or using - exploiting them.
For a discussion on how we exploit God (try to) click here.
For a further discussion on culture and values, click here.
For a discussion on the basis of morality, click here.
For a further discussion on how prayer is central to the "Sermon on the mount" click here.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for dropping by. Feel free to leave any comments, questions or thoughts and I will try to reply within 48 hours.
If you like our posts please feel free to subscribe to our blog and recommend others to the same. Just click on the home page at the far left of the navigation bar up top for instructions.
Grace to you
Jim Deal