Like all scriptual passages we must read them in light of what goes on before and behind any given verse - i.e. In the context - to get an understanding of the true meaning of that verse. And not only the immediate context but the context of the entire book or letter as well as the Bible as a whole. Though the Bible has many human contributors it has one ultimate author - God himself - with a unified message. Many things my 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 hermanetics (principles of biblical interpretation) many passages in scripture were unclear and confusing. The "golden rule" right before the broad and Narrow gate (door) passage was one of those that always puzzled me. The broad and narrow gate teaching seemed to be a random teaching with no connection whatsoever with the surrounding verses.
How did it fit in with the rest of this passage or the sermon as a whole.
Is there a common thread that runs throughout chapter 7 (or the entire sermon on the mount in chapter 5-7 - or all of scripture for that matter)? If so, what is it?
On close examination we can see a primary thread that runs through the sermon is noticing others and how we relate to and treat them, whether the "other" is God himself, our neighbors or anyone else. The entire sermon has to do with loving God and others i.e. applying the greatest commandment and the 2nd which is like it "... this is the Law and the Prophets" i.e. the main overall teaching of the OT.
The "golden rule" mentioned in verse 12 and the broad and narrow way right after it, isn't 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 passage.
We have heard the narrow and broad gate is about our eternal destination, who and how many go where eternally. But the context is about the golden rule, 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 (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 (its 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 is hard that leads to life (i.e. life and flourishing now, not necessarily 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 sacrificially i.e. 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 narrow way Christ is referring to is living by the golden rule and the broad gate is that most don't i.e. don't live sacrificially. In fact very few consistently do. It is truly the narrow way to live.
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 human conflict on this planet.
Before taking a course in hermanetics (principles of biblical interpretation) many passages in scripture were unclear and confusing. The "golden rule" right before the broad and Narrow gate (door) passage was one of those that always puzzled me. The broad and narrow gate teaching seemed to be a random teaching with no connection whatsoever with the surrounding verses.
How did it fit in with the rest of this passage or the sermon as a whole.
Is there a common thread that runs throughout chapter 7 (or the entire sermon on the mount in chapter 5-7 - or all of scripture for that matter)? If so, what is it?
On close examination we can see a primary thread that runs through the sermon is noticing others and how we relate to and treat them, whether the "other" is God himself, our neighbors or anyone else. The entire sermon has to do with loving God and others i.e. applying the greatest commandment and the 2nd which is like it "... this is the Law and the Prophets" i.e. the main overall teaching of the OT.
The "golden rule" mentioned in verse 12 and the broad and narrow way right after it, isn't 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 passage.
We have heard the narrow and broad gate is about our eternal destination, who and how many go where eternally. But the context is about the golden rule, 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 (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 (its 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 is hard that leads to life (i.e. life and flourishing now, not necessarily 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 sacrificially i.e. 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 narrow way Christ is referring to is living by the golden rule and the broad gate is that most don't i.e. don't live sacrificially. In fact very few consistently do. It is truly the narrow way to live.
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 human conflict on this planet.
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 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 1st.
