22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
In verses 22-35, the argument is that God’s plan will prevail even though a given generation rejects it. This incident occurred on Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem.
13:22
And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, where He would be crucified and die. Nothing would stop Him from fulfilling His purpose on earth.
13:23
Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them,
Someone asked Jesus how many would be eternally saved. It appeared to them that many had rejected the message of Jesus as the Messiah.
13:24
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
The word “strive” does not mean that one must work hard to be saved, but that they should be diligent to listen and respond to the message Jesus offered. The idea is to approach the subject of conversion with wholehearted attention. We get the English word “agonize” from the Greek term for “strive”; this is no half-hearted effort. Striving is not submission to the Lordship of Christ; that subject is not in view. The one condition for salvation is faith in the finished work of Christ.
Jesus did not give a specific answer to the person’s question, but He made the point that the gate to His kingdom is narrow and that some would not be able to enter it. There is a specific door one must enter to gain eternal life. Once the door is shut, no one is permitted to enter. There is no further opportunity to enter after a given point. Many will assume they are going to heaven only to find they are on the outside looking in.
13:25
When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’
Jesus likened His kingdom to a banquet. Only a few would come to the banquet through a narrow gate. Those who refused to go in through the narrow gate appealed to the Master of the house to let them in because of their associations with Him. These same people refused to repent and exercise faith in the Messiah while they had the opportunity. They preferred their religion rather than the Messiah’s message.
These verses begin the story of a man giving a feast, but once the door was shut, no one could enter the banquet. The door was open only briefly to decide about Jesus’ message. Many would not respond on time.
13:26
then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’
People would claim to have eaten and drunk with Jesus; He had taught them on their streets. They claimed a relationship with Jesus, but it was not genuine. People may claim familiarity with Jesus’ ministry, but that familiarity may not be genuine. Outward association with Jesus counts for nothing. Personal reception of His ministry is everything. Association with Jesus does not equal salvation; one must embrace Him and what He says as true for their lives.
13:27
But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’
Jesus called those who did not attend the banquet “workers of iniquity.” These people did not respond to the Messiah in time when He offered His kingdom. The time had come and gone, but it was too late to decide about Him. Entrance is based on God’s terms, not men’s.
13:28
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.
Those not allowed into Jesus’ kingdom will experience “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” a reference to eternal damnation. When they see true subjects of the kingdom, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, they will know the true picture. The latter are those from Israel who embraced the message in time. Physical relationships to Abraham’s descendants are not enough for salvation.
13:29
They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.
People will come from all over the world to sit down in the kingdom, including Gentiles.
13:30
And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
Jews who considered themselves “first” would be “last”; they would not enter the kingdom of the Messiah.
PRINCIPLE:
The more people hear of the kingdom, the greater their regret for not accepting its message.
APPLICATION:
People often think they are saved because they are religious, but this passage warns against that attitude. Jewish people thought themselves safe in Abraham, but they did not have a genuine relationship with God. People cannot be saved because they are physical descendants of Abraham. Many Jews will be shocked to realize that many Gentiles will be saved (Ga 3:28).
