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Luke 13:22–30
“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (v. 24).
Parables of the growth of God’s kingdom, warnings about the need for people to repent or perish, and the rescue of a woman in bondage to Satan (Luke 13:1–21) naturally raise questions about salvation. Thus, we are not surprised to see in today’s passage that someone from the crowds asked our Savior about salvation after hearing the teaching of Jesus and seeing Him do miracles. Specifically, the person wanted to know whether the number of people saved would in the end be many or few (vv. 22–23).
To understand Jesus’ answer, we need to consider the question in its first-century Jewish context. Jews in that day commonly believed that all the Jews would be saved except for perhaps the small minority who might reject a cardinal doctrine of the Scriptures or who showed no concern for the law of God. In fact, a great many Jews believed that each Jewish person was essentially guaranteed eternal life simply by being a member of the physical nation. This view seems to be what Paul argues against in Romans 2.
Jesus never actually answered the question from the crowd. Instead, He gave an answer that both narrowed and widened the scope of salvation without saying whether the number of individuals saved will be many or few. First, Christ narrows the scope of salvation in terms of the Jewish nation. Against those Jews who believe that they are assured of a seat at the table in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus says that the way to salvation is like a narrow door through which not many will enter. In fact, this door will not stay open forever, but the Master will eventually close it. Many of those unable to go in will object that they ate with Jesus and heard Him teaching, implying that they deserve to be redeemed, but Jesus will say that He never knew them (Luke 13:24–28). The point is that the Jews of our Lord’s day could not count on salvation simply because of their Jewishness or even their being in the presence of Jesus. They had to believe to become His disciples. Only those Jews who trusted in Christ would be redeemed, and that remains true today. People of Jewish descent will not be saved without believing in Jesus.
With respect to the gentiles, Jesus broadens the scope of salvation. Before the coming of Christ, few non-Jews entered into a saving relationship with the God of Israel. Now that He has come, however, many people from many nations will come into the kingdom through faith in Jesus (vv. 29–30).
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
In Jesus’ day, many Jews did not understand that the way to salvation is narrow, demanding renunciation of self and trust in Christ alone as Lord and Savior. Since that day, many gentiles have come into the kingdom through the narrow way of faith in Jesus alone, but there remain many gentiles who seek a wider path for redemption. Whether we are speaking to Jew or gentile, let us be clear that the door to salvation is narrow, with Jesus being the only way to God.
for further study
- Proverbs 1:8–19
- Proverbs 4:26
- Proverbs 12:28
- Matthew 7:13–14
- John 14:6
the bible in a year
- Psalms 28–30
- Acts 21:1–16