The door is narrow: ¿what did Jesus mean by this?

Several times Jesus Christ gave advice that seemed to discourage rather than encourage people to become Christians. Why did you do this? 

Surprisingly, all the disciples, with the exception of a small number, abandoned Jesus at the end of his ministry. The thousands of people who once persecuted our Savior as if he were a celebrity, dwindled to a few hundred after his death (Acts 1:15; 1 Corinthians 15: 6). How different is the reality in front of the supposed easy way to become a Christian, who only gives his heart to the Lord.

In Matthew 7: 13-14 we read what Jesus said: “Enter through the narrow door; for wide is the door, and wide is the way that leads to perdition, and many are those who enter through it; for the door is narrow, and the way that leads to life narrow, and few are those who find it ”(emphasis added). 

Narrow door, difficult road

The phrase "narrow is the door" is actually easy to understand. A narrow door is more difficult to pass than one that is wide, and only a few people can pass through a narrow door at the same time. By saying "narrow is the path that leads to life," Jesus was explaining how difficult it really is to be a Christian.

"Difficult" comes from the Greek word thlibo , which means: "to squeeze (like grapes), to press hard; a compressed, narrowed, reduced path ”(Greek New Testament Lexicon, www.bibletstudytools.com). 

The Lexicon adds that the word can be used metaphorically to express "problem, distress, discomfort." If Jesus wanted to get people to follow him, why did he tell his potential disciples that doing so would bring them pain?

To understand what He meant, let's examine some of the passages in which He apparently discouraged people from following Him.

Warning to potential followers

Luke mentions to us three people who seemed willing to become Christians, who met Jesus and his disciples while they were traveling. One of them made a dramatic statement of commitment, saying to Christ, "Lord, I will follow you wherever you go" (Luke 9:57).

Jesus did not reply: "Wonderful, please join us!" Instead, he said something that could make him give up completely or at least make him reflect a little: “Foxes have dens, and birds of the heavens are nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head ”(v. 58). Jesus was underlining the lack of certainty that could be in the life of a true Christian.

Luke's narrative continues with Jesus saying to another person, "Follow me" (v. 59). The man apologized asking him to allow him to first bury his father. Since the Jewish custom was to bury the dead as soon as possible, the man in the crowd surrounding Christ was unlikely to have his father dead in the house. Most likely, the man was asking him to allow him to stay as long as his elderly or sick father had left — actually an unlimited time permit.

Luke's record tells us that at the man's excuse, Jesus replied: “Let the dead bury their dead; and you see and announce the kingdom of God ”(v. 60). Obviously, a dead person does not bury anyone. Jesus was referring to those who were spiritually dead — people who did not respond to his teaching. Jesus was telling the prospect that his calling was much more important.

Then a third person who intended to become a disciple made an apparently reasonable request to return home first to bid farewell to those who were there; we do not know if they were relatives or guests (v. 61). To this person, Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (v. 62).

We can't know for sure, but this person was perhaps not as engaged as he seemed. The Bible only records the essence of the exchange of words — what we need to know to understand the main point. All three answers add clarity to Christ's teaching that "the door is narrow."

In this third example the added lesson is that Christians must continue to keep their eyes on the goal — the Kingdom of God. A plowing person immediately recognizes the point of this analogy. When plowing, the farmer fixes his eyes on a rock, a hill or some other mark, so that the plow can travel in a straight line. Although modern farmers with huge tracts of land use a GPS to accomplish this, the principle remains the same.

More little-known tips

A few chapters later, we find another important account of what we need to do to become followers of Jesus Christ. With a large crowd around wanting to hear him, Jesus gave more examples of how giving our hearts to the Lord is not easy, and how serious the responsibility of becoming a Christian was.

Hate those closest to you?

In Luke 14:26 Jesus said: If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. The instruction seems strange until we understand the meaning of the original language.

The Study Bible of the new version of King James explains: "hating" your own family and your own life is rhetorical. It refers to desiring something less than something else ”(note on Luke 14:26). In other words, a Christian's love for God's way of life must be greater than his love for any other human relationship and for himself. Although we have clarified it, the statement is unexpected.  

Bear the tests

The following example is very graphic. Jesus said, "And he who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." Just as convicted criminals were to carry the cross on which they were to be executed, we must be willing to bear whatever trial we have to face for being Christians.

Count the cost

Then Jesus spoke of a construction project. He pointed out that any responsible builder would consider the cost of the entire project from start to finish and then make sure they have the necessary funds to complete the project before they even start. Starting a construction project without considering the funds necessary to do so could result in an abandoned, half-built building — a visual symbol of the builder's lack of judgment (vv. 28-30).

This principle can also be applied to becoming Christians. We need to understand the cost — the challenges and difficulties — that will surely come when we begin to live God's way of life.

Consider your resources

Then Jesus gave an illustration of someone going to war. In a nutshell, Jesus said that a king or general counts his troops before embarking on a fight with the enemy. He wants to know in advance if victory is possible. If he does not have the resources to win, he makes peace before going to war (vv. 31-32).

As Christians, our battles are spiritual in nature. In reality, it is impossible for us to win this war by ourselves. To become Christians, we need the help of the great power of God, his Holy Spirit, to be able to achieve victory against all odds.

Give up everything

Concluding his teaching on this occasion, Jesus said: “So then, any one of you who does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be my disciple” (v. 33). The lesson here is that in order to truly follow Christ, he must become the most important thing in our life.

Why would Jesus tell people that unless they meet these indispensable requirements, they could not become his disciples, Christians? He was just delving into the principle that "narrow is the door."  

John's story

Another important passage from Jesus' teaching about becoming a Christian is found in John 6: 25-26. In this section we find a variety of interactions with diverse people. Some wanted Jesus to repeat the miracle of multiplying food. Some were in the synagogues in which Jesus spoke. And some were Jewish leaders who criticized Jesus.

Christ began by speaking about physical manna and then explained that He was the true manna and that the way of salvation was "he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood" (vv. 53-56). Not understanding that He was speaking of the symbols of the Passover, the bread and the wine, which represented his flesh and blood, many of those who followed him abruptly stopped doing so (v. 66).

On the surface, it again seems that Christ's approach was illogical, since his words did not encourage the people to follow him. Clearly, Jesus did not want just numbers. However, He wanted all who became His disciples — students or apprentices and members of the spiritual body who in the Scriptures are called “the Church of God” (Acts 20:28 ) - to reach the end. They needed to know that they would face the most difficult challenges of their lives. It would have been irresponsible for him to fail to prepare the disciples. 

Not telling them of the challenges they would encounter if they became Christians would be like taking a group of ordinary citizens and sending them on a military mission of their own as a skilled team such as the United States or British Marines. Without proper training, people could not long survive such a mission. And it would be a disaster for the mission too. God wants us to reach our potential, and He wants Christians to understand the seriousness of the commitment to follow Him.

Christ never abandons those who commit

Of course, the warnings about the challenge of becoming Christians was not the only thing that Christ said. He also promised those who were committed to their way of life: "I will not forsake you, nor will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13: 5). The King James Version Study Bible says: “This quote is one of the most emphatic statements in the New Testament. In the Greek it contains two double negatives, something similar to say in Spanish: I will never, never, for any reason I will leave you ”. Jesus uses the same technique to express the assurance of eternal life to believers (see John 10:28).  

You have perhaps heard the military saying "never leave a man behind." Similarly, the Father and the Son are fully committed to those who respond to God's call. Jesus made a similar promise at the end of Matthew 28: 18-20 saying that He would never stop being with members of the Church, at any time, over the years.

Which path are you choosing?

Why would someone choose the narrow door, symbolizing the way that Christians should live, when it is such a difficult way compared to the easy and comfortable way of the world? Because there are often adventures, emotions and sights that are only available to those who take the difficult road. The difficult path brings rewards that those who remain on the easy and comfortable path will never have. 

Similarly, the experience of being in the Church brings incredible rewards for those called by God. They become part of the family of God now. They serve in his work. They are stimulated by interacting with people with the same way of thinking. They anticipate reigning with Christ in the coming Kingdom of God. They deeply appreciate being guided by the Holy Spirit and understand that holiness has its benefits for "this present life" and "the life to come" (1 Timothy 4: 8).  

Which one are you choosing? Analyze your level of commitment so you can know how much you are practicing what God wants you to do. Does saying "narrow is the door" describe the way you are living now? Or, are you choosing the easy and comfortable way that offers less resistance?