Enter by the narrow gate

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 

 

 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know the by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 

 

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  

 

- Matthew 7:13–21 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.  Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

 

  "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  My study Bible comments that the description of the two ways was widespread in Judaism (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:18-19, 12:28, 15:21; Sirach 15:17), and also in early Christian writings, such as the Didache and Barnabas (esp. chapter 18).  St. Luke's version (Luke 13:24-30) has a more eschatological focus, referring to the end of the age.  My study Bible says that because we wrestle against sins and human weaknesses as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), to enter the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

 

  "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  My study Bible notes that because they can easily deceive others, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright.  So, therefore, we need to be all the more cautious among those who are outwardly virtuous.  We are to observe their fruits.  Note the continuity of the gospel;  Jesus here uses the same words as taught by St. John the Baptist when preaching repentance in preparation for the coming of the Lord:  "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

 

 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  Here Jesus begins a testimony to His own deity.  He calls Himself Lord.  My study Bible says that this name refers to the divine name "Yahweh" of the Old Testament.  Moreover, He speaks of the will of My Father in heaven, which He fully knows and shares.  In the verse that follows (verse 22), He refers to the final judgment; perfect judgment is only possible for God.

 

  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  In these words, Jesus lays out the true test of what it means to be His disciple, to call oneself a Christian.  He often speaks of our faith as creating family.  In chapter 12 of St. Matthew's Gospel, we read that Jesus is told that His mother and brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Jesus replies, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers? And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:46-50).  We are understood to be children of God by adoption, as He is eternally-begotten Son.  But here He gives us the thorough grounding in what it means to be His brother or sister or mother, our requirement for belonging in this Kingdom, and there are no shortcuts.  There is one way to enter.  In today's reading, Jesus makes this very clear.  He tells us, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  "The way" is His way (as in "I am the way, the truth, and the life" - John 14:6).  Indeed, the early Christian movement was called the Way.  Lest we confine the "way" to a method, we need to understand this word in Greek.  It is ὁδὸς/odos, meaning "road" or "path" (in modern Greek it's commonly used to mean "street").  This path, we tread not simply by mental understanding or belief, but by doing something, by living our faith, embodying it throughout our life.  This is what it means to bear good fruit.  This path of faith, this road, is doing the will of Christ's Father in heaven.  He is the way because, as He has put it, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).  He is that narrow gate that the devil, the evil one, does not want us to find or follow, and tries to obscure.  On its surface the language here sounds extremely restrictive.  But in effect, it's quite personal.  We each have the way we are called, and as contradictory as it may seem, in that path is our true freedom, the way we find who we are called to be and to become.  But this is why we're not to judge, and only God can be the true judge.  As Christians, we're to understand that the devil will throw in our path obstacles to this faith.  We'll have hurdles to overcome, sometimes requiring discipline, separation from things we think we love or can't do without.  Sometimes, like an addict in recovery, we might need to change the company we keep in order to find and stay on that path and limit our obstacles on it.  But He is also the Light, the beam of light we both need to follow, and which shows us the way, His Way.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has laid out His gospel for us, given us the righteousness of the Kingdom, and its blessings, given us an idea of what it is to dwell in this Kingdom and what it means for us.  He's laid out a kind of roadmap, in which we know we must pay attention to what is ours to focus on, find His way, practice our faith in prayers and almsgiving and fasting not to be seen by others, but knowing we are seen by our Father who sees in secret and is in the secret place.  Let us hold fast to what He teaches on this journey, including His warnings to be alert for false prophets, for we're responsible for the fruits we bear.

 

 

 

 

Enter by the narrow gate

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 

 

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.   Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 

 

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." 

 

- Matthew 7:13–21 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  My study Bible explains that the description of the two ways was widespread in Judaism (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:18-19, 12:28, 15:21; Wisdom of Sirach 15:17).  It is also found in early Christian writings (Didache, Barnabas).  Luke's version is more eschatological (Luke 13:24-30), as it refers to the end of the age.  Because we wrestle against sins and human weakness as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), entering the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

 

 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.   Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  Because others can easily be deceived by such behavior, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright, my study Bible explains.  Therefore, we must be all the more cautious among people who are outwardly virtuous.   Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire:  John the Baptist made the same statement in Matthew 3:10.

 

 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  Here in this context, Jesus begins speaking of Himself as Lord; this refers to the divine name "Yahweh" of the Old Testament.  He also speaks of the will of My Father, which He fully knows and shares.  Continuing in tomorrow's reading, the following verse will emphasize Christ's judgment.  My study Bible points out that taken together, this forms a three-fold testimony of the deity of Christ.

 

Jesus finishes His preaching in today's reading with a reminder of judgment.  After all that He has taught in the Sermon on the Mount (beginning in chapter 5; see this reading), He is finally revealing His deity  and the judgment to come.  As my study Bible points out, His words echo those of St. John the Baptist, who preached them in the context of repentance in preparation for the Lord.  Here Jesus openly refers to Himself as Lord, sealing His words and teaching in the Sermon on the Mount with that authority.  Let us note that He begins with an encouragement to find the narrow way; this is an emphasis on the uniqueness and particularity of this path He preaches.  Why is it narrow?  Because its counterpart or opposite, the road to destruction, is wide and broad and there are all kinds of ways to go down that road, and many who take it.  He doesn't say that everyone will take His narrow road (we should remember that He's speaking to disciples), but that it's difficult, and so, therefore, few find it.  His next teaching is a warning, against false prophets. He's warning His disciples -- and those to come -- about bad leaders who will take them astray.  We're told that we must be alert and discriminating ourselves.  We, His sheep, might be led astray by ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing.  What a description!  Christ's teaching is vivid and to the point and therefore holds the test of time, for ravenous wolves are greedy only for what they can get, hungry for what they can take from others. But He gives us a way of discernment:  by their fruits you shall know them.  We are all expected to be on a learning curve as we seek to follow Him.  In this context, His theme then turns to hypocrisy and to judgment, which will continue in tomorrow's reading.  As He has emphasized so often in the Sermon on the Mount, He goes back to the heart.  Do we love God?  Do we return God's love for us?  Do we simply mouth the words?  Do our leaders?  The proof is in the pudding, so to speak, as an old adage says.  We will be known by our fruits, and the fruit is the doing of the will of His Father in heaven.  How do we live?  By what do we live?  This is the narrow road He asks us to follow.

 

 

 

 

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil

 

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye. 

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

 

- Luke 6:39–49 

 

In our current readings, we are going through what is known as the Sermon on the Plain, in Luke's Gospel (beginning with Tuesday's reading).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued, "But I say to you who hear:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other one also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." 

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  My study Bible cites the commentary of St. Cyril of Alexandria, saying that Christ does not judge anyone (John 8:15; 12:47).  So, therefore, "if the Teacher does not judge, neither must the disciple, for the disciple is guilty of worse sins than those for which he judges others."  

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  Here Jesus is seemingly dividing people into the "good" and the "bad," which we might read as in contradiction to the previous statement regarding refraining from judgment.  But, in context, Jesus seems to teach here about the necessity of what is called guarding our own hearts.  We are responsible, in this sense, for what we nurture and call our "good treasure," or should we treasure evil.  See also Luke 12:33-35.

 

 "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."  My study Bible comments here that simply hearing the gospel alone is not enough.  This is because salvation is not based on hearing alone, and not on faith alone, but also on doing the things spoken by Christ.  See James 2:24.

 

Jesus is very focused on "doing," as my study Bible says.  Let us take the passage on the treasures of the heart, for this is seemingly suggesting (if taken out of context) that we are born with good or bad hearts.  But taken in context, Jesus is saying that these things depend upon what we actively nurture and treasure in our hearts.  He is encouraging us to decisive action to root out personal sin, to correct our ways of thinking, and to treasure the things that He offers us as good, and from God.  This is a question of action, of decision, making choices actively throughout our lives.  Faith, in this sense, is about doing, and is not simply a one-time decision or declaration.  It is active and ongoing, requiring of us our attention, all the time, and not resting on the laurels (so to speak) of the things we proclaim we believe.  Discipleship is an active process -- and in His description it is active in pursuit of a heart of "good treasure."  This is not necessarily amassing a set of good deeds, but of an ongoing day-to-day process of choosing that good treasure over evil.  Note that Jesus doesn't say that out of the good treasure of the heart we simply do good deeds.  He is talking about what we say, even the words we use. This is the level of attention He asks for in discipleship.  He says, "For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."   In the example Christ begins with in today's reading, He speaks of our eye as a metaphor for how we see and perceive the world, and specifically what we see and judge in others' behaviors.  He speaks in the context of the community of disciples, in which we can read that helpful correction of one another is prized.  But such helpful correction is only possible through good discernment, from a heart filled with "good treasure."  In the metaphor of the eye, He says that we must remove the plank in our own eye before we can remove the speck in a brother's.  If  "a disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher," then Christ is suggesting that our perfection can only be reached when we are "like Him."  This again suggests what we aim for in choosing the good treasure of the heart, and discarding the evil.  What is like Christ?  What is not like Him?  In this way, we become the disciples He asks us to be.  Finally, He asks, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?"  This final "capstone" of His teaching once again emphasizes doing, and in particular, doing His commandments, the things He says.  For these things are the rock of our foundation, the one good thing to build the houses of our lives upon.  Again, this is about discipleship which is ongoing, and for a lifetime, a constant consideration and activity which we're awake and alert to as needful for our lives, and always practicing.  Let us follow what He teaches us!

 

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks

 

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.  

 

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

 

- Luke 6:39–49 

 

 We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Plain, found in the Gospel of Luke.  On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught, "But I say to you who hear:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

 

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."  Christ does not judge anyone (John 8:15; 12:47), my study Bible notes.  It cites the commentary of St. Cyril of Alexandria, saying that therefore, "if the Teacher does not judge, neither must the disciple, for the disciple is guilty of worse sins than those for which he judges others."

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  This is an argument teaching us that we're to focus on on our own flaws, and to practice self-correction.  Jesus is addressing this sermon to His disciples, who will one day become elders of His Church; therefore, how will they correct others when they have no correction of their own flaws?  How will they understand repentance if they have none themselves?

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  Without our own repentance and ongoing process of correction, our internal reality can only reflect the flaws, the falsehood, and thus direct our outward actions, our fruits.  Therefore we make choices, and we must be aware of our own missteps and mistakes, choosing the good treasure and not the evil.  If we would be teachers like the Teacher, this must be the requirement first.

 

  "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."  My study Bible comments here that hearing the gospel only is not enough.  Salvation is not based on hearing alone, not even on faith alone, but on doing the things spoken by Christ (see James 2:24).  

In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus uses vivid metaphors for removing from ourselves faults and flaws that cause unrighteous behavior.  In Matthew 18, He teaches, "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell" (Matthew 18:8-9).  In that particular instance, this teaching comes in the context of doing harm to a "little one."  More importantly, it comes after a question by the disciples as to who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (see Matthew 18:1-7).  In that context, Jesus' teaching can be understood as warning these future leaders in His Church against abuse, especially against those of lower stature, the vulnerable, those who will come to them for guidance.  And eye can look with covetousness or lust, a hand can reach out to strike or to grasp where it doesn't belong, a foot can stray over boundaries not meant to be crossed.  This is Jesus telling us about self-correction, about casting off even those things -- our impulses and desires -- that seem as much a part of us as hand, or eye, or foot.  Here in today's reading Jesus is teaching the principle of self-correction before we are ever in a position to correct another person.  Again, as discussed above, Jesus is addressing the Sermon on the Plain to a great multitude, but we're told that before He began speaking, He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples (Luke 6:20).  Therefore, these teachings are specifically directed to those who follow Him.  And in His words here, we can see that they are directly given to those who are being trained by a teacher, and what that means.  There is a mutual correction among "brothers" (fellow disciples) also implied here:  "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  It's clear that we are meant, in our discipleship under Christ, to grow into something, to become more like our Teacher.  We can't do that unless we are prepared to cast off what makes us unlike the Teacher, and with the help of our Lord and the Holy Spirit, this becomes an ontological effort.  That is, it's not just the outside that changes, but the inner person.  He makes this clear when He likens human beings to trees that bear fruit:  it's the tree that must be good before it will bear good fruit.  It is taken even further and made really clear to us when He speaks of the heart:  "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  Perhaps the greatest pejorative Christ uses about those whom He does not want us to be like is in this one-word sentence:  "Hypocrite!"  He, of course, will aim this criticism at the religious leaders (see Matthew 23).  But here He applies it to would-be disciples who do not put in the effort at personal change, paying attention to their own problematic impulses and desires, and applying correction.  This is because, as He says very clearly, the things we're blind to in ourselves so often wind up projected onto others.  We may very well understand -- for instance -- and see something that others do that we think is selfish or greedy, but the much bigger plank in our own eye is our own selfishness and greed that we're blind to.  Without a prayerful attitude, a mindfulness that is focused on God and where God leads us, even taking us to our own need for personal correction, we might very well cultivate the attitude of the Pharisees who "strain at a gnat and swallow a camel" (Matthew 23:23-24).  The historical practices offered by the Church:  prayer, fasting, worship services, confession, and a true understanding of repentance, all emphasize the condition of the heart, and this foundational assumption given to us by Jesus in today's reading that "a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit" -- that "a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."   Therefore we guard our hearts, we pay attention to the inside, the inner part of what it is to be human, and not just the outside.  The big emphasis here is on the condition of our own hearts, and not only does our outward "fruit" depend upon that, but even our ability to see clearly if we want to correct what is around us.  Not only do we need to have that spiritual experience of what it is to grow, to change, to be corrected, to be alert for our own flaws and impulses, but we'll be useless as disciples and good teachers for others without it.  Correction isn't about judgment and condemnation; it's meant to be for the betterment of all.  Ultimately, this is what repentance is all about.  So how is one not accustomed to putting in that difficult work of personal change going to be able to truly help another?  Christ Himself became human in His Incarnation so that He could be our true Teacher.  He became one of us.  In all things, He brings compassion to human beings.  So it is with ourselves.  Unless we also follow and put in that spiritual effort, how can we view others with compassion who must do the same?  Jesus' answer is that we won't even be able to see clearly without it.  Let us take His words to heart!

 

 

 

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 7:13–21 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.  Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."  

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  There is a long history of the "two ways" in Judaism and in Christianity that followed.  See in the Hebrew Scriptures Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:18-19, 12:28, 15:21; Wisdom of Sirach 15:17.  In early Christian writings both the Didache and the Epistle of Barnabas speak to these two ways.  Luke's version of this statement (Luke 13:24-30) is more eschatological in nature, and refers to the end of the age.  My study Bible comments that, because we wrestle against sins and human weaknesses as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), to enter the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  My study Bible comments that, because they can easily deceive others, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright.  So, therefore, we must be all the more cautious among those who are outwardly virtuous.  Regarding the statement, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire," John the Baptist said the same in Matthew 3:10.  

 

 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."   This verse coupled with the next (which is not included in today's reading, but will be in tomorrow's lectionary reading) makes a strong testimony to the deity of Christ.  Here, Jesus calls Himself Lord.  This refers to the divine name "Yahweh" of the Old Testament.  He also speaks of the will of My Father, which He fully knows and shares. 

 

 The "two ways," as my study Bible indicates, is an important concept in Christianity, and follows on the strong evidence in the Jewish tradition.  Jesus gives us a vivid and lasting image in encapsulating this idea when He says, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  That "broad way" might be something our modern Western societies can easily image in the cornucopia of real or imagined spiritual ways that fill up our various media, and all the options that seem to be out there, with new images every day of possible paths to spiritual enlightenment.  There seems to be no end of systems people can invent, combine, or imagine based on the fragmentary ideas of spiritual systems of the past that seem to be offered through what might be euphemistically called multiculturalism.  A real multiculturalism is an idea of pluralism.  That is, cultures well-developed and whole, internally cohesive and sensible.  But what happens with a smorgasbord of choices whose origins are not completely clear and may be obscured by popular myth or cultural references isn't the same.  There is a way in which the thread of faith in Christ can lead us through all kinds of things to come to Him, and many can testify to this.  But those individuals would say the gate is narrow, and the true way is the more difficult -- the broad assortment of pickings from here and there, from one aspect of one thing to another, is a misleading attribute of what does not lead us to the place of true freedom, the Door who is Christ.  In a cacophony of choices, we find misleading answers that can temporarily dazzle, we find cults that offer us indulgence but capture us in a kind of slavery or worship to a human being, and we find destructive ideologies that proclaim to be ideals but offer little in the way of true compassion and the practice of mercy.  What we need to think about is how our choices can in fact reflect a responsible freedom, one that reflects what Christ teaches:  our own capacity for self-discipline and self-knowledge, and the cultivation of acts of mercy which come from a loving heart devoted to God, and putting the Kingdom first before our own selfish desires.  This is the way He gives us, the one which goes through that narrow gate He offers, and leads to His life for us.  For false prophets and bad trees are still with us and they proliferate; but the good tree that bears good fruit is what we will find through His narrow gate.

Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the  way that leads into destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, there are few who find it.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 7:13-21 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught:  "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.  Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads into destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, there are few who find it."  This description of the "two ways" was widespread in Judaism (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:17-18, 12:28, 15:21; Wisdom of Sirach 15:17), and also in early Christian writings (Didache, Barnabas).  My study Bible adds that Luke's version (found at Luke 13:24-30) is more eschatological, as it refers to the end of the age.  It says that because we wrestle against sins and human weaknesses, as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), entering the Kingdom is the more difficult way. 

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  My study Bible comments here that, because they can easily deceive others, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright.  Therefore, we need to be all the more cautious among those who are outwardly virtuous.  How will we know these false prophets and wolves in sheep's clothing?  By the "fruits" they produce.  John the Baptist made the same statement, that every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, in Matthew 3:10.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."   My study Bible notes that Jesus makes a testimony regarding His own deity here:  He calls Himself Lord, which refers to the divine name "Yahweh" of the Old Testment; He speaks of the will of My Father, which He fully knows and shares; and finally, as judge, He reveals Himself as God, for only God can execute true judgment.  

What is judgement?  How can we understand it?  The ultimate judgment, of course, comes from Christ, as is indicated in today's reading, which my study Bible points out to us in these last verses.  In this sense, judgment is a discernment about who may enter the kingdom of heaven.  According to what Christ says in the final verses of today's reading, those who may enter are the ones who do "the will of My Father in heaven."   Here we must note that when Jesus gave us His model prayer earlier in the Sermon on the Mount (see this reading), it was a prayer to "Our Father," and included the pleas, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  Therefore, through this prayer, we plea for participation in our Father's will also; we ask that God's kingdom be manifest here, and that God's will be done here.  It is a way in which we may also reinforce the idea that this is what we want to serve in our lives, just as Jesus serves the Father's will as divine Son and as human being.  So, we might ask, what is this divine will?  How does this work that we may participate in God's kingdom here, and that our Father's will can be done on earth as it is in heaven?  Jesus tells us in today's reading that the gate to this kingdom of life is narrow, while the way to destruction is broad and its gate is wide.  This is a specific instruction, making a specific claim of one way to find the life in abundance He wishes to offer, this kingdom of life.  It enforces that our job in the world as disciples is to seek our Father's will and to do it.  This is the basic requirement, so to speak, of a follower of Christ.  This is not an abstract statement about principles.  It is a specific direction that is given, a direction towards participation in a deep relationship, one that permeates all things, both in heaven and on earth, one that comes before all things.  And this is a personal relationship.  That is, our Father in heaven may not be a person who is exactly like our earthly father, or anyone else we know.  But God the Father is, nevertheless, a Person, and One with whom we are not simply capable of having an intimate and personal relationship, but One with whom Christ says we must do so in order to enter the Kingdom of which He preaches.  This intimate and personal relationship is not a mere set of belief statements, of value judgments, of rules, but rather a relationship of the same type we understand as personal in the world with those whom we love:  it is a way of coming to know Someone, of dwelling in a give and take of love with that Person, a way of growth in relationship, something intimate down to our core, because this Person also is present deep within ourselves.  This we know from Christ's teaching regarding St. Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, which will come in chapter 16:  "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven" (see Matthew 16:15-17).  What Jesus implies is that God the Father may reveal within us the realities of this Kingdom, from a dwelling space we can't perceive but which nevertheless is within us so deeply that we're unaware of exactly how and from whence this comes.  Jesus also teaches that "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you"  (Luke 17:20-21).  In the Greek, this language can mean both "within you" and "among you" but that makes little difference in terms of the implication of the presence of God and God's kingdom to us.  What is not necessarily seen nor observed is nevertheless here with us, within us and among us and in our midst, and it is this presence to which Jesus directs us, and which plays a role in the judgment about how we enter that kingdom of life.  So when we pray, let us think about an intimate communion that asks us for our attention, that is that "narrow gate" among all the rest of the things that vie for our attention and for our loyalty.  Let us understand that there is more to this Kingdom than simply rules or prerogatives, but that the word of God comes to us in person -- in the person of Jesus Christ, fully human yet fully divine, and as such our invitation to participate is personal.  We are invited in to grow and to learn, so that we may dwell with God.  St. Paul asks the Corinthians, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16).  At the Last Supper, Jesus assures us of this relationship and its basis in love:  "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23).   Like a truly loving relationship between human persons, this relationship transforms us -- but in the process of helping us to find who we truly are, in ways only God can reveal to us.   For today, let us consider what it means to be in a deep and loving relationship, one from which we constantly learn, within which we change and which will transform us, a relatedness that gives life, a blessed home -- a narrow gate through which Jesus Christ invites us to be with our Father.