Re:Verse passage – Matthew 7:13-14 (day two)
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Are you a fan of the Indiana Jones series? Well, I certainly am, and my favorite of them all is “The Last Crusade”. At the end of the movie, and I hope I’m not spoiling this, Indy has to face various trials in order to reach the Holy Grail. The scene cuts between Indy and his dying father. The trial is called “The Breath of God” and the father keeps muttering the phrase “only the penitent man will pass”. Indy realizes that a penitent man is humble before God and must, therefore, bend the knee. I will stop there, as it is a work of fiction.
As I re-read verse 14, I am struck by the visual image Jesus creates. Small and narrow are the words he chooses. If we take this idea of someone looking for these gates, you get two different pictures. The broad gate is easy to find. You don’t have to look hard, you will practically run in to it. The small, narrow gate requires you to seek after it. Jesus’ words create a picture, in my mind, of one who is humble, penitent, aware that something will be required for entry through this gate. The requirement is our very self. We must be prepared to humble ourselves and search for the untrodden path. Jesus will be found when we are penitent of heart.
I love your analogy Aaron!