Narrow Gate vs Broad Way

That quote also comes from Luke 13... the ENTIRE Chapter is the context.. We can't just pull one verse to form a doctrine.

This is the quote..

"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"

The question is saved from what?  is this talking about "eternal salvation"? NO.   Again context.

Please make note of the following in Luke 13

1. The people who asked Christ this had little or no knowledge of the issues and particulars of salvation as we know it today.
2. They were immediately reacting to Christ spreading an interesting message as he was heading towards Jerusalem.
3. What was Christ's message? Well it started with folks pointing out that the Galileans were the most unfortunate because they had Pilate mix their blood with their sacrifices. They concluded that God judged them.  Doesn't that sound familiar with all the Christians today pointing out, every bad occurrence as judgment from God?
4. What was Christ's response? You think they were bad sinners? You think when a tower fell and killed 18 men in Siloam, that it was also because they were super guilty and God judged them?  Let me tell you the truth.  Those living in Israel are worse and more guilty than they all. Unless you repent, you will all die.
5. What?  We will all die?  Are you kidding Jesus? What?  You would cut us down for not bearing fruit?  All of us?

All of this is from Luke 13:1-9

That was when Christ responded:

They all knew what the narrow gate was.  It was the place on the city wall for all the commoners, to use, to enter the city.  Only the high society, dignitaries, merchants, those with money go though the wide gate.

Christ was saying don't follow everyone else to destruction.  Once He, the master closes the door, as was done in the days of Noah, no one else will escape, destruction.

Luke 13:25-30 When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come 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 where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!’ 28 There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Christ was referring to the impending destruction of Jerusalem, and warning them if they do not repent and escape at the appropriate time, you will all perish.  If you go through the narrow gate, you will find life. Be careful that you do not find yourself cast out of the Kingdom and you experience wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Notice to whom he spoke concerning wailing and gnashing of teeth?  It was those *unbelieving Jews*, who said we ate and drank with you, as if that was sufficient to be saved from the coming wrath.  They will be cast out. In a twist of faith, *few of them* would be saved but MANY will come from the east, west, north and south to enter the Kingdom, the same Kingdom that was at hand back then, that was taken away from apostate Israel.

The wide gate and the wide way, and the wide attitudes toward His message will lead to destruction.

The narrow gate leads to life.

It was ABOUT *The Wrath to Come* and few of them will be saved from that.

Just in case folks did not get what he was taking about, He emphasized by declaring later on: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’"

This was all fulfilled when Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70, when the temple was made desolate, when the Kingdom was taken away from the Jews and given to a people who can bear lasting fruit, that is the believing Jews (remnant/ elect) and the believing Gentiles.

Incidentally this was the same message that John the Baptist preached before he was beheaded when He declared "Repent for the Kingdom of God was at Hand" and " Who told you to flee from the wrath to come"

This was the same wrath that Paul warned about to the Thessalonica church, where he declared that wrath has come upon the unbelieving Jews who keep opposing the gospel, the same ones who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets.  They are filling up the measure of their wrath.  As Jamaicans would say, "It soon come"

1 Thess 2: 14-16 "For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,[f] 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!"

*Conclusion*

So to answer the question "“Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” The answer is YES, only a few were saved, a remnant, who were saved from destruction, from perishing in AD 70 at the destruction of Jerusalem.  They took his warning and fled at the appropriate time. they took John the Baptist and Paul's warning.  They took Peter's warning to "save yourself from this corrupt and untoward generation"

But if your question is a completely different question, which is "Are there few who would experience salvation?" the answer is NO, for

   "ALL kings will praise God" [Psa 138:4]

   "ALL nations will call Him blessed" [Psa 72:17]

   "ALL nations will worship God & ALL men blessed" [Psa 86:9]

   "ALL earth will see the salvation of God" [Isa 52:10]

   "ALL flesh will come to God" [Psa 65:2-4]

   "The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord" [Isa 11:9]

   Egypt and Assyria will be restored and declared as His people along with Israel [isa. 19]

That sounds like a lot more than few to me.

It is good to read the Word in context and RIGHTLY DIVIDE the Word of Truth.