22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. (Luke 13:22-30 KJV)
The Narrow Door
Christ’s progress toward Jerusalem is recorded here: he went through cities and villages, teaching and traveling (Luke 13:22). He was an itinerant preacher, heading toward Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication in winter, despite the harsh conditions. Still, he remained focused on his Father’s work. Wherever he could stop along the way—whether in cities or country villages—he delivered a sermon. Wherever providence places us, we should strive to do as much good as we can.
We also have here a question put to our Lord Jesus. We’re not told who asked it—whether a friend or an enemy—for Jesus allowed people to question him freely and responded to both their words and their thoughts. The question was, “Are there few who are saved?” (Luke 13:23).
Perhaps it was a trap, trying to get Jesus to say something they could use against him. If he said many would be saved, they might accuse him of being too lenient. If he said few, they might call him strict or judgmental. The Jewish teachers believed all Israel would be saved—would Jesus dare to contradict that?
Or maybe it was just a speculative question, something debated among friends and now brought to Jesus for his opinion. Many people are more interested in debating who will be saved than in figuring out how to be saved themselves. We hear questions like, “Can this or that person be saved?”—as if the answer would make a difference to our own souls.
Or it could have come from someone genuinely struck by how strict Christ’s teachings were and how sinful the world was, leading to the thought, “It must be that very few are actually saved.” And that’s a reasonable thought—we do have to wonder why, with the word of salvation preached so widely, so few seem to truly receive it.
Or maybe it was a serious and practical question: “If only a few are saved, what should I do about it?” And that’s the right spirit. We should all take seriously the possibility that few are saved and ask how we can be among them.
Jesus answered, not with a number or statistic, but with an exhortation: “Strive to enter through the narrow door” (Luke 13:24). He didn’t indulge curiosity—he guided the conscience. Don’t ask, “How many will be saved?” Ask, “Will I be one of them?” That’s what really matters.
He said, “Strive,” and he meant it. Salvation doesn’t come easy—it calls for serious effort. The word used here is the same one used of athletes in agonizing struggle for victory. To enter the kingdom, we must strive in prayer, fight against sin and temptation, and give ourselves fully to the life God calls us to.
Jesus follows this with sobering reasons why we must strive.
First, many people will make some effort toward salvation, but not enough. “Many will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). They’ll wish for heaven, admire holiness, and take some steps toward it—but they won’t push through. Their desire is weak, their efforts half-hearted, and their resolve inconsistent. So they fall short, not because the door was shut too early, but because they never truly pressed to enter. Jesus affirms this with authority: “I say to you,” he says, because he knows both God’s plan and the hearts of people.
Second, a day of final decision is coming. “When the master of the house has risen and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and knock” (Luke 13:25). Christ is the Master. For now, people come and go freely, but a time is coming when that will end. Then the door will be shut.
That door marks a clear distinction: for now, all kinds of people gather in the church—some sincere, some not. But when the time comes, the door will divide the faithful from the false. The outward appearance will no longer be enough.
It will also be a door of exclusion. It’s the same door of mercy that was open for so long, but many refused to enter through it. They tried to make their own way, trusting in their goodness or their religion. When the door shuts, they won’t be able to get in by those other means.
Third, many who are confident they will be saved will be turned away. They’ll knock and say, “Lord, Lord, open to us” (Luke 13:25). They’ll insist that they belong inside because they once followed Jesus—maybe took communion, maybe heard his teaching.
“We ate and drank in your presence. You taught in our streets” (Luke 13:26). Judas ate with Jesus too. People may receive the Lord’s Supper and hear his word, but if they reject him in their hearts, that outward connection means nothing.
Christ will answer, “I don’t know you. Depart from me, all you workers of evil” (Luke 13:27). He won’t deny they were present, but he will deny they were his. They wore the uniform but served another master. That is their ruin—that under the appearance of religion, they continued in sin.
And what will happen to them? “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Luke 13:28)—not just pain, but anger and regret. They will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets in the kingdom of God, but they themselves cast out. That’s what will make it worse: seeing the very people they dismissed enjoying the glory they thought was theirs.
Still, not all is lost. Jesus adds this hope: “People will come from east and west, north and south, and recline at the table in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:29). The gospel will gather people from every nation, not just from Israel. Many we least expect will be saved, and many we assumed would be saved will not be.
Some who come from far off—across great distances, through hard trials and challenges—will make it. They worked hard to reach the kingdom. They “strived.” As the queen of Sheba came from afar to hear Solomon, these people will come in search of Christ and his wisdom.
And in the end, “some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last” (Luke 13:30). Those who looked like they had the advantage may fall behind, and those who seemed left behind may receive the prize. So let this drive us—if it comes by striving, then let us strive. Why should we be left out when the door is still open?