13 Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way leading to destruction and many are the ones entering through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and constricted the way leading to life and few are the ones finding it. Matthew 7:13-14 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)
The word “way” on both v13 and v14 translates ὁδός (hodos), which means “a way., road, highway, or street in their many possible forms.” To the Greeks, this could refer to “the narrow path trodden by those who have gone before, or the broad roads made for traffic, on which chariots can travel, troops can march, and processions can be held.”
Perhaps our Lord had that very contrast in mind when He declared in His sermon the Mount Matthew 7:13-14, which I posted above. So, what Jesus was saying is that the way that leads to destruction is broad and most people go that way, but the way that leads to life is not broad at all, but is narrow and few are the ones who find it. This message is in stark contrast to much of what makes up Western Evangelicalism today. What do we hear from those who have big churches and work really hard to keep those churches big? They say things like, “There are many roads to heaven,” and we must be ‘broad-minded” and “all-inclusive,” but my brethren, that is not what Jesus taught. He was very narrow in His statement about who will be saved. Many years ago I wrote a book review of Rob Bell’s book Love Wins. It was a very blunt statement that said “eventually everyone will be saved,” but Jesus says the exact opposite, that comparatively few will be saved.