Luke 13:22-3022 Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”. 25 “After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ 26. And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets,’ 27 Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!' 28 “And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from the east and west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” BackgroundIn this text, Jesus is described as passing through towns and villages as he journeys toward Jerusalem and the cross. An unnamed person asks Jesus how many will be part of the reign of God. In a familiar fashion, Jesus redirects the focus from how many will be saved, a curiosity question, to a question of who will find themselves among the saved. At the heart of the question is a belief commonly held by the Judeans of Jesus’ day: as people of Israel they were part of God’s chosen people and assumed they would be part of God’s final realm. The Pharisees, however, held that only a few, or remnant, would be included in the final reign of God. |
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