The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 290

oharaot.ers afresh." (Oompare also Bishop Westcott e.nd Hort omit it, with II(, Old Lightfoot's eaBe.yon "St. Pe.ul e.nd Seneca," Latin, e.nd many Greek and Latin Fe.thers In his 'Philippio.ns.') For this is the law e.nd se.y that, though ~ wo>..11 is probably and the prophets, For this. This principle genuine in ver. 14, "till the latter part of of aotion and mode of life is, in foot, the snm the fourth century the first fi 11'v>..7J has of all Bible teaching (cf. Lev. xix. 18). no Greek or Latin patristic evidence in its Observe: (1) Our Lord brings out the same favour, much e.ge.imt it." They think this thonght, but with its necessary limitation is "one of those re.re readings in which the to the second table, in eh. xxii. 40 (cf. Rom. true text bas been preserved by N without xiii. 10). (2) Our Lord thus returns to the extant uncial support. . . . It we.s natural me.in subject of his sermon, the relation in to scribes to set ver. 13 in precisely anti- which he e.nd his must stand to the Law thetic contrast to ver. 14 ; bat the sense (eh. v. 17). gains in force if there is no mention of two Vere. 13-27.-(4) Epilogue (cf. eh. v. 3, ge.teil, e.nd if the contrast in ver. 13 rs between the narrow gate e.nd the broad and note). Dare to ta.ke up this position, which spacious we.y." There must be a definite has been laid down in eh. v. 21-vii. 12, entering upon the right way; no entrance involving though it must separation from upon the wrong way is necessary, men find the me.jority of men (vers. 13, H); and themselves upon it only too easily, and it is this notwithstanding the claim of others "me.de level with stones" (Ecclus. xxi. 10). Wide , , , broad, The second epithet to reveal the Lord's mind, whose true na- (ebpvxo,pos) le.ye sLress on there being plenty ture, however, you she.II perceive from their of space to wnlk in (Le.tt., spatioia). That actions (vers. 15 - 20); they that work lee.deth to destruction ( ,ls ..~v a,r~>..«a•) ; iniquity have neither present nor future that "perishing" in whioh "the sons of union with me (vers. 21-23). Finally a perishing" perish (John xvii. 12). And solemn warning (vers. 24-27). many there be which ; Revised Version, more exe.otly, and many be they t]wt ( ,al Ver. 18.-For vers. 13, 14, of. Luke xiii. 1r0Mol ela-w ol ,la-epxoµevo,). Our Lord says 23, 24, which, however (notwithstanding that they that are perishing are many ( cf. the simile.rity of vers. 25-27 to our vers. ver. 14, note). Go in; Revised Version, 21-23), were probably spoken later, and mter in; keeping up the allusion to "enter were perhaps suggested to both the dis- ye in." Observe, however, that if ~ ~>..TJ ciples and the Master by this earlier saying. (vide supra) is false, the thought here ill of On the other hand, our ver. 14 seems so entrance into the final i.ssne of the we.y- direct a.n answer to Luke xiii. 23 that it fi b~>..eur.. Thereat; Revilled Version, is not unlikely that this is one of the thef'eby; i.e. by the we.y. many po.see.gee plaoed by St. Matthew, or Ver. 14.-:Bece.uso (3.. ,); /or (Revised the authors of his sources, out of ohrono- Version); •• many ancient 11nthorities read, logica.l order. Enter ye in. Show imme- How 111>rrow i, the gate, etc.'' (Revised Ver- diate energy e.nd determination. Observe : eion margin), The reading, "how" (-ri) (1) In Luke, "strive (lr:yo,v/(ea-9e) to enter is muoh easier, e.s avoiding the difficulty of in"; here, "enter e.t once." (2) In Luke, the connexion of this verse with the pre- "through the narrow door" into, o.ppe.rently, ceding, but probably 3-r, ill right. The con- the fiuol e.biding-pla.oe; here, •• through the nexion is either thnt it is parallel to the na.rrow gate" into apparently the (perho.ps first 3-r,, and thus gives e. second reason for long) road whioh takes us e.t le.at to full decision in entering through the narrow snlvation. '.l'hus in Luke our Lord speaks gate; or, and better, tha.t it gives the reason of continued striving; here, of immediate for the st11tcmcnt in ver_ 13b-roany pass decision, in which, however, lies the as- along the wrong way because the right wily surance of ultimate success (cf. ver. 14, end ; requires e.t the very outset so much detor- also l John ii. 13). At the strait gate; mine.tion e.nd e.ftcrw:irds so much self-denial. Revised Version, by the narrow gate-the Strait is the gate, and ne.rrow is the we.y ; entrance resembling the road (ver. 14, note). narrow is the gate, and straitened the way Chrysostom (in loo.), contre.titing present (Revised Version). Not only i, the gate trio.ls with future happiness, says, "strnit- narrow, but the wo.y itself seems compressed ened is the we.y e.nd narrow is the gate, but (n6>..,µµlv11) by rocks, etc., on either side, not the oity.'' For wide is the gate, and That lee.deth unto life ( ••• -r1iv (w{w ). Ob- broad is the way. So also the Rcvilled serve, Christ does not se.y, " life eternal.'' Version, but the Revised Version margin He only cares to cmpho.size the thought of he.e, "some ancient authorities omit is the life in the fullest nature of life-lifo as " the gate." (For e. full discussion on the diffi- fulfilment of the highest idea of being: cult question of the genuineness of ~ 1r6>..11 perfect truth in perfect action" (Bishop here, mde Westcott and Hort, 'App.') Westcott, on l John Ei. 14). And few there 2~ THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MA'l'TIIE\V. [cm. vtr. 1-29.