When Jesus said in Matthew 7:14 that the gate that leads to heaven is "narrow" and only a "few ... find it," did He say that the way to heaven is difficult? Many think so; and one modern translation (New King James Version) says, "difficult is the way." But this reflects a bias of the translators, which is not in the Greek text which the Lord said. The Greek word translated "narrow" in the King James Version is thlibo which means literally "hemmed in as in a mountain gorge." "Narrow," yes; but "difficult"? No. In all its uses in the New Testament, thlibo means "pressed" by circumstances not of our own choosing, but always in close context indicating there is a way through--just keep going. The "difficulty" is always in our own imagination, like how to get through a mountain. Just keep going, says Jesus in effect, there is a path, a pass. You CAN overcome, He assures us (Rev. 3:20, 21). Just keep going!
To take the view that Jesus' way is "difficult" requires a severe contradiction, for He says in Matthew 11:28-30 that "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Rather than mistranslate Matthew 7:14, shall we cut that text out of our Bibles? JESUS DID NOT CONTRADICT HIMSELF!
"But why does it seem so 'difficult,' so 'hard,' to follow Him?" someone may ask.
The answer is very simple: the same problem ancient Israel had--"because of unbelief" (Heb. 3:19; 4:6). And why the unbelief? The answer is, Often we have not understood the Gospel, how good the Good News really is. Our thinking from childhood has been shackled by subtle legalism that hides the Savior from our clear view. According to 1 Timothy 6:12, the only difficult battle we have is "the good fight of faith."
Learning to believe: that is our problem. We have been born and bred in unbelief; but Jesus says clearly, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23). You may not understand it right now, but don't reject it, for rejecting the Gospel can be fatal. Respond like the distraught father did in verse 24: "Lord I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." Then you can "never perish."
Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
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