Matthew 7: 13-14

7:14 in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, what is the “narrow gate” and “hard way?”

The “narrow gate” or strait gate is the doorway to everlasting life (John 10:7-9). There is only one way to eternal life. Believing in Christ is the only way to heaven, since only He could die for our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God. The “narrow gate” illustration in Matthew 7:13-14 is noted for objectivity, not for the intent of explaining the precise origin of the foundations (gate, then path, then ultimate purpose or ending). When Jesus said “Enter by the narrow gate” (Matthew 7:13a), He meant for His followers to enter the Kingdom. The “narrow gate” is referred to first because it is more significant. It is the focus of Matthew 7:13-14. The “hard way” in Matthew 7:14 is the life of the disciple that Jesus has referred to and expressed in Matthew 5-7. Jesus desires for us to enter the narrow gate because it guides or influences our life, so we can live out what He teaches.

7:24 in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, what does it mean to “build your house on a rock?”

To “build your house on a rock” refers to a disciple that reacts to and is aware of all circumstances, without being phony or superficial. The pursuit of subservience and conformity is the concrete foundation to endure the storms we face. In this parable, Christ teaches us the significance of action as well as listening. In His explanation of the two builders, He considers not only their support

Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988.

With the wise and foolish builders, Jesus explains two groups in the demonstration of building a house. Unlike the world, the followers of Christ build their houses differently: by continual obedience, by faithful service, and by overcoming the world, through daily prayer and Bible study (Psalm