Tackling Tradition (Part 1) - The Chosen Few
From time to time critics of Calvinism &/or Christianity, &/or Particularism decide to criticize the adherents to one or more of those schools of thought by pointing out that, if true, God is a monster because only the chosen few are allowed into the City of God. According to the critics - as well as some Christians - the Bible teaches this.
There are two New Testament passages that allegedly support this position. The first of these is Matthew 7:13- 14. The second is Matthew 22:1- 14. In this article, we’ll take a look at Matthew 7:13 - 14.
Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV): Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
In its context, these two sentences are at the end of a larger discourse about the ethics of judging & paracleting others. 7:1 - 6 deals with the unjust, hypocritical tendencies of Yeshua’s foils (the majority of the Sanhedrin, the Herodians, the Zealots, the Romans, & whoever else behaved like them). If people keep giving their pearls (hypocritical, unjust, bigoted) judgment to people then consider swine, the swine will one day rise up to trample them.
7:7 - 11 deals is titled “Ask & It Will Be Given” in the ESV. This text informs us that if we keep giving people serpents & stones when they are asking us for bread, then we may as well tell God we disagree with His treatment of all of us. God isn’t unmerciful; nor is God unattentive. We have a moral responsibility to God & to each other to listen to each other & serve each other in good faith
7:12 - 14 are labeled “The Golden Rule” in the ESV.
Matthew 7:12–14 (ESV): So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
In context 13 & 14 have nothing yo do with the ratio of the Elect to the Reprobate. The text is telling us the same thing that 7:6 tells us The Law & the Prophets inform us that we are to deal mercifully & justly with others, & if we give serpents & stones to our neighbors, then one day, we will find ourselves facing our own destruction.
Israel was living under the jackbooted heel of Rome. The people in Judea, Samaria, & Galilee were accustomed to the occasional uprising that was met by Rome’s military might. In addition to the highway bandits, it was also possible to run into crucified men who were put on public display by Rome. The People were also subjected to a taxation system that essentially resulted in low, functionally nonexistent taxes for Roman citizens in Rome itself & higher rates everywhere else, administered by dishonest people. They had good reason to feel as they did
With that it mind, it makes sense to call the way of giving serpents & stones the easy, broad path that leads to destruction. Living under those conditions makes living out the spirit of the Law & Gospel extraordinarily counterintuitive. Be salt & light; remember that the way to your own destruction & that of your people group or groups runs through giving serpents & stones. Rise up & above that sort of thinking, Be one of the few who does the right thing, because in the Bible, since the days when God told Abraham that he would spare Sodom & Gomorrah for the sake of just ten righteous men, God has been in the business of saving whole societies because of the faithful remnant.
In Part 2, we will look at Matthew 22 & the Chosen Many. Until then, God bless us all, every one, & “Go & sin no more.”
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