An Agonizing Fit

If someone were to ask what guidelines should be given to someone who has just come to faith in Christ to enable them to grow and deepen in faith what should we advise? The standard ‘out of the box’ answer might include prayer, reading the bible, sharing faith with others and joining a vibrant church that seeks to keep Christ in the center of Christianity. All very true of course but I often wonder if such an approach is somewhat naive? Are we perhaps missing something else equally important here? Do we do all the teaching of Jesus justice and indeed perhaps even belie our own experience also if we are honest?
I have been reading through the gospel of Luke recently and came across these words spoken by Jesus in chap 13:24 when He was asked by someone “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

Jesus response was “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to”. In the Greek the first part of the sentence reads as follows:

Ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῆς στενῆς θύρας

Strive           to enter        through the narrow door

Some manuscripts read ‘gate’ in place of ‘door’. The adjective used to describe the gate is στενῆς (here pronounced ste-nes) and is translated as ‘narrow’ in the NIV. The word is not found elsewhere in the New Testament apart from the same passage in Matthew 7:13. However it does occur a few times in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. In 1 Sam 23:19, 24:1 we read that “David dwelt in the narrow passes of Engedi”. In 2 Kings 6:1 the prophets complained that the place they met with Elisha was too cramped for them. In Isaiah 49:20 Zion’s children call out ‘this place is too small for us, give us more space to live in”.

 
The general idea is one of being tight, pressed, crowded and uncomfortable. There is another passage where it is used that may also throw some light on the passage already referred to in Luke’s gospel and it can be found in Numbers 22:26. This is the account of Balaam who is hired by Balak to curse the children of Israel.

There it states that ‘Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left’. This becomes more interesting when we read v 22 in the original Hebrew language:

 מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ לְשָׂטָ֣ן ל֑וֹ

” The messenger of the LORD in the road to oppose him ”
The verb ‘oppose’ in Hebrew is  לְשָׂטָ֣ן (here in the infinitive construct state, pronounced “sa-tan”). The Greek word used to translate ‘satan’ is ἐνδιαβάλλειν (pronounced en-dia-ba-lein). The Greek noun διαβολος (pronounced dia-ba-los) is related to this verb and, having a general meaning of opposer or slanderer, in the course of time became the Greek name for the one whom we now know as the devil.

Coming back to Luke 13:24 however what struck me this time round was that Jesus commands us to strive to enter in through this narrow gate. Most striking is the verb Ἀγωνίζεσθε (pronounced ag-on-id-zesthe). In the NIV it is translated as ‘make every effort’, other versions use ‘strive’ Our English word ‘agonize’ comes from it. It is used on a number of occasions in the New Testament, a few examples (NIV):

John 18:36 ‘If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight ’
1 Cor 9:25 ‘Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training’
1 Tim 6:12 ‘Fight the good fight’
2 Tim 4:7 ‘I have fought the good fight’

Back then to the original question as to what we should advise the newcomer to the faith, should we not also point him or her to the injunction of Jesus to ‘agonize to enter by the narrow gate’? Be sure it’s not going to be a leisurely stroll in the park. We do the new believer no favors if we do not point out clearly that instead of ‘having arrived’ they have only ‘just begun’ and have entered a spiritual struggle that will endure for the rest of their lives on this earth.

What is the narrow gate and just how narrow is it? Well we get some insight in the following chapters of Luke.
14:27 It is narrow but here is a paradox, it will easily accommodate your cross!

18: 17 The humble who bow the knee will easily pass through. The proud will not fit.

18:24 The gate is narrow so that the rich young man with all his possessions will not fit.

When I visualize this parable in my mind I see a small narrow gate that I must strive to enter through. It is a crowded, tight, uncomfortable place with many people and all their material and spiritual paraphernalia seeking to press through and an opposer in the way seeking at all costs to hinder our progress and stop us from entering the beautiful Kingdom of God that lies at the other side.

LORD, grant us grace, favor and share in Your victory that, with childlike trust, we may, forsaking all things for the true riches of knowing and loving You, taking our cross on our shoulders attain to and be found worthy of Your glorious kingdom. For the sake of Your Beloved Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

The Scribbling Scribe
18th September 2009