What does Luke 13:23 imply about the number of people who will be saved? Text of Luke 13:23–24 “Someone asked Him, ‘Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.’” Immediate Literary Context Luke situates this exchange while Jesus is traveling toward Jerusalem (Luke 13:22), teaching about the coming kingdom. Verses 25-30 elaborate on exclusion from the feast, weeping, and the inclusion of unexpected peoples from east and west. The passage therefore moves from a numerical query (“few?”) to an urgent call for personal response. Original-Language Nuances The interrogative “εἰ ὀλίγοι οἱ σωζόμενοι εἰσιν” (ei oligoi hoi sōzomenoi eisin) literally asks whether “the saved are few.” Jesus’ reply employs ἀγωνίζεσθε (agōnizesthe), “strive, struggle,” conveying intense personal effort, not merit-based salvation but earnest, decisive response (cf. 1 Timothy 6:12). Jesus’ Deliberate Refusal to Supply Statistics Rather than providing a head-count, Jesus redirects the questioner from curiosity to commitment. The grammatical shift from third-person (“few?”) to second-person imperative (“you, strive”) underscores that speculation is secondary; obedience is primary. Quantitative Implication: ‘Many’ versus ‘Few’ Although Jesus sidesteps a census, He still answers implicitly: • “Many … will try … and will not be able.” • By inference, “few” successfully enter (cf. Matthew 7:13-14). Thus the Lord affirms that, in comparison to the mass of humanity, the number ultimately saved is relatively small. Qualitative Criterion: The Narrow Door The “door” is singular and narrow—exclusive by nature yet wide enough for “anyone who believes” (John 3:16). The imagery combines divine exclusivity (Acts 4:12) with universal invitation (Revelation 22:17). Salvation is neither automatic nor pluralistic; it is Christocentric (John 10:9). Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility Luke balances God’s initiative (13:29, people gathered from every direction) with human accountability (13:24, “strive”). Scripture elsewhere marries these themes (John 6:37-40; Ephesians 2:8-10). God’s electing grace ensures a redeemed remnant; human response authenticates inclusion. Canonical Harmony Old Testament precedent: a remnant of eight rescued from the Flood (Genesis 7:23); 7,000 preserved in Elijah’s day (1 Kings 19:18). New Testament parallels: virgins denied entrance (Matthew 25:11-12) and Christ’s warning that “not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter” (Matthew 7:21). The pattern is consistent: many exposed to revelation; comparatively few embrace it. Historical-Theological Voices • Clement of Alexandria recognized the passage as evidence against universal salvation. • Augustine tied the “fewness” not to God’s unwillingness but to human pride. • Reformers echoed the call to “strive,” emphasizing sola fide rather than works-based entrance. Evangelistic and Pastoral Application 1. Urgency: future opportunity is finite (Luke 13:25). 2. Personal Examination: church affiliation alone is insufficient (13:26-27). 3. Global Hope: the remnant spans nations (13:29), motivating missions (Matthew 28:19). Conclusion Luke 13:23 implies that, relative to the “many” who encounter the gospel, only a “few” will ultimately be saved, not because God delights in scarcity but because salvation is conditioned on entering through the single, narrow door—Jesus Himself. The text’s purpose is not to satisfy statistical curiosity but to compel every hearer to earnest repentance and faith while the door remains open. |
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