Jesus did not answer the question directly. Instead of giving an impersonal answer He explained how a person could enter the kingdom. A narrow door pictured an unpopular and difficult entryway (cf. Matthew 7:13). Jesus meant the door was the way He taught in contrast to the more popular way that the religious leaders taught. Striving consisted of believing Jesus in spite of the intrinsic difficulty of believing and the opposition of others (cf. John 10:9). Many people would seek to enter the kingdom through ways other than the narrow door but would be unable to enter. One writer argued that the striving in view involves submitting to Christ"s lordship. [1] But submitting to Christ"s lordship is nowhere a condition for entrance into the kingdom. Only faith in Jesus is. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Luke 13:18-30 - The Penalty Of Neglected Opportunity
Notice here the inward movement and the outward effect of the gospel whether in the heart or in the world of men. The garden and the kitchen, the lives of men and women, respectively yield the same lesson. Though the seed of the divine nature is sown in secret, it cannot remain secret, but works its way into manifestation. Man's method is from without inward; God's, from within outward. You cannot estimate the results when a little child receives the incorruptible seed, 1 Peter 1:23.
But the entrance into the full power and blessedness of Christ is by a narrow way. The strait gate is open to all, but it means that we have to deny and leave behind all that is carnal, whether good or bad in the estimate of men, so that the divine life may have the entire field. Merely to eat and drink in Christ's presence betrays a self-indulgence which is foreign to His Spirit. You may sit at the Lord's table and yet be a worker of iniquity! We may be first in privilege, but last in grace. Luke 13:29-30 remind us of Acts 10:34-35 and Romans 2:13. [source]
Chapter Summary: Luke 13
1Jesus preaches repentance upon the punishment of the Galilaeans and others 6The fruitless fig tree may not stand 10He heals the crooked woman; 18shows the powerful working of the word, by the parable of the grain of mustard seed, 20and of leaven; 22exhorts to enter in at the strait gate; 31and reproves Herod and Jerusalem
Greek Commentary for Luke 13:24
Strive [αγωνιζεστε] Jesus makes short shrift of the question. He includes others (present middle plural of αγωνιζομαι agōnizomai common verb, our agonize). Originally it was to contend for a prize in the games. The kindred word αγωνια agōnia occurs of Christ‘s struggle in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). The narrow gate appears also in Matthew 7:13, only there it is an outside gate (πυλης pulēs) while here it is the entrance to the house, “the narrow door” (τυρας thuras). [source]
Strive [] Used only by Luke and Paul, except John 18:36. Originally to contend for a prize in the public games; and thus conveying a sense of struggle. The kindred noun, ἀγωνία , agony, is used of Christ's struggle in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). Compare 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7. [source]
Strait gate [στενῆς θύρας] Rev., narrow door. See on Matthew 7:13. The door of a house, and not a gate, is meant [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 13:24
Luke 13:25When once [απ ου αν] Possibly to be connected without break with the preceding verse (so Westcott and Hort), though Bruce argues for two parables here, the former (Luke 13:24) about being in earnest, while this one (Luke 13:25-30) about not being too late. The two points are here undoubtedly. It is an awkward construction, απ ου απο τουτου οτε aph' hou = αν apo toutou hote with εγερτηι an and the aorist subjunctive See Robertson, Grammar, p. 978. [source]
Colossians 1:29Striving [ἀγωνιζόμενος] From ἀγών originally an assembly, a place of assembly, especially for viewing the games. Hence the contest itself, the word being united with different adjectives indicating the character of the contest, as ἱππικός ofhorses; γυμνικός gymnastic μουσικός ofmusic; χάλκεος , where the prize is a brazen shield, etc. Generally, any struggle or trial. Hence the verb means to enter a contest, to contend, to struggle. The metaphor is a favorite one with Paul, and, with the exception of three instances (Luke 13:24; John 18:36; Hebrews 12:1), the words ἀγών contestand ἀγωνίζομαι tocontend are found only in his writings. See 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7; 1 Corinthians 9:25(note); 1 Thessalonians 2:2. [source]
What do the individual words in Luke 13:24 mean?
Striveto enter inthroughthenarrowdoorformanyI sayto youwill seekandnotwill be able
Greek Commentary for Luke 13:24
Jesus makes short shrift of the question. He includes others (present middle plural of αγωνιζομαι agōnizomai common verb, our agonize). Originally it was to contend for a prize in the games. The kindred word αγωνια agōnia occurs of Christ‘s struggle in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). The narrow gate appears also in Matthew 7:13, only there it is an outside gate (πυλης pulēs) while here it is the entrance to the house, “the narrow door” (τυρας thuras). [source]
Used only by Luke and Paul, except John 18:36. Originally to contend for a prize in the public games; and thus conveying a sense of struggle. The kindred noun, ἀγωνία , agony, is used of Christ's struggle in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). Compare 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7. [source]
Rev., narrow door. See on Matthew 7:13. The door of a house, and not a gate, is meant [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 13:24
Possibly to be connected without break with the preceding verse (so Westcott and Hort), though Bruce argues for two parables here, the former (Luke 13:24) about being in earnest, while this one (Luke 13:25-30) about not being too late. The two points are here undoubtedly. It is an awkward construction, απ ου απο τουτου οτε aph' hou = αν apo toutou hote with εγερτηι an and the aorist subjunctive See Robertson, Grammar, p. 978. [source]
From ἀγών originally an assembly, a place of assembly, especially for viewing the games. Hence the contest itself, the word being united with different adjectives indicating the character of the contest, as ἱππικός ofhorses; γυμνικός gymnastic μουσικός ofmusic; χάλκεος , where the prize is a brazen shield, etc. Generally, any struggle or trial. Hence the verb means to enter a contest, to contend, to struggle. The metaphor is a favorite one with Paul, and, with the exception of three instances (Luke 13:24; John 18:36; Hebrews 12:1), the words ἀγών contestand ἀγωνίζομαι tocontend are found only in his writings. See 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7; 1 Corinthians 9:25(note); 1 Thessalonians 2:2. [source]