The Commentary by W. Patton, D. D.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 9, 1867

The Commentary.

By W. Patton, D. D.

Tell me the meaning of Scriptures. One gem from that ocean is worth all the pebbles of earthly streams.—M. Cheyne.

The Strait Gate. Luke xiii, 24.

There are many passages in the word of God which are rendered obscure and perplexing by an unnecessary stumbling upon words. A wrong punctuation also often darkens that which, with a correct punctuation, would be clear and obvious. No text, perhaps, has suffered more than that saying of our Lord recorded in Luke, xiii, 24: “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able.” As usually explained and enforced, it has given great alarm to many honest seekers, and has driven others to despair. The drift of the passage teaches us that Christ spoke it not simply and alone to awaken and stimulate fear, but to animate and encourage hope. As an illustration of the expositions of commentators, we shall quote the remarks of Dr. Adam Clarke: “They seek, wish, and desire, but they do not strive; therefore, because they do not agonize, they shall not enter.” This assumes that there is a radical difference in the words respectively translated strive and seek. Hence it is pleaded that the want of success is simply and alone the want of a stronger effort. This throws the success or the failure upon the amount of physical and mental exertion. Thus the exhortation is agonize to enter in at the strait gate, because many will seek who do not put forth the requisite amount or intensity of effort to secure success, and therefore fail. If you agonize you will succeed, but if you seek you will fail; for it is claimed that in the original Greek there is a radical difference in the meaning of the two words rendered strive and seek. These Greek words are agonizomai, which occurs only six times in the New Testament and is rendered strive, fight and fervently. The other word, zeeteo, occurs about one hundred and twenty times, and is generally translated seek. Rev. Thomas Scott intimates that the word translated strive has reference to the intense struggles of those who engaged in the Olympic Games, whilst the word rendered seek carries no such association.

CHRIST'S TEACHING.

If there is this radical difference in the original words, and if to seek is not sufficient to secure salvation, what shall we say to the teachings of Christ? We read in Matt. vi, 33, “Seek (Greek zeeteo) ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness;” again, vii, 7, “Seek (Greek zeeteo) and ye shall find;” again, vii, 8, “Every one that seeketh (Greek zeeteo) findeth.” Was Christ ignorant of the meaning of words? Did he mean to deceive, when he thus used this Greek word? For if it expresses a thought radically different from agonizomai, then to assure men that if they would seek (zeeteo) they would find was to deceive them. Such suppositions cannot for a moment be admitted.

That the Greek word rendered strive is intensive and expresses the strongest exertion of body and mind, the concentration of determined effort, we freely admit, and also that the competitors at the Olympic Games properly illustrated the meaning of the word. At the same time we must not fail to understand that the word rendered seek is generic, and expresses all degrees of emotion and effort from the slightest to the most intensive. Hence the meaning in each case is to be determined by the manner of its use. A few references will clearly and satisfactorily settle this point. Matt. ii, 18, “Herod will seek the young child;” Matt. xiii, 45, “Merchantman seeking goodly pearls;” Luke xv, 8, “seek diligently till she find it”—(i. e., the lost silver). In these the idea of earnest determination to find is clearly expressed. To these might be added the earnest, persevering resolution of the chief priests and scribes who sought to lay hands on Christ, and “who sought for witnesses against Jesus.” But we turn to an instance concerning which no shade of doubt can exist that the word expresses the most intense of all emotions. In Luke ii, 44, we read, “But they (Joseph and his mother), supposing him (Christ) to have been in the company, went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kindred and acquaintance.” What next took place? Just what we should expect of loving parents: verse 45, “And when they found him not they turned again to Jerusalem seeking him.” What feeling is more intense, more absorbing, more concentrated, and more determined than the mental agonies of a mother seeking for her lost child? After three days of this seeking, they found him, and said, verse 48, “Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.” With such examples in the New Testament of the use and meaning of the Greek word zeeteo, we cannot adopt the commentary of Dr. A. Clarke and others who say, “They seek, wish, and desire, but they do not strive; therefore, because they do not agonize, they shall not enter.”

TRUE INTERPRETATION.

The context, properly read, renders the text clear and forcible. “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able, when once the master of the house hath risen up and shut to the door,” etc. The punctuation of our version is not inspired, it is not in the original. By placing a period after the word able, in verse 24, the sense is arbitrarily arrested. Put a comma there, and read right on, and the meaning is obvious, and the words of Christ have point and power. “Are there few that be saved?” was the inquiry. To this Christ replied, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate.” Why strive? Because now you may enter as the door is open; “but many will seek to enter in and shall not be able.” Why not able? Because it is too late, because the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door. Strive now, because the door is open and there is hope. But when the door is shut, then all striving will be in vain, no matter how earnest, intense, and determined it may be. So the Lord teaches, “And ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying Lord, Lord, open unto us: and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not,” etc.

This view, whilst it awakens fear, encourages hope. It stimulates present whole-hearted, determined effort, because the door is now open and we can get in. It alarms our fear lest the door should be closed whilst we procrastinate; for then there would be no possibility of getting in, though our agonizing might be a thousand fold intensified.

This interpretation is fully sustained by the parable of the ten virgins, Matt. xxv, 1, 12: “While the foolish virgins went to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

ENCOURAGEMENT.

Strive now, for the door is open and you may enter and be saved. “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find: for every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth.”—Matt. vii, 7, 8. “And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all the heart.”—Jer. xxix, 13. “Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”—Prov. ii, 3, 5.

Thanks, everlasting thanks, be unto the Lord for this element of hope. “We are saved by hope.” This is our encouragement, that, if we will strive now that the door is open, we can enter and be saved; if we will seek now that the door is open, we shall find the way in and be saved. To seek right and to strive right are equally sure of success.—W. Patton, D. D.