Thank you for the interpretation question on Matthew 7:13–14, “In the Bible which mentions that many are on the path to destruction, what exactly is that destruction? The Bible never specifically states that that destruction is hell.”
Scriptures exhorts believers to study the Scriptures. For Christians, this takes into account the context and text of any word or verse in the Bible. As one looks at the immediate context of Matthew 7:13, one ought to consider the broader passage as in Matthew 5–7, known as the Sermon on the Mount.
In my observation of the text, Jesus is declaring Kingdom Principles for the Jewish people to enter the Kingdom of God. The immediate context is given below:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages). Bible citations are from the New International Version.
The word, destruction, in the Greek is the noun form, apoeia. The word can mean loss of well-being, not of being, waste or ruin or signifying spiritual and eternal state (Encyclopedia Dictionary of New Testament Words by Vine). How does a reader determine that the word, destruction, is loss, ruin or something more as affecting one’s spiritual and eternal state? Context may give some indications.
Here are some thoughts for one’s consideration:
A. Jesus proclaimed about the nearness of the kingdom of God.
1. John the Baptist and Jesus were preaching that the kingdom of God is near. Matthew 4:17 records this statement about Jesus’ proclamation, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (NIV).
The Jews thought that God would fulfill his promise to King David of the coming Messiah who would inaugurate the kingdom of God (II Sam. 7:16).
2. Jesus taught the qualities of true repentance of a kingdom person.
As one reads Matthew 5–7, Jesus describes what a repentant person conduct should be like. A kingdom person doesn’t live by the letter of the Law but by the spirit of the Law. It is one’s heart attitude and not just one’s outward appearance. Phrases like, “You have heard that it was said” and “Do not…”are repeated to show what a truly repentant heart before God is like.
3. Jesus explained about the requirement to enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus revealed how a person will enter the kingdom of heaven in verse 21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” In the Lord’s prayer, he stated, “Your kingdom come, you will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (6:10).
It is not association with Jesus that qualifies a person to enter the kingdom of heaven, but a repentant heart and living a new lifestyle that honors God.
The three above points are critical as its foundation to understanding what it means “destruction” and “life.” If there is no future kingdom of God, then death is the end of life. If there is a future kingdom, then death is not the end of life. If Jesus was declaring that death is end of life, then the whole previous teaching doesn’t make any sense to teach about a coming kingdom and a lifestyle of those kingdom people. For example, he cites to not to lay up treasures on earth but in heaven. If destruction is the end of life, then there is no heaven. There is something beyond the grave that awaits the believer, that is the kingdom of God.
To further explore the thought on destruction and life, here are some thoughts:
1. The life that most people are living is a wasted life chasing after treasures that will perish with death at its end. To eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die is a false maxim that Jesus didn’t accept. There is a coming kingdom of God.
2. The life that a few people are living is believing in the coming Messiah and his kingdom. To invest in the kingdom of God takes faith to believe the words of Jesus. It is true then and even true today that one can invest all or most of the life in this world or one can invest all or most in the kingdom of God. Jesus declares that those who invest in the kingdom of God finds fulfillment not necessarily in this life but in the life to come. The widow and the poor had little or nothing, but they can have much in the kingdom of God.
3. The end of life for those on the broad road is exclusion from the kingdom of God. It follows that those who had little in this life and yet believe the words of Jesus of a coming kingdom find an abundant life in the kingdom of God while those who lived for themselves in this world will find themselves excluded from the kingdom. Death is not the end. There will be no need of Jesus declaring, “I never knew you. Away from me you evil doers!” If death is the end, the dead wouldn’t hear anything at all. Since Jesus spoke to them, it implies a resurrection of them. Since their place is not within the kingdom of God, they are to be separated from those who are in the kingdom of God.
Where do those people go? In my opinion, it is hell or the Lake of Fire at the Great White Throne Judgment. Revelation 20 says this, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (NIV).
Physical death is not the end of evildoers on earth. There is an accounting of one’s action on earth before God and a destination for them-the Lake of Fire. For those who believe the words of Jesus of a coming kingdom and live a repentant life, Jesus will welcome them into his kingdom (Matt. 5:3–10).
4. Can the kingdom of God be realized when Jesus was on earth? John 18 says this, “Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (NIV).
When Pilate examined Jesus for his accused crime, Jesus states that my kingdom is not of this world. This would imply that the kingdom of God has not come and is still in the future. Jesus came proclaiming a future kingdom of God and at his death and resurrection he proclaimed that the kingdom is yet to come (Acts 1:6–7).
Jesus declared there is a future Kingdom of Heaven/God for the repentant believer who will enter that kingdom or for the evildoers who will be excluded from the kingdom. If the godly dead are resurrected to enter the kingdom then what does it mean that the evildoers are resurrected when Jesus will say to them, “I never knew you. Away from me you evil doers!” If the evildoers are resurrected just to hear Jesus say that, it would be unnecessarily. The reader must decide whether there is a kingdom of God and a coming resurrection. One’s destiny hangs on one’s belief.
SUMMARY: The Kingdom of God speaks of a future resurrection and a future King who will rule that Kingdom. Are you part of that Kingdom?
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