Who Are The Few?

In chapter 9 of Matthew, a woman who had been bleeding for years touched Jesus’ clothing and was healed. The word she declared would happen to her and the word that Jesus confirmed had happened to her was “sozo” (Strongs Dictionary word #G4982). Translators sometimes convert it to English sometimes as “saved,” sometimes as “healed,” sometimes as “made whole.” Most of the times Luke or Paul used it, they seemed to be referring to “being born of God.”

In Luke 13:22-30, though, someone asked Jesus, “Lord, are those being saved (sozo) few?” The response Jesus gave them was to “…make every effort to enter through the narrow door,” and twice made it clear that He was talking about entering the Kingdom. He was not talking becoming church members or being born of God, but entering into the protection of being in agreement with His dominion as a King. How much effort did it take for you to be saved from your former identity by being born again?

Until we stop trying to apply to the church teaching that Jesus gave about the Kingdom, the proverb might continue to be true: someone who is confused will confuse you.

After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were robed in white with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

Salvation belongs to our God,
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb!

All the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and strength,
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.
(Revelation 7:9-12 Holman Christian Standard Bible®©)