According to the rationalistic, moralistic, and pietistic tradition, one interprets the saying to mean that the person walking on the hard way and entering through the narrow gate is simply what one normally means by “a pious person,” the person who keeps away from all the lusts of the world and by the virtue of this good work then enters heaven, while the person on the easy way who enters through the wide gate is the “man of the world” who follows up all his lusts and therefore goes to hell. If one follows this interpretation, then all is lost, the saying is defrauded of its real meaning. For then in place of the new, better righteousness of the kingdom of heaven there arises the old “righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes,” which is precisely what was to be overcome, since it leads to destruction.

Jesus spoke of a narrow gate that few find, but what is that way?