In this Gospel reading, Jesus teaches his listeners that they must go beyond the requirement of the Law and the Prophets to avoid wrongdoings, and to actively do good to others.
This is what William Barclay calls “The Everest of Ethics,” the summit of the Sermon on the Mount (Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series). It puts emphasis not on the negative side of the moral law (avoid sin), but on doing what good we can to help everyone around us – at home, in school, in the office, in the hospital, on the road, in any place we may be. This is closely related to the second point Jesus stressed – to take the narrow and more difficult, rather than the wide and easy, path.
Jesus is now leaving the choice to us – shall I enter the wide gate and go through the easy road that may lead to ruin? Or am I willing to discard the unnecessary baggage in my life so that I can follow my Lord and Master in the narrow, difficult road that leads to everlasting happiness.
