Broad Is the Way – A Preterist Reading Rooted in Zechariah 13

Broad Is the Way – A Preterist Reading Rooted in Zechariah 13

One of Jesus’ most quoted warnings comes from Matthew 7:13–14:

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

This verse is often universalized as a timeless warning for all of humanity. But under a Preterist lens, Jesus' words were not about a perpetual threat to every generation. They were a direct warning to His own first-century Jewish audience living under the shadow of a covenant about to be dismantled.

Narrow vs. Broad – The Covenant Divide

In Jesus’ day, the “broad way” wasn’t about irreligious humanity in general—it referred to the multitude within Israel who clung to the old covenant system. These were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and masses who rejected Jesus’ call to repentance and the arrival of the kingdom in their midst. They chose Temple, Torah, and tradition over the narrow gate of Jesus’ teaching and kingdom.

The "narrow road" was the way of faith in Christ, a road few in Israel were willing to walk. It meant persecution, loss of status, and disinheritance from the old structures. But it was also the way to life—not just personal salvation, but covenantal rescue from the wrath about to come on Jerusalem.

Zechariah 13 – Two-Thirds Cut Off

Zechariah 13:8-9 provides a powerful prophetic parallel:

“In the whole land,” declares the LORD, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.”

This prophecy, often glossed over or misapplied, perfectly mirrors the New Testament theme: most of Israel would perish, but a remnant would be saved. Zechariah foresaw the tragic purge of Israel—fulfilled in the Roman-Jewish wars, culminating in 70 AD. Two-thirds—representing the majority—walked the broad way to destruction.

This is not hyperbole. Josephus records that over a million Jews perished during the siege of Jerusalem, while the remnant—those who had listened to Jesus’ warning to flee the city—escaped and lived.

Destruction Was Covenant-Centric

The “destruction” Jesus spoke of was not eternal torment but national and covenantal judgment. The “many” on the broad road were those who rejected the Messiah and chose to remain under the curses of the Mosaic covenant (Deut. 28). The destruction they faced was not post-mortem, but the fiery end of their temple, city, and age.

Jesus was not speaking about Buddhists in Asia or atheists in modernity. He was speaking to the covenant people who had the Law, the Prophets, and the promise—and who were about to miss the day of their visitation (Luke 19:44).

The Narrow Gate Today?

From a Preterist view, the gate was narrow then because few had the courage to leave the old system behind and trust the unseen kingdom. But post-70 AD, we now live in the age of full access to God's presence, where the kingdom has fully arrived (Luke 21:31). We are no longer choosing between two covenants—the old has passed away. Instead of reading this verse as a threat to modern unbelievers, we should see it as a sober, historical warning to first-century Israel—and a triumphant testimony of God's faithfulness to refine His remnant.

Conclusion

“Broad is the way” was not about humanity as a whole, but about Israel’s covenant crisis. It was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, just as Zechariah 13 foretold. The remnant entered life, and the many perished—not because of random fate, but because they rejected the narrow gate of Christ. Let us not twist this into a fear-based warning for believers today. Instead, let’s honor the faithfulness of the first-century saints who walked the narrow road, and rejoice that we now live in the age of the kingdom, fully established, where the gates of the New Jerusalem are always open (Rev. 21:25).