Luke 13:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The answer lies in their observance of the law; by offering sacrifices to God that involved bloodshed, they celebrated and rejoiced. Additionally, they listened in their synagogues to the teachings of Moses, who conveyed God's words by frequently stating, “Thus says the Lord.” These are the individuals who assert, “We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.” Yet, mere ritual sacrifice is insufficient for true justification, for one cannot cleanse himself of sins merely by hearing the divine laws without acting upon them. As long as they reject the faith that justifies the unrighteous and do not adhere to the commandments of the gospel, which are essential for leading a holy and chosen life, how can they expect entry into the kingdom of God? Therefore, their lineage or heritage carries no weight in their justification, and it is impossible for the blood of animals to remove sins.

Additionally, there are others who might bring the same plea before the Divine Judge, saying, “We have eaten and drunk in Your presence, and You have taught in our streets.” Who are they? Many believe in Christ and honor Him with sacred feasts; when they gather in church, they hear the gospel's teachings, yet their minds are often devoid of the Scripture's truths. They struggle even to achieve true virtue, and their hearts are barren of spiritual fruitfulness. These too will experience anguish and despair, for the Lord will also turn them away. He states, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward” (Matthew 6:1-2). Actions performed not out of genuine love for God, but rather for the approval of others—regardless of their nature—do not yield divine commendation, but rather judgment for self-seeking, stubbornness, envy, or similar failings. Hence, the Lord denounces such actions as works of unrighteousness, proclaiming to those who profess, “I will eat in Your presence,” “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” How could those who exploit God's gifts for their own satisfaction be anything but workers of iniquity? Such are the ones of whom the Apostle warns, “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit” (2 Corinthians 2:17) and those who “have an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words” (1 Timothy 6:5), among other cautions. Through all this, the Apostle himself demonstrated purity, asserting, “We do not aim to please people but to please God, who tests our hearts.” In his expression of sincerity, he insists, “We never came with words of flattery, nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others” (1 Thessalonians 2:4-6).

In contrast, to those who engage in unrighteousness, the Lord declares, “Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity; I do not know you” (Luke 13:27). He does not know them, not due to His lack of awareness, but because they are unworthy of His recognition. It is beautifully stated, “And the way of the wicked shall perish” (Psalm 1:6). The Latin translation employs the term ‘road’ to differentiate between a path and a way, while the Greek version uses ‘way’ in both instances. The distinction in the Latin is intentional, as the Lord stated, “I am the way” (Jn. 14:6); He did not merely say, “I am the way.” He remarked that the road of the wicked shall perish, yet not the wicked themselves; He preserves the life of those who, upon repentance, abandon the path of iniquity, which was never their original design and will not be in the future. The transient will fade away, but the essential will endure. The wicked face demise according to the declaration, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:4), meaning that the wicked will perish through the sting of sin rather than through the annihilation of their existence.

urse of Jesus, we can infer a warning applicable to all humanity: it is essential to navigate the narrow path leading to the narrow gate of the Kingdom of Heaven during this earthly life; it is vital to accumulate wealth through good works in God, thereby enabling a gracious entry into His Kingdom; once death arrives, it will be too late: those who neglect this during their lifetime will discover the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven closed and will hear the dire declaration: ‘Depart from Me, you workers of unrighteousness!’ The Lord elaborated on this idea even more vividly in the subsequent parable of the rich man and the poor man Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).

He approached the Savior with the question: "Lord, are there few who are saved?" In His response, which was intended not just for the inquirer but for all listeners, Jesus made it evident that salvation is not a trivial matter nor simply subject to idle questions; it is a crucial aspect of life that demands the full exertion of one’s will. Only those who earnestly engage with the means of salvation provided by Him will find deliverance. To illustrate His point more vividly, the Lord depicted the Kingdom of Heaven as a grand banquet to which God the Master of the House invites not only the chosen people but also the Gentiles who are joined to the vine of faith. For a more profound understanding, He referenced concepts from prior discussions. "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able." And when the master of the house rises to close the doors—symbolizing death and the final judgment of God—you will begin to stand outside and knock at the doors, saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us." And He will respond, "I do not know you, where you are from." Then you will say, "We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets." And He will declare, “I tell you, I do not know you, where you are from; depart from me, all you workers of unrighteousness." There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, along with all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, while you yourselves are thrown out. People will come from east and west, north and south, to recline in the Kingdom of God, and behold, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.