N umber Two—Testimony for the Church Chapter 22—The Two Ways 1T 127 At the Conference at Battle Creek, May 27, 1856, I was shown in vision some things that concern the church generally. The glory and majesty of God were made to pass before me. Said the angel: “He is terrible in His majesty, yet ye realize it not; terrible in His anger, yet ye offend Him daily. ‘Strive to enter in at the strait gate;’ ‘for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’” These roads are distinct, separate, in opposite directions. One leads to eternal life, the other to eternal death. I saw the distinction between these roads, also the distinction between the companies traveling them. The roads are opposite; one is broad and smooth, the other narrow and rugged. So the parties that travel them are opposite in character, in life, in dress, a…
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"
The EGW passage directly quotes Matthew 7:13, making it a clear and explicit allusion.
"journey. Their countenances are often sad, yet often beam with holy, sacred joy. They do not dress like the company in the broad road, nor talk like them, nor act like them. A pattern has been given them. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief opened that road for them, and traveled it Himself. His followers see His footsteps, and are comforted and cheered. He went through safely; so can they, if they follow in His footsteps. 1T 127.2"
"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
The phrase 'a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief' is a direct quote from Isaiah 53:3, clearly alluding to the suffering of Christ.
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"
The 'broad road' imagery in EGW's writing is a clear reference to the broad and narrow way described in Matthew 7:13, representing different paths of life.
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"
The EGW passage speaks of following in Christ's footsteps, which aligns with the principle of Christ as an example in 1 Peter 2:21.