1 Ne 8:20 the meaning of the word
¡°strait¡±
Joseph
Fielding Smith
¡°Mark
you, this word strait is spelled
s-t-r-a-i-t and not s-t-r-a-i-g-h-t. While no doubt, that path which leads into
the presence of God is straight, it
is also strait, which means that
those who enter into it will find it restricted; it is narrow; they cannot take
with them that which does not apply, or which does not belong to the kingdom of
God. All such things must be left behind when we enter into this narrow way
which leads in to the presence of God, where we can receive life eternal. ¡®Few
there be that find it.¡¯¡± (Doctrines of
Salvation, vol. 2. pp. 13-14 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas
Bassett, p.31-2)
Bruce R.
McConkie
¡°The
course leading to eternal life is both strait and straight. It is straight
because it has an invariable direction -- always it is the same. There are no
diversions, crooked paths, or tangents leading to the kingdom of God. It is strait
because it is narrow and restricted, a course where full obedience to the full
law is required. Straightness has reference to direction, straitness to width.
The gate is strait; the path is both strait and straight. (2 Ne. 9:41; 31:9,
17-18; 33:9; Alma 37:44-45; Hela. 3:29-30; 3 Ne. 14:13-14; 27:33; D. & C.
22; 132:22; Matt. 7:13-14; Luke 13:23-24; Heb. 12:13; Jer. 31:9.)
¡°Thus
by entering in at the strait gate (which is repentance and baptism) a person
gets on the ¡®straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life.¡¯ (2 Ne.
31:17-18.)¡± (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon
Doctrine, p. 769)