Matthew 7 & 8: the few and the many, and the children of the kingdom.

so starting in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:

13 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:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

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So few find their way into Eternal Life.

But then in Matthew 8:

11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

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So many are with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, either in heaven, or on the New Earth, resurrected.

However, the next verse is kind of curious

12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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The context was that Jesus was talking to a Roman, a Gentile, who exercised more faith than anyone Jesus had encountered in Israel:

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

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So.. to Israelites, Jesus said few would enter eternal life.
But to a Gentile, Jesus said many.

Now Salvation for Gentiles through the Messiah was revealed in the old testament, Isaiah 11

10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

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Zechariah 9:

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

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and Jesus to the Pharisees about how the Kingdom will be taken from them and given to others (Gentiles), Matthew 21

42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

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Now we see how that all plays out, the few, and the many, Revelation 7:

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

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144,000... a paltry few out of the Millions in Israel.

and the many..

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

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how consistent. The most of the children of the kingdom of God that Jesus was taking from Israel, would be cast into outer darkness, only a scant few get redeemed.
I've seen so many people go up and down about the statements focusing on the few...
while neglecting the many. It's all about the audience Jesus was talking to when He said few, vs when He said many.

I can't off the top of my head remember other places but I'll be revisting the Gospels nightly for awhile so I will try to focus on that, and see if it holds.

Oh, another thing about the Centurion, why his faith was so marvellous to Jesus:

5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

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His belief was that Jesus had not just power to heal, but rather authority over all things, including demons, sickness, and all men, Roman and Jew alike.
In other words this centurion knew Jesus was God, his feeling unworthy for God to enter his home.
In Israel, people believed Jesus was a prophet, or perhaps the Messiah, and had power, but very few understood that He was divine, why He could speak with authority on matters of morality. Few knew He is the Son of the Living God God had to reveal it to Peter.
But this Centurion knew who Jesus truly is.