Jesus continues His teaching from the side of the hill He is on. The subject now changes however, and Jesus's presentation is like a series of proverbs giving instruction on kingdom attitudes and standards.
It is worth remembering that Jesus's primary thrust in these teachings is that the righteousness of those in the Kingdom must be higher than that of the Scribes and Pharisees.
Matthew 7:1-2 - Do Not Judge
Mat 7:1-2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. (2) For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
One of the more misunderstood passages of the Bible, this one is frequently used to claim that Christians should not make judgments that provide moral or ethical value. We hear it all the time "I'm not judging, but...." and "Don't judge me", and so on.
Jesus is not claiming that we should not make moral and ethical judgments. What He is teaching is that we should not be in a place of moral haughtiness and take up a position of "sitting in judgment of others".
Stott says:
"The censorious critic is a fault-finder who is negative and destructive towards other people and enjoys actively seeking out their failings. He puts the worst possible construction on their motives, pours cold water on their schemes and is ungenerous toward their mistakes."
The Scribes and Pharisees were morally haughty, and assumed they were always right and everyone else is wrong.
A proper attitude to have in shown in Gal 6:1-5.
Gal 6:1-5 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. (2) Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (3) If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. (4) Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, (5) for each one should carry their own load.
In vs. 2 Jesus continues by warning that those who judge harshly will be judged harshly themselves, and those that are merciful and kind will be judged mercifully and with kindness. Jesus warns us about being harsh towards the faults of others.
Carons points out:
"The judgmental person by not being forgiving and loving testifies to his own arrogance and impenitence, by which he shuts himself out from God's forgiveness."
Stott adds valuable context:
"To sum up, the command to judge not is not a requirement to be blind, but rather a plea to be generous. Jesus does not tell us to cease to be men (by suspending our critical powers which help to distinguish us from animals) but to renounce the presumptuous ambition to be God (by setting ourselves up as judges)."
Jesus's context of His teaching is consistent with the major theme of the Bible which teaches that we are to be transformed into His likeness by allowing the Holy Spirit to change who we are at our base foundation. With regards to judging, we are to be merciful and generous, and not be harsh and unforgiving.
Matthew 7:3-5 - The Beam and the Spec
Mat 7:3-5 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (4) How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? (5) You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
This passage is hyperbolic exaggeration to make the point that judgmental attitudes are a great offense than what is being pointed out. The judgmental attitude is the plank.
Jesus is rebuking the tendency of human nature to climb up on each others back by magnifying the faults of others without considering ones own faults. This is especially true when one has a superior judgmental attitude.
Someone with a superior judgmental attitude cannot be trusted to see things clearly enough to correctly judge others. Such a person exaggerates the faults of others while minimizing their own faults.
Gal 6:1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
"You hypocrite", is addressed at those that do not first judge themselves. Those who fail to judge themselves and taking moral high ground are pretending to be something they are not.
Jesus was not telling us that we should not judge, but rather that we should follow proper procedure for calling out the failures of others. We should carefully scrutinize ourselves to be sure that we dealing with our own failures first, including possibly that of spiritual smugness or self-righteousness.
Joh 8:3-11 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group (4) and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. (5) In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" (6) They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. (7) When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (8) Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. (9) At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. (10) Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" (11) "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Someone who wishes to correct others must be humble enough to see and deal with their own failures and shortcomings before addressing the failures and shortcomings of others. And as Paul said, we should address them gently.
The process of learning from and dealing with our own sin puts us in a place where we can more clearly see others sin, and ultimately results in humility. This humility helps us to correct others without judgment and with love.
Barnes states:
"The beam, the thing that obscured our sight, will be removed, and we shall more clearly discern the small object that obscures the sight of our brother. The sentiment is, that our readiest way to judge of the imperfections of others is to be free from greater ones ourselves. This qualifies us for judging, makes us candid and consistent, and enables us to see things as they are, and to make proper allowances for frailty and imperfection."
Matthew 7:6 - Dogs and Pigs
Mat 7:6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
The previous 5 verses spoke in the context of believers relating to believers with regards to moral and ethical standards for living in the Messianic Kingdom. Jesus here speaks in regards to bringing judgment on non believers in the context of the sacred and pearls.
The sacred and the pearls represents God truth and His Kingdom standards. It is everything we are talking about regarding Kingdom life.
The dogs and pigs were derogatory terms used by the Jews to refer to Gentiles. Jesus was clearly not concerned with political correctness. The passage is stating that we should not be bringing a message of truth regarding proper living in the Messianic Kingdom to the unbeliever.
It can be read as "do not put something in front of unbelievers that they cannot understand lest they trample and crush what you are giving them". Unbelievers cannot comprehend God's truth without the Holy Spirit to illuminate it for them.
What message should we by putting in front of the unbeliever? The gospel message of Christ's death, burial and resurrection. It is only after they accept Jesus's free gift of eternal life and are born again that they can begin to understand God's truth regarding how to live.
We should be a light in the darkness, revealing the benefits of living according to Messianic Kingdom standards. Be living witnesses to God's goodness. Our role here on earth is to bring people to salvation, not make them conform to our idea of what a better world would be like.
We should respond to the world from a place of humble self-judgment rather than by self-righteous judgment of others.
We should speak out against evil. However, trying to reform society based on biblical law and kingdom standards is putting pearls and what is sacred before dogs and pigs. Society will never understand it, and will react violently.
Matthew 7:7-11 - Ask and It Will Be Given
Mat 7:7-11 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (8) For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (9) "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? (10) Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? (11) If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Verse 7 - Jesus then moves on to talk briefly about prayer. There are a number of passages about prayer that should all be taken together. This particular passage speaks about asking, seeking and knocking, and receiving, finding and having the door opened.
In this passage we learn the key to answered prayer. That key is sincere persistence. In the Greek language, the words or "ask", "seek" and "knock" are all in the present tense, which conveys continual persistence.
We have talked in earlier passages about the consistent message that we are to allow the Holy Spirit to bring change and transformation to our lives. The goal of this transformation is to bring a permanent change in who we are as people, in our character. As we take in the Word of God, and give space in our hearts to the Holy Spirit, we are told we are changed from glory to glory.
2Co 3:18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
What Jesus is conveying in these Kingdom standards is consistent with what our approach to prayer should be, which is with sincere persistence.
Sincere persistence is towards a diligent pursuit of God's way. It is asking plus acting. Our actions are to anticipate and actively pursue the results. Some examples:
Accompany the request for wisdom with study of God's word.
Accompany the request for health with adoption of healthy eating habits.
Accompany a request for safe travels with careful driving.
Accompany the request for financial health with job searching, or doing a good job at your present employer. Getting a savings plan, etc.
"Knocking" conveys a desire for fellowship with God. The follower of Jesus should be involved with the activities of the Kingdom. Get involved, stay involved.
Verse 8 - As we are told throughout the Bible, our sincere persistence in asking, seeking and knocking will be rewarded.
Verse 9-11 - Jesus provides an illustration to bring what He is saying to life in the comparison between a human father who by natural human nature is evil and Himself who is by nature good. Surely, if a human father brings good to his children, then surely a father who is good by nature will bring good things to His children.
This comparison shows that when we do not receive good things from our heavenly Father, it is not through any fault of our heavenly father. We should evaluate our own behavior to ensure that we are in a continual state of continual persistence.
Jas 4:2-3 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (3) When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Other hindrances to answered prayer include:
Mat 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
Jas 5:15-16 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (16) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
1Pe 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
Matthew 7:12 - The Golden Rule
Mat 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Jesus is summarizing all that has been said in the Sermon on the Mount. Rather than following the Mosaic era and handing out many detailed laws, Jesus is reducing them in summary form.
The Law and the Prophets referred to the Mosaic Law, and the Mosaic Law was reduced to the greatest command, love God with all our hearts, and love our neighbor as our selves, and that is reduced down to the Golden Rule, to do to others as we would do to ourselves. If we follow this command, we will fulfill the Law of Christ.
Matt 7:13-14 & Matt 7:21-23 (Luke 13:22-30) - The Narrow Gate
Mat 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. (14) But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
This section will also cover Mat 7:21-23 and Luk 13:22-30.
Mat 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' (23) Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Luk 13:22-30 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. (23) Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, (24) "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. (25) Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' (26) "Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' (27) "But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' (28) "There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. (29) People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. (30) Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."
Jesus goes on to illustrate the entrance to the Kingdom. John and Jesus had been proclaiming that "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand". Apparently, there were many that were seeing that Jesus's message of the Kingdom was being rejected, and this was disappointing them. They asked "are only a few people going to be saved?"
Luk 13:22-23 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. (23) Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them,
To the Jewish mind, salvation and entrance to the Kingdom went hand in hand. In order to enter the Kingdom, they had to be saved. They believed they were saved by virtue of being a physical descendant of Abraham. In response to this misconception, Jesus illustrated what He was saying with a story of a man giving a feast. The context of these passages is the Sheep and Goat judgment at the end of the Tribulation that determine who has an open door into the Kingdom, and who faces a closed door to the Kingdom.
Luk 13:25-28 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' (26) "Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' (27) "But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' (28) "There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.
This story shows that merely being a physical descendant of Abraham is not sufficient for salvation. One must believe what Jesus is saying. In this unfortunate situation, unbelief is met with a door closed to the Kingdom.
There are many who do not believe God's Word. Various cults, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, orthodox religious Jews who reject Messiah, and those who believe physical lineage to Abraham is sufficient, and many who believe they are working for "God", but deny Jesus as God fall into this category.
Those who treat national Israel with disdain during the Tribulation also fall into this category as well, for they reject what God says about His nation Israel. These are all unbelievers who may confess that they know God, but they deny His teachings and prefer another way than Jesus to heaven, universally incorporating works into their supposed method of salvation.
The following passages all speak about this same time period of judgment based on wide and narrow gates, and open and closed doors.
Sheep and Goat Judgment
Mat 25:31-32 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. (32) All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Mat 25:34-36 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, (36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Mat 25:41-46 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (42) For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, (43) I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' (44) "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' (45) "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (46) "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Joe 3:1-2 "In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, (2) I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.
Wheat and Tare Parable
Mat 13:36-43 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." (37) He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. (38) The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, (39) and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. (40) "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. (41) The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. (42) They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (43) Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
The message Jesus is bringing is that unbelievers need to accept Messiah Yeshua and His teachings before it is too late. Works, like genealogy are not sufficient to save.
The 10 Virgins Parable
A parallel to this story is the parable of the 10 virgins. This parable illustrates entrance to the Kingdom and the wedding banquet, not the Rapture. The people are divided into believers who have the indwelling Holy Spirit and are met with an open door, and unbelievers who do not and are met with a closed door.
Mat 25:1-13 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (2) Five of them were foolish and five were wise. (3) The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. (4) The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. (5) The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. (6) "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' (7) "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. (8) The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' (9) "'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' (10) "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. (11) "Later the others also came. 'Lord, Lord,' they said, 'open the door for us!' (12) "But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.' (13) "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
In the record of Luke, Jesus also brings out the fact that the Kingdom is open to Gentiles as well as Jews. This angered many of the Jews and hardened their rejection of Messiah Yeshua. The Jewish leaders believed they were first in every way, however, unbelieving Israel will be last and left out of the Kingdom, and believing Gentiles will be first in the Kingdom in importance.
Luk 13:29-30 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. (30) Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."
Application
Gates represent entrances into a course of life. The narrow gate symbolizes less accessibility and popularity, and is a road of difficulty and persecution. The wide gate symbolizes approval and acceptance by the majority of people.
In the context of the Sermon on the Mount, where the Kingdom standards are being revealed, and the lesson being that our righteousness must be greater than that of the Pharisees, the wide and narrow roads can be compared to the characters of the Pharisees vs. that of the saints.
The narrow road represents a life of internal transformation, everything we have talked about so far. It represents the path in which the Holy Spirit brings transformation to the hearts of people bringing a permanent change to their character from glory to glory. We are His people.
The wide road represents the road of external requirements of the religious and self-righteous, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Many will be led to a path of religion and self-righteousness and in the end they will find destruction.
Matt 7:15-20 - False Prophets - A Tree and It's Fruit
Mat 7:15-20 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. (16) By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (17) Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. (18) A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. (19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
False prophets are also referred to as "false teachers", "false apostles", and sometimes "false Christ's".
Watching Out For Their Presence
We are told to "watch out" for them. This warning means that we should pay close attention and to watch carefully for them. This indicates that they could be hiding among us at any time, and we should by alert and listen carefully for evidence of their presence. The thought is as if walking through a war zone, be alert for the presence of the enemy at all times. Be ready.
They Hide Behind Virtue
False teachers are like wolves in sheep's clothing in the sense that they are gentle when they are hidden and they put up a good show, but inside they are destructive wolves waiting to pounce and tear when challenged or crossed. Although these false teachers appear to check all the right boxes off, in their heart, they are hypocrites.
Identifying False Teachers
False teachers can be identified by what comes out of their mouths and their actions. They presume to speak for God from a position of authority. As we will recall from previous teaching on judging and the narrow gate, the false teachers like the Pharisees are sitting on an imagined throne arrogantly and self-righteously lording it over everyone else. They are right and everyone else is wrong.
They may be sheep like for a time, but the wolf will come out eventually.
In vss. 16-20 false teachers are compared to bad fruit. Fruit represents what the person produces in doctrine and deeds.
Good teachers will produce good conduct in those they are teaching, and bad teachers will produce unrighteous conduct.
They may be speaking blatant false doctrine as well, and false doctrine, even from a sheep is destructive. The only protection against this is a solid orthodox understanding of scripture.
The Heart of a False Teacher
A wolfish attitude is a vivid indicator that exposes a false teacher. In their approach to people they may give the appearance of doing all the right things, in their hearts they are neglecting the more important things, like humility, fairness, mercy and faithfulness.
Mat 23:23 You Pharisees and teachers are show-offs, and you're in for trouble! You give God a tenth of the spices from your garden, such as mint, dill, and cumin. Yet you neglect the more important matters of the Law, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the important things you should have done, though you should not have left the others undone either.
In keeping with the theme of the Sermon on the Mount, and the Bible in general, the focus is on the heart. It is our character, who we are at our base level that is transformed by God's spirit in our lives. False prophets and false teachers have a character that has a high opinion of themselves. They believe they speak for God and have moral pseudo-pastoral authority over others. Like Pharisees, they see themselves as arbiters of truth, and others as spiritually deficient.
The Destructive Nature of False Teachers
Both the teaching itself as well as the divisive attitude that false teachers put forth are destructive.
It is common and acceptable for those learning about God's word to meet to discuss and debate in a humble and thoughtful manner. This is done in Bible studies, Facebook groups, and other venues. This was a common practice in the early church.
Act 2:46-47 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, (47) praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Act 18:27-28 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. (28) For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
Act 17:11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Discussing subjects such as Eschatology from various points of view is not false teaching when pursued in the interest of learning with humility. A gentle character by the participants is a key indicator that separates false teaching from healthy discussion and debate.
A person takes on the character of a false teacher when they elevate themselves and their doctrines to the level of infallibility and demand that others get in line with their teaching.
The Deceitful Nature of False Teachers
Those who are spiritually young can develop into false prophets and cause division in the Body. Young Christians get swept away by the deceit, and are in danger of adopting morally and spiritually superior and condescending attitudes themselves, even with such a limited knowledge of God's Word. They don't know what they don't know, and yet act as if they know it all.
False teachers attack and demean anyone who dares to disagree with them, and force people to choose sides bringing further division among the Body. This behavior is extremely destructive. They are known as wolves. Wolves are destructive to the Body of Christ. They tear and maim by words and actions, bringing about destruction and division.
Discernment should be used because false prophets claim to speak for God, but God has not instructed them to speak. They speak their own intent and create havoc.
They can be identified by their proclamations of "God said" or "Thus saith the Lord", and recklessly boast about themselves and their knowledge. Of these, God says He did not send them. They will spout opinions as if it were God's word.
The End of False Teachers
God will see that false teachers receive their due.
The church has lost the sense of sending out laborers, under authority. Everyone is a teacher, when very few should be, the "free speech" mentality of the world has taken over many in the Body who presume to speak from the Lord.
Jas 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Mat 23:13-15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. (15) "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
Mat 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Matt 7:21-23 - I Never Knew You
Mat 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' (23) Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Entrance to the Kingdom
This passage is speaking of "on that day" when some "will enter" the Messianic Kingdom. The Kingdom is not yet established. The "I will tell them" is speaking of the future judgment of the Sheep and Goats, a judgment that determines who enters the Kingdom.
Mat 25:31-34 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. (32) All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (33) He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (34) "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
Mat 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
The parable of the 10 Virgins is also speaking of this judgment.
Mat 25:10-13 "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. (11) "Later the others also came. 'Lord, Lord,' they said, 'open the door for us!' (12) "But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.' (13) "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Doing the Will of God
Looking at other passages indicates that an intimate relationship with Jesus and "doing the will of God" also involves believing what He says and acting accordingly. The inclusion of "acting accordingly" reveals that the context of this warning is the Tribulation period, a period in which Jesus is greatly concerned with His people Israel and the treatment they receive from the nations. "Acting accordingly" is not works based salvation, but rather is a demonstration of faith and belief in what God says.
Mat 25:35-36 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, (36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Another passage that speaks of the Sheep and Goat judgment in the future as it relates to the people of Israel is found in Joel chapter 3.
Joe 3:1-2 "In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, (2) I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.
During the time of the Tribulation, those who do not have an intimate relationship with Jesus, and who do not do the will of God will be considered to be evildoers and cast away.
Knowing the Lord
Entrance into the Messianic Kingdom is based upon relationship and humble surrender, not religion and religious talk. "I never knew you" speaks of a lack of intimacy. The same Greek word translated "knew" is used by Mary in defending her virginity.
Luk 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
It is also used in the prayer of the Lord for the church.
Joh 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Application For Today
While this passage is speaking of a judgment at the end of the age, just prior to the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom, an application for us today is that Jesus desires intimacy with us by His Holy Spirit. His desire is that we allow Him into the innermost parts of our mind so that He can bring transformation and behavior change.
Those who reject the Holy Spirit preferring to determine their own way never really come into a real relationship with Jesus.
Matt 7:24-27 - House on the Rock
Mat 7:24-27 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (25) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (26) But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (27) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
In this final pericope in the Sermon on the Mount, opened with a "therefore", Jesus connects the parable of the house built on the rock to a summary and warning to the hearer about all that has been said previously.
The Rock in the parable is what the foundation of the building is built on. The building is the hearing and responding to the words of Jesus. Building our life with this spiritual foundation will enable us to withstand the storms that come our way in life. Wisdom comes from understanding and responding to what Jesus was teaching.
A review of the topics of the Sermon on the Mount:
Being a preservative and light
Anger - a matter of the heart
Lust - a matter of the heart
Divorce - a matter of the heart
Oaths - Let your yes be yes and no be no
Retaliation -
Loving our Enemies -
How to Give - in secret
How to Pray - in secret
How to Fast - in secret
Laying up Treasures -Rewards
Anxiety - a matter of faith
Judging - a matter of humility
Receiving Answered Prayer - from a foundation of godly character
The Golden Rule - The sum of the law
Trees and Fruit - discernment
Knowing God Intimately - relationship
Our ability to measure up to these standards and characteristics is dependent upon our submission to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to regenerate us through transformation of the mind. That transformation brings change to our behavior, and enables us to grow into the Messianic standards Jesus is presenting.
Rom 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Tit 3:4-5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, (5) he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
Eph 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; (23) to be made new in the attitude of your minds; (24) and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Rom 13:13-14 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. (14) Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
2Co 3:18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Naturally then, not taking these words of Jesus to heart leave one in the unenviable position of being wrecked in the storms of life. There is no rock to cling to and we are swept away.
Matt 7:28-29 - The Authority of Jesus
Mat 7:28-29 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, (29) because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
The people who had been gathering to hear what Jesus was saying had grown into a large crowd. They were amazed that Jesus spoke with authority.
Joh 5:24-29 "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
