THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 7 – Judging Others, Prayer, The 2 Gates, The Fruit of The Tree, Foundations

 

THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 7

Judging Others, Prayer, The 2 Gates, The Fruit of The Tree, Foundations

It is a good thing to know about the Bible. It is a better thing to know the Bible. The best thing you can do, however, is to know the author of the Bible, and to know what to do with what you have come to know by His Words.

It is also important to remember to keep Jesus’ teaching in context. These following verses, over the centuries, have been misread, misunderstood and misapplied to the detriment of so many.  Context is everything.

The context of the Bible is the fall of humankind into sin and destruction, God’s plan of redemption of this fallen world and His sending His son to save us.  Context is everything. So when we seek God and pray, remember that His promises are not made for our worldly needs and possessions. Jesus has told us that He knows we also need these (other) things, but we are to seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and those things will be provided to you (see Matthew 6:33). We are not to be concerned or worry about those things.

His call to us is to be saved, be sanctified and to be sent as His disciples into this world as His emissaries. His promises are in regards to His plan of salvation, our being conformed, transformed and being made into His image and His likeness. His promises are for our supply and need as disciples to carry the Message of the Gospel to the world.

We should recognize and follow Jesus’ method of teaching and discipling, which can be capsulated with this little acronym:  S.W., S.W., S.W. In other words, He would Say the words; Show the works; Send the workers. This is, or should be, our method as well. All sermons and teachings in the Church should follow, teach and encourage this model.

Judging Others

Matthew7:1, “Do not [footnote ‘a’] judge, so that you will not be judged. Verse 2. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and [footnote ‘b’] by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Verse 3. Why do you look at the [footnote ‘c’] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Verse 4. Or how [footnote ‘d’] can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the [footnote ‘e’] speck out of your eye,’ and look, the log is in your own eye? Verse 5. You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the [footnote ‘f’] speck out of your brother’s eye!

(Commentary Break: The first thing to remember is that the intended audience of this message is the Christian and the Church. The word ‘judge’ here, means to make a judgement that either approves or condemns and puts an abrupt end to a matter, when referring to another person. Jesus is saying that you are not to declare someone innocent or guilty ‘by your opinion’.  This kind of judgement of another person remains exclusively God’s domain.

Secondly, this ‘judgement’ is different than discernment. You are to discern, (a type of judgement), which “cuts through” hazy ethical and moral matters to really “size things up” and to respond with a Godly attitude. This way you are not bringing judgement, but loving concern for an errant brother or sister in the Lord. This kind of judgement does not bring an end to matters, but is the beginning of coming along side of a brother or sister for correction, encouragement, teaching and training in righteousness, resulting in unity.

 Finally, note that the caveat is that the way you judge is how you will be judged. This is not optional and is not occasional. It is a spiritual law, so beware. If you are a condemning person, you will be condemned. If you are a Godly, loving, humble concerned brother or sister, you will receive Godly, loving and gentle concern.

 Just use care when addressing this matter. Do not be negligent, but do not be too fast to act, either. Always try to come along side of someone first. Get to know them and try to understand them before making any decision. Remembering our first goal is unity in Christ. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 6. “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

(Commentary Break:  Holy refers to that which is sacred, physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated – most holy one or thing; A follower of Christ, The Word or deeds of God.

The “pearl” as mentioned here, comes from a proverb, meaning to thrust the most sacred and precious teachings of the gospel upon the most wicked and abandoned men, incompetent as they are, through their hostility to the gospel, to receive them, and thus to profane them.

A dog, universally despised in the East, comes from the Greek word ‘kyon’ literally, a scavenging canine; figuratively, a spiritual predator who feeds off others.  A loose dog was disdained in ancient times – viewed as a “mooch pooch” that ran about as a scavenger.

The swine was forbidden as food by the Levitical law, ( Leviticus 11:7 ; 14:8 ) the abhorrence which the Jews as a nation had of it may be inferred from (Isaiah 65:4 ). Swine were considered ceremonially unclean and naturally filthy animals.

They were also associated with demons (Mark 5:11-13), and another time swine and dogs are mentioned together (2 Peter 2:22), they are associated with “false prophets”, who, like Balaam, knew the way of God but had “forsaken the right way”, men who had “known the way of righteousness”, but chose to “turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them”, showing they were Hebrews who were never saved (1 John 2:19).

This might raise questions. Why would Jesus, on the one hand, tell His disciples to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you” and, on the other hand, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs”?

Is this a contradiction or a controversy, or is there a distinction?  The answer to these questions must be found by considering ‘the dogs’ and ‘the swine’ as representing, not men and women as such, but the passions of this kind or that which make them brutish. So long as they identify themselves with those passions, we must deal cautiously and wisely with them, as one would with an aggressive dog or a swine.

The dogs and swine of these verses represent those people who are hardened and altogether incapable of receiving evangelic truth, and to whom that which is holy is utterly foreign and distasteful. The capacity to discern, distinguish, or to discriminate the source of a spiritual manifestation, whether it emanates from a good or evil spirit (i.e., a ‘dog’ or a ‘swine’), is the gift and ability of discerning of spirits which is bestowed by the Holy Spirit to Christian believer. (End Commentary Break).

Prayer and the Golden Rule

Verse 7. “[footnote ‘g’] Ask, and it will be given to you; [footnote ‘h’] seek, and you will find; [footnote ‘i’] knock, and it will be opened to you. Verse 8. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Verse 9. Or what person is there among you Verse [footnote ‘j’] who, when his son asks for a loaf of bread, [footnote ‘k’] will give him a stone? Verse 10. Or [footnote ‘l’] if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? Verse 11. So if you, despite being [footnote ‘m’] evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

(Commentary Break: Verses 7 through 11 are both deeply prophetic and soundly practical. The word ‘ask’, as used here, can mean to ask, to beg, to call for, to desire and to require or to demand. It is a word packed with fervency and emotion. (For example, “The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man or woman is able to accomplish much, and when put into action and made effective by God, it is dynamic and can have tremendous power”. (See James 5:16).

The phrase, “It will be given to you” is to be understood as literal.

The same goes for ‘seeking’ and ‘knocking’. Jesus at other times, teaches that importunity and persistency yields results.

 Finally, it remains important to remember that His promises are in regards to His plan of salvation, our being conformed, transformed and being made into His image and His likeness. His promises are for our supply and need as disciples to carry the Message of the Gospel to the world. When we ask, seek and knock, it is to that end, and no other.   (End Commentary Break).

Verse 12. “In everything, therefore, [footnote ‘n’] treat people the same way you want [footnote ‘o’] them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

Verse 13. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. Verse 14. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

(Commentary Break: This is the kindest way possible to say what Jesus has said in so many ways, and that is there is only One Way to life and life eternal:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (see John 14:6).

 “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (see Matthew 19:21).

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms on account of My name, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. (see Matthew 19:29).

 And the one who does not take his cross and follow after Meisnotworthy ofMe. (see Matthew 10:38). (End Commentary Break).

A Tree and Its Fruit

Verse 15. “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Verse 16. You will [footnote ‘p’] know them by their fruits. [footnote ‘q’] Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? Verse 17. So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. Verse 18. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Verse 19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Verse 20. So then, you will [footnote ‘r’] know them by their fruits.

(Commentary Break: Forgive but do not follow. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 21. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Verse 22. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [footnote ‘s’] miracles?’ Verse 23. And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; LEAVE ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

(Commentary Break: So, what IS the Will of The Father? (This is not about semantics). It is recognizing and continually doing God’s Will in the course of your life that determines the outcome of His Will for your life. I frequently hear people say “I want to know the will of God” when making important or difficult decisions or trying to find their way out of difficult or trying situations. I also often hear people finish their prayers with “IF it be your will” as sort of a polite guess?

Or, as if to say, “I really don’t know Your Will, God, but, here’s what I think” as if we can bring God to our point of view. Sort of imposing our will upon God’s will?

I see some folks wearing a rubber bracelet or sporting a sticker which reads “WWJD?” (What would Jesus do?) I guess that is supposed to make us stop and think about what He would do before we make important decisions or misbehave?

My experience has been that most people, including MOST preachers, are not ready to give a definitive answer to this all important question for their lives: “What is God’s Will for my life” or in this situation?

The phrase “the will of God” and “God’s will” is used a total of twenty-five times in the Bible (that is, if you use the “Authorized version” of the Bible or the New American Standard in conjunction with Strong’s concordance. But, who can really tell with all the versions of the Bible floating around?)

The frequency of the use of a word or phrase in the Bible potentially tells us is the importance or uniqueness of that word or idea communicated by that word or phrase. But, regardless of the frequency of this phrase, I would say that the “Will of God” is a pretty important idea.

Here are four instances of the twenty-five occurrences of the phrase “God’s Will” from the Bible where the Bible clearly explains God’s Will:

• • • 1 Peter 2:15 “For such is the will of God, that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
    • Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
    • 1^st Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;”
    • 1^st Thessalonians 5:18 “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Do you want to the see the power of God’s Word and His Spirit work for good in your life? Does using these three verses sound too simple? Well, you can expand on these verses. But, just try these for a start. (End Commentary Break).

The Two Foundations

Verse 24. “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and [footnote ‘t’] acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Verse 25. And the rain fell and the [footnote ‘u’] floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Verse 26. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not [footnote ‘v’] act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. Verse 27. And the rain fell and the [footnote ‘w’] floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.”

(Commentary Break: These verses are self-explanatory. Still, we may correctly assume this metaphor is for effect and not to be taken literally. But it is more literal than one can imagine. The ‘house’ is your life. The ‘rock’ is Jesus and the literal Word of God. The ‘rain, the floods and the rains’ are the troubles and evils in life. The ‘sand and the fall’ is the wisdom of humankind and ways of the world, that create the destruction of one’s life. It is literally true that your life will culminate one way or the other. It will fall or it will endure and stand. Choose now while there is time. The wide gate of comfort, ease, disregard for God, or the narrow gate of following Jesus’, His teaching and His ways. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 28. [footnote ‘x’] When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; Verse 29. for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

(End Chapter 7).

Now, the questions I think we should ask are, (1). “Am I amazed?”, and, (2). “where will I go now?” I confess, I am amazed. Are you?

Peter answered the 2^nd question, saying, “Lord, To whom shall we go? You have the Words of Life”.  How about you? What say you?

Jesus teaches that following Him means we must leave our former life behind, and as we accompany Him we are to stay close to Him, peering over His shoulder, watching and learning. This way we will hear and see what we are to do as His disciple, and we will then be forever identified with Him. We will share in His joy and His persecution. But we are not to fear, because He has promised to be with us all the days of our life.

In this chapter, Jesus has been ‘Saying the Words’, (teaching), and next, in chapter 8, He will ‘Show the Wonders’.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  (coming soon) THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 8,  Jesus Heals Leprosy, The Centurion’s Faith, Jesus Heals Others, The Disciples Tested, Jesus Calms the Storm, Casting our Demons.

PREVIOUS:  THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 6 – Giving, Prayer, Fasting, Treasure, Wealth.

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