Introductory remarks:
Chapter seven concludes the Sermon on the Mount. In chapter six we learned the proper way for giving, fasting, and praying, and the right mental attitude toward riches. In chapter seven Christ condemns the judgment of the brother, and warns them of listening to the false prophets, that they will be able to tell them by their fruits. He concludes with His admonition that the believer should build his entire life on the doctrines of the Word of God. We must keep in mind that Christ is giving His instructions to His disciples, and these are the ones who truly believe on His name. The instruction He is giving is the rule that will be in effect when He returns to rule.
Ironside introduces this chapter with these words:
"The more we meditate upon that which is set forth in the present chapter, the more we shall realize how far short we come of rising to the heights of unselfish devotion to Christ which is here inculcated. As the Holy Spirit brings these instructions home in power to our hearts, we shall find ourselves searched more and more deeply by His solemn utterances. He who desires truth in the inward parts (Ps. 51:6) was speaking through His Son in a manner calculated to lay bare all the hidden springs of character, and to cause honest soul to realize how much we need to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, in order that we may represent Him aright in this world where He is still the rejected One."
Judging Others
(Luke 6:37-38, 41-42)
Verse 1, "Judge not, lest ye be judged.
LGT "Judge not [others], in order that you are not judged."
The Greek word for 'judge' is krinete; it is from this word that we get our English word 'critic.' "It means to separate, distinguish, and to discriminate; that is necessary, but pre-judgment is unfair, captious criticism" (Robertson). Christ is not commanding His disciples not to make logical discernment about others; He is saying that we cannot know the motives of others, only God sees the heart, so we should refrain from snap-judgments of others, because they are generally wrong, and that we should not judge others if we are not willing to be judged on the same level. The Pharisees were in the habit of elevating themselves at the expense of their pseudo-religious judgment of others.
Verse 2, "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
LGT "For with what judgment you are judging, you will be judged; and with what measure you measure it will be measured to you."
"For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged:"
It is obvious here that Christ is teaching that the disciples were not to pre-judge a brother, because they can only observe the act and not the motive. If they will judge with critical judgment, others also will judge them with the same.
"And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you."
The same principle is expanded upon here; with what severity we judge a brother, we also will be judged.
William Barclay lists three reasons why one believer should never judge another believer. "(1) We never know the whole facts or the whole person. (2) It is almost impossible for any of us to be strictly impartial in our judgment. (3) No one is good enough to judge another person."
Verse 3, "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
LGT "But why are you beholding the splinter in your brothers eye, but in your own eye you observe not the beam?"
In the first phrase the Greek word for 'behold' is blepies, and it means to observe from without. Here Christ presents us with a picture of one brother staring into the eye of another brother observing the small 'speck' or 'splinter' in the eye of his brother. In the second phrase the Greek word for 'consider' is katanoeis, meaning to 'observe' or 'inspect.'
Vincent writes:
"The word mote, however, suggests dust; whereas the figure is that of a minute chip or splinter, of the same material with the beam. Wyclif renders festu, with the explanation, a little mote. In the explaining the passage it is well to remember that the obstruction to sight is of the same material in both cases. The man with a great beam in his eye, who therefore can see nothing accurately, proposes to remove the little splinter from his brother's eye, a delicate operation, requiring clear sight. The figure of a splinter to represent something painful or annoying is a common oriental one. Tholuck (Sermon on the Mount) quotes from the Arabic several passages in point, and one which is literally our Lord's saying: How seest thou the splinter in thy brother's eye, and seest not the cross-beam in thine eye?"
Verse 4, "Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?"
LGT "Or how will you say to your brother, permit me [that] I may cast out the splinter out of your eye, and behold the beam [is] in your [own] eye?"
A small insignificant fault we readily recognize in our brother, completely ignoring the glaring hideous character flaw of our own.
Verse 5, "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
LGT "Hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to cast out the splinter out of your brothers eye."
Correct your own faults before you are able to see clear enough to help your brother. How could anyone be able see clearly with a cross-beam sticking out of his eye? After one deals with his own flaws he is able to help his brother, because now he is more patient, seeing how much introspection it took to help himself. A Christian who is able to discern his or her own faults and deal with them, will have the proper motive in helping a brother with his or her small problem. The hypocrite is the one who is unconcerned with his own problem, while sticking his big proboscis into others business.
Verse 6, "Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."
LGT "Do not give that which is holy to the dogs neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest maybe they should trample upon them with their feet, and having turned they break you in pieces."
"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,"
The reference to the 'holy thing' here, Vincent says, "is the meat that is sacrificed on the altar, and the profane priests throw it to the many wild dogs that then infested the streets." Christ uses this profane action of the priests to also tell His disciples not to give to the Pharisees the truths that He is giving them, for they will not accept them, because of their false interpretations of the Law of God.
"Neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."
The first portion of this chapter Christ is telling His disciples not to judge their brother; now He is instructing them to judge to whom they give the Word; the first is judging hypocritically, while this is judging with discernment.
"The word 'pearl' we have in the name Margarita (Margaret). Pearls look a bit like peas or acorns and would deceive the hogs until they discovered the deception. The wild boars haunt the Jordan Valley still and are far removed from bears as they trample with their feet and rend with their tusks those who have angered them" (A.T. Robertson).
Christ uses this graphic picture of a wild boar tearing to pieces, that which angers him. The Pharisees did the same thing to the Word of God; this is what casting the 'pearls of the Word' of God before the swine - Pharisees. It was because of the Truth, that the Pharisees sought to kill Christ; they eventually accomplished their evil, by crucifying our Lord, who, by the way, allowed them to do it. Today we have the swine of liberal so-called preachers doing the same thing to God's Word. The liberal preacher takes the Word of God and develops a self-interest message that will sell his books and make him rich. The danger to the believer who is taken in by these liberal monsters suffers by not growing in grace and the knowledge of truth, and they forfeit their future rewards in heaven.
Ask, Seek, Knock
(Luke 11: 9-13)
Verse 7, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
LGT "Keep on asking, and it will be given you, keep on seeking, and you will find, keep on knocking, and it will be opened unto you."
This verse begins a discourse by Christ on the privilege of prayer. Remember that these Jews were coming out of a religion that taught that they had to go to God through a high priest. Now Christ is teaching them that they can, and must, come directly to God. Paul expands on this doctrine in Philippians 4: 5-7: Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." This verse does not mean that we will get everything we ask, seek, and knock for. What Christ is teaching is that we have a great privilege to come to the throne of grace, and we should be persistent in pursuing it.
Verse 8, "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
LGT "For every one who asks receives and the one who seeks finds, and to him that knocks it will be opened."
Christ further reveals the truth of verse seven, that is, He encourages His disciples with the absoluteness of the faithfulness of God. It has been taught in other portions of Scripture that there are two sides of prayer, (1) God's side as the eternal Giver, and (2) man's side, as the eternal receiver. If we ask in prayer, with the proper motive, it will come to pass, because when our prayers line up with the will of God, it is absolute.
Of course it is implied in this verse that asking must be in the will of God. The Apostle John expands on this doctrine: And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us; and if we know that He hear us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (1 John 5:14, 15).
Verses 9, 10, "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?"
LGT "Or what man is there among you, whom if his son should ask bread, will he give him a stone?" Or also a fish he should ask, will he give him a serpent?"
Here Jesus uses a parallel of huge differences. These are questions that most parents would answer, of course not.
Verse 11, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"
LGT "If therefore, you being unsound, are knowing [how] to give good gifts to your children, how much more the Father who [is] in the heavens, will give good gifts to the ones asking Him."
"If ye then, being evil,"
The reason Christ uses the word 'evil' is because of the sin nature all men possess. Christ is not referring to individual acts of sin, but the fact that all men are unsound, unstable, and cursed with sin; if this were not a fact, He would not have a need to be teaching.
"Know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?"
Parents believe they know how to give good gifts to their children, but by comparison, parents only think they know what is best for the child. The parent, in most cases, gives the child what it wants, but not what is best for them; and if they give what is best for the child, the child probably thinks the gift stinks.
But our Heavenly Father who has given us eternal life, and has seen fit to prepare us for fellowship with Him, and has given us all the resources of His Word to walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, and has given us the opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth to us from His Word, how could we ask anything that would not bring glory to His name? If He has done this for us, proving He knows what a good gift is, is He not also able to give abundantly above anything we may ask or even think? We may rest assured that He will not give anything that is not in the eternal best interest for His dear children, although, He will allow His children to heap upon their own heads the misery of riches and things, but has given us the truth about these things, and has directed us in our choices; it is up to the believer to either believe God and be obedient to His Word, or to disregard His Word and let caution be damned.
Verse 12, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."
LGT "All things whatsoever you desire that men should be doing to you, thus also you should be doing to them: for this is the law and the prophets."
This is what all school children in my generation were taught as 'the golden rule,' Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Christ teaches this rule in a positive way, as He says that all the law and the prophets are wrapped up in this. This is the sum total of the teaching of the Old Testament, though nowhere stated in so many words.
Barnes notes:
"This rule would make you impartial, candid, and just. It would destroy avarice [greed], envy, treachery, unkindness, slander, theft, adultery, and murder. It has been well said that this law is what the balance wheel is to machinery. It would prevent all irregularity of movement in the moral world, as that does in a steam engine. It is easily applied, its justice is seen by all men, and all must acknowledge its force and value."
Pentecost writes:
"Having swept away the traditions of the Pharisees as providing righteousness, Christ now described the character of true righteousness. A person who would be righteous must do for others what that person would want others to do if the situation were reversed. This was essentially what the law enjoined and the prophets exhorted. If people would treat neighbors as themselves, no neighbor would be mistreated. The Jews who heard our Lord teach this would have been forced to acknowledge that this was a summary of the righteous requirements of the law. Jesus told the rich young ruler to show selfless love (Matt. 19:21) and afterward taught the Pharisees about such love (Matt. 22: 36-39). To love one's neighbor as oneself fulfilled the second table of the law."
The Narrow Gate
(Luke 13:24)
Verse 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:"
LGT "Enter in through the narrow gait: for wide [is] the gate and broad [is] the way that [is] leading away into destruction, and many are the ones who enter through it:"
"Enter ye in at the strait gate:"
The word 'strait', in the KJV, can be misleading to the English reader, because it seems to have the meaning of our word 'straight.' The Greek word for 'strait' is stenes, which actually means 'narrow.' So it literally reads: Enter through the narrow gate. We will see in this parallel that the narrow gate is not much traveled or crowded.
"For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,"
The first parallel is that the way to destruction is wide. Many of the commentators I read draw the comparison to the big cities with their bright lights that lure the people into them. It seems as though every city has a street in the middle of town called' Broadway.' New York City touts its great metropolis with the lure of 'Broadway Shows.' Las Vegas lures the people from around the world by its bright lights and replicas of 'Paris', 'New York, New York', 'Circus Circus', 'The Venetian', etc.
"And many there be which go in thereat:"
The second parallel is that few enter the narrow gate, but many go through the wide gate. Satan has the lure that draws men who are opposed to God, and even those that aren't opposed, such as yours truly. Thank God He does not allow us to enter all the way to destruction. Of course I am making a parallel to today but the literal interpretation will come as we go on with the text.
Verse 14, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
LGT "How narrow [is] the gate and straightened the way that [is] leading into life, and few are they who are finding it."
In verse thirteen Christ presents the 'Broadway' that is appealing to all that leads away into destruction. Christ is 'the way, the truth, and the life,' and few accept His way. Christ said in John 10:10: I am come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly.
"The multitude was confronted with two divers interpretations of what God demanded for acceptance into His presence. On the one hand was the explanation of the Pharisees and on the other was the requirement of Jesus. Christ now exhorted these people to enter the kingdom through the narrow way that He presented - by hearing His Word and accepting His person. As a result of faith in Him they would receive a righteousness that would make them acceptable to God. The alternative was to follow the way of the Pharisees. Christ likened their teaching to a broad way that ultimately led to exclusion from the kingdom and destruction. Christ's requirements were very rigid but were of God. Only the ones who came through Him could be accepted into the kingdom that He was offering" (The Words and Works of Jesus Christ - J. Dwight Pentecost).
A Tree Known by its Fruit
(Luke 6:43, 44)
Verse 15, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
LGT "Beware of the false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but within are rapacious [greedy] wolves."
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,"
Christ is speaking of the Pharisees as false prophets; there have been false prophets even in Old Testament times. Christ warns His disciples in chapter 24 of false Christ's and false prophets that will arise in the last days. Originally a prophet was one who foretold future events, but here Christ is speaking of men, such as the Pharisees, that taught unsound doctrine; these were false teachers, and specified here as 'false prophets.' These Pharisees appeared on the surface as sheep, but underneath they were greedy wolves.
"But inwardly they are ravening wolves."
The term 'ravening wolves' in the Greek NT is lukoi arpages, meaning 'a greedy predatory.' Even as the 'Devil, like a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.'
William Barclay adds:
"Let us then look at the false prophets and see their characteristics. If the way is difficult and the gate is narrow that it is hard to find, then we must be very careful to get ourselves teachers who will help us to find it, and not teachers who will lure us away from it. The basic fault of false prophets is self-interest. True shepherds care for the flock more than they care for their own lives; wolves care for nothing but to satisfy their own gluttony and their own greed. False prophets are in the business of teaching not for what they can give to others, but for what they can get out of it for themselves.
The Jews were alive to this danger. The Rabbis were the Jewish teachers, but it was one of the most important principles of Jewish law that a Rabbi must have a trade by which he earned his living, and must on no account accept any payment for teaching. Rabbi Hillel said: 'He who uses the law for external aims fades away.' The Jew knew all about teachers who used their teaching self-interestedly for no other reason than to make a profit for themselves. There are three ways in which teachers can be dominated by self-interest.
They may teach solely for gain.
They may teach solely for prestige. They may teach in order to help others, or they may teach to show how clever they are.
They may teach solely to transmit their own ideas. False prophets are out to disseminate their own versions of truth; true prophets are out to proclaim God's truth."
Verse 16, "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
LGT "From their fruits you shall know them. Neither do they gather from thorns a bunch of grapes, or from thistles figs."
"Ye shall know them by their fruits."
Christ is teaching His disciples that they are to observe whomever it is that assumes the role of a teacher, by investigating their message; they were not to judge, but to discriminate. The only true method of knowing whether the message is from God is, is it true to the Word God has given.
"Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
Here Christ begins some parallels of obvious consideration; grapes come from a true grape vine, and a fig from a true fig tree. False teachers cannot produce sound doctrine from their greedy hearts.
Verses 17, 18, "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."
LGT "So that every good tree produces good fruit, but a rotten tree produces rotten fruit. A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, neither a rotten tree produce good fruit."
The term 'corrupt' does not mean that it was once a good tree, but then it became bad; it was a rotten tree all the time. False teachers come in with their evil doctrines from the beginning to seek whom they may devour; they take a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof. Peter describes these false teachers in 2 Peter 2:1-3, But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who [secretly] shall bring in [destructive] heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they, with feigned [artificial] words, make merchandise of you; whose judgment now for a long time lingereth not, and their [destruction] slumbereth not." We have many today who are making a handsome profit on the Word of God, and on the sheep; I say sheep instead of 'church member' because not all members are believers. It is a sad thing for me to see how many of my friends are gullibly taken in by one such teacher, Rick Warren, and his 'Purpose Driven' drivel. Whenever I speak with one of Rick's people, they never discuss doctrine, just how much good Rick is doing. I don't want to get started on this crafty public relation boob, so I'll continue now with my exposition.
Verse 19, "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire."
LGT "Every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and is cast into the fire."
The tree that does not bear good fruit is not of the Lord. This is a stern warning of judgment to the self-righteous Pharisees. The farmer would not say that he would leave the rotten tree remain in hopes that the next year it might bring forth good fruit; what he does is cut it down and make room for a good fruit producing tree. There is good fruit and bad fruit, and God will only accept good fruit; the only person that can produce good fruit is a child of God, and further more, a child of God cannot produce bad fruit, because it is the Holy Spirit in the believer that does the producing.
Verse 20, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
LGT "Then surely, by their fruits you shall know them."
This verse is a repeat of the first phrase of verse sixteen. The true man of God will have Christ as the center of his teaching, and will have no other motive than to please God. If we are in fellowship with the Father, we will be able to recognize good fruit from bad fruit.
I Never Knew You
(Luke 13:25-27)
Verse 21, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
LGT "Not every one saying to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one doing the will of My Father who [is] in heaven."
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;"
The Pharisees talked very religiously, but their hearts were far from the Lord. They spoke as holy teachers, but inside were whitewashed sepulchers. These men did not accept Jesus as their Messiah; Except a man is born again, he will by no means ever see the kingdom of God.
"But he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
In this context, the only way a man can do the will of the Father is to believe on His Only Begotten Son. Without being born again, by the Spirit of God, no man will ever enter God's kingdom; doing the will of the Father, is not a work, but a submission of a will to God's will by faith: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).
Verse 22, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?"
LGT "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and through your name cast out demons, and through your name perform many works of power?"
"Many will say to me in that day,"
The term 'that day' can only be a reference to the end of the Tribulation, when men will seek entrance into Christ's Kingdom. Miracles have now ceased, so it could not be the plea of men before the Great White Throne of God.
"Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?"
The false prophets will claim to have prophesied in the name of Christ, but the Lord will dismantle the sheepskins they hid under, and they will be turned away. They may have been able to fool some in the church, but they are howling at the moon if they think they can put one over on the Lord who sees the heart.
"And in thy name have cast out devils?"
It was the name of Christ that put fear in the minds of the demons and made them flee from a man; Judas, the betrayer of Christ, also cast out demons, so this was not a sure sign that a person was saved. Judas was one of the Twelve, but he went to hell in his own blaze of glory. The only name that a person can rely on is the Lord Jesus Christ. "Origen says, that in his time so prevalent was the name of Christ to cast out devils, that sometimes it availed when named by wicked Christians. A man might cast devils out of others, and yet have a devil, nay be a devil himself." (Read the story of Simon the sorcerer in Acts chapter eight)
"And in thy name done many wonderful works?"
All the wonderful works of man will fall short of the glory of God. No man will be able to rely on his good works to get him through those pearly gates. "Grace will bring a man to heaven without working miracles, but working miracles will never bring a man to heaven without grace" (Matthew Henry).
Verse 23, "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
LGT "And then will I confess to them, that I never knew you: depart away from Me, who work lawlessness."
Christ tells these professors of religion, and false prophets, these wolves in sheep's clothing to depart from Him; He calls them those who work lawlessness. The word 'profess' in Greek is homologeso, and here it means 'to speak very plainly.' The Greek word for 'iniquity' is anomian, meaning lawlessness. The term 'lawless' is never applied to believers. In 1 John we studied the difference between committing sin, and practicing lawlessness; the believer can and does commit sin, but he does not practice lawlessness. (It might be good to go back and review this subject in your copy of my exposition on 1 John)
The Two Foundations
(Luke 6:47-49)
Verse 24, "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:"
LGT "Everyone therefore who [is] hearing these words of mine, and practicing them, will be likened to a prudent [wise and practical] man, who built his house upon the rock."
Christ uses this parable to teach His disciples that He is the sure foundation for their stability in their Christian walk; Luke in 6:48 adds: and dug deep, and laid a foundation on a rock. The 'Rock' of course is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ; Paul teaches in 1 Cor. 3:11: For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Verse 25, "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock."
LGT "And the rain came down, and the streams came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock."
Christ is teaching that when a person builds his or her life upon the Lord Jesus Christ, there is nothing that will be able to move them. Bible doctrine is the only sure remedy against the storms of life; this becomes more and more evident the older one gets. It is a sad thing when a person gets old, and they are still floundering around as though they have no hope. A most pitiful picture is to view a funeral of someone who is lost and heading for hell; or to view it of someone who has not built their future on Christ. Christ uses this first illustration of someone who has studied His Word, and obeyed His Word, as someone who is unflappable, and unmovable.
Verse 26, "And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:"
LGT "And every one who [is] hearing these words of Mine, and is not practicing them, he shall be likened to a foolish [dull or stupid] man, who built his house upon the sand."
The word 'foolish' is from the Greek word moros, from which we get our word moron. I think everyone but a moron knows what Christ is referring to. I'm sure that none of us would consider building a house upon sand, especially those of us in the building industry. Christ is teaching that every one who builds on anything short of Bible doctrine is foolish. The word 'sand' represents anything short of God's wisdom, and the Word of God is the only resource we have for obtaining this wisdom. He goes on to say that to have the knowledge of doctrine is not enough, for, in order to be wise, we must put into practice what we know from His Word.
Verse 27, "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."
LGT "And the rains came down, and the streams came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell, and the fall of it was great."
To ignore the Word of God is disastrous. All human resources are of the flesh, and only what one can receive from God's Word will last, and keep him secure.
Pentecost writes:
"The destiny of those who were hearing Jesus' words would be determined by their response to His message. He thus again invited this multitude to forsake the Pharisees' doctrines, interpretations, and practices. He asked them to accept His word and to put faith in Him. Thus Jesus answered the question of how good one has to be to enter the kingdom. His answer was very plain: one must be as good as God is. One must conform to His goodness and holiness as revealed in the law. The Pharisees' system could not provide this righteousness, but Christ offered Himself as Savior-Sovereign and invited people to put faith in His person and word."
Verses 28, 29, "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
LGT "And it came to be when Jesus finished these words, the multitude were amazed at His teaching [doctrine]: For He was teaching them as having authority and not as their scribes."
The word 'astonished' in Greek is exeplessonto, meaning literally, they were struck out of themselves. Robertson notes that 'the multitude were spell-bound during the sermon, and it carried on even afterwards.' Christ just completed teaching the multitude, and if they heard with the ear of the soul they would benefit eternally. Christ 'spoke', and it was doctrine; He did not have to read from a book, He was the Book in human flesh; He is the God-Man. We hear men preach from the Word of God, and if they don't pervert the meaning with their own philosophy and speculation, we can agree and have fellowship with them; however, if they get up just to entertain us with their foolishness of the human viewpoint, we soon get bored to tears. It is easy to see how the multitude was amazed out of their wits to hear the Word of God from God Himself.
Of the amazement of the multitude Shepherd says:
"It is no wonder that when Jesus had finished speaking, the crowds expressed their wonder in a buzz of astonishment. They were literally swept from their feet. It was different from the sermons of the Scribes, which they were accustomed to hearing. Specimens of these discourses in the Mishna and Gemara show that they were dull collections of disjointed comments on many subjects. Their teachings were narrow, dogmatic, second-hand, having no freshness, force, or power to move the heart to emotion or will to action. They dealt with the minutiae [trivial points] of mint, anise, cumin, the length of fringes and breadth of phylacteries [worn on the left arm or forehead], thus neglecting the weightier matters and vital subjects. The sermon of Jesus, quite to the contrary, with a swift intuitive insight pierced to the depths of the human heart, stirring the conscience and moving the will to action. He knew the life of man, rejoiced with him in his joys and wept with him in his sorrows. Such words of grace fell from His lips, spoken in such a gracious manner, that the world said: 'Never man spoke as this man.' There is no wonder that when He came down from the mountain great multitudes followed Him."
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