Matthew Chapter 7 - Helpful Notes

We start Matthew 7 with probably the phrase that you are most likely to hear quoted to you by impenitent sinners, “Judge not…” But what does this verse really mean? The judgement that is warned against cannot be judging those that break God’s law as sinful. If that were the case Paul, Peter, John and indeed all the writers of the New Testament would be guilty of violating Christ’s commandment. It cannot mean to call something sin, that God has called sin, since one would simply be affirming what God has already declared in His word.

The warning is against making judgements from a personal point of view. Judging others without a certain knowledge of thought, or intent. When we judge another in this way, we are opening ourselves up to the judgement of God. The scary thing is, that we are actually measuring out our own judgement in this! Did you judge that brother severely? Be careful, God will judge you severely; better to judge others with mercy, when we do not know the motives of their heart.

The Lord Jesus gives an illustration to show the danger of hypocritical judgements. (Read 3-5) 

• Mote = Splinter.
• Beam = Large piece of wood.

The smaller mote is a picture of small infirmities, or faults. The beam is a picture of, to quote Wesley “gross, palpable faults.”

As we move into verse 6, we start hitting the sort of language that would not seem out of place in the book of Proverbs. These are sort of sayings, with a spiritual or moral message. They are presented in a certain Rabbinic style, similar to the Epistle of James; short, almost random statements.

(Read verse 6) Do not share the deep and beautiful things of God; Perfection, Holiness, Sanctification with those who like pigs are happy to wallow in their own sin. They will turn on you like vicious dogs and they will trample all over the precious things of Christ. Controversial though this might sound, I would even caution against sharing the love of God at this stage; more fitting would be a reproof for sin. Ephesians 5:11 says, “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

(Read 7-8)

• Ask.
• Seek.
• Knock.

Ask.

We are to ask of God, not doubting that God will help (remember, Jesus warned in the previous chapter against taking thought, or being anxious about our lives) but in faith.

Seek.

We are to seek in prayer, which is the context of these statements. Furthermore, we are to be persistent in our asking.

knock and it shall be opened unto you.
John Gill comments,“as beggars do, who use much importunity (persistence in asking) for relief and assistance. So men should stand and knock at the door of mercy, which will not always be shut against them. Faith in prayer is a key that opens this door…” (John Gill’s Commentary)

(Read 9-11)

If your son asks you for bread, will you say “here you are and give him a stone?”

If he asks for a fish, will you say “here you are and give him a serpent?”

In ( Luke 11:12 ) it is added, "or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?" The illustration is to show the absurdity of Fathers giving their hungry children, whom they love, an inedible stone instead of a piece of bread and so on. Even non-Christian parents know how to care for the basic needs of their children, lovingly and graciously. “How much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask Him.”

(Read verse 12)

Verse 12 is the answer to Matthew 5:17 This is the whole spirit and heart of the law and the prophets. Go to Acts 3:24-26 (Read) So we see Repentance defined in verse 26, “turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” We also see why living out the Christian Gospel is not the destruction of the Law, but rather the fulfilment of it. What the Sermon on the Mount describes, from Chapter 5, to Chapter 7, is Gospel Obedience, or the Way of Holiness.

That way, is a narrow way (verse 14). Jesus says “Strait is the gate.” Strait, in this sense means narrow; as in the straits of Gibraltar. Jesus contrasts this with the wide gate and the broad way. See how deceptive these ways can be: The broad way does not need any searching out, we find ourselves automatically on it; it has a wide gate and many are they that will be our companions on this road. Is this the right way to live? The right direction to be going? Everybody else seems to think so. Yet Jesus says it “leadeth to destruction.”

What about the strait gate and the narrow way? Well, few are they that find it! There are not many on this road, you have to search out this road. You have to “ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16) Jesus says it is the way that “leadeth unto life.”

So if I adopt the views of the majority; if I subscribe to the morality and wisdom of the masses; am I likely to be walking the narrow way? No, I can’t walk down BOTH ways, I must choose.

Go to Psalm 1:1-2 (Read)

In verse 15 Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets.” Beware of all those that say the gate is wide and the way is broad. Beware those teachers and preachers that take up the views of the world and are afraid to stand on the word of God.

They might look like Ministers, but they are wolves in disguise; they will harm and devour the flock. As Jude puts it, “they speak great swelling words having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”  They are flatterers, they will feed your pride, your conceit; they are soothe-sayers. They are spiritual murderers.

Verse 21-23 (Read) perhaps some of the most sobering words that the Lord Jesus speaks.

It shows that ministering in the name of God; even ministering in the gifts, is not what is required. John Wesley observes, (and it is a great observation) “If any man marvels at this, let him acknowledge he is a stranger to the whole religion of Jesus Christ; and, in particular, to that perfect portraiture thereof which he has set before us in this discourse. For how far short is all this of that righteousness and true holiness which he has described therein! How widely distant from that inward kingdom of heaven which is now opened in the believing soul, -- which is first sown in the heart as a grain of mustard-seed, but afterwards putteth forth great branches, on which grow all the fruits of righteousness, every good temper, and word, and work.”

Go to 1 Corinthians 13: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (that is love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

Jesus says that ALL the Law and the prophets are summed up in this, that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and our neighbour as our self. Therefore, love is the fulfilment of the Law.

An illustration is offered by Jesus of a wise man and a foolish man. The foolish man is he "heard those sayings, and" yet "did them not." The wise man is he "who doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

Jesus is drawing a direct correlation between Loving God and doing His will. Jesus further asserts this in John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

So we can sum up what Jesus is saying in that only the one that has the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost, is truly and perfectly able to love God and his neighbour; and the evidence of this will be obedience to God, or, to use a Wesleyan phrase, all inward and outward holiness. Anything less than this, is not building on the rock. The rock of course is Christ Jesus.

Rock of Ages cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee.

Verses 28-29 (Read) as we finish this chapter we see that the people are “astonished” at His doctrine, His teaching. There is an authority about what Jesus says and how he says it.

The Bible Commentator Albert Barnes says, “Jesus was open, plain, grave, useful, delivering truth as "became" the oracles of God; not spending his time in trifling disputes and debating questions of no importance, but confirming his doctrine by miracles and argument; teaching "as having power," as it is in the original, and not in the vain and foolish manner of the Jewish doctors. He showed that he had authority to explain, to enforce, and to "change" the ceremonial laws of the Jews. He came with authority such as no "man" could have, and it is not remarkable that his explanations astonished them.”

Copyright © Paul Jennings.