Christ, continuing his sermon on the mount, reproves rash judgment, etc., 1-27. Christ ends his sermon, and the people are astonished, 28, 29.
1 "Do not judge so that you may not be judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. And the measure which you give shall be measured back to you. 3 And why do you behold the mote that is in your brother's eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye? 4 Or how will you say to your brother, 'Let me pull the mote out of your eye,' and behold, a beam is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first cast the beam out of your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast the mote out of your brother's eye.
6 "Do not give that which is holy to dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rend you.
7 "Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and the door shall be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives, and he who seeks, finds, and to him who knocks, the door shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone, 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?
12 "Therefore, in all things whatever you wish that men should do to you, do even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.
13 "Enter in at the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 But the gate is narrow and the way is confined which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15 "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. 20 Therefore, you shall know them by their fruits.
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name done many wonderful works?' 23 And then I will profess to them, 'I never knew you. "Depart from me, you who work iniquity."'
24 "Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will compare him to a wise man who built his house upon a rock. 25 And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them, shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. 27 And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell, and its fall was great."
28 And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine, 29 For he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Matthew, Chapter 7[➚]
[v.1-5a] - Reference, Romans 2:1, 14:13.
[v.1-5b] - Gospel Link: Luke 6:37-42.
[v.2] - Gospel Link: Mark 4:24.
[v.3] - "mote" - This may also be read as, "splinter".
[v.7-11] - Gospel Link: Luke 11:5-13.
[v.12a] - Reference, Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:29-31.
[v.12b] - Gospel Link: Luke 6:31.
[v.16-20] - Gospel Link: Luke 6:43-45.
[v.23] - Quoting Psalm 6:8 (LXX—paraphrased). See also, Psalm 119:115.
[v.24-27] - Gospel Link: Luke 6:47-49.