Matthew 7, The Sermon on the Mount, Part 5 (Kingdom Wisdom)

Jesus concludes his sermon on "the mount" (or hillside), laying out the actions of citizenship in his kingdom. This section is a series of short statements and proverbs, much in keeping with Old Testament wisdom literature (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes.)

Matt 7:1-5
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

"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? 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? 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.

Jesus routinely uses vivid metaphors, colorful "word pictures" to make his point.  Here he takes the common experience of a painful dusty speck in one's eye and suggests that the judgmental individual is concentrating on a speck ignoring an large log embedded in their own eye!  We laugh at the image and each of us can quickly imagine other people with this problem!

Matt 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 then turn and tear you to pieces.

This proverb is rarely quoted, rarely used, but really quite straightforward.  It seems to me we often ignore it?

Matt 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. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  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!

A strong statement about God's eagerness to grant answers!

Matt 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.

This has come down to us as the "golden rule".

Matt 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. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Following God is not automatic or natural. It requires serious contemplation.

Matt7:15-20
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

This reflects a general Old Testament test for evaluating prophetic voices.  Of course, like all fruit, it takes time....

Matt 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  

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 perform many miracles?'

Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Especially the "religious" need to be held to these tests!  Jesus was critical of the religious leaders and this takes aim at them.

Matt 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. 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.

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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

As we seek wisdom, we need a good foundation.  Jesus claims that his words are a place to start.

Matt 7:28-29
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

And so the word continues to spread about this new prophet.