Matthew 7 (WEB)

Matthew 7:1–6

Judging others

“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.

“Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Jesus warns against judging others, since the same standard will be applied to the one who judges. With a comic image he tells his hearers to remove the plank from their own eye before pointing out the speck in someone else's. He adds a puzzling saying about not giving holy things to dogs or pearls to pigs.

What does this mean?

A 'mote' (KJV) is a speck of dust; a 'beam' is a large wooden plank. 'Mete' means measure out. Street dogs (scavengers) and pigs (unclean under the Law) were insulting images.

Why does it matter?

The warning targets hypocritical condemnation; Matthew elsewhere expects discernment (7:15–20) and correction within the community (18:15–17). The meaning of verse 6 is uncertain. Some read it as advice not to press teaching on those who scorn it; an early Christian manual, the Didache, applied it to admitting only the baptised to the Lord's Supper.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 7:7–12

Ask, seek, knock

“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? If you then, being 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! Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

Jesus encourages persistent prayer: ask, seek and knock, and it will be given. If human parents give their children bread rather than stones, God will give good things to those who ask. He then sums up the Law and the Prophets in what is often called the Golden Rule.

What does this mean?

'The Golden Rule' is a much later name for verse 12: treating others as one would wish to be treated.

Historical context

Similar sayings existed elsewhere. The Jewish teacher Hillel, a generation before Jesus, is reported to have taught a negative form ('What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour'), and versions appear in Greek and Chinese thought. Many commentators note that Jesus' positive form calls for active kindness rather than only avoiding harm.

Why does it matter?

The phrase 'the law and the prophets' looks back to 5:17, framing the main body of the Sermon. Jesus later sums up the Law in the two great commandments (22:40).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 7:13–23

Two ways, true and false

“Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are few who find it.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

Jesus contrasts a narrow gate and hard road that lead to life with a wide road that leads to destruction. He warns against false prophets, who can be recognised by their 'fruit', and says that not everyone who calls him 'Lord' will enter the kingdom, but only those who do the will of his Father.

What does this mean?

'Strait' (KJV) means narrow, not straight. 'Ravening' means ravenous. 'Iniquity' means lawlessness or wrongdoing. 'In that day' means the day of judgment.

Historical context

The image of two ways, one leading to life and one to death, was familiar from Jewish teaching (Deuteronomy 30:15–20; Psalm 1) and was taken up in early Christian writings such as the Didache.

Why does it matter?

The Sermon's ending stresses doing, not just hearing or saying. Strikingly, Jesus pictures himself as the one before whom people stand at the judgment; even miracles done in his name are no substitute for obedience. Fruit as the test of character echoes John the Baptist (3:10) and returns in 12:33.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 7:24–29

Two builders

“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

Jesus ends the Sermon with a parable: whoever hears his words and does them is like a man who builds his house on rock, which survives the storm; whoever ignores them is like a man who builds on sand, whose house collapses. The crowds are astonished at the authority of his teaching.

Historical context

In Galilee and Judea, dry stream beds could flood suddenly in the winter rains, sweeping away anything built on loose ground. Scribes typically taught by citing scripture and earlier authorities rather than in their own name.

Why does it matter?

Jesus speaks of 'these words of mine', and it is this personal authority the crowds notice. 'When Jesus had ended these sayings' (KJV) is the first of the formulas that close each of Matthew's five major discourses. The authority shown here in words is shown in deeds in the miracle stories of chapters 8–9.

Editorial notes, not scripture.