Matthew 7

1 Iudge not that ye be not iudged.

2 For as ye iudge so shall ye be iudged. And wt what mesure ye mete wt the same shall it be mesured to you agayne.

3 Why seist thou a moote in thy brothers eye and perceavest not the beame yt ys yn thyne awne eye.

4 Or why sayest thou to thy brother: suffre me to plucke oute the moote oute of thyne eye and behold a beame is in thyne awne eye.

5 Ypocryte fyrst cast oute the beame oute of thyne awne eye and then shalte thou se clearly to plucke oute the moote out of thy brothers eye.

6 Geve not that which is holy to dogges nether cast ye youre pearles before swyne lest they treade them vnder their fete and ye other tourne agayne and all to rent you.

7 Axe and it shalbe geven you. Seke and ye shall fynd. knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you.

8 For whosoever axeth receaveth and he yt seketh fyndeth and to hym that knocketh it shalbe opened.

9 Ys there eny man amoge you which if his sonne axed hym bread wolde offer him astone?

10 Or if he axed fysshe wolde he proffer hym a serpet?

11 Yf ye then which are evyll cane geve to youre chyldren good gyftes: how moche moore shall youre father which is in heve geve good thynges to them yt axe hym?

12 Therfore whatsoever ye wolde that men shulde do to you even so do ye to them. This ys the lawe and the Prophettes.

13 Enter in at the strayte gate: for wyde is ye gate and broade is the waye that leadeth to destruccion: and many ther be which goo yn therat.

14 But strayte is the gate and narowe ys the waye which leadeth vnto lyfe: and feawe there be that fynde it.

15 Beware of false Prophetes which come to you in shepes clothinge but inwardly they are ravenynge wolves.

16 Ye shall knowe them by their frutes. Do men gaddre grapes of thornes? or figges of bryres?

17 Euen soo every good tree bryngeth forthe good frute. But a corrupte tree bryngethe forthe evyll frute.

18 A good tree canot brynge forthe bad frute: nor yet a bad tree can bringe forthe good frute.

19 Every tree that bryngethe not forthe good frute shalbe hewe doune and cast into the fyre.

20 Wherfore by their frutes ye shall knowe the.

21 Not all they that saye vnto me Master Master shall enter in to the kyngdome of heven: but he that dothe my fathers will which ys in heven.

22 Many will saye to me in that daye Master master have we not in thy name prophesied? And in thy name have caste oute devyls? And in thy name have done many miracles?

23 And then will I knowlege vnto them that I never knewe them. Departe from me ye workers of iniquite.

24 Whosoever heareth of me these sayinges and doethe the same I wyll lyken hym vnto a wyse man which bylt hys housse on a rocke:

25 and aboundance of rayne descended and the fluddes came and the wyndes blewe and bet vpon that same housse and it fell not because it was grounded on the rocke.

26 And whosoever heareth of me these sayinges and doth the not shalbe lykened vnto a folysh man which bilt hys housse apo the sondes:

27 and abundauce of rayne descended and the fluddes came and ye wyndes blewe and beet vpon that housse and it fell and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to passe that when Iesus had ended these saynges the people were astonnyed at hys doctryne.

29 For he taught them as one havynge power and not as the Scribes.

Matthew 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

Christ reproves rash judgment. (1-6) Encouragements to prayer. (7-11) The broad and narrow way. (12-14) Against false prophets. (15-20) To be doers of the word, not hearers only. (21-29)

Verses 1-6 We must judge ourselves, and judge of our own acts, but not make our word a law to everybody. We must not judge rashly, nor pass judgment upon our brother without any ground. We must not make the worst of people. Here is a just reproof to those who quarrel with their brethren for small faults, while they allow themselves in greater ones. Some sins are as motes, while others are as beams; some as a gnat, others as a camel. Not that there is any sin little; if it be a mote, or splinter, it is in the eye; if a gnat, it is in the throat; both are painful and dangerous, and we cannot be easy or well till they are got out. That which charity teaches us to call but a splinter in our brother's eye, true repentance and godly sorrow will teach us to call a beam in our own. It is as strange that a man can be in a sinful, miserable condition, and not be aware of it, as that a man should have a beam in his eye, and not consider it; but the god of this world blinds their minds. Here is a good rule for reprovers; first reform thyself.

Verses 7-11 Prayer is the appointed means for obtaining what we need. Pray; pray often; make a business of prayer, and be serious and earnest in it. Ask, as a beggar asks alms. Ask, as a traveller asks the way. Seek, as for a thing of value that we have lost; or as the merchantman that seeks goodly pearls. Knock, as he that desires to enter into the house knocks at the door. Sin has shut and barred the door against us; by prayer we knock. Whatever you pray for, according to the promise, shall be given you, if God see it fit for you, and what would you have more? This is made to apply to all that pray aright; every one that asketh receiveth, whether Jew or Gentile, young or old, rich or poor, high or low, master or servant, learned or unlearned, all are alike welcome to the throne of grace, if they come in faith. It is explained by a comparison taken from earthly parents, and their readiness to give their children what they ask. Parents are often foolishly fond, but God is all-wise; he knows what we need, what we desire, and what is fit for us. Let us never suppose our heavenly Father would bid us pray, and then refuse to hear, or give us what would be hurtful.

Verses 12-14 Christ came to teach us, not only what we are to know and believe, but what we are to do; not only toward God, but toward men; not only toward those of our party and persuasion, but toward men in general, all with whom we have to do. We must do that to our neighbour which we ourselves acknowledge to be fit and reasonable. We must, in our dealings with men, suppose ourselves in the same case and circumstances with those we have to do with, and act accordingly. There are but two ways right and wrong, good and evil; the way to heaven and the way to hell; in the one or other of these all are walking: there is no middle place hereafter, no middle way now. All the children of men are saints or sinners, godly or ungodly. See concerning the way of sin and sinners, that the gate is wide, and stands open. You may go in at this gate with all your lusts about you; it gives no check to appetites or passions. It is a broad way; there are many paths in it; there is choice of sinful ways. There is a large company in this way. But what profit is there in being willing to go to hell with others, because they will not go to heaven with us? The way to eternal life is narrow. We are not in heaven as soon as we are got through the strait gate. Self must be denied, the body kept under, and corruptions mortified. Daily temptations must be resisted; duties must be done. We must watch in all things, and walk with care; and we must go through much tribulation. And yet this way should invite us all; it leads to life: to present comfort in the favour of God, which is the life of the soul; to eternal bliss, the hope of which at the end of our way, should make all the difficulties of the road easy to us. This plain declaration of Christ has been disregarded by many who have taken pains to explain it away; but in all ages the real disciple of Christ has been looked on as a singular, unfashionable character; and all that have sided with the greater number, have gone on in the broad road to destruction. If we would serve God, we must be firm in our religion. Can we often hear of the strait gate and the narrow way, and how few there are that find it, without being in pain for ourselves, or considering whether we are entered on the narrow way, and what progress we are making in it?

Verses 15-20 Nothing so much prevents men from entering the strait gate, and becoming true followers of Christ, as the carnal, soothing, flattering doctrines of those who oppose the truth. They may be known by the drift and effects of their doctrines. Some part of their temper and conduct is contrary to the mind of Christ. Those opinions come not from God that lead to sin.

Verses 21-29 Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a lie in our right hand. Let every one that names the name of Christ, depart from all sin. There are others, whose religion rests in bare hearing, and it goes no further; their heads are filled with empty notions. These two sorts of hearers are represented as two builders. This parable teaches us to hear and do the sayings of the Lord Jesus: some may seem hard to flesh and blood, but they must be done. Christ is laid for a foundation, and every thing besides Christ is sand. Some build their hopes upon worldly prosperity; others upon an outward profession of religion. Upon these they venture; but they are all sand, too weak to bear such a fabric as our hopes of heaven. There is a storm coming that will try every man's work. When God takes away the soul, where is the hope of the hypocrite? The house fell in the storm, when the builder had most need of it, and expected it would be a shelter to him. It fell when it was too late to build another. May the Lord make us wise builders for eternity. Then nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ Jesus. The multitudes were astonished at the wisdom and power of Christ's doctrine. And this sermon, ever so often read over, is always new. Every word proves its Author to be Divine. Let us be more and more decided and earnest, making some one or other of these blessednesses and Christian graces the main subject of our thoughts, even for weeks together. Let us not rest in general and confused desires after them, whereby we grasp at all, but catch nothing.