Matthew 7: Our Relationship with Man

v.1 This is the principle that Jesus wanted to teach. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gives us the characteristics of the true Christian and contrasts them with the hypocrisy of the religious people. We’re not to put on an affectation of spirituality to impress others. We should seek God’s approbation rather than man’s admiration.

v.2 Throughout this sermon the Pharisees were used as examples of religious hypocrisy. They had established a righteousness of works and of law. People who judge the most are those who feel superior on the basis of their self righteousness.

(1) We should not judge presumptuously. (Romans 14:4) (2) We should not judge another’s motives. (3) We should not judge hypocritically. (Romans 2:1) (4) We should not judge hastily or rashly. (John 7:24) (5) We should not judge according to our own non-scriptural convictions. (Romans 14:2-3) (6) We should not judge unfairly or according to prejudice. (7) We should not judge unmercifully. The judgment that is prohibited is judging the person rather than the action. (I Corinthians 13) When a scriptural principle has been violated, we can acknowledge the fact of the sin without condemning the person. (I Corinthians 2:2) Every Christian will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Romans 14:10-12; I Corinthians 11:28; II Corinthians 5:10) The way we judge others sets the standard for the way we’ll be judged. We’re to restore those who fall into sin with meekness, knowing our own frailty. (Galatians 6:1; Romans 2:1; Luke 12:2-7; James 3:1)

v.3-5 We have a wooden beam in our own eyes, but judge our brother for the tiny sliver in his eye. We’re so ready to condemn others but we excuse our own sins. Only God is qualified to judge men, because He alone can see into men’s hearts and knows their motives. (Romans 2:2) Our judgment is perverted by our prejudices (the beam in our eyes) that make others’ sins look so much worse than our own.

v.6 Though we’re not to judge people, we’re to discriminate between those who have a reverence and appreciation for spiritual things and those who do not. We’re to protect the holy truths God has given to us from unnecessary exposure to ridicule and blasphemy. (Jeremiah 15:19) It’s also important to maintain discipline in the Church by separating the wolves from the sheep. Those who spread heresy need to be weeded out so that the damage they would do is minimized. There are people who sit in church services and hear only what they want to hear. They reject the things that convict them of their sins, and misuse the teachings of grace as an excuse to go on sinning. In our personal witnessing we should be guided by the Holy Spirit to discern between those people who are ready to hear what we have to share and those who will only reject and ridicule it. Men who are carnally-minded aren’t able to understand spiritual things. (I Corinthians 2:14-15)

v.7 The righteous standard that God requires for fellowship with Him is too high for man to reach. (Leviticus 11 :44; Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:48) God gives us the opportunity to come to Him through Jesus if we believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation. (John 6:29) God still wants to see our lives come into conformity with His standards of holiness. Once we believe in Jesus, He gives us the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to live the godly life. We’re to be persistent in our prayers. In the Greek this verse tells us to continually ask, seek, and knock. To continue to pray for something: (1) tests our faith. (Hebrews 11:6) (2) builds our patience. (Psalm 27:14)

v.8-11 Jesus gives us the promise that our loving heavenly Father will answer our prayers and bless us with good gifts. The key is that we ask God through prayer. (James 4:2)

v.12 The word “therefore” refers to the preceding verses in this context. We shouldn’t be quick to judge or condemn. Instead, we should be understanding, sensitive, and quickly responsive to the needs of others. This commandment is a positive rule for our behavior, for it suggests action that we can take. In contrast, most of the ten commandments told us to refrain from certain actions.

The first four commandments concerned our relationship with God. The other six concerned our relations with man. If our relationship with God is right, then we can get our relations with man in order. If our relationship with God isn’t right, then our other relations will not go well either. Our relationship with God always comes first. If we treat others the way we want to be treated, then we’re acting the way God wants us to act toward our fellow man. This is the summary of the teachings of the law and prophets.

To truly practice this injunction, we need the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Our love and devotion for God are reflected in our attitudes and actions toward others. (1 John 4:20-21) The Holy Spirit does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He loves others through us.

v.13-14 Jesus is the strait gate we must go through to enter the Kingdom. (John 10:1, 14:6) We start on the path to the Kingdom by denying ourselves. (Matthew 16:24; Ephesians 2:2- 3) Our flesh doesn’t die easily. It’s a painful, continuous struggle to keep the flesh under the control of the spirit. (Luke 13:24) Many people do not like the concept of a narrow path to God. They choose to believe that many roads lead to God, but Jesus says that the broad path leads to destruction. (Proverbs 14:12; Romans 8:6) It isn’t natural to live the life of self-denial. Crucifying our flesh is a slow, agonizing death. (Romans 6:6) The Holy Spirit enables us to endure the struggles with the flesh so we can walk in righteousness. (John 8:29; Galatians 2:20)

v.15 It isn’t easy to discern a false prophet. We cannot decide whether or not a man is a false prophet by the way he looks. He may look like a meek and mild sheep. (II Corinthians 11:13-15) A false prophet doesn’t always tell lies. He often says many things that are true, but he doesn’t give people enough truth to bring them to the light. He’ll often emphasize a partial truth and neglect the teaching of salvation through Jesus Christ. (Jeremiah 6:13- 14; II Peter 2:1-2; Deuteronomy 18:20-22) One way to determine whether a man is a false prophet is to watch the emphasis he puts on money and material things. The man who seeks gifts and money from the people is making merchandise of them. (II Corinthians 4:18; II Peter 2:3) People should give to God out of love for Him, not out of duty or pressure. (I Peter 5:2)

Another way to recognize a false prophet is to listen to his teachings to learn whether he offers special privileges or favors from God when you follow his particular advice.

False teachers draw people to themselves. True teachers give out the Word of God in simplicity and draw people closer to God rather than to themselves.

v.16-20 The fruit of a man’s ministry helps us to determine whether he is a false prophet or not. If the fruit of a ministry divides the Body of believers, then that minister is working against the will of Jesus Christ for His Church. (John 17:11) If the effect of doctrine makes the Body unfruitful, then that sterile doctrine is false. (John 15:2) If the fruit of a ministry is strife or contention, then that fruit is bad.

The good fruit of a true prophet’s ministry is love. When the members of the Body of Christ love one another, then they are walking according to the Holy Spirit. (John 13:35; I John 3:14) The evidences of love in a ministry are unity and an edifying (building up) of the Body of Christ. (I Corinthians 8:1) There should also be joy, peace, and other aspects of the love the Holy Spirit produces in the lives of believers. (I Corinthians 13:1-7)

v.21-23 No one will enter the Kingdom who doesn’t acknowledge Jesus as Lord, but not all those who call Him “Lord” will enter heaven either. Jesus is the Greek word for the Hebrew name Joshua, which means “God is Salvation.” Christ is the Greek for the Hebrew word for Messiah, which means “The Anointed One.” The name Christ signified His mission, for He was the One that God had promised to the Hebrews.

We should be submitted to Jesus as the Lord of our lives. As His servants, it’s up to us to find His will for us and to obey it. (Luke 6:46; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:5-11; James 4:10) Many people mistakenly believe that it’s enough to know the Lord. Knowing Him or believing the right things about Him isn’t enough; we need to have a ‘born again’ relationship with Jesus. (John 3:1-3) If we call Christ our Lord, then we’re implying that He is the Master of our lives. We should give ourselves to Him each day to lead us where He pleases. It’s not up to us to decide what good works we should do for God. We’re to submit ourselves to His will and obey His commands.

v.24-27 Jesus gives a warning to us about the foundation upon which our faith is built. The testings and storms that come show us the strength of our foundation. The structure we build, our relationship with God, is what others see. Sometimes we’re fooled by a carefully maintained exterior, and we think that someone is solid and secure; but the testings of life prove whether the foundation is stone or sand. The firm foundation has been set deeply in the rock where the groundwork was laid. The house on the sand has been built without any preparation for the foundation. (Luke 6:47-49)

The foolish man is impatient. He wants to hurry and get his house built without waiting to lay a foundation. He doesn’t listen to the advice or counsel of others who have been there for a longer time. (Proverbs 15:5) Many new Christians are like the foolish man. They want to become ministers or evangelists before they have taken the time to study God’s Word and learn the basic doctrinal truths. The wise man carefully prepares his land and digs deep to lay the foundation. He gets the advice of those who know more than he does and follows their counsel in building his house.

We build on the sand when we base our relationship with God on experiences that don’t have a scriptural basis. Many people have had life-changing experiences that weren’t inspired by God. We build on the sand when we build our houses on other men s ideas or other men’s philosophies. Men who live by other men’s philosophies are easily led astray. These are the men who commit inhumane and irresponsible acts. They have built their structure on shifting sands, and they don’t have any moral absolutes to guide them. (I Corinthians 3:11-15)

When our relationship with God is based on His eternal Word. then we have a solid anchor to hold us steady in any storm. When we have thoroughly studied the Bible and are established in the Word, then we can rest in the strength of our foundation. (Matthew 16:16-18)

v.28-29 The scribes’ teachings were mostly quotations from other rabbis. The scribes themselves didn’t make strong declarations. On the other hand, Jesus spoke with authority and power. He made positive declarations from a position of His awareness of Who He was. Jesus said He was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. He was the only Man who could ever say that. He knew that He alone could obey the law as God meant it to be obeyed. He knew that the prophecies of the Old Testament were written about Himself. (Matthew 5:17) Jesus contrasted the way the law had been taught; as rules that governed men’s outward behavior; with the way God intended the law to be taught; as the perfect standard of righteousness. The teachers of the law had become self-righteous because they made a show of obeying the law outwardly. Jesus taught that if a man broke the law in his mind, then he was guilty of sin. The law was never supposed to make men feel self-righteous, but to show them how impossible it would be for them to keep the law as God required. If the law could make us righteous, then God wouldn’t have sent Jesus as the sacrifice for our sins. (Galatians 2:21)

These teachings were a direct challenge to the religious establishment, because Jesus was negating the very basis of their self–righteousness. Jesus also warned that even good works aren’t righteous, as the motivations prompting them are fleshly. He taught that our flesh wants attention and admiration from others, but when our flesh motivates our good works, the praise of men will be our only reward. (I Corinthians 9:27) He told us that we’re to respect and give reverence to God, and to give Him our total consciousness when we pray. (I Corinthians 14:15) He promised that God would supply all our needs if we put Him above everything else. (Matthew 6:32-33). The Sermon on the Mount is to be applied as well as applauded, practiced as well as praised.