XLII.
The Sermon on the Mount.
(a Mountain Plateau Not Far from Capernaum.)
Subdivision J.
The Two Ways and the False Prophets.
A Matt. VII. 13–23; C Luke VI.. 43–45.
a 13 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is
the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they
that enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened
the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it. [The Master
here presents two cities before us. One has a wide gateway opening onto the
broad street, and other a narrow gate opening onto a straitened street or
alley. The first city is Destruction, the second is Life.] 15 Beware of
false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening
wolves. [From the two ways Jesus turns to warn his disciples against those
who lead into the wrong path—the road to destruction. Prophets are those
who lay claim to teach men correctly the life which God would have us live. The
scribes and Pharisees were such, and Christ predicted the coming of others
(Matt. xxiv. 5, 24), and so did Paul
(Acts xx. 29). Their fate is shown in
verses 21 and 22. By sheep's clothing we
are to understand that they shall bear a gentle, meek, and inoffensive outward
demeanor; but they use this demeanor as a cloak to hide their real wickedness,
and so effectually does it hide it that the false prophets often deceive even
themselves.] 16 By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of
thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit;
but the corrupt tree bringeth
267forth evil fruit.
c 43 For there is no good tree that bringeth forth
corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit.
a 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
c 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do
not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
a 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn
down, and cast into the fire. [It is a law of universal application that
whatever is useless and evil shall eventually be swept away.] 20 Therefore
by their fruits ye shall know them. c 45 A
good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is
good; and the evil man out of
the evil treasure bringeth forth
that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth
speaketh. [Teachers are to be judged by their conduct as men, and also by
the effect of their teaching. If either be predominantly bad, the man must be
avoided. But we must not judge hastily, nor by slight and trivial actions, for
some specimens of bad fruit grown on good trees.] a
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. [To
say, “Lord, Lord,” is to call on the Lord in prayer. While it is
almost impossible to overestimate the value of prayer when associated with a
consistent life, it has been too common to attribute to it a virtue which it
does not possess. The Pharisees were excessively devoted to prayer, and they
led the people to believe that every prayerful man would be saved. The
Mohammedans and Romanists are subject to the same delusion, as may be seen in
their punctilious observance of the forms of prayer, while habitually
neglecting many of the common rules of morality. It is here taught that prayer,
unattended by doing the will of the Father in heaven, can not save us.
Doing the will of God must be understood, not in the sense of sinless
obedience, but as including a compliance with the conditions on which sins are
forgiven. Whether under the
268old covenant or the new, sinless
obedience is an impossibility; but obedience to the extent of our possibility
amid the weaknesses of the flesh, accompanied by daily compliance with the
conditions of pardon for our daily sin, has ever secured the favor of God.]
22 Many will say to me in that day [the final judgment day],
Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons,
and by thy name do many mighty works? [Jesus here prophetically forecasts
those future times wherein it would be worth while to assume to be a Christian.
Times when hypocrisy would find it a source of profit and of honor to be
attached to Christ's service. In these days we may well question the motives
which induce us to serve Christ. High place in the visible kingdom is no proof
of one's acceptance with God. Neither are mighty works, though successfully
wrought in his name. Judas was an apostle and miracle-worker, and Balaam was a
prophet, yet they lacked that condition of the heart which truly allies one
with God (I. Cor. xiii. 1–3).
Jesus says the number of false teachers is large. We must not carelessly ignore
the assertion of that important fact. We should also note that Christ will not
lightly pass over their errors on the judgment day, though they seem to have
discovered them for the first time. Such truths should make us extremely
cautious both as teachers and learners.] 23 And then will I profess
[better, confess] unto them, I never knew you [never approved or
recognized you]: depart from me [
Matt. xxv. 41], ye that work iniquity. [This indicates
that false teachers filled with a patronizing spirit toward the Lord, and with
a sense of power as to his work, will be deceived by a show of success. Through
life Christ appeared to them to be accepting them and approving their lives,
but he now confesses that this appearance was not real. It arose from a
misconception on their part and on that of others. Many works which men judge
to be religious really undermine religion. The world esteems him great whose
ministry begets Pharisees, but in Christ's eyes such a one is a worker of
iniquity.]
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