Judging Others
(Luke 6:37–42; Romans 14:1–12)
1“Do not judge, or you will be judged. 2For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Jesus encourages his disciples to serve others instead...
Jesus encourages his disciples to serve others instead of condemning them. The contrast of a speck (speck of dust, chip of wood) to a log in the eye is an exaggerated image meant to show the huge difference (see Matthew 5:29; 23:23–24; compare Micah 6:6–8).
3Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye? 5You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
Ask, Seek, Knock
This passage teaches persistence in prayer. But Jesus...
This passage teaches persistence in prayer. But Jesus does not say God will fulfill extravagant desires. God's people should seek daily needs and spiritual blessings (Matthew 6:10–11).
7Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
12In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
The Narrow Gate
The Sermon on the Mount ends with a...
The Sermon on the Mount ends with a call to decide about Jesus and his teachings (see Matthew 4:23; 9:35). Those who hear the message of Jesus about the kingdom must obey him to gain eternal life. Or else, they reject him and God will condemn them. There is no third way (Deuteronomy 30:15–20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 12:28; Jeremiah 21:8).
13Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.
A Tree and Its Fruit
False prophets tell people what they want to...
False prophets tell people what they want to hear instead of calling them to obey God's will. Deuteronomy 13:1–5 and 18:21–22 provide guidelines to determine if someone is a true prophet. A prophet's words must match with God's word, and a prophet's prophecies must come true.
Jesus explains the first rule. A prophet's actions must match his words to be trustworthy. So, a true prophet's actions will also match God's word. In the same way that fruit shows what kind of tree it comes from, a person's life shows if their inner being is good or not.
Christians should expect false prophets at the end of time (see Matthew 24:11, 24; Acts 20:28–35; Revelation 13:11–18; 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Christians can avoid these false prophets misleading them. But Christians must be careful and wise (see 1 Corinthians 12:10; 14:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1–3; Revelation 2:20).
15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Good fruit and bad fruit symbolize moral behavior...
Good fruit and bad fruit symbolize moral behavior (see Matthew 3:8, 10; 12:33–37; 13:8; 21:43; Galatians 5:19–23).
16By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many 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?’
23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
The House on the Rock
This entire sermon (Matthew 5:3–7:27) focuses on following...
This entire sermon (Matthew 5:3–7:27) focuses on following the teachings of Jesus by living righteously (5:20). Listening without obedience is like choosing the wide gate and broad way that leads to ruin (James 1:22–25; 2:14–26). A decision is necessary in light of what God has revealed (see Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28, 30).
24Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The storm symbolizes God's all-knowing judgment (see Jeremiah...
The storm symbolizes God's all-knowing judgment (see Jeremiah 23:19; Ezekiel 1:4).
25The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock.
26But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its collapse!”
The Authority of Jesus
At first, Jesus began teaching only his disciples...
At first, Jesus began teaching only his disciples (Matthew 5:1). But large crowds soon followed him up the mountainside.
The teachers of religious law based their authority on Scripture they quoted or on the traditions of earlier scholars. In contrast, Jesus taught with direct authority.
He did quote Scripture in the Sermon on the Mount. Yet his words carried the weight of his own authority as the Messiah (God’s chosen one).
At first, Jesus began teaching only his disciples (Matthew 5:1). But large crowds soon followed him up the mountainside.
The teachers of religious law based their authority on Scripture they quoted or on the traditions of earlier scholars. In contrast, Jesus taught with direct authority.
He did quote Scripture in the Sermon on the Mount. Yet his words carried the weight of his own authority as the Messiah (God’s chosen one).
28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, 29because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.