Matthew 7b

What came before? Earlier in the chapter Jesus has been teaching, or preaching the Sermon on the Mount. In fact, Matthew has put this material together since Chapter 5 which began with Jesus seeing the crowds, going up on a mountainside, and speaking to the disciples. So, this whole division takes the shape of lessons for how disciples should live. The crowds overhear, but probably don’t understand as much. 

How should a disciple of Christ live? First, there is what to expect in the coming kingdom (the Beatitudes), and therefore how to start acting now in anticipation. Then, various laws are reviewed to show that kingdom living is more about what you should do, not just about what you shouldn’t do. Then Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray, fast, and give alms; the key point being the intention behind the act. Never pray, fast, or give alms in order to show off in front of others. Jesus warned also against judging others, that is, of making a final judgment. This part ends with Jesus’ famous rule in a positive form: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” 

The changes Jesus expects in both motive and behavior may take a while.So, Jesus talks about discipleship as a journey; no one is an overnight sensation. 

7: 13-14.  Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

What stands out? The words ‘gate’ and ‘road’ are repeated, so we need to see why they are important. First, there is a narrow, or ‘strait’ gate which is not so easy to find. Just inside the gate, one joins a small group of people who are working their way past some obstacles on a journey that leads…to life. 

Second, there is a wide gate, and when one enters one joins a great crowd strolling down an unencumbered path that leads…to destruction. 

Following on Jesus’ rule, “Do unto others…,” Jesus explains that the narrow path they are to take is not an easy one because it calls for leaving self-interest behind and adopting instead self-giving other-embracing love.Two roads, one easy and one difficult, and two destinations; the Dominion of God and the Destruction of Death.

The metaphor of ‘two roads’ is quite common elsewhere in the Ancient Near East. The Hebrew conception is just as old. Moses challenged the people; “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him….” (Deuteronomy 30: 19-20). 

Solomon also warns that “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14: 12; see also Proverbs 16: 25). 

God tells Jeremiah to repeat the offer to the people, “And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord; See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death” (Jeremiah 21: 8).

Did Robert Frost have this in the back of his mind when he said, “Two roads diverged into the woods, and I–, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Or, was he lamenting not having taken the other road? In Jesus’ teaching it is clear that you can ‘come as you are’ (enter), but you cannot leave (arrive) that way if you want to be his disciple. What are the obstacles along the narrow road?. 

7: 15-20.  Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.

The much repeated word here is ‘fruit’ in a context of discerning the value of a vine or tree by the quality of the fruit it produces. However, ‘good fruit = good tree’ and ‘bad fruit = bad tree’ is not the only equation that Jesus uses, since there is also the image of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Of course, wolves don’t wear clothing, so this bit of hyperbole is meant to teach us something about the nature of ‘false prophets’. 

A prophet makes a judgment about society and a prediction of where an error will lead if it is not corrected. The Old Testament prophets, guided by God, certainly call out bad behavior, but there is always an ‘unless’ clause. That is, this will happen, and you won’t like it, unless you repent and change your ways. 

Less obvious, but ubiquitous in the history books, are ‘false prophets’. During the period of the kings, such prophets often served as court advisors. The image of a ‘ravenous wolf’ implies that they were making a living off of pleasing the king with their prophecies. One example will expose these sycophants. 

King Ahab of Israel was planning to attack Syria. He needed an ally, so he invited King Jehosophat of Judah to support him. Jehosophat insisted, “”Inquire first for the word of the Lord.” Ahab called all the prophets together, 400 of them, and they all agreed that Ahab should go to battle. Jehosophat, perhaps suspecting wolves in sheep’s clothing, asked if there was not another prophet to query. Ahab said, “There is still one other by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies anything favorable about me, but only disaster.”  Ahab sent for Micaiah; but the messenger warned Macaiah that all the prophets agree, so he should fall in line. 

When Micaiah arrived at court, he mockingly did say the same thing. But, when Ahab pressed him further, he said instead, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd.” Micaiah further said that he had a vision of God asking an angel to put a ‘lying spirit’ in the mouths of the court prophets. Zedekiah, the leader of the prophets, stepped up and slapped him on the cheek. Ahab decided to go, and vowed to return and punish Micaiah. Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me” (I Kings 22: 1-40). Ahab’s body was brought home in a chariot, and the dogs licked up his spilled blood. By their fruits you shall discern prophets.  

7: 21-23.  Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’

Here again, it is not the belief, not even the behavior, but the intention that Jesus highlights.You believe in Jesus? Good, but faith without works is dead. You have done works in Jesus’ name? Good, but if the intention was to impress others, then this invalidates the work you have done. People saw you; you have your reward already.

7: 24-27.  Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

This is another common parable from the time of Jesus, but the Scribes and Pharisees used it to claim that the Torah was the foundation. Notice that there is no difference in the building methods or the final shape of the house, it is only the foundation that is different. The building materials are these teachings of Jesus, but the difference is whether one uses them to build on a foundation of self; or on the foundation of Jesus.

7: 28-29.  Now when Jesus had finished saying these words, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as their scribes.

This is an editorial comment made by the writer. A similar comment, “When Jesus had finished saying…,” comes at the end of each section of the Gospel (11:1, 13: 53; 19: 1; and 26:1). This is the way Matthew organizes his material. Recognizing this helps us interpret the text. 

The crowds, and probably the disciples, see the difference between Jesus the wise teacher and the tradition-bound Scribes. Scribes and Pharisees made their living by recalling Scriptural quotes to justify their arguments. Jesus steps out this mold, saying, “You have heard it said, but I say….” Jesus tells some of the same stories, but he gives them new meaning. Instead of trying to recreate the past, to return to the time of Israel’s glory days, Jesus switches our gaze to the future. All his teachings presume that “The Kingdom of God has come near,” and that will be both a good thing (God is here to bless people) and a bad thing (God is here to judge people). 

That same sense of the dual nature of the Reign of God is present in the latter prophets as well. “Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! Why do you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light…. I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. … But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream” (Amos 5: 18, 21, 24). This is the same message that Jesus brings, but it has a sense of urgency because the Reign of God has come near, and because Jesus has come to announce the arrival of the kingdom with authority. 

The Kingdom of God has arrived, but is not fully present everywhere. You disciples, by your changed lives, are going to expand the kingdom as you go. The Kingdom will mean blessings for some, and judgment for others. That is the meaning of the Parable of the Two Ways. 

For those who think that we can dismiss the stark demands of the Sermon on the Mount, think about this. Jesus has not been talking about ideal, though unrealistic behavior, or about a time when the Kingdom will have fully arrived. Some argue along these lines that we can wait until then to be loving toward others and practice Christ-like behavior. This is not true.

The issues that Jesus preached about are happening now: The poor, the meek, persecution, anger, adultery, divorce, retaliation, worry, judging others. All these are happening in this life, right now, and they will not happen in the final maturity of the Kingdom. Therefore, difficult as it may sound, Jesus is talking about radical discipleship, following in his footsteps to show love, to reflect his light, and to do good even to those who mistreat you. In other words, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Do it now. Period.