Matthew 7

Personal standard of judgment verse 1- 2

Judge not

that you be not judged

FOR with what judgment you judge

you shall be judged

AND with what measure you mete

it shall be measured to you again

Internal examination necessary verse 3- 5

AND why behold you the mote that is in your brother’s eye

BUT consider not the beam that is in your own eye?

OR how will you say to your brother

Let me pull out the mote out of your eye

AND behold – a beam is in your own eye?

You HYPOCRITE

first cast out the beam out of your own eye

And THEN shall you see clearly to cast out

the mote out of your brother’s eye

Holy instruction limitations verse 6

Give not that which is holy to the dogs

neither cast you your pearls before swine

lest they trample them under their feet

and turn again and rend you

Persistence necessary in prayer verse 7- 8

ASK – and it shall be given you

Seek – and you shall find

Knock – and it shall be opened unto you

FOR every one that asks – receives

and he that seeks – finds

and to him that knocks – it shall be opened

Example given regarding answered prayer verse 9- 11

OR what is there of you – whom if his son ASK bread

will he give him a stone?

OR If he ASK a fish

will he give him a serpent?

IF you then – being evil -know how to give good gifts

to your children

HOW much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things

to them that ASK HIM?

Golden Rule verse 12

THEREFORE all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you

DO you even so to them – FOR this is the law and the prophets

Narrow path of life leads to the LORD verse 13- 14

Enter you in at the strait gate – FOR wide is the gate – and broad is the way

that leads to destruction – and many there be which go in thereat

BECAUSE strait is the gate – and narrow is the way

which leads to life – and few there be that find it

Fruit inspection necessary for others verse 15- 20

BEWARE of false prophets – which come to you in sheep’s clothing

BUT inwardly they are ravening wolves

You shall know them by their FRUITS

Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?

EVEN SO every good tree brings forth good FRUIT

BUT a corrupt tree brings forth evil FRUIT

A good tree cannot bring forth evil FRUIT

NEITHER can a corrupt tree bring forth good FRUIT

every tree that brings not forth good FRUIT is hewn down

and cast into the FIRE

WHEREFORE by their FRUITS you shall know them

Identity of true disciples given to LORD verse 21- 23

Not every one that says unto ME – Lord – Lord

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven

BUT he that does the will of MY Father

which is in heaven

Many will say to ME in that day – Lord – Lord

Have we not prophesied in YOUR name?

AND in YOUR name have cast out devils?

AND in YOUR name done many wonderful works?

AND then will I profess unto them – I never knew you – depart from ME you that work iniquity

Difference between wise and foolish given verse 24- 27

THEREFORE whosoever hears these sayings of MINE

and does them

I will liken him unto a wise man – which built his house on a ROCK

AND the rain descended – and the floods came – and the winds blew

and beat on the house – AND it fell not

FOR it was founded on a ROCK

AND every one that hears these saying of MINE – and does them not

shall be likened to a foolish man – which built his house on the sand

AND the rain descended – and the floods came – and the wind blew

and beat on the house – AND it fell

AND great was the fall of it

Jesus taught with authority verse 28- 29

And it came to pass – when Jesus had ended these sayings

the people were astonished at HIS DOCTRINE

FOR HE taught them as one having authority

and not as the scribes

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 6 Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast you your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (39 “holy” [hagion] means having the characteristics of moral and ritual purity, dedicated, set apart for God, consecrated, upright, or blameless.)

DEVOTION: In witnessing to others you will find individuals who could care less about spiritual matters.

In fact, they will make fun of you. You can talk to them and talk to them and all they will do is laugh at you. This can even happen with family members or good friends.

Once you become a genuine follower of Christ and start acting the way HE wants you to others will take notice and ask what is different. We had a deacon in one of my churches who was one who did drugs before he was saved. He thought he could go back to these friends and talk to them about Jesus. He went to their drug parties and started to witness and all they had to say is “What are you doing here.” He was at the wrong place doing the wrong things trying to witness for the LORD.

We have to pick the environment that will help us be a good witness. We have to have individuals alone to share the gospel. If we try to do it in a group many times there will not be any good response.

If we want to preach to a group it will still take individual instruction to help someone make a genuine commitment to the LORD. This also has to be followed up with more instruction for them to grow in the LORD.

CHALLENGE: We can’t leave a baby alone to grow on its own. We can’t leave a new believer alone to grow on their own in Christ either.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (154 “ask” [aiteo] means keep on asking, beg, crave, request, call, or desire)

DEVOTION: The Christian life seems to be so easy when you listen to the LORD Jesus Christ teach the people who are following HIM into the wilderness. The disciples are at HIS feet while HE continues to teach them about the life they must live to please the Godhead.

HE was a man of prayer while HE was on this earth. When HE had major decisions HE would fast and pray. HE would get alone with the Father and talk with HIM regarding HIS plans. HE would yield to the will of the Father.

We are commanded by Jesus to request things of the Father. We are told that if we seek them diligently they could be found. We are told to continue knocking on the door of heaven for answers to our needs.

God the Father will give better gifts than earthly fathers do to their children. Sometimes earthly fathers give things that might hurt their children. The heavenly Father will never give anything that will hurt HIS children. HE always gives the best. HE always gives what we need. HE always gives with the knowledge of what is good for us.

We sometimes pray for things that HE knows are not good for us. Other passages of Scripture tell us that we need to pray according to HIS will not our own. We really don’t understand what is best for us. We always think we do but in the end we realize that HE is only giving us what we can handle properly.

Continue to go to HIM in prayer believing that what HE gives will help us live a life that is pleasing in HIS sight. HE wants us to bring glory to HIS name and we can only do it when we understand that our prayer life is a lifeline to safety. It is safety sometimes from ourselves and our desires.

CHALLENGE: Never stop craving from the LORD what is best for our usefulness to HIM.

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: 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (2081 “inwardly” [esothen] means within, inward man, your soul, a person’s inner self, or secret intents of the heart.)

DEVOTION: Throughout the Word of God the genuine believers are warned about fake believers. They will come with the right words and sometimes with the right actions to fool those who are not careful to evaluate their teachings and lifestyle.

The Bible asks us to follow the LORD through knowledge of HIS Word the Bible. There are places in the Bible that are hard to understand and also hard to read for some. It can confusion new believers but the LORD will always send someone alongside through the ministry of the Holy Spirit to assist those who are genuinely seeking to grow.

However, the enemy will send someone to us to try to lead us astray from the true teachings of the Word of God. These individuals will sound good and look good just like the Pharisees did in Jesus day. They said the right things and taught some right things but their lives were a lie. They were not living the way the LORD wanted them to live and they were not teaching properly. They were using religion to make themselves famous and rich. God judged them.

Many people seem to think that those who work seeming miracles in Jesus Name are nto false prophets but the LORD faces some of them on judgment day and says “I never knew you.”

Continually ask the LORD to give you discernment when a new individual comes into your life and wants to instruct you in the LORD. Never become a follower of one author or preacher. The one you are follower of is Christ. You are not of Paul or Apollos or Christ. You are only a follower of Christ.

CHALLENGE: Each human is still sinful and some of their teachings are still growing. Paul even stated that he had not arrived yet. Christ is sinless and HIS Word is always true.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers:

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayin the people were astonished at his doctrine. (1322 “doctrine” [didache] means doctrine, instruction, act of teaching, that which is taught or teaching.)

DEVOTION: In chapter four there were three types of ministry that Jesus was doing: preaching, teaching, and healing. Here we find another word that tells us that instruction was given concerning the life of a believer.

Jesus wanted HIS disciples to understand what the Christian life was all about. HE continued his teaching on the mountain. HE dealt with Christians judging others. HE dealt with them casting their pearls of wisdom before fools. HE wanted them to build their lives on the ROCK. That ROCK was HIM.

Many in the world think that they are Christians but they are not. It takes instruction to help them understand what it means to be a real Christian. Real Christians are going to produce good fruit. Real Christians are not going to have to stand before the LORD and beg to get into heaven. Real Christians are going to be given understanding from the Holy Spirit regarding what is happening in their lives.

Those who are given the responsibility to train the future leaders in our churches need to teach doctrine. The people in our churches need to understand the eleven basic doctrines that are found under this commentary. The people in our churches need to understand the disciplines of the faith that are listed below. Why? Because that is what a real Christian believes and practices in their daily walk with the LORD.

If we are not able to defend our faith after a few years of our Christian walk then maybe we are not walking with the LORD the way we should be. We need to study the Word of God to be a witness. We need to practice the disciplines of the faith to grow in our knowledge of the Word of God. We need to be encouraging one another to excel in our understanding of the Christian live through the Word of God. Are we studying? Are we instructing others? Do we have a church full of baby Christians or mature Christians?

CHALLENGE: The actions of those in the church will show what their foundation is built on!!!

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Law verse 12

Prophets verse 12

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

Father in heaven verse 11, 21

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Lord verse 21, 22

His doctrine verse 28

Authority verse 29

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Judge verse 1- 4

Hypocrite verse 5

Evil verse 11, 17, 18

Wide and broad gate verse 13

False prophets verse 15, 22, 23

Bad fruit verse 16

Corrupt tree verse 17, 18

Work iniquity verse 23

Foolish man verse 26, 27

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Judge not verse 1

See clearly verse 5

Holy verse 6

Ask verse 7, 8

Seek verse 7, 8

Knock verse 7, 8

Good things verse 11

Enter strait gate verse 13, 14

Life verse 14

Few verse 14

Good fruit verse 17- 19, 24

Fruit inspectors verse 20

Will of the Father verse 21

Doing works of Jesus verse 24

Wise man verse 24

Doctrine verse 28

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Teachings of the scribes verse 29

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

Cast into the fire verse 19

Enter kingdom of heaven verse 21

In that day verse 22

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QUOTES regarding passage

ἔσωθεν^c: (a figurative extension of meaning of ἔσωθεν^a ‘from inside,’ 84.14) the inner being of a person as the source or agent of thought or behavior—‘a person’s inner self, the inner being, within oneself.’ πάντα ταῦτα τὰ πονηρὰ ἔσωθεν ἐκπορεύεται καὶ κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ‘all these evil things come from one’s inner being and make that person unclean’ Mk 7:23; ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες ‘but in their inner being they are like vicious wolves’ Mt 7:15.

A literal translation of ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες in Mt 7:15 as ‘on the inside they are ravaging wolves’ could be seriously misleading, since in some cultures certain people are regarded as actually being animals but disguised as human beings. It may therefore be necessary to make some adjustments in this passage and to translate as ‘but what they want to do makes them like wild wolves’ or ‘but their minds are like the minds of wild wolves.’ On the other hand, one could employ a strictly literal translation and then have a footnote indicating that this statement in the Scriptures does not confirm local beliefs concerning animals disguised as humans. (Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 320). New York: United Bible Societies.)

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The word didachē (“teaching,” v. 29) can refer to both content and manner (see also on 3:1); and no doubt the crowds were astonished at both. Their astonishment says nothing about their own heart commitment. The cause of their astonishment was Jesus’ exousia (“authority”). The term embraces power as well as authority, and the theme becomes central (cf. 8:9; 9:6, 8; 10:1; 21:23–24, 27; 28:18). In his authority Jesus differs from the “teachers of the law” (see on 2:4). Many of them limited their teaching to the authorities they cited, and a great part of their training centered on memorizing the received traditions. They spoke by the authority of others; Jesus spoke with his own authority. Yet many teachers of the law did indeed offer new rulings and interpretations; so some have tried to interpret 7:28–29 along other lines.

Daube (pp. 205–16), in arguing that Jesus’ lack of official rabbinic authority was an early issue in his ministry, says that some of the crowds’ response in Galilee was because they did not often hear ordained rabbis so far north. Sigal (“Halakah”), dating the sources a little differently, insists (probably rightly) that there was no official ordination of rabbis till after Jesus’ death. He argues that Jesus himself was not essentially different in his authority from other proto-rabbis. Both these instructions miss the central point, which transcends Halakic applications of the law, the formulas used, and the latitude of interpretation permitted.

The central point is this: Jesus’ entire approach in the Sermon on the Mount is not only ethical but messianic—i.e., christological and eschatological. Jesus is not an ordinary prophet who says, “Thus says the Lord!” Rather, he speaks in the first person and claims that his teaching fulfills the OT; that he determines who enters the messianic kingdom; that as the Divine Judge he pronounces banishment; that the true heirs of the kingdom would be persecuted for their allegiance to him; and that he alone fully knows the will of his Father. It is methodologically indefensible for Sigal to complain that all such themes are later Christian additions and therefore to focus exclusively on points of Halakic interpretation. Jesus’ authority is unique (see on 5:21–48), and the crowds recognized it even if they did not always understand it. This same authority is now to be revealed in powerful, liberating miracles, signs of the kingdom’s advance (chs. 8–9; cf. 11:2–5). (Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, pp. 195–196). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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28. Were astonished (ἐξεπλήσσοντο). From ἐκ, out of, and πλήσσω, to strike. Often to drive one out of his senses by a sudden shock, and therefore here of amazement. They were astounded. We have a similar expression, though not so strong: “I was struck with this or that remarkable thing.”

29. He taught (ἦν διδάσκων). He was teaching. This union of the verb and participle emphasizes the idea of duration or habit more than the simple tense. (Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 51). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.)

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Matthew 7:28

The multitudes were astonished (ἐξεπλησσοντο οἱ ὀχλοι [exeplēssonto hoi ochloi]). They listened spell-bound to the end and were left amazed. Note the imperfect tense, a buzz of astonishment. The verb means literally “were struck out of themselves.”

Matthew 7:29

And not as their scribes (και οὐχ ὡς οἱ γραμματεις αὐτων [kai ouch hōs hoi grammateis autōn]). They had heard many sermons before from the regular rabbis in the synagogues. We have specimens of these discourses preserved in the Mishna and Gemara, the Jewish Talmud when both were completed, the driest, dullest collection of disjounted comments upon every conceivable problem in the history of mankind. The scribes quoted the rabbis before them and were afraid to express an idea without bolstering it up by some predecessor. Jesus spoke with the authority of truth, the reality and freshness of the morning light, and the power of God’s Spirit. This sermon which made such a profound impression ended with the tragedy of the fall of the house on the sand like the crash of a giant oak in the forest. There was no smoothing over the outcome. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Mt 7:28–29). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)

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7:28–29. After recording Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” Matthew wrote, When Jesus had finished saying these things. Five times Matthew wrote such a statement (identical or similar words), each time following a collection of Jesus’ sayings: v. 28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1. These serve as turning points or shifts in the book’s structure.

As a result of this sermon, the crowds of people following Jesus were amazed at His teaching. “Amazed” (exeplēssonto, lit., “struck out”) means “overwhelmed.” It suggests a strong, sudden sense of being astounded, and is stronger than thaumazō (“to wonder or be amazed”). Matthew used exeplēssonto four times (7:28; 13:54; 19:25; 22:23). Jesus had just demonstrated the inadequacies of the Pharisees’ religious system. The righteousness they knew was not sufficient for entering His kingdom. The authority of Jesus is what amazed them, for He taught as a Spokesman from God—not as the teachers of His time who were simply reflecting the authority of the Law. The contrast between Jesus and the religious leaders was most pronounced. (Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 36). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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We are to hear God’s words and do them (see James 1:22–25). We must not stop with only hearing (or studying) His words. Our hearing must result in doing. This is what it means to build on the rock foundation. We should not confuse this symbol with the “rock” in 1 Corinthians 3:9ff. Paul founded the local church in Corinth on Jesus Christ when he preached the Gospel and won people to Christ. This is the only foundation for a local church.

The foundation in this parable is obedience to God’s Word—obedience that is an evidence of true faith (James 2:14ff). The two men in this story had much in common. Both had desires to build a house. Both built houses that looked good and sturdy. But when the judgment came (the storm), one of the houses collapsed. What was the difference? Not the mere external looks, to be sure. The difference was in the foundation: The successful builder “dug deep” (Luke 6:48) and set his house on a solid foundation.

A false profession will last until judgment comes. Sometimes this judgment is in the form of the trials of life. Like the person who received the seed of God’s Word into a shallow heart (Matt. 13:4–9), the commitment fails when the testing comes. Many people have professed faith in Christ, only to deny their faith when life becomes spiritually costly and difficult.

But the judgment illustrated here probably refers to the final judgment before God. We must not read into this parable all the doctrine that we are taught in the Epistles; for the Lord was illustrating one main point: profession will ultimately be tested before God. Those who have trusted Christ, and have proved their faith by their obedience will have nothing to fear. Their house is founded on the Rock, and it will stand. But those who have professed to trust Christ, yet who have not obeyed God’s will, will be condemned.

How shall we test our profession of faith? By popularity? No, for there are many on the broad road to destruction. And there are many who are depending on words, saying “Lord, Lord”—but this is no assurance of salvation. Even religious activities in a church organization are no assurance. How then shall we judge ourselves and others who profess Christ as Saviour?

The two ways tell us to examine the cost of our profession. Have we paid a price to profess faith in Christ? The two trees tell us to investigate whether our lives have really changed. Are there godly fruits from our lives? And the two houses remind us that true faith in Christ will last, not only in the storms of life, but also in the final judgment.

The congregation was astonished at this sermon. Why? Because Jesus spoke with divine authority. The scribes and Pharisees spoke “from authorities,” always quoting the various rabbis and experts of the Law. Jesus needed no human teacher to add authority to His words; for He spoke as the Son of God. We cannot lightly dismiss this sermon, for it is God who gave it to us! We must either bow before Him and submit to His authority, or we will be condemned. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 31–32). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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7:28–29 Just as 4:25–5:2 led the reader from the narrative into the discourse, so 7:28–8:1 leads the reader out of the discourse back into the narrative. Both passages mention large crowds following Jesus and his respective ascent or descent of the mountain.

the crowds were amazed at his teaching. The response of the crowd (cf. 4:25; 5:1) was amazement (7:28; cf. 13:54; 22:33).

he taught with real authority. They were overwhelmed, not by the novelty or clever presentation of the teaching, but by Jesus’ uniquely authoritative way of teaching, which was so different from what they were used to hearing from their “teachers of religious law” (7:29; cf. the discussion in the notes on 2:4). Jesus’ teaching assumed a transcendent authority that their teachers rightly did not claim to possess.

quite unlike their teachers of religious law. The pronoun “their” evidently distinguishes Jewish scribes in general from those Jewish scribes who believed in Jesus (13:52; 23:34). Matthew as narrator did not mention whether the crowd engaged Jesus with questions or disputed any his teaching. Thus, the crowd’s amazement further underlines the unique authority of Jesus as the definitive teacher of the law (cf. 17:5) who expects a righteousness greater than that of the religious leaders (5:20). (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (p. 121). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)

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Ver. 29. For he taught them, as one having authority, &c.] This does not so much respect the subject matter of his ministry, the gravity, weight, and solidity of his doctrine; which, to be sure, was greatly different from that of the Scribes, which chiefly lay in proposing and handling things trivial, and of no moment; such as the rituals of the law, the traditions of the elders, or washing of the hands and cups, &c. nor merely the manner of his delivery, which was with great affection, ardour, and fervency of spirit, with much liberty and utterance of speech, and with wonderful perspicuity and majesty; in which also he differed from the Scribes, who taught in a cold and lifeless manner, without any spirit and power; but this chiefly regards the method he used in preaching, which was by delivering truths of himself in his own name, and by his own authority; often using those words, but I say unto you: he spoke as a lawgiver, as one that had authority from heaven, and not from men; and not as the Scribes, who used to say, when they delivered any thing to the people, our Rabbins, or our wise men say so and so: such as were on the side of Hillell made use of his name; and those who were on the side of Shammai made use of his name; scarce ever would they venture to say any thing of themselves, but said, the ancient doctors say thus and thus: almost innumerable instances might be given, out of the Talmud, in which one Rabbi speaks in the name of another; but our Lord spoke boldly, of himself, in his own name, and did not go about to support his doctrine by the testimony of the elders; but spake, as having received power and authority, as man, from his father, and not as the Scribes. Some copies add, and Pharisees; these generally going together; and so read the Vulgate Latin, the Syriac, the Persic versions, and the Hebrew edition of Matthew by Munster.

Ver. 28. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, &c.] Delivered in this, and the two foregoing chapters, concerning true happiness; the duty and usefulness of Gospel-ministers; the true sense and meaning of several commandments in the law; concerning alms, prayer, and fasting; concerning the care of worldly things, rash judging, rigid censures, and reproofs; the straitness and narrowness of the way to eternal life, and the largeness and breadth of the way to destruction; concerning false prophets, and the right hearing of the word. The people were astonished at his doctrine; it being something new, and unheard of, what they had not been used to; and coming in the demonstration of the spirit, and of power, it carried its own evidence along with it, wrought conviction in their minds, and obliged them to acknowledge the truth of itVer. 29. For he taught them, as one having authority, &c.] This does not so much respect the subject matter of his ministry, the gravity, weight, and solidity of his doctrine; which, to be sure, was greatly different from that of the Scribes, which chiefly lay in proposing and handling things trivial, and of no moment; such as the rituals of the law, the traditions of the elders, or washing of the hands and cups, &c. nor merely the manner of his delivery, which was with great affection, ardour, and fervency of spirit, with much liberty and utterance of speech, and with wonderful perspicuity and majesty; in which also he differed from the Scribes, who taught in a cold and lifeless manner, without any spirit and power; but this chiefly regards the method he used in preaching, which was by delivering truths of himself in his own name, and by his own authority; often using those words, but I say unto you: he spoke as a lawgiver, as one that had authority from heaven, and not from men; and not as the Scribes, who used to say, when they delivered any thing to the people, our Rabbins, or our wise men say so and so: such as were on the side of Hillell made use of his name; and those who were on the side of Shammai made use of his name; scarce ever would they venture to say any thing of themselves, but said, the ancient doctors say thus and thus: almost innumerable instances might be given, out of the Talmud, in which one Rabbi speaks in the name of another; but our Lord spoke boldly, of himself, in his own name, and did not go about to support his doctrine by the testimony of the elders; but spake, as having received power and authority, as man, from his father, and not as the Scribes. Some copies add, and Pharisees; these generally going together; and so read the Vulgate Latin, the Syriac, the Persic versions, and the Hebrew edition of Matthew by Munster. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 75). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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FROM MY READING:

Therefore, an “amusement” is a diversion, a distraction of the mind; it is something that diverts one away from serious or creative activity. (David R. Sincerbox)

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November 17 Daily Help by Charles Spurgeon: Since the first hour in which goodness came into conflict with evil, it has never ceased to be true in spiritual experience, that Satan hinders us. If we toil in the field, he seeks to break the ploughshare; if we build the wall, he labors to cast down the stones; if we would serve God in suffering or in conflict, everywhere Satan hinders us. He hinders us when we are first coming to Jesus Christ. Fierce conflicts we had with Satan when we first looked to the cross and lived. Now that we are saved, he endeavors to hinder the completeness of our personal character. “Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.”

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Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe

I believe that earnest prayer is the greatest need in our churches today. In spite of his great gifts and education, Paul repeatedly asked the churches to pray for him, because gifts and training without prayer have no power to accomplish God’s will. Paul prayed for the churches and for individuals in the churches. Are we following his example? (p. 109)

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Acts 28
Paul finally arrives in Rome after a harrowing journey by sea.
INSIGHT

Our lives are a constant struggle between our own wills and the will of God. The circumstances of God’s will are often strange and enigmatic; they do not always make sense. However, His will is being worked out even in ways we cannot see or understand. When we relinquish control of our lives and yield to God’s will, then peace, love, and joy will characterize our lives. Paul must have wondered from time to time how shipwreck and imprisonment were working into God’s will; yet with historical perspective, we can see that good came of these events. In the words of the old hymn, we must: “Trust and obey, for there´s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” (Quiet Walk)

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BARRIERS TO FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5
There are certain things that tend to militate against fellowship with God and to rob us of it; there are certain things that will stand between us and the fellowship that in turn leads to joy. First of all, there is sin–unrighteousness. John has told us about the possibility of great joy (verse 4); then comes a word that almost crushes us to the ground at once: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all”–and fellowship seems hopeless. But then, thank God, he tells us how this can be dealt with. If we recognize and confess sin, then there is the blood that cleanses, and God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (1:7, 9).
The second hindrance that John talks about in 1 John 2:3 is lack of love for the brethren. If there is anything wrong in my relationship to God, I lose the fellowship, and I lose the joy. Yes, but if there is anything wrong in my relationship with my Christian brothers and sisters, I also lose the joy, and John works this out in a very subtle way. You lose contact with the brethren, and you lose contact with God; you lose your love to God in the same way.
The third hindrance is a love of the world, a desire or hankering after its pleasures and its whole sinful mentality. This again is an interruption to fellowship with God. You cannot mix light and darkness.
The last thing that interrupts fellowship with God, he tells us at the end of 1 John 2, is false teaching about the person of Jesus Christ. Obviously if the only way to God is through Christ, if I am in any way wrong about my teaching or doctrine concerning Him, then automatically I sever the communion, and again I lose my joy.
A Thought to Ponder: Certain things tend to militate against fellowship with God and to rob us of it. (From Fellowship with God, p. 34, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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The Joy That Is Promised
“But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Joshua 22:5)
The fourth verse of the hymn “Praise the Savior, Ye Who Know Him” reminds us of our responsibility to be faithful to our calling. At our new birth we were fully granted eternal life, a standing we have now, and eternal life is not temporary. Yet we must strive to prove our love by obedience and holiness, and maintain the sweet relationship with God.Keep us, Lord, O, keep us cleaving
To Thyself and still believing,
Till the hour of our receiving
Promised joys with Thee.
While He doesn’t need our help in accomplishing His will, we are granted the privilege of serving Him. And we must never come to the place of unbelief. Doubts sometimes come, placed there by the Tempter, but they should drive us to further study, deeper growth, and the eventual resolution of doubt. Doubt must never be allowed to fester into disbelief.
There will come the day when our belief is complete, as faith passes into sight. Unknowable joy will be ours, He promises: “God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:3-5). (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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If you and I could understand the whole of God’s way we would be equal to God, but we are not, God has revealed certain things to us that, thank God, are enough, and faith is content with what has been revealed.

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Though I do not understand it fully, I humble myself before it. I bow my knees and thank God for it, knowing that whatever God does is right, whether I understand it or not. (p. 104, A Merciful and Faithful High Priest by Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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Daily Hope

Today’s Scripture Ecclesiastes 4: 9-16

There is an adage that states “there is no ‘I’ in team”. While that is very true, the writer of Ecclesiastes would have also agreed that teamwork is essential in every area of life. Where one can accomplish a task in perhaps a short time, two working in unison can accomplish the task in half the time.

Whether it is labor or getting up off the ground after falling, it is easier when there is assistance. The work, accident, staying warm or defense of a position is always accomplished more thoroughly with aid. Ronald Reagan stated, “By working together, pooling our resources and building on our strengths, we can accomplish great things.” Solomon, after working on experiments and observing the nature of man, concluded that there is power in being unified and working together as a team.

He further warns that those who work together must be flexible and attentive to people around their sphere of influence. The aged king, who refuses to listen to counsel is replaceable with a younger king because of the youth’s ability to gain the popular opinion regardless of his past activities or financial status (vv.13-15).

The value of having a team around you to encourage, strengthen and assist in leadership is vital. Solomon’s warning was life is fleeting and relationships are important no matter what our occupation or responsibilities.

Our greatest relationship is with the Lord Jesus Christ, if you have not been cultivating that connection recently, I would urge you to take a moment and spend some time in reading and praying before moving on to your next task of the day. A.W. Tozer realized this and said, “God is looking for those with whom He can do the impossible – what a pity that we plan only the things that we can do by ourselves.” Two are better than one especially if One is the Lord! Christ is our greatest Team Member!

With an Expectant hope, Pastor Miller

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