Matthew:7:15-23
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Matthew:7:15 @{
False prophets } (\
t
n pseudoproph
t
n \).
There were false prophets in the time of the Old Testament prophets .
Jesus will predict "
false Messiahs and false prophets " (
Matthew:24:24 |)
who will lead many astray .
They came in due time posing as angels of light like Satan ,
Judaizers (
2Corinthians:11:13ff |.)
and Gnostics (
1John:4:1 ;
strkjv @
1Timothy:4:1 |).
Already false prophets were on hand when Jesus spoke on this occasion (
cf .
strkjv @
Acts:13:6 ;
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2Peter:2:1 |).
In outward appearance they look like sheep in the sheep '
s clothing which they wear ,
but within they are "
ravening wolves " (\
lukoi harpages \),
greedy for power ,
gain ,
self .
It is a tragedy that such men and women reappear through the ages and always find victims .
Wolves are more dangerous than dogs and hogs .
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Matthew:7:16 @{
By their fruits ye shall know them } (\
apo t
n karp
n aut
n epign
sesthe \).
From their fruits you will recognize them ."
The verb "
know " (\
gin
sk \)
has \
epi \
added ,
fully know .
The illustrations from the trees and vines have many parallels in ancient writers .
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Matthew:7:20 @
See on ¯
Matthew:7:16 |.
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Matthew:7:21 @{
Not--but } (\
ou--all '\).
Sharp contrast between the mere talker and the doer of God '
s will .
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Matthew:7:22 @{
Did we not prophesy in thy name ?} (\
ou t
i s
i onomati eproph
teusamen ;\).
The use of \
ou \
in the question expects the affirmative answer .
They claim to have prophesied (
preached )
in Christ '
s name and to have done many miracles .
But Jesus will tear off the sheepskin and lay bare the ravening wolf . "
I never knew you " (\
oudepote egn
n h
m
s \). "
I was never acquainted with you " (
experimental knowledge ).
Success ,
as the world counts it ,
is not a criterion of one '
s knowledge of Christ and relation to him . "
I will profess unto them " (\
homolog
s
autois \),
the very word used of profession of Christ before men (
Matthew:10:32 |).
This word Jesus will use for public and open announcement of their doom .
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Matthew:7:24 @{
And doeth them } (\
kai poiei autous \).
That is the point in the parable of the wise builder , "
who digged and went deep ,
and laid a foundation upon the rock " (
Luke:6:48 |).
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Matthew:7:25 @{
Was founded } (\
tethemeli
to \).
Past perfect indicative passive state of completion in the past .
It had been built upon the rock and it stood .
No augment .
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Matthew:7:26 @{
And doeth them not } (\
kai m
poi
n autous \).
The foolish builder put his house on the sands that could not hold in the storm .
One is reminded of the words of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon in strkjv @
5:19 |
about the one "
who does and teaches ."
Hearing sermons is a dangerous business if one does not put them into practice .
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Matthew:7:28 @{
The multitudes were astonished } (\
exepl
ssonto 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 ."
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Matthew:7:29 @{
And not as their scribes } (\
kai ouch h
s hoi grammateis aut
n \).
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 .