This section of Matthew is the grand finale of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He finishes His message about the Kingdom of Heaven with an invitation to enter. The sermon began with a description of ‘who’ citizens of the kingdom are by listing their attributes in the beatitudes. He described ‘what’ kingdom citizens should be to the world around them by using the analogy of, ‘Salt and light’. Jesus then describes the high standard required to enter the Kingdom. He taught that issues of sin are more than abstaining from certain acts but rather purity of heart. He challenged their acts of righteousness to be more than outward acts, but rather a disposition of the heart before God. He challenged their view of wealth, commanding them to trust in God and pursue treasures in Heaven. Finally, as Jesus begins to close his Sermon on the Mount, He teaches how the Kingdom citizen should interact with those around them, ending with a clear invitation!
Jesus has been focused on His message of the Kingdom throughout this sermon. He is also crystal clear in the invitation to come to the Kingdom! Jesus used three different contrasts to communicate His invitation.
NARROW GATE
Matthew 7:13-14- Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
The world has offered many ways to God throughout human history. But Jesus said in the Gospel of John 14:6, “I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.” It’s the exact same message Jesus gives in this passage.
There is no other way to His Kingdom. The imagery He uses in this passage is that of a narrow path and a narrow gate that few will find and enter. His point is that not everyone will be on that path, or walking through that gate. Jesus is clear that the broad way, that many are on, leads to destruction.
Since the context of the passage is the Kingdom, the narrow way and the narrow gate that lead to life is the Kingdom of Heaven. The broad way and wide gate lead to eternal condemnation.
Jesus ends the contrast with a warning that there will be few who find it (Matthew 7:14).
GOOD TREE VS. BAD TREE
In the midst of this invitation, Jesus warns His audience of false teachers who look and sound like the real deal but are leading people to the wide way which ends in destruction.
Matthew 7:15- Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
How will you know who they are? Jesus tells us that we will know them by their fruits. He contrasts trees that produce good fruit and trees that produce bad fruit.
Matthew 7:16-18- You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
What is the good fruit and what is the bad fruit? In a parallel passage in Luke 6:45, Jesus explains “that the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil. For his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” Jesus has focused on the heart throughout the Sermon on the Mount. Here, the message becomes practical.
A heart in tune with God and His Word will produce good fruit, a heart in tune to anything else will produce bad fruit. This is the way, Jesus says, you can identify a false teacher. Does the teachers’ message draw you to the Lord and His Will, or does it draw you to the will of self or of anyone but Him?
Jesus ends this illustration with another warning. He says in Matthew 7:19 “Every tree producing bad fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
SAYING VS. DOING
The next three verses are an extension of the previous section. Jesus contrasts two groups of people. People who say they’re God’s people, and those that do the will of God.
Matthew 7:21- Not everyone who says to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Jesus points toward the day of judgment. Many will claim Jesus is Lord with their lips, but Jesus says not everyone will enter the Kingdom just for making that claim. Jesus goes on to explain:
Matthew 7:22-23- Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.
To say “Lord, Lord” is showing urgency on the person standing before God in judgment. The repetition communicates that this is someone who is pleading with God to recognize him or her as a kingdom citizen. They even begin to recount all the works that they have done in the name of God! But Jesus responds in Matthew 7:23 by saying “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” These might be the most terrifying words in the entire Bible. For the person being judged, it’s over. They have no more opportunities to repent and turn to Christ. They have seen the Lord, received their judgment, and have been told to depart from God, – forever.
Remember this is an extension of the previous passage. This is the bad tree producing bad fruit. In vs. 19, the bad tree is “cut down and thrown into the fire.” Jesus is saying that people who had prophesied in His name, and people who had performed “good works” and religious activities, seemingly for Him, will not be allowed to enter into everlasting rest with God. They stand condemned in judgment, eternally separated from God. So who are the people who bear good fruit, and will enter through the narrow gate into His Kingdom?
THE WISE VS. THE FOOLISH
Matthew 7:24- Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on a rock.
Jesus answers the question clearly. Anyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them! Which words exactly? He just spent an entire sermon explaining that God wants hearts devoted to Him. He emphasized that abstaining from sin, performing acts of righteousness, handling earthly possessions, and loving our neighbor all must be rooted in a pure heart of love for God.
Those that hear and do are wise but those who hear these words and do not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand (Matthew 7:26). Jesus knew His audience; therefore, He knew there were many on the wide path which lead to destruction. He also knew they heard his words but would not obey. Sadly, the same can be said of us today. How often do we hear, and not obey?
CONCLUSION
Matthew 7:28-29- When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Jesus was teaching as “one having authority.” Jesus was teaching with authority because He is the Son of God and is of the same essence as God the Father. He has all authority and sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, even now!
The message is the same as the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-10 and that James wrote in James 1:22-25. It is by grace through faith that you can be saved, in order to be His workmanship. Jesus invited His audience over 2000 years ago to a living faith; that produces fruit, along the narrow path, and on the way to the Kingdom. The message is still relevant today. Jesus has invited you and I to be the wise man who builds his house on the rock!