The Bible

 

Matthew 7

Study

   

1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

   

Commentary

 

#106 Hide and Seek with God

By Jonathan S. Rose

Play Video
Spirit and Life Bible Study broadcast from 9/5/2012. The complete series is available at: www.spiritandlifebiblestudy.com

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #212

Study this Passage

  
/ 1232  
  

212. Behold, I will make them to come, and worship at thy feet. That this signifies their state after death, that they will be excluded from heaven and are not to be admitted thereto is evident from the series of the things which precede and follow. The subject treated of in this verse is those who say that they are in truths, when nevertheless they are in falsities, because not in charity; of such it is said in the Word, that they will come to the door and knock, but will not be admitted. To come to the door and knock, is to worship at the feet. It is said, at thy feet, because heaven in its whole extent relates to one man; the highest or third heaven has reference to the head, the middle or second heaven to the body, and the ultimate or first heaven to the feet; therefore, to stand before the feet and worship is to be outside heaven, and to desire to be admitted, but in vain. (That the heavens in one whole have reference to one man, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 59-67; that there are three heavens, n. 29-40; and that the highest heaven forms the head, the middle the body, and the ultimate the feet, n. 65.) From these considerations it is evident why it is said of those who are out of heaven that they stand at the feet. The reason why they cannot be admitted is, that the whole heaven is formed according to the affections of good and truth, and is distinguished into societies according to the varieties of those affections. Those therefore who are not in charity, are not in any affection in which heaven is; for charity, or love towards the neighbour, is the affection of heaven; therefore those who are not in such affection can have no place in heaven, but are out of it, and such of them as have been in evils and thence in falsities are conjoined, according to their loves or affections, with those who are in the hells, and are cast down thither.

[2] That such a lot remains for those who are in faith alone, and not in charity, is predicted by the Lord in many passages in Matthew:

"Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire, for by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in the heavens. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by thy name, and by thy name have cast out demons, and in thy name done many mighty works! And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Whosoever heareth my words and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock. And every one that heareth my words and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand" (7:19-27).

In this passage those who are in faith from charity, and those who are in faith but not in charity are described; those who are in faith from charity, by the tree bearing good fruit, and by the house which was built upon a rock. Fruits in the Word also signify the works of charity, and a rock faith from charity. But those who are in faith separated from charity are meant by the tree not bearing good fruit, and by the house built upon the sand. Evil fruits also in the Word signify evil works, and sand, faith separated from charity. It is said of these, therefore, that they will say,

"Lord, Lord, open to us," but that they will receive for answer, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

[3] Similarly in Luke:

"Strive to enter through the strait gate; for many will seek to enter in, and will not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; but he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are; then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity" (13:24-27).

In this passage also those who are in faith and not in charity are treated of, of whom it is said that they would stand without and knock at the door, but that they would not be admitted. To eat and to drink in the presence of the Lord, and to be taught by Him in the streets, signifies to hear the Word and preachings from the Word, and to know the things of faith; but because such persons are not in charity, it is said to them, "I know you not whence ye are, depart from me;" for all are known by the Lord from love, and not from faith separated from love.

[4] Similar things are meant

By the five foolish virgins, who had not oil in their lamps, of whom it is also said, that they came, saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us;" but He answered, "Verily I say unto you, I know you not " (Matthew 25:1-12).

By virgins in the Word are signified those who belong to the church; by lamps the things of faith; and by oil is signified the good of love. Hence by the five foolish virgins, who had no oil in their lamps, are signified those who are in faith and not in love. The same is also signified

By the goats on the left hand, to whom it is said by the Lord that He hungered and thirsted, and they did not give him to eat and to drink; that He was a stranger, and they took Him not in; that He was naked, and they clothed Him not; that He was sick and in prison, and they visited Him not (Matthew 25:41, 42, 43).

By the sheep at the right hand are there signified those who are in charity; by the goats, those who are in faith and not in charity. (That such are signified by goats, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4769; and that those who are in charity are signified by sheep, n. 4169, 4809.)

  
/ 1232  
  

Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.