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 Revealed #934

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

934. That fruits symbolize the good works that a person does out of love or charity is, indeed, something known without confirmation from the Word, for no one who reads the Word interprets fruits to mean anything else.

Fruits symbolize the goods of love or charity because a person is likened to a tree and is also called a tree (nos. 89, 400).

That fruits symbolize the goods of love or charity, which in common speech are called good works, may be seen from the following passages:

...the ax is laid to the root of the tree. Every tree... which does not bear good fruit shall be cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:10, cf. 7:16-20)

Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten; ...a tree is known by its fruit. (Matthew 12:33, cf. Luke 6:43-44)

Every branch... that does not bear fruit (shall be taken away); and every branch that bears fruit (shall be pruned), that it may bear more fruit... He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit... (John 15:2-8).

...bear fruits worthy of repentance... (Matthew 3:8)

He who received seed on the good ground is someone who hears the Word and heeds it (and) bears fruit... (Matthew 13:23)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) ."..I chose you... that you should... bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain... (John 15:16)

A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; he came seeking fruit on it and found none. He said to the keeper of his vineyard, ."..Cut it down; why should it render the ground fruitless?" (Luke 13:6-9)

...a certain householder... leased (his vineyard) to husbandmen..., that (he) might receive its fruit. But the husbandmen (killed) his servants (that he sent to them)..., and last of all... his son... (Therefore he) will lease his vineyard to (others) who will render to him the fruits in their seasons... Therefore... the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it. (Matthew 21:33-35, 37-39, 41, 43)

And so on in many other places.

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.