The Bible

 

Matthew 7

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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

 

Sayings

  

'Sayings' denotes persuasion. When related to Jehovah, 'sayings' signify informing or instructing.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 4478)


From Swedenborg's Works

 

True Christian Religion #722

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722. VI. The people who worthily approach the Holy Supper are those who have faith in the Lord and charity towards the neighbour, so those who have been regenerated.

God, charity and faith are the three universals of the church, because they are the universal means to salvation. This is known, acknowledged and grasped by any Christian who studies the Word. Reason itself, at least if it contains any spirituality, insists that God must be acknowledged, if a person is to have any religion and any part of the church in him. If therefore anyone approaches the Holy Supper without acknowledging God, he profanes it. His eye sees the bread and wine, he tastes them on his tongue; but his mind is thinking: 'This is surely a matter of indifference. How are the bread and wine any different from what I have on my table? However, I do this to avoid being blamed by the priesthood, and so by the common people, as being an atheist.'

[2] After the acknowledgment of God the second means which makes one worthy to approach is charity. This fact is established both from the Word and from the exhortations read before people approach throughout the Christian world. We learn from the Word that the leading injunction and commandment is to love God before all else and one's neighbour as oneself (Matthew 22:35-40; Luke 10:25-28). Also in the epistles of Paul, there are three things which contribute to salvation, and the greatest of these is charity (1 Corinthians 13:13). Also:

We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone worships God and does His will, He listens to him, John 9:31.

Everyone who 1 does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, Matthew 7:19-20; Luke 3:8-9.

[3] The exhortations read throughout the Christian world before people approach the Holy Supper show that everywhere they are sternly admonished to be in a state of charity by reconciliation and repentance. I will quote only the following passage from the prayer read to communicants in England:

The way and means to become worthy partakers of the Holy Supper is this. First, to examine one's life and conversations by the rule of God's commandments; and whereinsoever one perceives oneself to have offended, either by will, word or deed, there to bewail one's own sinfulness, and to confess oneself to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life. And if one perceives one's offences to be such as are not only against God, but also against the neighbour, then one shall reconcile oneself unto him, being ready to make restitution and satisfaction to the uttermost of one's powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by one to any other; and being likewise ready to forgive others that have offended one, as one would have forgiveness of one's offences at God's hand; for otherwise the receiving of the holy Communion doth nothing else but increase one's own damnation. Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God, an hinderer or slanderer of His Word, [an adulterer,] or be in malice, or envy, or in any other grievous crime, repent you of your sins, or else come not to that holy Supper; lest, after taking of that holy Supper, the devil enter into you, as he entered into Judas, and fill you full of all iniquities, and bring you to destruction both of body and soul. 2

[4] The third means to the worthy enjoyment of the Holy Supper is faith in the Lord. This is because charity and faith make one, as heat and light do in springtime, so that their combination makes every tree to be reborn. Likewise it is spiritual heat, which is charity, and spiritual light, which is the truth of faith, which make everyone alive. It is established from the following passages that faith in the Lord has this result:

He who believes in me will never die, but will live, John 11:25-26.

This is the will of the Father, that everyone who believes in the Son should have everlasting life, John 6:40.

God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should have everlasting life, John 3:15-16.

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. But he who does not believe the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him, John 3:36.

We are in the truth, in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and everlasting life. 1 John 5:20.

Footnotes:

1. The original in both Gospels has 'Every tree which,' and elsewhere it is so quoted by the author.

2. This passage is given in Latin in the original, but is a fairly close translation from the Book of Common Prayer, the language of which is here followed.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.