Verse by Verse

1 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city.

2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic,“Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?

5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?

6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

7 And he arose and departed to his house.

8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

His own city (v.1) — Capernaum

their faith (v.2) — the sick man and the friends who brought him. This is the occasion when the friends lowered the sick man through the roof of the house because of the crowds.

blasphemes (v.3) — The scribes knew only God could forgive sin; so by claiming to do so, Christ was claiming to be God. This is the first recorded time He was charged with blasphemy.

The law knew no such form as an official forgiving of sins, or absolution. The leper might be pronounced clean by the priest, and a transgressor might present a sin-offering at the Temple, and transfer his guilt to it, by laying his hands on its head and owning his fault before God, and the blood sprinkled by the priest on the horns of the altar, and toward the Holy of Holies, was an atonement that “covered” his sins from the eyes of Jehovah, and pledged his forgiveness. But that forgiveness was the direct act of God; no human lips dared pronounce it. It was a special prerogative of the Almighty, and even should mortal man venture to declare it he could only do so in the name of Jehovah, and by His immediate authorization. But Jesus had spoken in His own name. He had not hinted at being empowered by God to act for Him. The Scribes were greatly excited; whispers, ominous head-shakings, dark looks, and pious gesticulations of alarm, showed that they were ill at ease … 

One who usurped the prerogatives of Deity, according to Levitical law, was to be punished by death. Christ immediately revealed that He knew the controversy raging within their hearts. He asked them, “Which is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? (Luke 5:23). It was easier to say one’s sins were forgiven because that statement required no demonstration. To say, “Get up and walk” necessitated a demonstration. It was, therefore, easier to tell someone his sins are forgiven because that required no evidence. If when Jesus commanded the man to rise up and walk, the man had not done so, Jesus would have proved Himself to be an impostor. In order that the company might know that He had the power to forgive sins, Jesus commanded the man, “Get up … and go home.” — Pentecost, page 153.

This account is also found in Mark 2:1-12 and Luke 5:17-26.

28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.

29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding.

31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”

32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.

33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.

34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.

Gergesenes (v.28) — Gerasa was a large territory in Perea in which was located near Gerash, one of the cities of Decapolis. Matthew states that He came into the region of the Gadarenes. Gadara was a town in Gerasa some six miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee. — Pentecost, page 221.

demons (v.28) — fallen angels who followed Satan — there were two men, but many demons. In Mark 5:9, the demons give their name as Legion, which means many.

the time (v.29) — of judgment (Revelation 20:10)

Son of God (v.29) — The demons recognized Christ (James 2:19) and also knew their ultimate fate.

swine (v.30) — These unclean beasts were not considered fit for food, in accordance with Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11:7). But they were apparently tended by degraded Jews who sought gain by selling them to the Gentiles. Such became the occupation of the prodigal (Luke 15:15). According to the Law, such a calling was absolutely illegal in the land of Israel. — Ironside, page 99

This account is also recorded, with more details, in Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39, but those passages only mention the one man who went on to become a follower of Christ.

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.

24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.

25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

into a boat (v.23) — to cross the Sea of Galilee from Capernaum to Gadara

tempest (v.24) — A storm so violent that it panicked the disciples, some of whom were fishermen.

Although the Sea of Galilee is but a small body, yet because of its position deep down between high hills, it is subject to sudden storms of great intensity, caused by shifting air-strata and heavy winds coming through the passes with tremendous velocity. These storms come up very quickly and often with scarcely any warning. — Ironside, page 96.

why are you fearful? (v.26) — He had told them to get in the boat and why — to get to the other side (v.18), not to die.

O you of little faith (v.26) — Christ used this phrase four times to His disciples: 1) Matthew 6:30 — in the Sermon on the Mount regarding worry; 2) Matthew 8:26 — in response to their fear; 3) Matthew 14:31 — to Peter when he doubted when walking on the water; 4) Matthew 16:8 — when his disciples were reasoning among themselves how to feed the 5,000.

rebuked (v.26) — He said “Peace, be muzzled” (Mark 4:39)

This event is also recorded in Mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25.

I think Morgan’s application has some merit. We tend to think that happiness is the default mode in this life and that troubles are the exception, and as soon as troubles arise, we focus on them and fight to be rid of them.

Sometimes it is better not to wake Jesus when we are troubled. There is a higher faith; a faith that waits for deliverance out of a storm; a faith that says, If he is here, it is all right; let the waves roll, let the waters beat. — Morgan, page 88.

18 And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 

19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”

20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Master (v.19) = Teacher

Son of Man (v.20) — how the Lord most frequently referred to Himself — from Daniel 7:13 — used to emphasize that He was the Messiah, often in connection with His rejection

bury my father (v.21) — probably means “wait until my father dies”

Let the dead bury their own dead (v.22) — means “let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead”

The two men mentioned here, the scribe and the disciple, seem to be used as examples of how many responded to Christ. There were those who were caught up in the enthusiasm of the moment who had no idea of the cost demanded. And there were those who were impressed but unwilling to fully commit.

The occasion also appears in Luke 9:57-62, with the addition of a third disciple who asked leave to say goodbye to his family. The Lord responded by telling him he couldn’t have divided priorities.

All of this must be understood, in a physical sense, in light of the immediacy of the kingdom. In this age, spiritually, our devotion must be to Christ, but we are also told to care for those who depend on us.

14 Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.

15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,

17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.”

This occasion is also reported in Mark 1:29-34 and Luke 4:38-41.

lying (v.14) = laid out sick in bed

Isaiah (v.17) — Isaiah 53:4 — Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

Luke the physician noted that she had had a high fever, using a Greek tense that stressed its continuous, and perhaps chronic, nature. She was seriously ill. In keeping with his portrait of Jesus as a Servant, Mark said, “He … took her hand.” Matthew, in keeping with his portrait of Christ as King, said Jesus “touched her.” Luke simply recorded that Jesus “bent over her.” — Pentecost, page 146.

5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,

6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one,‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

This account also appears in Luke 7:1-10 in which we learn that the centurion made his appeal first through Jewish elders and then through friends. The Jews were willing to appeal on his behalf because the centurion had befriended them and built a synagogue for them in Capernaum.

servant (v.6) — the word sometimes is used to refer to an adult servant, but it usually is used for a child.

Though only a subordinate officer subject to his superiors, he had authority over his soldiers; and, if he had only to issue his commands and they were executed, might not Jesus, whom he recognized as the Lord of all principalities and powers, do the like and much more? There was no need for Him to approach the sufferer: let Him but speak the word. — Pentecost, page 191.

from east and west (v.11) — Psalm 107:3; Malachi 1:11, referring to the Gentile nations that will be blessed through Israel during the Millennial Kingdom

sit down (v.11) = recline to eat

I was a little confused by the phrase “sons of the kingdom” (v.12). I figured it had to refer to unbelieving Jews, but I wanted to be sure. I sent the following e-mail to Pastor Ricky Kurth of the Berean Bible Society:

Pastor Kurth,

I’m taking you up on your generous offer to answer my questions. I’ve made it to Matthew 8 with no large issues, but I do have a question about verses 11 and 12: “And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

I assume the “many from the east and west” will be the Gentile nations that are blessed through Israel during the Millennial Kingdom, based on Psalm 107 and Malachi 1. Am I right? All the commentaries I’m using say it’s a reference to the church today, but since this age wasn’t revealed until it was revealed to Paul, that doesn’t make sense to me.

But what about the “sons of the kingdom.” My first thought was that they were unbelieving Israel, but there won’t be unbelieving Israel then, will there? And even if there are some Jews who don’t believe during the Millennium, it doesn’t say “some,” it just says “the sons of the kingdom.”

Thanks for your help.

He sent this response:

1 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.

2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

These miracles (Matthew 8-9) of Jesus, so far from being violations of the law, were restorations of men to the life, according to law. Leprosy is unlawful; cleansing is lawful. Fever is due to violation of the law; and this Man by a touch restored to law. The King came to restore a lost order. — Morgan, page 83.

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What He did is seen in the Old Testament in connection with the Kingdom. In Isaiah 35 we have a description of the Kingdom as the King is to set it up. He came, and that He is the King and His Kingdom at hand, is proven by Him in doing the signs enumerated in the 35th chapter of Isaiah. — Gaebelein, page 167

leper (v.2) — If Israel had been right with God, there would not have been lepers among them (Exodus 15:26).

Leprosy is a slowly progressing and intractable disease. This disease in an especial manner rendered its victims unclean; even contact with a leper defiled whoever touched him, so while the cure of other diseases is called healing, that of leprosy is called cleansing.

It should be observed here that the attitude of the Law toward the person, garment or house suspected of leprosy is that if the disease be really present they are to be declared unclean and there is no means provided for cure, and in the case of the garment or house, they are to be destroyed. If, on the other hand, the disease be proved to be absent, this freedom from the disease has to be declared by a ceremonial purification. This is in reality not the ritual for cleansing the leper, for the Torah provides none such, but the ritual for declaring him ceremonially free from the suspicion of having the disease. This gives a peculiar and added force to the words, “The lepers are cleansed,” as a testimony to our Lord’s divine mission. 

As the leper passed by, his clothes rent, his hair disheveled, and the lower part of his face and his upper lip covered, it was as one going to death who reads his own burial-service, while the mournful words, “Unclean! Unclean!” which he uttered, proclaimed that his was both living and moral death. 

Contrary to what Jewish tradition allowed, a leper boldly approached Jesus and petitioned Him for help. We can now in some measure appreciate the contrast between Jesus and His contemporaries in His bearing towards the leper. Or, conversely, we can judge by the healing of this leper of the impression which the Savior had made upon the people. He would have fled from a rabbi; he came in lowliest attitude of entreaty to Jesus …

There was no Old Testament precedent for it: not in the case of Moses, nor even in that of Elisha, and there was no Jewish expectancy of it. But to have heard Him teach, to have seen or known Him as healing all manner of disease, must have carried to the heart the conviction of His absolute power. 

Jewish tradition demanded that one abstain from any contact with a leper, but Christ actually touched the leper. The hand of Jesus was not polluted by touching the leper’s body, but the leper’s whole body was cleansed by the touch of that holy hand. It was even thus that He touched our sinful human nature, and yet remained without spot of sin. — Pentecost, pages 148-150.

Lord (v.2) = Master — the first time in Matthew He was directly addressed so

touched him (v.3) — Lepers were not to be touched (Leviticus 13)

tell no one (v.4) — The Mosaic law required one who had leprosy, or was suspected of having it, to undergo an elaborate ritual of cleansing in order to be accepted in society. If this man tarried in Galilee to be a witness to Christ without undergoing the proper ritual of cleansing, he would have been deemed unclean and therefore his witness would have been nullified. — Pentecost, page 151

the gift that Moses commanded (v.4) — Leviticus 14, the entirety of which concerns dealing with lepers

testimony to them (v.4) — There was an additional reason why Christ sent the cleansed man to the priest. The man was to be a testimony to them (Luke 5:14). When the man went to the priest and claimed to be a cleansed leper, the priest would have to investigate whether the man had been a leper and then determine his present condition. The priest would make inquiry as to the means by which the man had been cleansed. This would give the cleansed man an occasion to present to the priest the evidence that the One who claimed to be Messiah had power to cleanse lepers … The evidence would then be presented to the Sanhedrin for its investigation and final declaration. Thus Christ was bringing evidence to those in high authority in the religious realm. — Pentecost, page 151

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If one looks for these miracles in the Gospels of Mark and Luke, and traces our Lord’s movement in them, he will be astonished to find that they are put in these Gospels in an entirely different setting. The Holy Spirit as the writer of the first Gospel has taken certain events in the life of our Lord and grouped them together in such a way that they not only show us how the King proved Himself King and how He was rejected, but to show in the grouping of these miracles the purposes of God, and bring out some very rich yet simple dispensational teachings. The Gospel of Matthew as the Jewish Gospel is the proper place for it. — Gaebelein, page 169.

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching,

29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

beat (v.25) = to fall upon (with violence)

beat (v.27) = to stumble against (strike lightly)

not as the scribes (v.29) — who were known for referring to tradition and what other teachers had said.

The Scribes (Sopherim) date as a distinct body from the period of Ezra. The name is derived from sepher, or “book,” and means “scripturalists” — those who explained and copied the Law … Their functions were to copy, read, amend, explain and protect the Law. It was in the latter capacity that they invented the “fences,” which, under the title of dibheri sopherim, “words of the Scribes,” formed the nucleus of the “tradition of the elders” (Matthew 15:2; Galatians 1:14), or oral law, any transgression of which is declared by the Mishna to be more heinous than a transgression of the words of the Bible … Secondhandness, the slavish dependence on precedent and authority, is the most remarkable characteristic of rabbinical teaching. It very rarely rises above the level of a commentary at once timid and fantastic. — Pentecost, page 189.

“Hears … and does” (v.24) is clearly law in this case because the Lord had been referring to the law all through the sermon and it was still very much in effect (see Stam’s quote below). For us today, the “do” is faith alone (Romans 1:5) because, as Paul has since revealed, the law was given to prove to us that we couldn’t gain righteousness by the law.

But there is an application for us today. The Word of God — rightly applied in context — is the only solid foundation that will hold fast. Not the teaching of theologians or traditions that have been passed on in the church. We should listen to those who teach the Word, but then we should do as the Bereans who were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so (Acts 17:11). Paul returns to this theme in 1 Thessalonians 5:21: Test all things; hold fast what is good. 

The Lord in this sermon was telling His disciples that the Pharisees’ interpretation of the law was false, as demonstrated by their lifestyle. And in spite of their passionate dedication to their version of the law, God’s standard was even higher and more unattainable. So, those who heard what the Lord said and obeyed it had a solid foundation, while those who listened to the Scribes and Pharisees would fall.

Under the Law perfect obedience to God was required (Exodus 19:5-6; Galatians 3:10). To the lawyer who sought to tempt Christ by asking Him, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” our Lord countered by asking. “What is written in the law?” And when the lawyer quoted to Him the gist of the Ten Commandments the Lord answered simply, “This do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:25-28).

And indeed, when our Lord proclaimed the precepts of the Sermon on the Mount, He demanded obedience to the Law in the light of His righteous interpretation of it. Technically, under the Law, if a man did not actually commit physical adultery, the law could not touch him, but our Lord, in His Sermon, showed that before God the lustful look is adultery committed in the heart (Matthew 5:27-28).

During the Kingdom reign of Christ, perfect obedience to God will be spontaneous as the Holy Spirit takes full control of His people. As we have seen from Ezekiel 36:27, God will put His Spirit within them and “cause” them to walk in His statutes and they “shall keep” His judgments and “do” them. Pentecost witnessed a blessed foretaste of this as “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4).

In “this present evil age,” however, we stand between the requirement to keep the Law for acceptance with God, and the future day when God will supernaturally cause His people to keep the Law … Grace and faith are the characteristic features of the present dispensation. Not only is salvation declared to be “by grace, through faith,” but the Spirit also operates in the believer “by grace, through faith.” What He provides by grace we may appropriate by faith. He dwells within each believer (1 Corinthians 6:19) to provide needed guidance and strength to withstand temptation, and we may avail ourselves of His help in time of need. — Stam, pages 115-117.

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’

23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The connection with the previous verses (vs. 13-14) is probably a warning against false prophets who lead people to the wide gate and broad path that leads to destruction.

Let us notice first of all that this warning has a special significance for the closing of the age, that is, the ending of this dispensation, the seven years of tribulation and sorrow in the earth. We only need to turn to the Olivet discourse (Matthew 24) in which our Lord answers the question of His disciples concerning the consummation of the age. When they asked about this ending of the age they surely meant nothing else but the Jewish age, for of a Christian age they knew nothing. In the answer our Lord gives, describing the events which fall into the seventieth week of Daniel, He says: “And many false prophets shall arise.” These false prophets will make their appearance during the great tribulation, no doubt under the leadership of the false prophet, the Beast, so prominent in the book of Revelation. — Gaebelein, page 157.

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He is not warning us against a man who does not exactly express truth in the terms with which we are familiar; but He is warning us against the wolf in sheep’s clothing; the teacher who affects the speech of orthodoxy, but lives a false life; not the man who holds a false doctrine, but the false prophet. His prophecy may be perfectly accurate, his preaching may be absolutely orthodox, but the man is false. That is the man who will lead farthest from the truth.

We cannot make any appeal against such repetition as this, in which our Lord by affirmation, negation, question, and by renewed affirmation, stating the case from every standpoint, asserted this great truth; that the test of the prophet is the prophet’s life. — Morgan, pages 78, 19

bad (vs. 17-18) = rotten, useless

that day (v.22) — That this has no reference to the Church is evident. The Church meets the Lord in the air, and every believer has in Christ’s day to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. But at that judgment seat no mere professors of Christ’s name will appear, and no “Depart from Me,” will be heard from the lips of the Lord, the Head of the Body. Nor does this word here in Matthew refer us to the great white throne. When our Lord says “in that day,” He means the day when the kingdom of the heavens is come by His return to the earth. Then many will be found but empty professors, who in spite of their works and using His name were none of His. — Gaebelein, page 163.

practice lawlessness (v.23) = continue to work iniquity

Many suppose that gifts of prophecy, casting out of demons and the “many wonderful works” referred to here are signs of spirituality, when in fact the carnal Corinthians wrought all these miracles and our Lord here, in the Sermon on the Mount, indicates that He will say to many who wrought these signs (when they were in order): “I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23).

Dispensationally, it is significant that the miraculous signs which so mightily bore witness to the royal claims of Christ, are not even mentioned in the so-called prison epistles of Paul, those written after his imprisonment in Rome. Furthermore, even in Paul’s earlier epistles there is much evidence that these signs were being “done away” (1 Corinthians 13:8; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). — Stam, page 106.

I wish one of my commentaries had dug a little deeper into this passage, but I think Gaebelein and Stam demonstrate clearly that the Lord was referring to the kingdom — as does the context, since that was the subject of the entire message. There will be false prophets in the Tribulation, and any Jews (the Church having been raptured by this point) led astray by them will not enter into the kingdom (v.14)

I think Morgan has a point when he says the evidence of a false prophet lies in his actions, although I think he should have taken it further and looked to the end results, the fruit. Perhaps the fruit of a false prophet is that people look to Him instead of to Christ. A prophet may look good and sound good, but if the end result doesn’t bring people to faith in Christ, he is a false prophet.

Those who do the will of the Father will enter the kingdom. The Father’s will is that the Jews trust Christ.

Attempts to make this fit us today run into problems. Take Ironside’s explanation, for example:

Mere lip profession is of no avail if the heart and life are not subject to the Word of God. We are not saved by our works, but good works are the test of reality … There may be much of outward show and apparently successful service coupled with a Christless profession. In the day of manifestation, nothing will avail but a personal faith in Him whom we profess to own as Lord. — Ironside, pages 81-82.

Just a few sentences apart, he says that “good works are the test of reality” but that “apparently successful service” doesn’t avail. Which is it? Are good works the proof of faith or not?

For us, no. We are saved by grace through faith apart from works. For the Jews of the kingdom, yes, works are evidence of faith because, when they trust Christ, the law will be written on their hearts.

(Please don’t twist what I’ve said to mean that we aren’t supposed to  produce fruit and live in obedience to God. Of course we are. Our obedience is to have faith in Christ. Our fruit is our response to who we then become in Christ and is produced through the Spirit who lives within us.)

12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.

14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

therefore (v.12) — referring back to giving good gifts in verses 9-11

This is the law and the prophets (v.12) — this is the focus of the Old Testament. As with most of the sermon, verse 12 is explaining God’s standards of righteousness, which nobody can keep.

Hillel, Socrates, Aristotle and Confucius all said similar things before Christ said this (v.12), but their statements were negative and passive where Christ’s is positive and active.

The golden rule is a wonderful standard to live by — far above anything ever attained by this world, yet it does not rise to the heights of grace. Rather “this is the law and the prophets.”

We, the members of the Body of Christ are told to “be kind to one another,” forgiving others — not as others have forgiven us, but “as God, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven [us]” (Ephesians 4:32).

Further the Law provided no power to carry out the golden rule, but we are told again and again to fulfill the precepts of grace “according to the power of God that worketh in us” (Ephesians 1:18-19; 3:20; 2 Timothy 1:7-8). — Stam, page 103.

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The gate (door) and the way is Christ Himself. “I am the door of the sheep; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10). “I am the way … no man cometh unto the Father but by Me” (John 14). And why then is the gate narrow? Not because certain conditions and hard terms are to be fulfilled, but because man does not want to give up his own righteousness and clinging still to his miserable, filthy rags, he refuses God’s way and God’s door of salvation, which is Christ and Christ alone. — Gaebelein, pages 156-157.