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Mat_7:22-23. Ἐν ἐκ . τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ] Euth. Zigabenus, ἡμέραν ἑκείνην εἶπε τὴν τῆς κρίσεως , ὡς ἐγνωσμένην καὶ προσδεδοκημένην . Comp. the Jewish phraseology; Schoettgen, Hor. in loco.
τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι ] not jussu et auctoritate sua (as the majority of commentators, Fritzsche included), as if it had been ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀνόμ ., but by means of Thy name, i.e. through Thy name (“Jesus Messiah”), having satisfied our religious consciousness, and having become the object of our confession. It was by this, as forming the condition and instrument, that the works in question were accomplished. In the casting out of devils and in performing miracles the name was pronounced, Act_3:6; Act_19:13; comp. on Luk_9:49; Luk_10:17.
Notice the stress laid upon the σῷ , and the threefold repetition of the prominent words τῷ σῷ ὀνόμ ., as expressing that by which the individuals in question think to shelter themselves from disapprobation and rejection, and make good their claim to the Messianic kingdom.
προεφητεύς .] not in the special sense of foretelling (Grotius, Fritzsche), but (comp. Mat_7:15) with reference to those who taught under the influence of a prophetic enthusiasm (see note on 1Co_12:10). The distinguishing feature in those men is an impure, often fanatical, boldness in the faith, which, though enabling them to perform outward acts of a marvellous nature, yet fails to exercise any influence upon their own moral life—just the sort of thing described by Paul in 1Co_13:2, and the manifestations of which are to be met with in every age, especially in times of great religious excitement.
Mat_7:23. ὁμολογ .] “aperte, magna potestas hujus dicti,” Bengel. The conscious dignity of the future judge of the world.
ὅτι ] Recitative. The rendering because, to which a different arrangement of the words by Origen, Chrysostom, Cyprian, and others has given rise ( ὅτι … ὑμᾶς after ἀποχωρ .), is less in harmony with the emotion of the passage.
ἔγνων ] not probavi (Kuinoel), but novi. Because (“etsi nomen meum allegatis,” Bengel) I have never known you, have obtained no knowledge of you whatever, which I would have done (Joh_10:14) had ye really been in fellowship with me. Comp. Luk_13:27. The knowledge is the knowledge of experience founded upon the possession of a common life. Similarly 1Co_8:3; 1Co_13:12; Gal_4:9.
ἀποχωρεῖτε , κ . τ . λ .] according to Psa_6:9. Comp. Mat_25:41. οἱ ἐργαζόμ . is used as a substantive; while ἀνομία is the antithesis of δικαιοσύνη , 2Co_6:14, Heb_1:9, as in Mat_13:41, Mat_23:28, Mat_24:12. Notice how in this passage the great utterance of Mat_7:17-18 continues to echo to the last, and to bear the impress of the final judgment; comp. Rom_2:13.