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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 7:21 - 7:23
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_7:21-23
21"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? 23And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'"
Mat_7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me" This is a present active participle which speaks of continuing action. They said these words again and again.
▣ "Lord, Lord" The rabbis said that the doubling of a name shows affection (cf. Gen_22:11).
The Greek word kurios was used in several distinct ways in the first century. It could simply mean (1) "sir" ; (2) "master" ; (3) "owner" ; or (4) " husband." But, in theological contexts, it is usually interpreted with its full meaning derived from the OT translation of the name YHWH (cf. Exo_3:14). In this context these men were making a theological statement about Jesus, but did not have a personal relationship with Him. It is difficult at this early stage in Jesus' ministry to know how much theological weight to attach to this term. Peter also used it early as a theological title for Jesus (cf. Luk_5:8), as did Luk_6:46, where Jesus links one's verbal affirmations with obedience. However, in this context the scene is eschatological-these false prophets will be judged at the Second Coming.
Were they saved and fell away or were they never saved?
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▣ "will enter the kingdom of heaven" This is a future indicative. The Kingdom was the central focus of the preaching of Jesus. It paralleled the phrase "the kingdom of God" used in Mark and Luke. Matthew, writing to Jews, used "heaven" as a circumlocution for "God." This verse implies a future orientation, while Mat_3:2 implies a present orientation. The kingdom of heaven is the reign of God in human hearts now which one day will be consummated over all the earth. Jesus, in His model prayer of Mat_6:10, was praying for the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth.
▣ "but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven" This is a present active participle. The real focus of the next few verses is on those people who say they are kingdom people but live in ways that reveal they are not. This can be seen in the concluding portion of Mat_7:23, and in Mat_7:24; Mat_7:26. The stated will of God is that one believe on His Son (cf. Joh_6:29; Joh_6:39-40). This personal relationship was what these religious, false prophets lacked (cf. Mat_7:23).
This dialectic or paradoxical structure is so characteristic of biblical truth. God's will is both an initial decision (gate) and a continuing lifestyle (way).
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Mat_7:22 "Many will say to Me on that day" The structure of this Greek question expected a "yes" answer. The phrase "that day" referred to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This is often called Resurrection Day or Judgment Day, depending on whether you know Him personally or not.
▣ "in Your name. . .in Your name. . .in Your name" This phrase implied "in your authority" or "as your disciple." It is obvious from Mat_7:23 that they did not know Jesus in a personal way. Notice that the works they performed are godly works. But fruit without relationship is as abominable as relationship without fruit. These same types of miracles were performed by Jesus' true disciples (cf. Mat_10:1-4), including Judas Iscariot! Miracles are not automatically a sign from God (cf. Mat_24:24 and 2Th_2:9-10). Religious self-deception is a tragedy.
▣ "cast our demons" See Special Topics: Exorcism at Mat_10:1 and The Demonic at Mat_10:1.
Mat_7:23 "then I will declare to them" This Greek term meant "to profess" or "to confess" publicly (see Special Topic at Mat_10:32). The implication of this statement is that Jesus has the position and authority to judge and that judgment is in relation to personal faith in Him.
▣ "I never knew you" This was a strong grammatical construction in Greek. The term "know" had an OT background meaning "intimate, personal relationship" (cf. Gen_4:1 and Jer_1:5). It is frightening to think that the religious activity of Mat_7:22 can be performed in such a self-deceiving way (cf. 1Co_13:1-3).
▣ "depart from Me" This is a present active imperative, a continuing command rendered literally as "keep on departing from Me!" Thus the implied meaning is "you are already going away-just keep on going!" It is an allusion to Psa_6:8.
▣ "you who practice lawlessness" It is shocking that these apparently effective religious leaders were totally independent of the power and person of Christ.