Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 7:24

Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 7:24 - 7:27

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Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 7:24 - 7:27

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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_7:24-27

²⁴"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell-and great was its fall."

Mat_7:24 "everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them" This parable was unique to Matthew and Luke (Luk_6:47-49). This is similar to the thought in the Hebrew word Shema of Deu_6:1 where the word implies "to hear so as to do." Christianity involves (1) knowledge; (2) personal response; and (3) a lifestyle of service. It is interesting that both builders are said to hear Jesus' words. Again, it looks as if the context of these warnings is religious people who have heard and responded at some level.

Mat_7:24-27 These verses are similar to the truth of Matthew 13, the parable of the soils. It is only through persecution and adversity that the true character of "supposed" believers is revealed. A life of persecution is a real possibility for Christians (cf. Joh_15:20; Joh_16:33; Act_14:22; Rom_8:17; 1Th_3:3; 2Ti_3:12; 1Pe_2:21; 1Pe_4:12-16).

Mat_7:26 It is interesting that both builders are said to hear Jesus' words. Again, it looks as if the context of these warnings is religious people who have heard and responded to some degree. A.T. Robertson said in Word Pictures in the New Testament, "Hearing sermons is a dangerous business if one does not put them into practice," p. 63, and I would add, as is writing and delivering them (i.e., sermons).