Down an Unfamiliar Road

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SEVEN

Part III (con’t)

Verse 14: But our Lord wanted them to know what was at the end of this narrow path. “But the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people comprehend its true meaning.”

Here Jesus draws a line between why God’s people live and act the way they do, and how selfish people live and respond the way they do. Those who adhere to the teachings of Jesus are on the right path. He defines that opening to this path as having a narrow gate, while the gate to the road uncaring people travel is wide. This is a metaphor for identifying the number of those who actually go through these gates. One reason for the confined space on the pathway and the narrow gate at the end may also be figures of speech to infer that when one is giving and caring, they tend to carry far fewer things with them through life, while those who have no time for others are weighed down with all the things they’ve accumulated and do not want to share it with anyone.

Years ago I attended a personal evangelism seminar in Amsterdam, Holland where an American leader of Christian outreach on college campuses calculated how to win the world for Christ with this formula: If each one of us present were to win two new converts to Christ, and then those two were to each win two more, for a total of four, and then those four each won two etc., etc., that we could win accomplish that goal before the year was over. I found that out-of-line not only with what Jesus says here, but the fact that no one is led to Christ and converted unless the Father chooses them and Jesus accepts them. The only thing we are responsible for is spreading the good news, then God through the Holy Spirit will take care of the rest when it comes to how many respond.

In the Scriptures we hear Wisdom say: “Leave your old, foolish ways and live! Advance along the path of understanding.”¹ Isaiah also sent out a call: “Evil people should stop living evil lives. They should stop thinking bad thoughts. They should come to the Lord again, and He will comfort them. They should come to our God because He will freely forgive them.”² Of course, the prophet was appealing mainly to those within Israel who had strayed from the true path.³ We also see a similar passage alluded to in the case of the soothsayer Balaam: “The angel of Adonai moved ahead and stood in a place so tight that there was no room to turn either right or left.”⁴ This of course was to signify that a decision had to be made of either going ahead or going back.

Even in David’s day he was forced to declare, “But everyone has gone the wrong way. Everyone has turned bad. No one does anything good. No, not one person!”⁵ And the prophet Isaiah points to God’s grace and mercy, “If the Lord All-Powerful had not allowed a few people to live, we would have been destroyed completely like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. And that almost happened!”⁶ Solomon likens God’s path to “Wisdom”, and the world’s path to “Waywardness”. So he says that those who follow the world’s path, “Is a road to it leads straight to the grave.”⁷ This prompts him to further say: “There is a way that seems right to people, but that way leads only to death.”⁸

We find that Jesus’ teaching about this narrow way certainly echoes what Solomon said elsewhere: “Keep your eyes on the path, and look straight ahead. Make sure you are going the right way, and nothing will make you fall. Don’t go to the right or to the left, and you will stay away from evil.”⁹ But we don’t walk this narrow way alone, Isaiah tells us, “If you wander from the right path, either to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘You should go this way. Here is the right way.”¹⁰ The prophet explains later what this narrow way is called, “There will be a road there. This highway will be called ‘The Holy Road.’ Evil people will not be allowed to walk on that road. No fools will walk on it. Only good people will walk there.”¹¹

This led God to speak through the prophet Jeremiah, “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask where the old road is. Ask where the good road is, and walk on that road. If you do, you will find rest for yourselves.”¹² In one discussion between Rabbis concerning the wisdom of their fellow Rabbis, one noted Rabbi said: “Go forth and see which is the good way to which a man should adhere…and which is the evil way which a man should shun.”¹³ Of course, this echoes what was said through Jeremiah: “And here is what you are to tell this people: ‘Adonai says: ‘Look! I am presenting you with the way of life and the way of death’.”¹⁴

The emphasis here was not necessarily just on the two ways, but the exercise of man’s will to do God’s will. In fact, in one apocryphal writing we find: “For there are two ways of good and evil, and with these are the two inclinations in our hearts discriminating them.”¹⁵ But now Jesus warns His listeners that not all voices will be encouraging them to follow the correct path. Even among the dedicated Jews there was the concept that the ways of Zion were followed by a thin line of true believers who were few in number. In a copy of Jewish verbal traditions one Rabbi asked: “What is the meaning of the verse, ‘When it concerns the scorners, He scorns them, but as to the humble He gives grace?¹⁶ Said Resh Lakish, “If a man comes to purify himself, they assist him; but if he comes to defile himself, they open the door for him. Because the Holy One, blessed be He, says, If a man repents I will set a crown upon him, because when it comes to the righteous, there are very few.”¹⁷ This shows that just as those among His listeners knew what the thinking was about those covered by the first covenant, so He wanted them to know the thinking about those covered by the new covenant. And since finding the narrow path was hard, our Lord sent out a warning.

Verse 15: “Be careful of false prophets. They come to you disguised as sheep. But underneath they are really dangerous wolves.”

There is no reason to think that Jesus was referring to non-Jewish or pagan prophets, but those who came in the name of Yeshua. Jesus had already had run-ins with them and disputed over the path to salvation through the Law and the road to salvation through grace. They are much like the cult leaders that have led so many astray down through the centuries. Moses warned of the same false prophets, “Don’t listen to them, because the Lord your God is testing you. He wants to know if you love Him with all your heart and all your soul. You must follow the Lord your God. Respect Him. Obey His commands and do what He tells you. Serve the Lord your God, and never leave Him.”¹⁸

Isaiah found the same problem in his day, “Their guides are leading them the wrong way, so those who follow them will be destroyed.”¹⁹ The prophet Jeremiah also had to put up with such misleading teachers, so the Lord sent him this word, “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Jeremiah, those prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or command them or speak to them. Their prophecies came from false visions, worthless magic, and their own wishful thinking. So this is what I, the Lord, say about the prophets who are speaking in my name. I did not send them.”²⁰ Also, when commenting on the Scripture that says: “When that day comes, each one of the prophets will be shamed by his vision when he prophesies. He will stop wearing a cloak made of camel’s hair in order to deceive people;” a highly respected Rashi noted: “So is the custom of those who entice or draw away the people, to wrap themselves with mantles as though they are righteous men in order that their lies be accepted.”²¹

So this practice of wearing a cloak of deception was already a phenomenon in Israel, used by false prophets when their visions did not come to pass as they prophesied. As one well-read Rabbi says: “There are some men who appear to be humble, and fear God in a deceitful and hypocritical way, but inwardly lay wait: this humility our wise men call , ‘wolfish humility’.”²² Over the years there have been many who came along as Christian teachers and leaders claiming to have a new light or revelation of God’s Word. Unfortunately, many people in the pew are so unfamiliar with God’s Word that anyone who seems to have a greater knowledge is accepted as being real, and they are unable to dispute anything they say. Jeremiah had to confront one of these prophets and told him, “Hananiah! The Lord did not send you.’”²³

Chrysostom may not only have had those whom Jesus warned against in His day in mind, but also some who were operation in his own era. We must keep in mind that this was Jesus’ teaching on how we should refrain from being judge and jury when critiquing our fellowman concerning their faults and failures; that we need to ask, seek and knock in order to find the wisdom and guidance necessary to deal with such issues. Our search will lead us to a narrow way contrasted by a broadway, and we should choose the narrow way because it leads to life everlasting. Walking the narrow way often requires that the seeker of wisdom and knowledge must put aside some things they brought with them in order to take hold of what they find.

Now Jesus warns that although we are on the narrow way, we may encounter those who try to persuade us differently than what He has told us about serving God in the beauty of divine righteousness and holiness. Chrysostom writes: “Behold, together with the dogs and swine another kind of ambush and conspiracy far more grievous than that will be encountered. For those [the dogs and swine] are recognized and easily spotted, but these are hidden in the shade. That is why, when He told His listeners to confront those who do their haranguing and harassing out in the open, but for this kind He charged them to watch out for with precise care, accepting the fact that they may not be see at first sight. That’s why when He said, “beware;” He intended to make us even more careful and alert as we watch out for them.”²⁴

Of course, this brings us then to acknowledgment that not all our opponents will be those who disagree with our teachings and doctrines to the point that they are willing to try and rip us apart or treat what we are saying as nothing more than the mud they are trampling in. In their minds, what we have to say deserves nothing more than to be treated with disrespect, leaving open the possibility and opportunity to try and tear down our character and reputation since they cannot destroy the word we deliver.

It is a warning that there will be some who come in like spies, planted among the brethren as lookouts and operatives to scout us out and make plans to bring us down. Not being any open and direct attack, but trying to redirect us to an exit off the path we are on, claiming it is a quicker route to our destiny. Also letting us know that we are carrying excess baggage that will not be needed on the road they will show us, while all the while claiming that this new direction leads to exactly the same destiny as the path we were following.

Not only are these wolves harder to spot, but we often seem less enthused and motivated to take them on for fear that we may ourselves be in the wrong, or that others in the fold may become discouraged because they don’t feel as threatened as we do with the false teachings they are bringing into the pen where the sheep gather. They can be compared to the worm-like larvae of the predatory ground beetle called, Epomis. These larvae entice amphibians, like frogs and toads, and then latch onto parts of their bodies. The larvae refuses to let go, feeding off the animal until it dies.

Or like the North American short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevicauda, that secretes venom from salivary glands in its lower jaw to paralyze prey. But the point of the paralysis is not to kill the prey, but to keep it alive for an extended period of time to allow for prolonged feeding. A tiny shrew can infect a mouse, for example, and then graze on it for days and days until it eventually succumbs to its physical injuries. They’ve also been observed to munch on immobilized meal-worms for up to 15 days. Shrews can eat their own body weight in earthworms, insects, nuts, and mice on a daily basis.

As such, Jesus is warning us about those who are not out to kill us or even for cancellation of our ministry, but to hang around until there is a weak moment of doubt, discouragement or despondency and then pounce when we are at our weakest point. That’s why we need to be observant and informed not only about our doctrine, but also about theirs.

Verse 16a: “You will know these people by the fruit they produce.”

Chrysostom has his view on what he sees as fruit produced by these counterfeit Christians. He writes: “By the metaphor here of “false prophets,” I think He is not speaking of those we call heretics, but it is a reference to those who live a corrupt life, while wearing a mask of virtue; whom the most people are prone to describe as impostors. That’s why Jesus states further: By their fruit ye shall know them. For amongst heretics one may often actually find goodness, but not among those I was just talking about, none at all. What can be said then, especially if we are told that even among heretics there are those who are as counterfeit as the others? I disagree, for such will be easily detected, since this is the way it works. For the way in which Christ commanded believers to walk, can be painful and irksome; but the hypocrite will not choose to deal with such pain, but do it for show only. As such, he is easily spotted. That’s why, inasmuch as Jesus said, ‘there will be few who find this narrow way,’ He thereby gets rid of those who claim they have found the way, yet are all the time pretending they did, and this is because He also told us to ignore those who only wear the masks, and only concentrate on those who in reality do find and pursue it.”²⁵

One more important fact to remember, is that we are not alone in this task. The Holy Spirit was also given to us for discernment. And such decisions need not be made alone. Certainly there are others in the congregation who have detected a foreign spirit and can agree to establish a group approach in ferreting out these disguised wolves. I encountered such an individual while conducting meetings for a pastor who invited me to be the evangelist at his church in central Germany. After the second night, a stranger came into the auditorium and sat towards the front. It appeared from the handshakes and greetings that he was known by many of the people attending. At the end of my sermon, just before I was to give an invitation to those who felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to come and receive forgiveness, suddenly this individual stood up and gave a message in tongues, and then immediately gave the interpretation. My spirit was not at peace with what happened, because the interpretation gave no confirmation to the message that had just been preached, and it clearly caused the spirit of repentance to evaporate.

I resisted saying anything, however, because I needed to find out if anyone else felt the way I did. The next night this same individual repeated the same thing. This time my spirit was more troubled than before. So after the service I spoke with the Pastor and told him of my reservations. The pastor agreed with me that he did not sense any harmony between his spirit and what this man did. The third night, it happened again. But this time I stopped the individual as he began his interpretation, and asked him to let the Holy Spirit use someone else to give the interpretation. He was shocked, but submitted to my request. There was no one who gave the interpretation. That’s when I told him the if his message in tongues was genuine, then I had enough confidence in the Holy Spirit that if He wanted us to hear what He said, He would have given someone else the interpretation. So then I rebuked the man in Jesus’ name and warned him not to do so again until we could all come to an agreement.

Needless to say, the man did not come back for any of the remaining service. And when the meetings were over and I was preparing to leave to go back home in Switzerland, I asked the Pastor if he expected to see this individual again. He smiled and said he didn’t think so, because the very next night after I confronted him, someone went to visit him to see if he was hurt by what I had said, and lo and behold they found him living with a woman who was not his wife. So that news spread very quickly and as far as the churches in that area were concerned, he had been exposed for who he was. So it is vital now for us to follow what our Lord has to say, so that we too can be better watchmen for the wolves in sheep’s clothing.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SEVEN

Part III

Verse 12a: Do for others what you would want them to do for you.

Jesus now extrapolates from how fathers should treat their sons, to how neighbors should treat their fellow man. The idea that we should treat others as we would like them to treat us is known as the Theory of Reciprocity, or The Golden Rule, an ethic that emerged and continued through what German philosopher Karl Jaspers described as the Axial Age (c. 800-200 BC). We see this in the writings of all the major religions of that period:

Egypt: 1970-1640 B.C. in a manuscript titled The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant we find “Do for one what you might cause him to do for you.” And since Moses lived in Egypt amost half of his life, he certainly could have become familar with this axiom.

Judaism: 1280 B.C. as Moses wrote down what he believed God was inspiriting him to write, he penned, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18). And in the Seven Rules of Hillel (60 BC to 20 AD), he too wrote down what had been passed on to him from time immortal: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor that is the whole Torah.” (Babylonian Talmud, Masekhet Shabbath, folio 31a).

Persia: 700 B.C. Zoroastrianism teaches “That nature only is good when it shall not do unto another whatever is not good for its own self.”

China: 500 B.C. In Daoism (or Taoism) the Sage says, “Make the self of the people yourself.”

China: 500 B.C. Confucius taught, “Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.” And in another writing “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”

India: 500 B.C. Buddha taught, “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.”

India: 500 B.C. In Jainism it was taught, “Therefore, neither does he cause violence to others nor does he make others do so.”

Greece: 384-322 B.C. To the question how we should behave to friends, Aristotle answered, “As we should wish them to behave to us.”

India: 150 B.C. In the great epic Mahabharata we read, “This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.”

Also, we read where one Rabbi was speaking about the customs and manners of the Karaite Jews who lived among the Mongolian tribal confederation, that this golden rule could be found in their saying; “All things that a man would not take to himself, it is not fit to do them to his brethren.”¹ Then, the wise seer Rabbi Abraham Saba commented: “Not only must one not harbor negative feelings against one’s fellow, but (as a general rule) one must strive to love one’s peers in a manner that sows one considers his peer’s personal interests as just as dear to one as he does himself”.² Not only that, but talked about all the positive commandments of Rabbinic origin such as visiting the sick, comforting mourners, preparing a bride, going to a funeral, etc. But he summarizes by saying: “Although all these commandments are of Rabbinic origin, they are included in the Scriptural commandment: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’³ That charge implies that whatever you would like other people to do for you, you should do for your comrade in the Torah and mitzvot.”⁴

Jewish wiseman Maimonides also sees this rule played out where he says: “When a person harvests his field, he should not harvest the entire field. Instead, he should leave a small portion of the standing grain at the end of his field⁵.”⁶ One scholar offers this explanation: “Ideally, the law of sharing is fulfilled by leaving a portion of one’s field unharvested and allow the poor to harvest it.”⁷ We also read that a non-Jew came to a Rabbi and asked to be made a proselyte, but only on the condition that the Rabbi teach him the whole Torah while the non-Jew stood on one foot. This upset the Rabbi who threw a builder’s measuring rod at him. So he went to the great Rabbi Hillel and made the same request. The venerable teacher said to him, “What is hateful to you, do not to your neighbour: that is the whole Torah, while the rest is the commentary thereof; go and learn it.”⁸

We also learn that the heathen Roman Emperor Alexander Severus was so impressed with the Golden Rule, that he either learned from Christians in Rome or from the Babylonian Talmud,⁹ that it says: “…he adopted it as his motto, instilling it in his subjects whenever they were about to inflict a wrong on any one. He caused this maxim to be inscribed also upon his palace and upon public buildings In his private chapel where he was accustomed to pray every morning, he had, besides the images of Apollonius, Orpheus, and Jesus, also an effigy of Abraham.”¹⁰ The question here is not whether Jesus was quoting any one of these sources, but that He was reiterating what was already known as an axiom.

Chrysostom speaks on this saying in a unique way. He writes that after Jesus explained how we can petition God for those things we need in order to know Him better and be able to carry out His will is by asking, seeking and knocking, he now goes on to explore how we should determine our expections when we deal with our fellowman. It is simple: Whatever it is that you want people to do to you, do the same to them. Chrysostom adds: “Do you see how He has shown that together with prayer we need to regulate our behavior. Also, He did not say, ‘Whatever things you want God to do for you, do the same for your neighbor.’ That way you cannot find an excuse by saying, ‘that is not possible. He is God, and I’m a human being.’ Instead, He said ‘Make sure that whatever you do to your fellow man, is the same thing you would want them to do to you.’ Now, what is so hard about that? What can be any fairer than this? Then the recognition you will receive before your reward is received will be exceedingly great. For this is what the law and the prophets said.¹¹ Wherefore, this is abundantly clear, that virtue is defined by our attitude; that we all know within ourselves what our duties are; and that it is not possible for us ever to claim innocence due to ignorance of the law.”¹²

Verse 12b: Then He ties it to a source that He knew all of those who heard Him respected: This is the meaning of the Law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.

This is a reference to the Scripture that says: “Forget about the wrong things people do to you. Don’t try to get even. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”¹³ Israel lived by this guideline as taught to them: “Learn to do good. Treat people fairly. Punish those who hurt others. Speak up for the widows and orphans. Argue their cases for them in court.”¹⁴ Jeremiah made sure to repeat this statue: “You must be fair to each other. You must be fair to strangers. You must help widows and orphans.”¹⁵ The prophet Ezekiel also touches on this,¹⁶ and Micah also adds his point of view: “Be fair to other people. Love kindness and loyalty.”¹⁷ So there would have been no reason for Jesus’ listeners to find this statement as odd or new. So what Jesus says next, is contingent upon those who have found the right path to follow.

Augustine gives us his undersanding of this exegesis by Jesus out of the Torah. He writes: “Moreover, this precept seems to refer to the love of our neighbour, and not to the love of God, seeing that in another passage He says that there are two precepts on which hang all the law and the prophets. For if He had said, All things whatever you want done to you, do likewise; in this one sentence He would have embraced both those precepts: for it would soon be said that every one wishes that he himself should be loved both by God and by men; and so, when this precept was given to him, that what he wished done to himself he should himself do, that certainly would be equivalent to the precept that he should love God and men. But when it is said more expressly of men, nothing else seems to be meant than, ‘You should love your neighbor as yourself.’”¹⁸ In other words, there is no reason to include God, because what can we do for God that He has not already done for us?

Augustine continues: “But we must carefully make note of what He adds here: ‘for this is the law and the prophets.’ Now, in the case of these two precepts, He does not merely say, ‘The law and the prophets depend on them;’ but He has also added, “the whole law and all the prophets,”¹⁹ which is the sum of prophecy. Also, by not including the word ‘whole’ here, He has kept a place for the other precept, which refers to loving God. Nonetheless, Here He is expounding on the precepts with respect to those with a single heart. But there should be great concern for anyone dealing with people who have a divided heart, because their real motives may be hidden. For there is almost no one that would wish that anyone with a divided heart would have dealings with them. It is highly unlikely that anyone with a single heart will try to do something for their fellowman unless they do so without any intention of taking advantage of them.”²⁰

Verse 13: You may enter true life only through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is very wide, and there is plenty of room on the road that leads there. Many people go that way.

The theme that our Lord introduces here has been interpreted by many to be a comparison between the narrow way to heaven and the broadway to hell. But when looking at the context in which this is said, we see that He has just been talking about not being critical of others while seeking to improve one’s own life, and being fair and just in all we do to and for others. In other words, how to experience and practice true living, instead of just existing for the sake of existing. So how do we get there? The Master says, it’s not all that easy. You have to ask about it, take time to look for it, and when you arrive at the gate, knock so you can get in. Then he compares this to how easy it is to develop a lifestyle that leads to a meaningless and unproductive life.

Later He will talk more about this gate and what it signifies in relationship to Him as the good Shepherd. In the Babylonian Talmud we find a discussion on roads and paths, both public and private. The discourse finally comes down to what constitutes the width of a road meant for many and the path mean for a few. We are told that the private path should be no more than four cubits (6 feet) wide, while the public road must be at least sixteen cubits (12 feet) wide.²¹ And we also find these private roads and public roads are spoken of as dividing lines for sowing seeds.²² So when Jesus referred to narrow paths and wide roads, He was not referring to alleyways and backstreets where the homeless and vagabonds congregate. His listeners certainly understood how they were used and for whom they were intended.

Augustine sees a connection here between the narrow path leading to a single gate and the taking of His yoke upon themselves, that Jesus will speak about later.²³ He first goes back to where Jesus started with His instructions to those who desire more wisdom and guidance to ask, seek and knock. This then will lead them to a narrow path that leads to a single gate. The narrowness of this way is taken by him and other scholars of his day to represent the self-denial and hardships that will come when they deal with others the same way they wish to be dealt with themselves, and the possible persecution and trials that will ensue.

In that context, this is the price of being righteous and faithful to the calling and mission believers receive. Jesus describes the yoke of grace as being comfortable and light, not rough and heavy like the Law. But it is yielding to His guidance and going where He leads that can bring on dark nights and tempestuous seas that must be navigated with His help. Thus, there are fewer that follow that narrow path than those who turn away from the invitation of the yoke that leads to abundant life, and chooses instead the independent way that leads to living for nothing and having all we do being destroyed as of no value.²⁴

Preacher Chrysostom has a similar view that ties this together with how believers should pray with more than just themselves in mind; how they should continue to ask, seek and knock until they gain the wisdom and leading necessary in order to deal with their calling and mission and how it affects others; which leads them to always keep in mind that any decisions made in the process are the same kind as they would wish to receive from others for the same reasons. Thus He is mapping out the path on which the journey will be taken when yoked together with Him, a path that is narrow and leads to a gate that is constricted, and one that only He can open. The motivation, of course of following this more narrow way is that all those things on the broadway are temporal and lead to nothing being gained at the end, while those things on the narrow way are meant for eternity and will be waiting for the believer on the other end as a reward for being faithful. Both ways can be unpleasant and painful at times, as well as pleasant and enjoyable. However, the broadway experience is for losers, while the narrow way is for winners.²⁵

Chrysostom concludes: “And not only does the journey along the way prove to be worthwhile, but by the time we reach the end it becomes worth everything. For it is not just enduring sweat and tears, but also the anticipation that the things to come when we reach our wonderful destination will be sufficient to encourage every traveler to keep going. For this narrow road leads to life everlasting. And the result is that both the temporary toils and labor along with the eternal nature of the victor’s crown, combined with the fact that these toils may come first but the victor’s crown will come at the end, should be enough to give every fighter encouragement and hope for the future²⁶.”²⁷

This leaves us with another thought to consider. Most people will tell you that when they go hunting for an item that is rare and very valuable, they don’t go down to the local dime store. It can often only be found in small antique shops, sometimes in back alleys or bazaars in far away places. So it is that Jesus was telling His followers that not all of life’s answers are found easily because they are on open display, sometimes it requires asking, searching, and pounding on doors before a gem of wisdom is found. That’s why I’ve always consider the Bible to be the place I search most often, digging deep into the meaning of its words, looking in every chapter and under every verse for some nugget of wisdom I can learn from and share with others. It certainly can become a joyful labor of love.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SEVEN

Part II (con’t)

Now let’s read this warning sent out by the prophet Isaiah: “So you should look for the Lord before it is too late. You should call to Him now, while He is near.”¹ Isaiah was not saying that God is never available, He is always present. But when faced with difficulties, trials, and temptations, call on Him before you get caught up in them, not after you’ve fallen into them and begin to sink. Jeremiah spoke of the same urgency, “This message is from the Lord. ‘I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. When that takes place you will call My name. You will come to me and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will search for Me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find Me. I will let you find Me.’”² Is this not what Jesus is saying here in verse 7?

But we must not overlook that God’s promise is contingent upon seeking Him with all our heart. In those circumstances, pretending and insincerity have no place in helping us move forward toward our destiny. The Psalmist puts it this way, “The wicked are too proud to ask God for help. He does not fit into their plans.”³ But He is the author and architect of our plans. That’s why we need to know what His plans for us are. That’s why King David confessed, “My heart told me to come to You, Lord, so I am coming to ask for Your help.”⁴

Sometimes believers become so self-reliant and sure of themselves that they are reluctant to ask their fellow believers or God for help. That’s why the Psalmist said, “Be proud that it’s Him you call on. You followers of the Lord, be happy! Depend on the Lord for strength. Always go to Him for help.”⁵ This is why Solomon shares the sentiment of Divine Wisdom, “I love those who love me, and those who look for me will find me.”⁶ But it’s not enough to love it, we must seek after it. That’s why the prophet Amos told Israel, “The Lord says this to the nation of Israel: ‘Come looking for Me and live.’”⁷ No wonder Asaph penned these words of encouragement to God’s people, “I will give the best wheat to My people. I will give them the purest honey, until they are satisfied.”⁸ But asking and seeking is still not enough, once the resource is found, it must be appropriated and used. Jesus employed the idea of “knocking” in order for the door you asked about and sought so fervently to be opened.

No doubt our Lord encouraged this because of what Solomon quoted Wisdom as saying: “I love those who love me; and those who seek me will find me.”⁹ And using the term “knocking” in connection with prayer, was also part of Jewish tradition. In Jewish tradition we read a teacher who uses names to teach this precept which was found in Mordecai, the hero we read about in the book of Esther: “..ben Jair means, the son who enlightened [he’ir] Israel with his prayer. Ben Shimei means, the son whose prayer God listened to [shama]. Ben Kish indicates that he knocked [hikkish] at the gates of mercy and they were opened to him.”¹⁰ So in this we can clearly see Jesus’ “ask, seek, and find.”

Verses 9-11: “Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a stone? Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? Of course not! You people are so carnal, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask Him.”

Our Lord’s reference here to the carnality of mankind was not only indicative of their being human rather than divine, but also to their nature: attitude, thinking, impulses and desires. The Jews viewed people with such mindsets as being more animal than human. We see this in how a certain class of people were viewed in the Old Testament, where it says: “The Lord saw that the people on the earth were very evil. He saw that they thought only about evil things all the time”.¹¹ A Jewish rendering of this reads: “And the LORD saw that the evil of the human creature was great on the earth and that every scheme of his heart’s devising was only perpetually evil.”¹² One Jewish commentator paraphrases this Scripture to read: “When HaShem¹³ saw that the wickedness of man on earth had become so widespread that all the urgings of his heart were concentrated on devising means to be wicked all day long.” He then comments: “Normally, even wicked people do entertain some worthwhile thoughts on occasion and plan to carry them out, even if they may get sidetracked. The Torah testifies that the people of the generation of the deluge did not even entertain worthwhile thoughts at all…The people of the deluge never even entertained the thought of acting righteously.”¹⁴

By this time Jesus was aware that maybe His followers were not comprehending or assimilating everything He was saying. These teachings are very elementary, but people fail to perceive their meaning when complicated interpretations are superimposed on them. This does not advocate the elimination of exegesis, but merely pointing out that Christ’s Gospel should be understood by all. All parables and similes contain spiritual implications, but they can be lost when we focus too sharply on how does a loaf relate to a stone; or a fish to a snake; or grapes to figs. So our Lord decides to give an illustration to make His point clearer and more identifiable.

The first question that comes to many people’s mind is: “What does a rock have to do with bread, and what does a snake have to do with fish?” Some scholars suggest that flat stones sometimes do resemble the flat bread made during Jesus’ time, and an eel looks very much like a snake, even though it is a fish. Others point to the devil’s temptation of Jesus in the desert by challenging him to make bread out of the stones laying around. These explanations all point out the concept of deception. A Greek playwright used to compare a benefit bestowed by a harsh man in an offensive manner to a gritty loaf of bread, which a hungry man is obliged to receive, but which is painful to eat.¹⁵

Even the earliest believer, Job, was told by his friend Eliphaz, “People cannot really be pure. They cannot be more right than God! God does not even trust His angels. He does not even think heaven is all that pure. People are even worse. They are disgusting and dirty. They drink up evil like water.”¹⁶ Jesus did not want His disciples being accused of propagating make-believe stories just to compete with already existing teachings and beliefs. Such would be the case if they presented His gospel as nothing more than competition for the world’s philosophy. So His followers should make sure they had the real bread and genuine fish to offer the unbeliever. In Christianity, this is how Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25^th. It was substituted as a Christian holiday for an already existing pagan festival.

By Jeremiah’s time, the prophet confessed, “Nothing can hide its evil as well as the human mind. It can be very sick, and no one really understands it.”¹⁷ So the only thing that can confront and succeed against such a debased mindset is the pure, unadulterated Word of God shared unapologetically with the world. So, says Jesus, if people with carnal minds can know that you should not try to fool a child with something it is not, how much more will God be kind, gently and understanding to His own children by giving them the real thing to share with others.

When God passed before Moses on Mt. Sinai, He told him, “Yahweh, the Lord, is a kind and merciful God. He is slow to become angry. He is full of great love. He can be trusted. He shows his faithful love to thousands of people.”¹⁸ When speaking of His people, God said, “Can a woman forget her baby? Can she forget the child who came from her body? Even if she can forget her children, I cannot forget you.”¹⁹ This led the Lord to tell His people, “My thoughts are not like yours. Your ways are not like Mine. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.”²⁰

Too often, believers feel compelled to make the plan of salvation so simple that anyone in the world can figure it out with their logic. But it doesn’t make any sense for the Prince of Glory to die for a hell-bent sinner but they never meet, or to give His life to pay for the penalty on their sins without them even asking that it be paid. If salvation is not accepted by understanding in faith there is no other way, then it cannot be the true message of salvation. This led the prophet Micah to declare, “There is no God like you. You take away people’s guilt. God will forgive His people who persevere. He will not stay angry with them forever, because He enjoys being kind.”²¹ Imagine that! A God that loves forgiving wrongs done against Him without exacting a price or penalty from the guilty party! This led to a member of Korah’s family to write: “The Lord freely gives every good thing to those who do the right thing.”²² This led to another member of Korah’s family to inscribe: “God’s love will come together with His faithful people. Goodness and peace will greet them with a kiss.”²³

Augustine put it this way: “Moreover, great hope has been given, and is given, by Him who does not deceive when He promises: for He says, “Every one that asks, receives; and he that seeks, finds; and to him that knocks, it shall be opened.” Therefore there is need of perseverance, in order that we may receive what we ask, and find what we seek, and that what we knock at may be opened.” To this Augustine adds that these are the conditions of an effective prayer, in that they should be made in the name of Christ,²⁴ with faith, and according to God’s will.²⁵ Yet we must not forget that Jesus has already made it clear, that when we ask, seek and knock, we should know exactly what we are asking, seeking and knocking for, and this is to know more about God and how to do His will in our lives.

Augustine continues: “Now, He has called those evil who are as yet the lovers of this world and sinners. And, in fact, the good things are to be called good according to their feeling, because they reckon these to be good things. Although in the nature of things also such things are good, but temporal, and pertaining to this feeble life: and whoever that is evil gives them, does not give of his own; for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof,²⁶ who made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is.²⁷ How much reason, therefore, there is for the hope that God will give us good things when we ask Him, and that we cannot be deceived, so that we should get one thing instead of another, when we ask Him; since even we, although we are evil, know how to give that for which we are asked? For we do not deceive our children; and whatever good things we give are not given of our own, but of what is His.”²⁸ In Augustine’s mind, the principle involved here by what Jesus said, can be carried over into everyday living and that it is intended to promote honesty and genuine generosity.

But in order to do that, we must understand the full impact of what Jesus is saying here about God’s generosity, we must see it in the context of what He just said about asking, seeking, and knocking. In other words, when we go to God for understanding, wisdom, or even our daily needs, if we do not try to fool our own children with substitutes for the real thing, how much more will the Father in heaven not deceive His children with things that are of no value or with the intent of making them think they received one thing when in fact they were given another. This should therefore teach us that no matter what we receive from God as an answer to our prayer, cherish it because it is the right thing for the right time. By grasping this, we will be able to then proceed with what our Lord is about to teach those who follow Him.

A young cook was once asked, is it correct to say, “The yolk of the egg is white” or “The yolk of the egg are white?” Which one of these do you think this young cook should choose? Let’s hope your choice would be the correct one so that they could see the difference.

Sometimes when we are confronted with a problem, option or opportunity, we often fail to solve the problem or select the wrong option or miss an opportunity because we become focused on the what we think we see rather than what we really see.

This is often done when it comes to verses from the Bible. One of the most often quoted verses in Scripture is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” – depending on the version you read. In many sermons you may hear this interpreted as God saying that the door to His kingdom is wide open to anybody and everybody that wants to come in, no questions asked.

But that is not true! It states specifically, “whosoever believes.” I’ve heard pastors ask those who come forward or stand up to receive salvation to repeat his version of the sinner’s prayer, but in that prayer I did not hear the words “believe, confess, or forgive.” The apostle Paul said: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in you heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”¹ And the apostle John made it clear: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”² And Jesus Himself commended the tax collector who being too humble to look up into heaven, smote his chest and cried out for mercy in confession: “God, be merciful to me a sinner.”³

So it is important that when we repeat what God’s Word has to say, to make sure we have it right so that when others examine it they don’t say, “No, that’s not what it says.” Just like the question we mentioned at the beginning that the young cook was asked. By the way, which one do you think is the right answer? No matter which one you may have chosen, they are both wrong. You see, the yolk of the egg is yellow, not white! – Dr. Robert R. Seyda

During this Christmas season, we all become accustomed to Christmas songs being played on the radio, and some of us turn to stations that play nothing but sacred Christmas carols and secular songs all day long. And among those we often hear sung is one called: “Little Drummer Boy.” Believe it or not, it is often sung in churches. It’s not an old Christmas carol, in fact, it was written in 1941 and first called “Carol of the Drum.” Then in 1955 it was recorded by the Von Trapp Family Singers of “The Sound of Music” fame.

It tells the fictitious story of a little boy who heard a noise outside his window of people talking as they walked by. So he got up and went to the window and saw several men dressed in fine clothes, along with their camels and servants going by on their way to visit the infant Jesus in the manger. He had always dreamed of being a drummer in a parade, so the Magi invited him to go along. But he had no gift to bring other than his drum.

When they arrived at the manger, the little boy told Mary: “I am a poor boy too, I have no gift to bring that’s fit to give our King, shall I play for you.” After Mary gave her permission, the little lad told how the ox and lamb kept time as he played his drum for Jesus. The song ends with these words: “I played my best for Him, me and my drum.”

For those who know the real story of the birth of Jesus, the Magi did not visit Jesus in the manger but came some two years later when Jesus was living in a house nearby. Also, we have no record that in the manger there was an ox or a lamb on that night because the shepherds who did come left their sheep in the field.

But it goes to show how the figment of someone’s imagination can over time become accepted as genuine and real. This is not only true about so-called historical events portrayed in musicals, but also of repeated stories that supposedly are about God, Jesus, His disciples, and other biblical figures. So while it sure does offer a pleasing sentiment of a little boy being invited to join the Magi and bring gifts to the baby Jesus and all he has is his little drum, for those unfamiliar with the true story if fosters a misconception that falls into the same category as Santa Claus and the Christmas tree.

The fact is, even the disciples never celebrated Christmas because to the Jews, honoring birthdays was a pagan idea. Should we stop commemorating the coming of the Son of God into this world as a human being so that He could be our Savior and Redeemer? Absolutely not! Should we cease singing Christmas Carols in honor of the King who came to establish the Kingdom of God and invite whosoever will to become part of that kingdom. Emphatically, no! But let’s teach our children by doing it the right way based on what we know from God’s Word.

In a way, we all may be like that fictional little drummer, we have no great talent, ability, power, or money to give in honor of the King of Glory, but He is so kind and gracious that He will accept whatever we have to give Him in expressing our love and appreciation for His loving us so much that He sent His Son, His only Son, into this world to be our Savior.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SEVEN

Part II

As we look at this further, I think what Jesus was telling His disciples was quite clear, now that we know how our Lord’s teaching fit with what they had already been taught. To paraphrase it, when a person has dedicated themselves, their talent, and their time to the service of God, and they somehow become disabled or their talent becomes defective, it still belongs to God. Don’t give it to the dogs. In other words, don’t let the world or the devil have it. British theologian John Gill has a pertinent question at this point: if dogs represent those who are unworthy of having any time or effort spent on them using the talents, gifts and abilities given to a person by God, then who do the swine represent?

The first thing to eliminate is the use of “pearls” in the literal sense. In Jewish thinking, pearls were thought of as words of wisdom that were plucked out of the mind like a pearl out of an oyster. And just as pearls in the oyster are developed over a long time inside the shell, so wisdom is not instant, it is developed over time as well. Second, we also eliminate “swine” as a literal reference. Swine became a metaphor for people that were thought to be so ignorant and living in the darkness of heathenism that they were incapable of understanding wisdom. So to paraphrase what our Lord is saying here: Don’t take the spiritual insights and wisdom given to you by God and go out and start sharing with those who have no interest in listening to your message.

Rabbi Ashi warns about crushing a pearl which was worth 2000 shekels.¹ And another Rabbi tells his students that Israel had been the recipient of many precious stones and pearls of wisdom.² And we also read that Rabbi Judah was quoted as saying that he was appreciative of the precious pearl that the Rabbis had given God’s people when they were exiled in Babylon, and by this he meant the Mishnah.”³ It is clear that in these instances, the word pearl is not to be taken literally, but figuratively. Jewish scholars also speak of a precious pearl when they make reference to prayer.

And when the subject of value in such pearls is discussed, and they note that matching pearls are of higher value than two pearls sold separately.⁴ This comes from what one Jewish scholar explains: “When a man possesses one ox, he may be very anxious to procure another of equal strength, because it is inconvenient to plow with two animals of dissimilar capacities. Therefore he may knowingly overpay, hence the law of overcharging does not apply. So with a pearl, if it exactly matches others in his possession.” Any person who has purchased jewelry knows that a matching pair or pearls always cost more than two that are dissimilar. So from this we see that pearls became identified as a symbol of something precious, priceless or profound. As a matter of fact, one Jewish Rabbi commenting on the Ark of the Covenant being overlaid with pure gold stated: “This is an allusion to the pearls and golden nuggets (allegorically speaking) that are found in the Torah in great abundance.”⁵

And since Jesus has been talking about advice and counsel from the onset of this chapter, it is easy to see in context that He was referring to such advice and counsel as something valuable, like matching pearls. And for us as Christians, since Jesus said that He and the Father are one, and that the Father sent Him to tell the world what the Father told Him, we can see a set of matching pearls in that Jesus never contradicted His Father, and the Father never scolded His Son for being wrong. Thus when the Holy Spirit comes into a believer’s heart, mind, and life to help them understand this wisdom and guidance from God and His Son, it provides a perfect setting for all the world to admire.

Now on to understanding the use of swine in this saying of Jesus. Jewish scholars tell us that there is probably no animal as disgusting to Jewish sensitivities as the pig. It’s not just because it may not be eaten: there are plenty of other animals that aren’t kosher either, but none of them arouse as much disgust as the pig. Colloquially, the pig is the ultimate symbol of loathing; when you say that someone “acted like a pig,” it suggests that he or she did something unusually abominable. Indeed, many Jews consider pork, ham, bacon, etc., the most non-kosher foods there are. Rabbi Maimonides speaks about why pigs were thought of this way: “The principal reason why the Law forbids swine’s flesh is to be found in the circumstance that its habits and its food are very dirty and loathsome. It has already been pointed out how emphatically the Law enjoins the removal of the sight of loathsome objects, even in the field and in the camp; how much more objectionable is such a sight in towns. But if it were allowed to eat swine’s flesh, the streets and houses would be more dirty than any cesspool, as may be seen at present in the country of the French.”⁶

It is easy to see how pigs were then used as metaphors for those who wallowed in the filth of immorality, both physically and intellectually. As a matter of fact, one Jewish commentator says: “When the pig pauses from his gluttony and lies down to rest he stretches out his foot to show his cloven hoof, and pretends that he belongs to the clean kind of animals.”⁷ And even more apropos to what Jesus was saying, one Jewish writer points out that one Roman legion, the 10^th Fretensis, used the boar as one of its ensigns. Additionally, one of the prominent Roman families was that of the Porcii (“pigs”), whose male and female members bore the respective names of Porcius and Porcia. Just as the pig sticks out its hooves when it is resting, as if to say “I am kosher,” so did the Romans put on a show of justice to mask their avarice and corruption.⁸

In Jesus’s mind, this would not eliminate Romans from receiving the Gospel, e. g., Cornelius, but that the attitude of the Romans was much like that of the pig. Therefore, people with such a “piggish” mindset would not be receptive to the Gospel, so don’t waste your time. As believers today, we can detect very quickly when we share the good news of our experience and how Christ changed our life through the power of the Gospel, when the people we are talking to have no interest in what we are saying because they feel they are intellectually above what we are trying to tell them. So don’t take it as a defeat, just move on because you are wasting your time and your pearls.

But Jesus wants to emphasize the fact that these pearls of wisdom and precious stones of knowledge are not found lying around so that people can easily pick them up. Appropriating them and collecting them can take time and effort. So Jesus gives His disciples this advice:

Verses 7-8: Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them.

Now that you can see that Jesus was referring to our attaining more wisdom and knowledge in order to be effective disciples in this world, I’m sure you can see how often this verse has been misused and misapplied to the believer’s life. So in light of what Jesus has been saying on how critical it is for us to be prepared to witness, properly discerning who we are witnessing to so we don’t waste our time, Jesus now continues teaching His followers to avoid judging others until you know all the facts and the whole truth. Unfortunately for the English reader, the Greek verbs here have not been translated sufficiently in the KJV to see their being in the present continuing tense. The verse in the New Living Testament reads: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find it. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

This verse offers us insight on how to deal with our many problems. But our problems come in different degrees of seriousness and need. And so, like our problems there are three ways of petition given here, each entailing greater action than the other. “Asking” is the simplest; “seeking” requires more effort, and “knocking” alludes to specific discovery. If I wanted to visit someone in a city I was not familiar with the layout, the first thing I might do is “ask” more than once for directions on how to find their house. Then after receiving directions I would keep “seeking” until I located it. But I still haven’t seen my friend. I could sit in front of his house for days and he not know that I was there. I still have another step to go and that is go “knocking” on his door until he opens up.

Ironically however, while this is a very simple process, yet it seems too difficult for many Christians to understand. They pick out one of the three actions and forget the need for the other two. It’s one thing to sit at home praying for God to you the skills and wisdom to do a job, but it’s another to actually go looking ways to learn how to be better at what you do, and then applying what you have learned to whatever opportunities that become available. Some Christians want God to do all the work! These verses are so oft misused they have lost their original intention. First, we must go through the door of Verse 33 in Chapter 6. Second, there is nothing in these verses to imply immediate response to our efforts. It is another command with a promise. But we must first obey the command in order to receive what’s promised.

Would Solomon have become a great king had he not listened to the voice of God? “While Solomon was at Gibeon, the Lord came to him at night in a dream. God said, ‘Solomon, ask me what you want me to give you.’”⁹ His father King David had no doubts that God would hear, “Lord, you have heard what the poor want. Listen to their prayers, and do what they ask.”¹⁰ The sons of Asaph wrote, “God says, ‘Call me when trouble comes. I will help you, and you will honor Me.’”¹¹ And David sang, “The Lord is near to everyone who sincerely calls to Him for help. He listens to His followers and does what they want. He answers their prayers and empowers them.”¹²

Augustine offers this commentary for our consideration. He writes: “Since, therefore, a command had been given that what is holy should not be given to dogs, and pearls should not be thrown down before swine, a hearer might object and say, while being conscious of his own ignorance and weakness, and hearing a command addressed to him, that he should not give what he felt that he himself had not yet received,—might I object and say, What holy thing do you forbid me to give to the dogs, and what pearls do you forbid me to cast before swine, while as yet I do not see that I possess such things? Most opportunely He has added the statement: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it will be opened.” The asking refers to the obtaining by request soundness and strength of mind, so that we may be able to discharge those duties which are commanded; the seeking, on the other hand, refers to the finding of the truth. For inasmuch as the blessed life is summed up in action and knowledge, action wishes for itself a supply of strength, contemplation desires that matters should be made clear: of these therefore the first is to be asked, the second is to be sought; so that the one may be given, the other found. But knowledge in this life belongs to the way rather than to the possession itself: but whoever has found the true way, will arrive at the possession itself which, however, is opened to him that knocks.”¹³

Then Augustine continues: “In order, therefore, that these three things – asking, seeking, knocking – may be made clear, let us suppose, for example, the case of one weak in his limbs, who cannot walk: in the first place, he is to be healed and strengthened so as to be able to walk; and to this refers the expression He has used, “Ask.” But what advantage is it that he is now able to walk, or even run, if he should go astray by misleading paths? A second thing therefore is, that he should find the road that leads to the place at which he wishes to arrive; and when he has stayed on that road, and arrived at the very place where he wishes to dwell, if he find it closed, it will be of no use either that he has been able to walk, or that he has walked and arrived, unless it be opened to him; to this, therefore, the expression refers which has been used, “Knock.”¹⁴

Chrysostom gives us the context in which this text is given: He says: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” For inasmuch as He had requested things great and marvelous, and had commanded men to be better than all their desires, and led them up to Heaven itself, and had requested them to strive after the likeness, not of angels and archangels, but (as far as was possible) of the very Lord of all; and had bidden His disciples not only themselves duly to perform all this, but also to correct others, and to distinguish between the evil and them that are not such, the dogs and them that are not dogs (although there be much that is hidden in men):—that they might not say, “these things are grievous and intolerable,”¹⁵ (for indeed in the sequel Peter did utter some such things, saying, “Who can be saved?”¹⁶ and again, “If the case of the man be so, it is not good to marry¹⁷): in order therefore that they might not now likewise say so; as in the first place even by what had gone before He had proved it all to be easy, setting down many reasons one upon another, of power to persuade men: so after all He adds also the pinnacle of all facility, devising as no ordinary relief to our toils, the assistance derived from persevering prayers. Thus, He says, we are not ourselves to strive alone, but also to invoke the help from above: and it will surely come and be present with us, and will aid us in our struggles, and make all easy. Therefore He both commanded us to ask, and pledged Himself to the giving.”¹⁸

Chrysostom continues: “However, He did not command us simply to ask, but so so with much diligence and earnestness. For this is the meaning of “seek.” For so he that seeks, putting all things out of his mind, is focused on that alone which is being sought, and unaware of any of the persons present. And this which I am saying they know, as many as have lost either gold, or servants, and are seeking diligently after them. By “seeking,” then, He declared this; by “knocking,” that we approach with earnestness and a enthusiastic mind. Despair not therefore, O man, nor show less of zeal about virtue, than they do of desire for wealth. For things of that kind you have often sought and not found, but nevertheless, though you know this, that you are not sure of finding them, you put in motion every mode of search; but here, although having a promise that you will surely receive, you do not show even the smallest part of that earnestness. And if you do not receive straightaway, do not despair. For to this end He said, “knock,” to signify that even if He should not straightaway open the door, we are to continue standing there.”¹⁹

Here again, it helps us see the principles derived from this teaching by Jesus on perseverance in seeking the truth and knowledge that He is willing to give us the ability to grasp and understand if we just strive and search for it. In this day and age of instant coffee, instant oatmeal, instant pictures, instant messaging, we despair quickly and give up. I like what Father Jordan had to say on this. He writes: “We live in an instant society today. A society that has to have everything quicker and faster. If you have to wait more than 5 minutes, it’s considered a shame and disgrace. Fast Food restaurants are popping up on just about every corner. We can’t even take the time to walk into a restaurant and sit down and order, we have to be able to drive by a window and get our food fast. Bank lines are too hard to deal with, so we have automatic teller machines to serve the people with immediate access to their money any time of day or night.”²⁰

I recently heard of one church that was offering “drive-by” prayer for healing, and another offering drive-thru communion. It’s almost as though people don’t want to mine for gold or dig for diamonds, they want them out laying on the surface so they won’t have to waste time looking for them. God’s Word is a gold mine and there are many diamonds and pearls to be found, but not without taking the time to prayerfully peruse and examine it to find them. Besides, what greater joy there is in finding a gold nugget of wisdom after hours and hours of digging through the Bible, Concordances, Lexicons, and Bible Dictionaries, than when it is simply handed to us in a morning devotional guide. Not that they are to be avoided, but they are to God’s whole Word what a snapshot of one star is to the entire universe, or a small bite from a large delicious cake or pie. That’s why our Lord told His disciples that if they wanted to know the whole truth, to ask, seek and knock, so that the door of wisdom can be opened to all who wish to enter.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SEVEN

Part I (con’t)

Verses 3-5: “Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood that is in your own? Why do you say to your friend, ‘Let me take that piece of dust out of your eye’? Look at yourself first! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. You are a hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to get the dust out of your friend’s eye.”

While our Lord makes no reference to it here, there is a notable similitude between the point He is making and what happened between King David and the prophet Nathan after the prophet told him the story of the rich man with many sheep, who took the one little female lamb of his poor neighbor to use as a meal for a traveler who stopped by. After hearing this, David erupted in anger and yelled, “‘As the Lord lives, the man who did this should die! He must pay four times the price of the lamb because he did this terrible thing and because he had no mercy.’ Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are that man!’”¹ It is clear that although David immediately saw that what this rich man did was wrong, he could not see the horrific error that he committed.

Too often we judge other people’s misdeeds without looking at our own list of blunders. When it came to the dust and wood plank, Jesus never intended for this to be taken literally; how many people go around with a stick in their eye trying to remove splinters in other people’s eyes? But the proverb does take some thought in order to get the message. The point our Lord is trying to make is that when we assume superiority and commence judging others’ weaknesses or faults before we address our own faults and weaknesses, it makes us less capable of really helping the other person. If you’ve ever flown on an airplane and they give the safety instructions while taxiing out to the runway, the stewardess will always say to the adults, when the oxygen mask falls down put yours on first before putting the other one on your child.

We have a phenomenon in our world today: people without children telling parents how to raise theirs, and unwed marriage counselors instructing married couples how to get along. To take it one step further, in our churches we have those who criticize others for not reading their Bibles, praying often enough, attending services more frequently and giving more in the offering, while they themselves are having trouble with telling the truth, acting morally right, addicted to gossip, or showing no compassion for the needy. But more than anything, only a true judge can render a verdict and proceed with sentencing. And the one true judge is God. While we certainly can point out an error, a mistake or even a crime, judging can only come after all the facts and evidence is known. So we have every right to offer advice and suggest options, but leave the judging up to those qualified to do so.

After David was confronted with his own crime by the prophet Nathan, David had this to say: “O God, don’t look at my sins. Erase them all. Create a pure heart in me, and make my spirit strong again. Don’t push me away or take your Holy Spirit from me. Your help made me so happy. Give me that joy again. Make my spirit strong and ready to obey You. I will teach the guilty how You want them to live, and the sinners will come back to You.”² This is the attitude Jesus wanted His followers to adopt in their own lives. One reason why Jesus was such a good communicator is that He knew the character of those He came to save, and with compassion pointed out to them a better way using traditions the were already familiar with.

For we read where one noted Rabbi said: “If the judge said to a man, ‘Take the splinter from your eye,’ he would retort, ‘Take the beam from between your eyes.’ If the judge said, ‘Your silver contains dross,’ he would retort, ‘Your wine is mixed with water’ ³.”⁴ And to show that this was a common maxim among the Jewish Rabbis, they said: “It was taught in a Baraita:⁵ Rabbi Tarfon said, I wonder whether there is any one in this generation who accepts reproof, for if one says to him: Remove the mote from your eyes, he would answer: Remove the beam from your eyes!”⁶

This concept of taking care of your own hangups before you start pointing out the hangups of others was expressed in different ways by other Jewish teachers. In their lectures we read: “It has been taught that Rabbi Nathan said: ‘Do not taunt your neighbor with the blemish you yourself have.’”⁷ Then again: “O House of David, thus saith the Lord, execute justice in the morning;⁸ and if they may not be judged, how could they judge: is it not written, ‘Gather together, gather yourselves, nation devoid of shame;⁹ which Resh Lakish interpreted. ‘dress yourself first and then dress others.’”¹⁰ And according the John Gill, Jewish writer David Kimchi also made a comment on this verse in his Commentary in Zephaniah 2:1: “Inquire first into your own blemishes, and then inquire into the blemishes of others.”¹¹

It is obvious that Jesus could have drawn from a number of sources the quote that He wanted to show that He believed that a person should first reform themselves before they try to deal with others, and any faults he may find in others, should not be something he is guilty of himself. This pretty much put everyone listening to Him outside the court room of opinion and left the judge’s seat empty. On the other hand, one should not take wise advice and council and waste it on those who have no desire to reform once their blemishes are shown to them in love and compassion.

Augustine gives his view on what Jesus is teaching here. He writes: “For those who are so spiteful as to see the smallest errors in others, how can you be so remiss as to not see your own mistakes, and thereby avoid noticing your greatest faults? Can’t you see that Jesus does not forbid judging, but commands to that we first remove the beam from your own eye, so as to be able to see better in helping others with their problems? For indeed each person knows his own faults better than those of others; and sees the bigger ones better than the smaller ones. And each person loves himself more than his neighbor. So if you really want to be a guardian for others, I urge you to take care for yourself first, because your mistakes may be of greater concern. But if you neglect yourself, it is quite obvious that you will not be able to look out for your brother in a way that helps him, but in a way that hurts him, wishing only to expose his faults. If he is to be judged, it should be by someone who is without fault, not by you.”¹²

Augustine has an interesting take on what it means to be a hypocrite. He writes: “Whenever necessity compels one to reprove or rebuke another, we ought to proceed with godly discernment and caution. First of all, let us consider whether the other fault is such as we ourselves have never had or whether it is one that we have overcome. Then, if we have never had such a fault, let us remember that we are human and could have had it. But if we have had it and are rid of it now, let us remember our common frailty, in order that mercy, not hatred, may lead us to the giving of advice and admonition. It this way, whether the advice ends up helping or hurting the one for whose sake we are offering it (for the result cannot be predicted), we ourselves will not be liable because we did the best with what we had to give. But if upon reflection we find that we ourselves have the same fault as the one we are about to reprove, let us neither correct nor rebuke that one. Rather, let us bemoan the fault ourselves and thereby influence to other person to watch out for the same thing, without asking them to submit to our correction.”¹³

Verse 6: Don’t give something that is holy to dogs. They will only turn and hurt you. And don’t throw your pearls to pigs. They will only step on them.

If we take what Matthew records here as a continuous narrative from Jesus, we might be hard pressed to explain how this verse fits with the one before it and the one after it. We may find an answer in what Solomon says: “Criticize a person who is rude and shows no respect, and you will only get insults. Correct the wicked, and you will only get hurt. Don’t correct such people, or they will hate you. But correct those who are wise, and they will love you. Teach the wise, and they will become wiser. Instruct those who live right, and they will gain more knowledge.”¹⁴ In other words, Jesus had just warned about judging others before you examine yourself. But once you’ve corrected your mistake, you can certainly help others avoid the same pitfall. However, there are some people who will take no advice, no matter how meaningful or well intended it may be.

Joseph H. Thayer, in his well-known Greek Lexicon, categorizes the word “holy” used here as something to be revered and worthy of veneration. He goes on to note that as it is used in this text, it references the gospel, or the teaching that Jesus is giving His disciples on this occasion. As one anonymous Bible commentator put it: “This biblical text is generally interpreted to be a warning by Jesus to His followers that they should not offer biblical doctrine to those who were unable to value and appreciate it.” In that sense, Solomon states: “Don’t try to teach fools. They will make fun of your wise words.”¹⁵ And the same goes for the last part of this verse.

As far as our Lord’s statement about pigs, Solomon only says, “A beautiful woman without good sense is like a gold ring in a pig’s nose.”¹⁶ In that same vein, a gold ring in a pig’s nose would make it look no better than a string of pearls around it’s neck. In other words, in the Jewish mind there was no way to dress up a pig to make it look beautiful. Likewise, putting a wreath of wise sayings around the neck of a fool will have the same effect. This has led many scholars to suggest that the word “pearls” may have been an improper Greek translation of the Aramaic word used by Jesus. At the same time, proverbs or wise sayings were often called pearls of wisdom. It is also possible that Jesus was using the term “swine” metaphorically. That means, He was referring to a certain group of individuals whose habits and thought processes are no better than the common pig. For if you wash a pig, it will only go and wallow in the mud again.

But our Lord may have been referring to an abhorrent practice that was forbidden, and that was when an animal was dedicated to be used as a sacrifice but found to have a blemish, it was then used for other purposes. The Rabbis taught: “If one has dedicated an animal not suitable for use, a permanent blemish is required in order to redeem it. So can you not prove from here that one may redeem dedicated animals in order to give dogs to eat? Rather, say: It is dedicated in that it is left to die.”¹⁷ Again, the same subject is further discussed, and they talk about an animal dedicated to God could become unfit for sacrifice because of some blemish. It reads: “Our Rabbis have taught: Scriptures says: ‘You may kill and eat flesh. ‘You may kill’ implies no sharing, ‘and eat’, it’s not for your dogs.’”¹⁸

The Jerusalem Talmud had established this rule even earlier than the Babylonian Talmud. Rabbi Yosé was teaching on things sanctified and dedicated for God’s use, and states quite clearly, “For they do not redeem sanctified items to feed them to dogs.”¹⁹ Another illustration is given by the Rabbis says: “If a deer which had been bought with second tithe money died, it may not be redeemed to feed it to dogs and thus it must be buried together with its hide.”²⁰ In Jewish verbal traditions there were instructions on feeding certain things to animals. The compilers include this statement: “Remember this day, on which you went free from Egypt, No leaven shall be eaten today²¹ which prohibits even feeding dogs.”²²

Augustine has quite a bit to say about this distinction between dogs and swine. He writes: “Now, in this precept by which we are forbidden to give what is holy to the dogs, and to cast our pearls before swine, we must carefully determine what is meant by the words holy, pearls, dogs, and swine. A holy thing is something for which it is irreverent to violate or corrupt; and any attempt or intent to commit that crime is held to be criminal, although that holy thing should remain in its nature unassailable and incorruptible. By pearls, again, are meant whatever spiritual things we ought to set a high value upon, both because they lie hid in a secret place, are as it were brought up out of the deep, and are found in wrappings of allegory, as it were in shells that have to be opened by an expert. We may therefore legitimately understand that one and the same thing may be called both holy and a pearl: but it gets the name of holy for this reason, that it ought not to be corrupted; of a pearl for this reason, that it ought not to be despised. Everyone, however, endeavors to break in two what he does not wish to remain intact: but he despises what he thinks worthless, and reckons to be as it were beneath himself; and therefore whatever is despised is said to be trampled on. And hence, inasmuch as dogs spring at a thing in order to tear it in pieces, and do not allow what they are tearing in pieces to remain in its original condition, “Give not,” says He, “that which is holy unto the dogs:” for although it cannot be torn in pieces and corrupted, and remains unharmed and intact, yet we must think of what is the wish of those parties who bitterly and in a most unfriendly spirit resist, and, as far as in them lies, endeavor, if it were possible, to destroy the truth. But swine, although they do not, like dogs, pounce on an object with their teeth, yet by recklessly trampling on it defile it: “Do not therefore throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and bite you.” We may therefore not inappropriately understand dogs as used to designate the assailants of the truth, swine the despisers of it.”²³

Augustine goes on to say: “But when He says, they turn again and bite you, He does not say, they rip apart the pearls themselves. For by trampling on them, just when they turn in order that they may hear something more, they yet tear him by whom the pearls have just been cast before them which they have trampled on. For you would not easily find out what pleasure the man could have who has trampled pearls under foot, i.e. has despised divine things whose discovery is the result of great labor. But in regard to him who teaches such individuals, I do not see how he would escape being ripped to pieces through their anger and wrath. Moreover, both animals are unclean, the dog as well as the swine. We must therefore be on our guard, lest anything should be opened up to him who does not receive it: for it is better that he should seek for what is hidden, than that he should either attack or rebuff what has been opened. Neither, in fact, is any other cause found why they do not receive those things which are manifest and of importance, except hatred and contempt, the one of which gets them the name of dogs, the other that of swine. And all this impurity is generated by the love of temporal things, i.e. by the love of this world, which we are commanded to renounce, in order that we may be able to be pure. The man, therefore, who desires to have a pure and single heart, ought not to appear to himself blameworthy, if he conceals anything from him who is unable to receive it. Nor is it to be supposed from this that it is allowable to lie: for it does not follow that when truth is concealed, falsehood is uttered. Hence, steps are to be taken first, that the hindrances which prevent his receiving it may be removed; for certainly if pollution is the reason he does not receive it, he is to be cleansed either by word or by deed, as far as we can possibly do it.”²⁴

So we can see how this passage was understood and taught in the early church and compare it with how it is taught today. I like the way Augustine defines dogs as those who assault the truth, and swine as those who despise the truth. Dogs assault it because by nature they want to tear it apart, and swine despise it because they don’t like what was given to them, so they turn and attack the giver. However, I would not suggest calling someone who disagrees with you a dog, nor when someone makes fun of what you teach to call them swine or they may turn on you in anger. Our Lord was referring to their instincts and inherent nature, not their outward appearance.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SEVEN

Part I

Verse 1: Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you.

This teaching by Jesus has fed the contentious debate among many believers because it is taken by some to mean do not criticize or find fault with or correct another believer. But when seen that way it overlooks what “judging” is referring to here. The Greek word krinō used to translate Matthew’s Hebrew word, means “to pronounce a verdict and issue a sentence.” In other words, become both judge and jury concerning another person’s alleged wrongdoing. It is also another way of saying: Don’t keep looking at others to see what they are doing, keep your eye on what you need to do. One of the most famous Jewish teachers, who lived centuries before Jesus came, made this observation: “Do not judge your fellow man until you have stood in his place.”¹

Years ago I heard this old proverb that was said by an American Indian: “Great Spirit, help me never to judge another until I have walked in his moccasins.” One thing that I’ve seen more than any other is how quick and willing people are to find fault in others and recommend a penalty before they know all the facts. Often times in a sporting event, an official will make a judgment call, such as in baseball, an umpire calling balls and strikes; or in basketball a referee; or in football a head linesman, and the broadcasters will immediately become experts in judging how well these officials performed their duties. Jesus is saying much the same thing. If we decide to become judges of others, then God Himself will judge our judgments.

When reading this same text, early Church scholar Augustine made the following observation: He said: “There are some actions that seem harmless, and, since we don’t know what the intent was, because they may be done both with a good or with an evil, it would be a rush to judgment, especially for the purpose of condemning them. Now the time will come for these to be judged, when the Lord ‘will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.’² In another passage also the same apostle says: ‘Some men’s aims are manifest beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.’³ He calls those sins manifest, with regard to which it is clear with what intention they are done; these go before to judgment, because if a judgment shall follow, it is not rash. But those which are concealed follow, because neither shall they remain hid in their own time. So we must understand with respect to good works also. For he adds to this effect: ‘Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.’ Let us judge, therefore, with respect to those which are manifest; but respecting those which are concealed, let us leave the judgment to God: for they also cannot be hid, whether they be good or evil, when the time shall come for them to be manifested.”⁴

Verse 2: But there is more that Jesus wanted His disciples to know about this matter. For if you judge others, you will be judged the same way you judge them. God will treat you the same way you treat others.

Notice the text here. Christ does not say: Do not judge or criticize or condemn others when they do the same to you; or when it is uncalled for, or unnecessary; or out of pride or arrogance. Even though that is true in every sense, it is not the main point. Jesus’ statement starts very simply: “Do not.” No matter what the grounds may be or the urges that prompt it. Christ is not just trying to initiate a cure but prevent the disease from starting. Verse two clearly indicates the repercussions when we fail to listen to His advice.

One of the things I’ve learned over the years about judging others is that most judging or criticizing comes from an innate prompting in one person’s heart to live the other person’s life for them. In other words, trying to live out that other person’s life vicariously so they will be more like us and do things our way. If you don’t like their hairdo, it’s because you want them to have the hairdo you prefer. The same goes for their clothes, looks, speech, actions, motivations, the car they drive or the house they live in, even their mate, etc. What Jesus is trying to tell us is that while we are looking at them, we fail to look at ourselves and don’t realize how other people are looking at us. Believe me, if they were successful in changing you into looking and acting and living more like them, and you were able to change them into looking and acting a living more like you, the criticizing would start all over again, only this time in reverse.

Also, many go around with a device to measure other people that has measuring marks on both sides of the stick. On one side the numbers are marked as inches while on the other side the same numbers are marked as feet. When measuring others to determine their esteem and importance, people use the side with inches, while using the side with increments in feet to measure themselves. That’s why they always end up being much taller than anyone else. No wonder they go around thinking themselves to be ten feet tall while others are mere midgets.

In Jewish literature we read where it was said: “Our Rabbis taught: He who judges his neighbor on merit is himself judged favorably.”⁵ So taking this into account and applying it to what Jesus said, we can see that our Lord was not forbidding anyone from passing judgment by way of observation or based on their own knowledge or skills, but when they did, to do it in the same manner by which they would want to be judged. The Talmud tells us a story to illustrate the point being made:

“Thus a story is told of a certain man who came down from Upper Galilee and was employed by an individual in the South for three years. On the eve of the Day of Atonement he asked him, ‘Give me my wages that I may go and support my wife and children.’ ‘I have no money,’ answered the employer. ‘Give me produce,’ the worker demanded; ‘I have none,’ the boss replied. ‘Give me land.’ — ‘I have none.’ ‘Give me cattle.’ — ‘I have none. ‘Give me pillows and bedding.’ — ‘I have none.’ So he threw his things behind him and went home with a sorrowful heart. After the Festival his employer took his wages in his hand together with three laden donkeys, one bearing food, another drink, and the third various sweetmeats, and went to his house. After they ate and drank, he gave him his wages, saying to him: ‘When you asked me, “Give me my wages,” and I answered you, “I have no money,” what did you suspect?’ ‘I thought, Perhaps you came across cheap merchandise and had purchased it with my wages.’ ‘And when you asked me, “Give me cattle,” and I answered, “I have no cattle,” what did you suspect?’ ‘I thought, you may have loaned them to others.’ ‘When you asked me, “Give me land,” and I told you, “I have no land,” what did you suspect?’ ‘I thought, perhaps it is leased to others.’ ‘And when I told you, “I have no produce,” what did you suspect?’ ‘I thought, Perhaps you had not yet paid the tithe.’ ‘And when I told you, “I have no pillows or bedding,” what did you suspect?’ ‘I thought, perhaps you had dedicated all your property for God’s use.’ ‘I swear on the Temple, the employer exclaimed, that’s exactly right! I vowed all my property to God because my son Hyrcanus would not read and study the Torah, but when I went to my companions in Jerusalem they absolved me of all my vows. And as for you, just as you judged me favorably, so may the Omnipresent judge you favorably.’⁶

So with this teaching our Lord was tapping into a well of wisdom that His Jewish listeners were already familiar with. In a Jewish book called, “The Ethics of the Fathers,” we find the advice of a Jewish teacher named Joshua ben Perachia who said: “Judge every man based on merit.”⁷ In other words, always look for the good before you concentrate on the bad. For example, if you hear of a woman who abandoned her newly born infant on the doorstep of the local fire station, before you consider her act to be one of a mother who didn’t care what happened to her child, first view the possibility that she knew she was in no position to give the child what it deserved, so she gave it up so it could have a better life with someone more competent and well off.

The venerable Rabbi Maimonides when he read this book on the Ethics of the Fathers, reflected on it by writing eight chapters on ethics. Maimonides talked about how mankind is constantly trying to maintain his physical, mental, emotional, and moral equilibrium. This results in oscillation between what’s healthy and unhealthy, good and evil, righteous and unrighteous.⁸ Says Maimonides, “So, just as when the equilibrium of the physical health is disturbed, and we note which way it is trending in order to force it to go in exactly the opposite direction until it shall return to its proper condition, and, just as when the proper adjustment is reached, we cease this operation, and have recourse to that which will maintain the proper balance, in exactly the same way must we adjust the moral equilibrium.”⁹ In other words, when we see an imbalance in a person’s life, instead of looking for the wrong and chastising them for it, look for the good and motivate them toward that which is best. This falls in line with what another Rabbi said: “All measures ceased, yet the rule of measure for measure has not ceased.”¹⁰ This is the Hebrew way of saying to use the same measure on yourself that you use on others.

We find this rule of “measure for measure” in the story of queen Vashti in the Book of Esther being discussed by some Rabbis. In their commentary on this phrase they write that measure for measure literally means: “for with the measure with which a man measures others, they measure him.”¹¹ Again this shows that what our Master was teaching was already part of the verbal traditions of the Jews. But most important is how He said it would be applied to His followers. We see this same rule of the measure with which one man measures another applied to a different circumstances.¹²

We also read where Rabbis taught that, “The Holy One, blessed be He, gives the wicked the strength to receive punishment, just as He gives the righteous the capacity to receive reward.”¹³ In the Mishnah we find a different take on how God uses this measure for measure rule: “It is obligatory for one to bless God for a bad occurrence, by saying Blessed is the True Judge in the same manner as one would for a good occurrence, as it states ‘And you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your means.’¹⁴ ‘With all your heart,” which means with your two impulses — the evil impulse, as well as the good impulse [i.e., those physical functions which may be used for sin, should also be harnessed for the service of God] ‘With all your soul means even though he takes your life, ‘With all your means’ i.e., with all your money. Another explanation of ‘With all your means’ is with whatever measure He metes out to you [whether bad or good], still you must thank Him very, very much.”¹⁵

Although Jesus did not mention punishment, this was part of the Jewish thinking in how God will treat you with the same measure as you mete out to others, whether good or bad. Then in the Mishnah where the story of Samson and Delilah was part of the discussion, it begins: “In the same measure that a man measures, it is meted out to him,” and then goes on to talk how both Samson and Delilah received their just reward for both the good and the bad.¹⁶ But our Lord was not finished. He now addresses how perception is often a part of judging others. He wants His disciples to know that a person can often be fooled into judging by what they think they see, rather than what is really there.

We just finished studying Matthew Chapter 6, where we learned what Jesus had to say about caring for others just God cares for us; about prayer, how God prefers prayers that are spontaneous, not long, repetitious prayers, or those recited to earn us points; but from the heart and to the point.

We also saw how fasting got started and what it meant to the one fasting, not necessarily something to impress God with, but to impress ourselves in showing ourselves that we are committed to the cause.  And how important it is to lay up treasures in heaven, not here on earth, meaning: that the good things we do for others should not be to benefit our pride and reputation, but to do it to the glory and honor of God.

And finally, the unnecessary burden of worry, that benefits no one.  How can we plan, believe, move forward, be involved or concentrate on what is needed now when our minds are constantly absorbed and occuppied with things that have not happened yet, and may never happen?

Tomorrow we move on the Chapter 7.  where our Lord talks about the foolishness of watching what others are doing instead of looking for what we need until we find it so that we can find that strait and narrow gate that leads to where  God wants us to be so that what we are building to His honor and glory will not be easily washed away by the winds and the waves because we built it on things that were unstable and untrustworthy.

Hope you stick with us, we want you to come along on this journey down an unfamiliar road.

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SIX

Part VI 12/07/15

Verses 31-33: “Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ That’s what those people who don’t know God are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what He wants you to do. Then He will give you all these other things you need.

In a book on Yiddish Proverbs (Hebrew dialect spoken by Germans), I found this gem: “Do not worry about tomorrow, because you do not even know what may happen to you today.” Such maxims have been around for a long, long time. But it shows that Jesus was not picking a fight with His opponents, He was simply picking their brain to see if they still remembered what the ancients had taught them through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Now our Lord summarizes His thoughts for this lesson.

When God was instructing Moses on the year of Jubilee and the seven years that would follow, the question that came up was: “If we don’t plant for seven years, what are we going to eat. The Lord told him that even though they did not plant, the land would produce crops naturally so they could have plenty to eat until the Jubilee period was over.”¹ Jesus is saying the same thing here. In addition to what we do to maintain our livelihood for the present, God is already preparing things for tomorrow.

I read in the newspaper one day that a police officer from the New England area of the United States retired after some 50 years on the police force and moved to a retirement village in Florida. A few days after moving in, he walked out one morning to catch a bus, and a drunk driver lost control of his vehicle, ran into the bus stop, and killed the retired officer. The pitiful thing was that this officer had delayed and put off so many things he wanted to see and do during his life, and now he would never have a chance to enjoy a single one of them. That’s how quickly life gives us a bitter pill to swallow. That’s why Jesus was telling His followers to enjoy life each day along the way to their destination, and do not be so focused on tomorrow you miss what He has for you today.

As a young minister, I failed to learn this lesson in my early years. I thought that if I took a vacation I was letting God down because I wasn’t preaching or teaching everyday. I could not have been more wrong. This doesn’t mean we should become lethargic or irresponsible in fulfilling God’s will and purpose for our lives, but to enjoy the commission He gave us on those good days, because there will be enough bad days. Our Lord was addressing the need for setting priorities. One Jewish commentator pointed this out: “It was taught in the name of Rabbi Shimon the son of Yochai: The children of Israel rejected three things during the reign of Rehoboam; the Kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of the House of David, and the Holy Temple.”² And as we know, this son of Solomon lost half his kingdom in a very short time. So it doesn’t pay to borrow from tomorrow at the expense of losing what we can spend for today.

Bishop Augustine the theologian gives us this exposition on what Jesus is saying here. He writes: “Here Jesus shows most clearly that these things are not to be sought as if they were some sort of blessing, that on account of them we ought to do well in all our accomplishments, but yet that they are necessary. For what is the difference between a blessing which is to be sought tomorrow, and a necessity which is to be taken today for our use? He made that plain when He said: ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.’ The kingdom and the righteousness of God are there for our good; and this is to be sought, and there everything will eventually be set up, and for that reason we do everything we do. But because we serve as soldiers in this life, in order that we may be able to reach that kingdom, and because our life cannot be spent without these necessaries, by using that word ‘first,’ He has indicated that these other things are to be sought later, not in point of time, but in point of importance.”³

Verse 34: So don’t worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.

Jesus is saying, more or less, don’t be like your forefathers, put God first and He will take care of the other things He believes you will need to fully serve Him. Our Lord is echoing the words of Solomon: “Never brag about what you will do in the future; you have no idea what tomorrow will bring.”⁴ And the words that come closest to what our Savior is saying here come from the traditional Jewish Spoken Word: “Don’t worry over tomorrow’s troubles, because a person doesn’t know what a day will bring, and if by chance tomorrow they pass away: they will have left grieving over a world that was not theirs,”⁵ which were also based on Solomon’s wisdom.

One Rabbi commented on how sometimes people try to get what they want against the will of others, and likens it to attempting to capture a bird without baiting it with corn.⁶ And another Rabbi said it was like making a pond without putting any fish in it.⁷ Then the compiler of the Talmud says: “I AM that I AM.⁸ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Go and say to Israel: I was with you in this bondage, and I shall be with you in the bondage of the other kingdoms.⁹ He said to Him: Lord of the Universe, sufficient is the evil in the time thereof! Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Go and tell them: I AM has sent me unto you¹⁰.”¹¹

Augustine now adds this comment: “Therefore it is with a single heart and only for the sake of the kingdom of God that we ought to do good to all; and we ought not in doing so to think either of the temporal reward alone, or of that along with the kingdom of God: all which temporal things He has placed under the category of tomorrow, saying, ‘Take no thought for tomorrow.’ For tomorrow is not spoken of except in time, where the future succeeds the past. Therefore, when we do anything good, let us not think of what is temporal, but of what is eternal; then that will be a good and perfect work. ‘For tomorrow,’ He says, ‘will have anxieties of its own,’ i.e., so that, when you must, you will take food, or drink, or clothing, that is to say, when necessity itself begins to urge you. For these things will be within reach, because our Father knows that we have need of all these things. For ‘each day has enough of its own misfortunes’ i.e. it is sufficient that necessity itself will urge us to take such things. And for this reason, I suppose, it is called misfortune, because for us it is punishment: for it belongs to this frailty and mortality which we have earned by sinning. Do not add, therefore, to this punishment of temporal necessity anything more burdensome, so that you should not only suffer the want of such things, but should also for the purpose of satisfying this want enlist as a soldier for God.”¹²

In other words, Augustine is saying that his understanding of what Jesus is saying here comes down to a simple conclusion, and that is: since we have enough to worry about in doing what we’ve been called to do today and finding the resources in order to complete the job, don’t add to it the burden of worrying about what we may need tomorrow until we have finished the task for today. I guess we could liken all of this to a farmer who is getting ready to sow a field of corn who gets so worried about getting the corn to plant that he forgets to plow the field; or a carpenter building a house is so concerned over the lumber he needs that he doesn’t lay the foundation, or a student wanting to write an essay for graduation becomes so anxious over the paper they’ll need that they don’t get the books from the library required to finish the endeavor. In other words, Jesus is talking about prioritizing based on need, not on want.

Unfortunately, today some of Jesus’ followers have allowed worry and frustration to become so strong that they have begun to worry over their worry. Also, many feel that this teaching of Jesus cannot be taken literally; that it is more of a philosophical view than theological instruction, so they have not heeded it at all. Christ’s paramount thought here is “worry.” Don’t worry about clothes, food, shelter or tomorrow. He did not say “don’t worry” to the point of inaction or laissez-faire, but don’t let the worry of these things come between you and your Christian duty to fulfill God’s will and plan for your life. God knows our need, and He will provide. When the old suit is about worn out, He will lead you to a bargain, provide the extra money to buy a new one or even give opportunity to receive one as a gift. But if you fail to preach, teach, testify or witness because you’re fretting over your old suit, then you are missing the point.

In addition, Christ’s advice has medicinal value, because worry can lead to ulcers and heart problems. God’s promise for obedience in putting first things first is not contingent upon a certain accomplishment or tied to some calculated time-line. So often the awarding of “other things” impedes the original “seeking” of the kingdom. It all depends on how sincere we are in searching for the kingdom of God. But in any case, as we seek for this kingdom and God’s way of right living, it should be done with this thought in mind: I would rather enter heaven as a pauper than end up squirming in hell as a millionaire.