To clarify the essential choices that His disciples needed to make Jesus laid out four pairs of alternatives. Their choices would prepare them to continue to get ready for the coming kingdom. Each of the four alternatives is a warning. They all focus on future judgment and the kingdom. This section constitutes the conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount.
The Old Testament contains several references to diverging ways that force the traveler to choose between two paths (e.g., Deut. 30:19; Ps. 1; Jer. 21:8). The AV translation "straight"is a bit misleading. That translation reflected the Latin strictummeaning narrow, and it probably contributed to the common idea of "the straight and narrow."However the Greek word steneclearly means narrow as contrasted with broad. The word "small"(v. 14, Gr. tethlimmene) relates closely to the Greek word thlipsismeaning tribulation. Thus Jesus was saying that the narrow restricting gate has connections with persecution, a major theme in Matthew's Gospel (cf. 5:10-12, 44; 10:16-39; 11:11-12; 24:4-13; Acts 14:22).350
The narrow road leads to life, namely in the kingdom (cf. vv. 21-22). The broad road leads to destruction, namely death and hell (cf. 25:34, 46; John 17:12; Rom. 9:22: Phil. 1:28; 3:19; 1 Tim. 6:9; Heb. 10:39; 2 Pet. 2:1, 3; 3:16; Rev. 17:8, 11). Few will enter the kingdom compared with the many who will perish. Jesus clearly did not believe in the doctrine of universalism that is growing in popularity today, the belief that everyone will eventually end up in heaven (cf. John 14:6). Entrance through the narrow gate onto the narrow way will eventually lead a person into the kingdom. The beginning of a life of discipleship (the gate) and the process of discipleship (the way) are both restrictive and both involve persecution.
"Gateis mentioned for the benefit of those who were not true followers; wayis mentioned as a definition of the life of the disciples of Jesus. This is why Matthew uses the word gate' (pule) while Luke employs the word door' (thura, Luke 13:24). Luke is concerned primarily with salvation. Here the King desires subjects for His kingdom, so He uses a word which implies a path is to be followed after entrance into life."351
Only a few people would find the way to life (v. 14). As we noted earlier, Israel's leaders were lethargic about seeking the Messiah (2:7-8). Many of the Jews were evidently not seeking the kingdom either.
7:15 Jesus here sounded a warning that the Old Testament prophets also gave about false prophets (cf. Deut. 13; 18; Jer. 6:13-15; 8:8-12; Ezek. 13; 22:27; Zeph 3:4). He did not explain exactly what they would teach, only that they would deceptively misrepresent divine revelation. This covers a wide spectrum of false teachers. Their motive was self-serving, and the end of their victims would be destruction. These characteristics are implicit in Jesus' description of them. The scribes and Pharisees manned a narrow gate, but it was not the gate that led to the narrow way leading to life.
7:16-20 Fruit in the natural world, as well as metaphorically, represents what the plant or person produces. It is what other people see that leads them to conclude something about the nature and identity of what bears the fruit. Fruit is the best indicator of this nature. In false teachers, fruit represents their doctrines and deeds. Jesus said His disciples would be able to recognize false prophets by their fruit, their teachings and their actions. Sometimes the true character of a person remains hidden for some time. People regard their good works as an indication of righteous character. However eventually the true nature of the person becomes apparent, and it becomes clear that one's apparently good fruit was rotten.
Prophets true to God's Word would produce righteous conduct, but false prophets who disregarded God's Word would produce unrighteous conduct (v. 17).
A poisonous plant will yield poisonous fruit. It cannot produce healthful fruit. Likewise a good tree, such as an apple tree, bears good nutritious fruit (v. 18). The bad fruit may look good, but it is bad nonetheless (v. 16). A false prophet can only produce bad works even though his works may appear good superficially or temporarily.
Some interpreters of this passage take Jesus' teaching farther than He went with it. They say it is impossible for a genuine believer to do bad works. This cannot be true in view of the hundreds of commands, exhortations, and warnings that Jesus and the apostles gave to believers in the New Testament. It is possible for a believer to do bad works (e.g., 16:23; Tit. 2:11-13; 3:8; 1 John 1:9). That they will not is the teaching of sinless perfection. Other interpreters say that some bad works are inevitable for the believer, but bad works will not characterize the life of a true believer. This quickly turns into a question of how many bad works, which the New Testament does not answer. Rather the New Testament writers present some people who have departed from God's will for a long time as believers (e.g., 1 Tim. 1:20; 2 Tim. 2:17-18). The point Jesus was making in verse 18 was simply that false prophets do what is bad, and people who follow God faithfully do what is good. He already told His disciples not to judge one another (vv. 1-5). We should not judge whether a person is saved or lost by their works as the following alternatives clarify further.
The end of every tree that does not bear good fruit is the fire (v. 19). Likewise the false prophet who does bad works, even though they look good, suffers destructive judgment (cf. 3:10).
The words and works of a prophet eventually reveal his true character just as surely as the fruit of a tree reveals its identity (v. 20). Of these two criteria, works are the more reliable guide.
Jesus was evidently dealing with typical false prophets in this section. He did not go into the case of a believer who deliberately distorts God's Word. Typically a false prophet rejects God's Word because he is an unbeliever. However even in the Old Testament there were a few true prophets who lied about God's Word (e.g., 1 Kings 13:18).
Verses 15-20 deal with false prophets, but verses 21-23 deal with false followers. The repeated cry of these false followers reveals their fervency.
"In Jesus' day it is doubtful whether Lord' when used to address him meant more than teacher' or sir.' But in the postresurrection period, it becomes an appellation of worship and a confession of Jesus' deity."352
Obedience to the Father's will determines entrance into the kingdom, not professed admiration for Jesus. This is the first occurrence of the phrase "my Father"in Matthew. By using it Jesus was implicitly claiming to be the authoritative revealer of God. During Jesus' ministry doing the will of God boiled down to believing that Jesus was the Messiah and responding appropriately (John 6:29).353Note that entrance into the kingdom was still future. The kingdom was not yet present. Judgment will precede entrance into the kingdom.
Jesus claimed to be the eschatological Judge. This was one of Messiah's functions. "That day"(v. 22) is the day Jesus will judge false professors. It is almost a technical term for the messianic age (cf. Isa. 2:11, 17; 4:2; 10:20; Jer. 49:22; Zech. 14:6, 20-21). "In your name"means as your representatives and claiming your authority. Obviously it was possible for false disciples to prophesy, exorcise demons, and perform miracles in Jesus' name (e.g., Judas Iscariot). The authority of His name (reputation) enabled them to do so, not their own righteousness or relationship to Him. Many onlookers undoubtedly viewed these works as good fruit and evidence of righteous character. However these were cases of tares that looked like wheat (cf. 13:24-30).
Jesus Himself would sentence the hypocrites to depart from His presence (v. 23).354Thus Jesus claimed again that He is the Judge who will determine who will enter the kingdom and who will not. This was a decidedly messianic function. The quotation from Psalm 6:8 puts Jesus in the place of the sufferer whom God has vindicated and who now tells those who have done Him evil to depart from His presence. Moreover He will say He never knew these false professors. Many people deal with holy things daily yet have no personal acquaintance with God because they are hypocrites. It is their failure to bow before divine law, the will of God, that renders them practitioners of lawlessness and guilty.
Verses 21-23 contrast those who say one thing but do another. Verses 24-27 contrast hearing and doing.355The will of Jesus' Father (v. 21) now becomes "these words of mine"(v. 24). As throughout this section (vv. 13-27), Jesus was looking at a life in its entirety.
Each house in Jesus' illustration looks secure. However severe testing reveals the true quality of the builders' work (cf. 13:21). Torrential downpours were and are common in Israel. Wise men build to withstand anything. The wise person is a theme in Matthew (cf. 10:16; 24:45; 25:2, 4, 8-9). The wise person is one who puts Jesus' words into practice. Thus the final reckoning will expose the true convictions of the pseudo-disciple.
Jesus later compared Himself to foundation rock (16:18; cf. Isa. 28:16; 1 Cor. 3:11; 1 Pet. 2:6-8). That idea was probably implicit here.
Verses 16-20 have led some people to judge the reality of a person's salvation from his works. All that Jesus said before (vv. 1-5) and following those verses should discourage us from doing this. False prophets eventually give evidence that they are not faithful prophets. However, it is impossible for onlookers to determine the salvation of professing believers (vv. 21-23) and those who simply receive the gospel without making any public response to it (vv. 24-27). Their real condition will only become clear when Jesus judges them. He is their Judge, and we must leave their judgment in His hands.
Jesus' point in this section (vv. 13-27) was that entrance into the kingdom and discipleship as a follower of the King are unpopular, and they involve persecution. Many more people will profess to be disciples than really are. The acid test is obedience to the revealed will of God.
