Bible Commentaries

Judge not; rashly, censoriously, or unjustly, the character or conduct of others. Harsh judgments will provoke retaliation.

Be judged-measured; you may expect to be treated as you treat others. Luke 6:37.

Men who are exceedingly blind to their own faults, are often exceedingly quicksighted to the faults of others.

Those who labor most successfully in advancing their own spiritual welfare, are the best fitted to be useful to others.

That which is holy; the holy flesh of the sacrifices.

Trample them; as things to them valueless.

Turn-and rend you; turn from the pearls in rage to attack the given, because he has offered them what they cannot eat. Dogs and swine represent selfish, quarrelsome, rapacious, and sensual men, whom it is often best to leave to themselves, lest our indiscreet labors be not only thrown away as regards them, but turn to our own injury. Scorners and scoffers should sometimes be let alone, lest, on being reproved, they become more injurious than they otherwise would be, to themselves and to others. Proverbs 9:7-8.

Ask; in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

Seek; continue to ask of God the blessings which you need.

Knock; at the door of his mercy and grace, with sincerity and earnestness, in the way of his appointment, and you shall be admitted to communion with him: in his light you will see light, and of his fulness receive according to all your wants. Men, in order to judge and act rightly with regard to their duty to themselves and their fellow-men, need wisdom and strength from above: they should therefore habitually ask them of God; and those who do this in dependence on Jesus Christ, may expect, for his sake, to receive them.

Every one; all who rightly ask, receive either what they ask or something better in its place.

Good gifts; things which are needed and truly beneficial. The readiness of a kind, affectionate parent to give necessary food to a famishing child, is but a faint emblem of the readiness of God to give all needed good to those who rightly ask him.

So; do to others as, under like circumstances, you ought to wish others to do to you.

This is the law and the prophets; what is required in the Old Testament.

Strait gate; strait here means narrow and difficult, and represents the difficulty of entering on a religious life, or beginning heartily to obey God.

Wide; easy to enter, requiring one only to follow his own depraved inclinations. The difficulties which stand in the way of beginning from the heart to obey God, need not and ought not to hinder any from doing it.

Few; that find or go in the way of life. This truth is contrary to what many teach. Therefore,

Beware; avoid false teachers.

Sheep’s clothing; appearing in the character of true teachers.

Wolves; selfish, greedy of gain, and disposed to plunder. False teachers may, at first, appear very interesting; but they should be judged of, not by their appearance merely, but by the character and effects of their principles and conduct.

Fruits; the nature and effects of their doctrines and conduct.

Not every one; men are to be judged of, not by their words only, but by their principles and conduct. They must obey the revealed will of God, and to be accepted of him, must do it with the heart. The only sure test of true religion, is the doing of the known will of God.

Never knew you; as my disciples.

A wise man; one who selects good ends, and uses the right means to attain them.

The hopes of those who believe in Christ as the Lord their righteousness, and do his will, can never be disappointed.

Those hopes which are not founded on Jesus Christ, but upon human merit, or on the mercy of God without faith in Christ and obedience to him, will perish at the giving up of the ghost. Proverbs 11:7.

Ended; finished his sermon on the mount, as recorded in the last three chapters.

Astonished; no wonder, for this is a most astonishing sermon. It fills up, in its explanations, the law of God to its divine fulness. It shows to men the way of excellence, usefulness, and happiness. It points out their dangers, and the way to escape them; their duties, and the way to perform them. It sets before them the motives best adapted to lead them to avoid the one and perform the other; and it does this with a brevity and clearness, a pertinency and fulness, a simplicity and directness, a beauty, comprehensiveness, and force which are truly divine.

Taught-as one having authority; the Pharisees quoted what the fathers had said; Christ spoke in his own right. He had authority over the winds and the waves, over diseases and devils, and over all creatures in heaven, earth, and hell. Such was his character, dominion, and work, that even in his deepest humiliation it was the duty, not only of men but of angels, to worship him. Hebrews 1:6.