Matthew 7

Judging others  Matthew 7:1-6

I can’t count the number of times that people quote this verse unaware.  It’s almost always used when we are confronted with some action that is not godly.  The immediate angry response is “you can’t judge me!”  What we are faced with is not whether or not we can judge.  What we are faced with is the fact that when we judge others, our life comes under scrutiny.  Let’s take a walk through the scriptures to see what Torah teaches.

The first case that we see is when Lot was in Sodom and Gomorrah.  He was arguing with the men of the city who wanted to have homosexual relations with the angels who came to deliver him.  The men of the city asked him who made him judge over them (Gen 19:9).  Many think that Lot was a righteous man because God considered him worth saving.  I want to remind you that Lot and Abram had such huge tribes that they had to split the land.  Their tribes were so big that anywhere they traveled together they exhausted the resources of the land.  When they parted company their tribes were so incredibly large that it was not practicable for them to stay together (Gen 13:1-13).  Now, several years later the tribe has been completely assimilated into Sodom and Gomorrah.  Not one single man of the multitude of his people except for Lot was found to be worthy of saving.  I would wager that Lot either lost his entire flock to Sodom, or he became so worldly that the men no longer found him as a worthy leader.  Notice also that Lot did not have a response when the men asked him who made him judge (Gen 19:9).  We have an indicator that he was not totally righteous when he offered his daughters to the men of the city instead of the angels (Gen 19:8).  Why would he willing offer his daughters to be raped?  The angels pulled Lot back in the house, striking the men of the city with blindness until they were ready to leave.

The second case that we have is with Moses.  He was raised as the next Pharaoh of Egypt.  He was aware of his ethnic heritage as a Hebrew.  God placed a spirit of justice in his heart and a longing to be a friend to the Hebrew people.  Moses saw one of the Egyptians beating a Hebrew slave and killed him.  He buried the Egyptian in the sand to hide the murder.  One thing we are not told is that the slave got away, probably telling the story to everyone.  The following day Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and sought to intercede as a mediator.  He was asked, “who made you a prince and judge over us?  Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian” (Ex 2:14, read Ex 2:11-14 for context)?

Out of curiosity, I took a look at the Babylonian Talmud to see what it said regarding judging.  One thing that was obvious was that three judges are required to pass judgment.  If only two are present, then judgment cannot be passed.  The idea of guarding against judging others in error is a huge topic.  The Jewish people built in many safeguards to protect the innocent.  This is keeping Torah.  When Jesus came on the scene, it seems that they needed to be reminded of what Torah said.  You can be certain that when Jesus taught the people were aware of Lot, Moses and the following command in Torah:

Leviticus 19:15–18 (NASB95)

^“15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. ¹⁶ ‘You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor; I am the Lord. ¹⁷ ‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. ¹⁸ ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.”

Yeshua said:

Matthew 7:1–6 (NASB95)

¹ “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. ² “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. ³ “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴ “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? ⁵ “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. ⁶ “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

We covered verses 1 and 2 through the introduction.  Torah demonstrates that when people judge, they are evaluated according to their own judgment.  Yeshua returned to the analogy regarding the eye.  If the pupil of our brother’s eye is clouded with a speck, then his life focus changes to compensate for the speck.  Jesus uses the analogy of a log in the eye of the accuser.  The accuser has a huge log of the same type in his eye, his life focus is tainted by this log.  That is one view, the most logical according to a direct translation.

What is a log according to the teachings of the Jews?  The first type is a “log of wood”.  This comes up many times in the Talmud as the Jewish people argue over how logs are to be placed, and how that logs are to accompany the daily sacrifice.  The priests were required to have logs present to burn the sacrifice with.

The second type of log is extremely interesting since it regards measurement (Lev 14:10-24).  A log is a Jewish measurement that is the smallest of dry measurements.  It is often referred to as a “quarter-log”, “half-log” and such in the Talmud.  What is even more interesting is that the measurement is gaged after six eggs which constitute a “log”.  There are many discussions in the Talmud regarding contamination by a “quarter-log” of blood.  If a person comes into contact with this much blood, it makes virtually everything it touches to become unclean.  With this in mind, think of the eye, an egg shaped object filled with blood to the point that it is bulging out of the head.

When Jesus referred to having a “log” in the eye, he was not speaking about a wooden pole.  He was talking about having blood in the eye.  The eye of the accuser’s view was red and his life focus took on an unclean spirit.  The hypocrite was raining judgment on his brother when his eye was blood red and his vision was clouded with deadly vengeance.  Yeshua was telling the hypocrite to return to Torah, clear his vision first, then judge his brother.  If our lives are not focused on Torah, we cannot see to help others.

Matt 7:6: This verse is very interesting.  Dogs often referred to Gentiles while “swine” often referred to pagans.  When Yeshua spoke to the Hebrew listeners, he was not speaking to unbelievers.  He was speaking to Hebrew people who believed in and were interested in correcting their walk according to Torah.  These people were not listening to Him for entertainment purposes.  They were having revival.  They were learning from their Messiah about Torah.

Yeshua warned not to throw what is holy to the dogs.  Remember, Torah (Gods instruction) was considered to be Holy.  The eye focused on Torah and through Torah was the correct way of life.  Discarding Torah because of judging your brother flaunts Torah as being inadequate to deal with life.  Casting Torah before the unclean swine enables them to tear believers to pieces.  The pig is considered to be the most unholy of all creatures.  To be torn to pieces by a pig is symbolic of living a life where Satan has complete control.  Life with the pig in control is a life that is outside of God’s instructions (Torah).

I previously held the view of Matthew 7:1-6 that it was dealing with judgment exclusively.  My writings were laced with how to avoid judgment and what to do about it.  I was wrong.  I believe that due to the English we miss the idea completely.  Judgment of others is due to our life view.  Our main focus is to change our lives so that we can see others according to God’s Torah.  If we do that, then we will be able to help our brother to remove the speck (Matt 7:5).  Our hearts will be in line with God’s heart and the end result of that will be the mercy of God rather than our blood red wrath unrighteously executed.  Our display of genuine grace filled love will not be cast before the world for it to flaunt.

In short, before we judge, we need to get our life focus set on God’s instructions (His Torah).  Some will probably argue with this stand.  Leave the judging to God for now and focus on lining your eyes up with Torah.

Prayer, God’s provision

Context, Context, context!  This is the rule for interpreting scripture.  If we stick to this rule above all others, we will avoid 99% of misinterpreting errors.  With that in mind. Yeshua has been hammering home Torah.  He demonstrated that He is the Messiah according to Torah in Matthew 5 with the Beatitudes.  The latter part of Matthew 5 through Matthew 7 has been about how to put Torah into action.  Yeshua has taught nothing new up to this point that is not found in the Torah and the Old Testament writings.  In context with the recent studies that we have done we have examined how that the eye that is focused on Torah is focused on living God’s instructions out according to it.  The one who does this is truly blessed.  Matthew 7:1-6 demonstrated that with our eye focused on Torah will remove the blindness that worldly thinking puts on us.  We will walk in the way that God intends for us to do and have holiness and pearls of wisdom to show for it.

With that summary in mind, let’s look at Matthew 7:7-11:

Matthew 7:7–11 (NASB95)

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? ¹¹ “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

In the Greek there is no subheading at the beginning of Matthew 7:7, the thought continues.  Once we remove the log of wood or the log of blood from our eyes, they will be clear.  We will be able to focus on God’s truth and put it in action.  Yeshua makes a promise based on a heart that is clear and focused on His Torah.  When we ask in prayer, we will receive.  When we seek, we will find.  When we knock, doors will open.  Why?

With our eyes focused clearly on God’s instruction and with the logs and specks removed from our eyes, our focus changes.  Our lives will be based and built upon Torah (God’s instructions for life).  When we pray at this point our motives will be set aside because we will understand what the will of God is.  This will become our passion and the focus of our prayer life.  When we pray according to the will of God, our prayers will be answered.  Clear eyes are eyes that are focused on Torah and puts God’s word as the filter that we see life by.

Yeshua drew an analogy to help his listeners to understand further what He was talking about.  Parents give their children good gifts.  In the case of the illustration Yeshua used it was food.  They do not give their children rocks and snakes to live on.  The Greek word for “evil” is not evil as in bad or depraved.  The idea it carried in the Greek classical language was that of one who is poor, needy, unsuccessful, which carries the idea of a common person.[1]  It can also mean morally evil which is a religious usage of the word.  Yeshua is not speaking in a religious sense here, he is speaking about the common people.  In short, common people take good care of their children by providing their needs. Our heavenly Father works the same way.

What is therefore there for?

Matthew 7:12 (NASB95)

¹² “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

We looked at this in the discussion of judging others because it was linked with the Torah teaching regarding treating others fairly (Lev 19:18).  This has been dubbed the golden rule (See also Luke 6:31-36).  Yeshua taught that this simple truth is the basis for Torah and the Prophets.  Think about it, half of the Ten Commandments are specifically pointed to relationships between men.  The prophets were constantly dealing with men who did not treat other men according to Torah.  They goaded people to return to Torah in order to avoid God’s judgment.

Highway to Holiness

Jeremiah 18:15 (NASB95)

¹⁵ ‘For My people have forgotten Me, They burn incense to worthless gods And they have stumbled from their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in bypaths, Not on a highway,

Matthew 7:13–14 (NASB95)

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. ¹⁴ “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Isaiah 35:8–10 (NASB95)

⁸ A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it. ⁹ No lion will be there, Nor will any vicious beast go up on it; These will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there, ¹⁰ And the ransomed of the Lord will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Isaiah 62:10–12 (NASB95)

¹⁰ Go through, go through the gates, Clear the way for the people; Build up, build up the highway, Remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples. ¹¹ Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth, Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your salvation comes; Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.” ¹² And they will call them, “The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord”; And you will be called, “Sought out, a city not forsaken.”

Yeshua had just taught that the Law and Prophets were based on the golden rule.  In the prophets a popular subject is the highway to holiness (Jer 18:15; Isa 35:8-10; 40:3-8; 62:10-12).  The idea is a narrow way of a higher plane than the rest of the land that the world has no desire to travel.  Jesus was teaching from the Prophets about how that those who return to God will find the ancient paths.  These paths are not easy because they do not follow the way of the world.  However, they lead to life.  What is life?  Life according to the Hebrew usage is living according to God’s instruction in Torah:]

Deuteronomy 30:15–20 (NASB95)

¹⁵ “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; ¹⁶ in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. ¹⁷ “But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, ¹⁸ I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. ¹⁹ “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, ²⁰ by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

Life according to the Hebrew understanding is living according to Torah.  Very few people, even believers, really want to follow God’s way of doing things.  They live the good life according to the world and are good worldly people but they are not following God’s instructions.  This is addressed in the following verses regarding false prophets.

Fruit checking

Matthew 7:15–20 (NASB95)

¹⁵ “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷ “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. ¹⁹ “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ “So then, you will know them by their fruits.

Who are false prophets?  It is important that we identify these people since Yeshua warned to avoid them.  First let’s do a quick word study, then we will dig into the passage:

The Greek word for false prophet is “pseudopropheton” the beginning of that word was pseudo, meaning false. The word prophet has been incorporated into English as a transliteration of the Greek word, meaning it is never translated. We think of prophets as those who tell the future, something similar to a soothsayer. Prophet in the Greek indicates one who is a speaker who makes something known publically or declare openly.  One who tells the future is a different build of the word “prophetes” to the word “hupoprophetes” which gives a spiritual indicator of one who knows the future.[2]  I have oversimplified the word since in the original language it is rich with meaning.  The Hebrew meaning from the Old Testament is similar to this with an exception.  It means one who speaks what YHVH has instructed him to speak.  In short, a speaker for the Lord God.  This can include ecstatic sayings, teaching, or foretelling the future.  Both meanings were known to the Hebrew people that Jesus was speaking to.  In both languages the word was very similar.  The specific Greek word pointed to public speakers or teachers.

These false prophets look like and act like men of the Word, yet inwardly they are not empowered by the Holy Spirit at all. They are motivated and driven by their own desires.  As we near the end times, Jesus promised that we will see more and more of these false prophets, they will be a continual problem until He returns (Matthew 24:11, 24, Mark 13:22; Luke 6:26, 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 4:1).  In Yeshua’s day the false prophets were teachers who did not teach truth according to Torah.  They taught truth laced with deception for their own gain.  Today, false prophets occupy many pulpits.  These men are teaching a social gospel that sounds good, looks good and is inherently false.  The teaching comes from psychology, wisdom of the world, tradition, or a wide number of means that makes marvelous speeches.  Often in these congregations a Bible is not necessary since it is never opened and only referred to as a reference book.  Paul spoke of these teachers quite specifically:

2 Timothy 4:3–4 (NASB95)

³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

It is critical to look at what Paul regarded as sound doctrine, or sound teaching, look at this passage:

2 Timothy 3:13–17 (NASB95)

¹³ But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

At the time that Paul wrote his letter, the only “scripture” and “sacred writings” that were available was the Old Testament writings.  This was the Torah, the writings and the prophets.  The New Testament had not been written.  I am certain that Paul did not feel that his words were written to be considered as “scripture”.

The comparison is drawn between the false prophets and ravenous wolves because their agenda is to fleece the people of God for their own gain.  A wolf does not kill just to kill, he kills in order to fill his belly, for self-gratification.  It is also noteworthy to consider the fact that wolves travel in packs. Therefore, a ravenous wolf or false prophet will often gather around him teachers who are of a similar mindset.  Church business can be very profitable for those in power.

This is the scenario that we must be aware of, it is a warning to all Bible teachers, that they focus intently upon the Lord and teaches according to biblical instruction.  Yeshua was referring to teachers of righteousness as those who teach Torah.  Paul spoke of the teachers of truth being those who taught Torah.  False teachers are not teaching Torah, but another gospel.  They look like believers, use the same language as believers, but are not teachers of Torah.

My experience:  Several years ago I abandoned Christianity as usual to move to a church that teaches Torah from a Jewish and Christian perspective.  I did this because I was fed up with drawing close to teachers to find that their teaching was based upon psychology, self-gain and on putting on a good show on Sunday morning.  I found many churches to be businesses ran for the sake of providing country club settings. Other churches were family businesses where those in leadership were not great men of God but family members who moved up much like princes and kings.  Then we have the churches that are steeped in tradition and denomination that have so many regulations on the teacher that he can only teach what is approved by the denomination.

I noticed that as I drew near to pastors; my views drawn from the Bible were shut down quickly.  I am not saying that I was always right; rather as a student I went to my teachers to investigate ideas further.  More often than not, I became a threat to the pastors and became shunned and treated as an outsider.

Let’s return to the passage.

Isaiah recorded a word from the Lord regarding a vineyard of good grapes and of bad grapes.  When Yeshua spoke you can be certain that this passage came to mind.  It is also a messianic passage that refers to the Hebrew nation as His vineyard (Isa 5).  God planted the vineyard on a fertile hill, carefully prepared it and planted it with the choice vines so that it would provide good grapes; it produced worthless ones (Isa 5:1-2).  God tore down the walls, stopped caring for the vineyard and charged the rain not to fall on it (Isa 5:3-6).  The vineyard is identified as Israel and Judah who abandoned Torah for the brutal bloodshed and distress of the world (Isa 5:7).  They gather at social gatherings but do not pay attention to the work of the Lord or of His teaching (Isa 5:12). God sent His people into exile because of a lack of knowledge about God’s truth (Isa 5:13).  God’s people soon called evil good and considered good to be evil, they substituted light for darkness becoming clever in their own sight (Isa 5:20-21).  All this took place because they abandoned Torah:

Isaiah 5:24 (NASB95)

²⁴ Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble And dry grass collapses into the flame, So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; For they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

“Law” in this passage is the word “Torah”.  When Jesus spoke to the people they knew that He was speaking about teachers who abandon Torah to teach what was clever in their own site.  He railed on the false teachers that they will carry the Hebrew people down the same path that their forefathers took.  These teachers lead God’s people to destruction.

Jesus taught that teachers who are not teaching according to Torah cannot produce the fruits of a righteous life.  The illustration of grapes from thorns, figs from thistles indicate this.  Those teachers who pervert Torah for their own gain are bad trees producing bad fruit.  Every one of them that are false teachers will be cut down and thrown into the fire.  Unfortunately, those who emulate them will also follow the same path.  This can be speaking of both here and in the afterlife.  Hell is going to continually burn some very religious people.

Yeshua charged his listeners to be aware.  They were to listen to the teachers, evaluate what they said and watch for the fruit.  If the fruit is bad, discard the teacher.  In a church setting, this can be as simple as leaving for another church or removing the teacher from office.  Often this will mean changing the entire leadership.  Individually, we have the power to search out a teacher who teaches according to the Word.  The requirement that the listener has is that he has to study the scriptures so that he can intelligently discern truth from error.   We are to judge our leaders.  We are commissioned to be fruit checkers.

Not Everyone who is religious will enter

Matthew 7:21–23 (NASB95)

²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ²² “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

This is probably one of the most sobering passages for us as believers.  Often this is because we are not taking it in context.  Jesus was speaking about the false prophets who lead His people down false paths.  One of the marks of a prophet through the scriptures has been spiritual power.  We see this with Samuel, Elijah, Elisha and other prophets.  Yeshua promises that those prophets who are not plugged into Torah and following Him do not know Him.

The marks of these false prophets can appear to be really good.  They speak out in God’s name.  In God’s name they are able to cast out demons.  They are able to perform great miracles in God’s name.  Yet, they do not know God or follow His will (Matt 7:14).  Yeshua promises that He personally will reject them because they did not know Him.

Building our house

Matthew 7:24–29 (NASB95)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” ²⁸ When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹ for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Yeshua referred to those who act upon His word as those who build their house upon a rock.  This idea comes from the Sch’ma (Deut 6:4-9).  Herein lies the idea of not only hearing God’s word, but actively putting it into action.  David promised that those who make God’s teaching (Torah) a point of meditation and practice will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water (Psalm 1).  Jesus echoed these thoughts by comparing one who puts into action his teaching on Torah with one who lives according to the wisdom of the world (false prophets).  The reason I point to Torah in this passage is because this is the summation of the Sermon on the Mount which started all the way back in Matthew 5, and continued to here.  Yeshua established that He is the Messiah, taught Torah over and over, and in these last passages established that He will be the one who judges those who do not follow Torah (Matt 7:23).

His teaching on the house built on sand is drawn from the prophets (Ezekiel 13).  Ezekiel described a people who blended Judaism with paganism.  It was a chapter against false prophets.  It describes building a wall and whitewashing it so that it looks good.  The wind and rain comes and the wall comes tumbling down.  I encourage you to read through the Ezekiel passage to get a feel for the nature of the house built upon sand.  You may be shocked.  It will shock you more if you start looking into internet searches like “pagan origins of Christianity”.  You will see a remarkable resemblance.

It is time that we return to the teaching of Yeshua exclusively.  It is time that we hear His word and do it.  It is time that we clean out our churches in order to discard the trash.  It is time that we as individuals are careful to build our houses upon Yeshua our Messiah.  The people were amazed because the authority that Jesus taught with was as the Messiah.  Yeshua, God in the flesh, taught His people that they are to return to Torah…

[1] Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 548.

[2] Ibid. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament