Matthew (written)

Monday, 3 February 2025

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:8

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“For all ‘the asking’ he receives, and ‘the seeking’ he finds, and ‘the knocking’ he will have opened” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus said, “You ask, and it will be given you. You seek, and you will find. You knock, and it will be opened to you.” Now, He explains why this should be done, beginning with, “For all ‘the asking’ he receives.”

The words of this verse, as with the words of the previous verse, must be taken as conditional and the context must be considered. It would be presumptuous to assume that God is going to just hand out everything that people ask for. It must be that the requests are in accord with His word, His nature, and His will.

However, the one asking is assured that God will give what is asked for if it meets these and any other necessary requirements. Jesus next says, “and ‘the seeking’ he finds.”

The person has prayed for the discernment and wisdom necessary to be in accord with God’s will. From there, he seeks out what he is looking for. After that Jesus says, “and ‘the knocking’ he will have opened.”

The process is complete in this. The first step, that of acknowledging through prayer that God’s hand in a matter is needed. The second step is to acknowledge that with God’s hand, we will put in our effort to seek out what is necessary for the goal to be accomplished. The third step is to have opened (as implied by knocking for access) to us what has been set forth and then searched out.

Life application: Jesus’ words cannot be taken as a carte blanche approval by God of getting everything one wants. As noted above, requests must be in accord with His word, His nature, and His will.

If a man were to request God to allow him to find a husband, that would not be in accord with any of the three. If he were to ask for a wife, that would be acceptable according to the first two, but maybe not in accord with His will for that person.

If someone were to ask for a particular wife, it would be illogical to assume he would be given her if another person asked to marry the same woman and God had already set the plans for that in motion.

As can be seen from just these few basic examples, what Jesus says in these verses is not what they appear to say on the surface. And yet, it is not uncommon for people to use what Jesus says almost as a talisman for good fortune at every turn.

The problem with holding such a position, or someone teaching such things, is that dissatisfaction will inevitably set in and a feeling that the word cannot be trusted will also arise. And this results because people are not willing to think through what is said, much less check the greater context of whatever is being conveyed.

Jesus is speaking of spiritual matters and issues that involve interactions between others and between people and God. To go beyond that is to expect something that is not what is being referred to. Be sure to remember the context before you form a pretext.

Lord God, thank You that we can come to You and lay our petitions before You. We know that You hear and respond to prayer when it is in accord with Your word. Therefore, may our prayers reflect Your will so that they will not be hindered when we bring them before You. Amen.

Sunday, 2 February 2025

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“You ask, and it will be given you. You seek, and you will find. You knock, and it will be opened to you” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus said that what is holy is not to be given to dogs, and pearls are not to be cast before swine. In doing so, He spoke of the negative consequences that would result. Now, He continues His teaching, seemingly transitioning to a new thought.

If these words are logically connected to the previous thought, it must be in relation to discernment. Jesus spoke about not judging, but that didn’t mean not judging at all. Rather, it is to be based on the attitude in which one judges. This is obvious because He then told them how and when to make judgments.

As this is a difficult and sensitive matter, His words now – unless a completely new thought, which seems unlikely – are given in the sense of asking for the wisdom and discernment necessary to judge appropriately. This certainly seems likely based on what He will say in verse 12. Notice the similarity between verses 7:2 and 7:12 –

7:2 “For in what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and in what measure you measure, it will be remeasured to you” (CG).

7:12 “Therefore, all as what you may determine that men, they should do to you, thus also you, you do to them. For this, it is, the Law and the Prophets” (CG).

Because of this similarity, Jesus appears to be using verses 7 to 11 to answer the question of how they can apply His teaching according to the law. In fact, it may be that one of the disciples asked Him and this is Jesus’ answer to the unrecorded question. Understanding this, Jesus begins this thought with, “You ask, and it will be given you.”

Assuming this is asking about wisdom and discernment in how to handle such things, which seems likely, we can see how James took Jesus’ words and expressed them in his own epistle –

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

It is certain that Jesus’ words are not a blanket statement of getting what you ask for under any circumstances and for any desire. Therefore, wisdom and discernment are the most likely things He is basing His words upon. Next, He says, “You seek, and you will find.”

This elevates the force from prayer to personal action. One asks for wisdom, but there has to be a synergistic working on the part of the individual. God is not going to inject wisdom directly into one’s head while he lays on his pillow.

Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. It does not end there. Once a person prays for it, demonstrating his fear of the Lord, he is to then read the word, heed instruction on the word, contemplate what it means to apply Jesus’ words, etc. Such things are a personal act of seeking. From there, Jesus next says, “You knock, and it will be opened to you.”

The word krouó, to knock, is introduced here. Knocking implies a request for permission to enter. Again, the force of the action is elevated. The disciple prays, he seeks, and then he knocks at the place he has found. Notice that it doesn’t say he opens the door by himself. When the knock is made, the door will be opened.

One may come to a faulty conclusion in his seeking. And so, in order to ensure his search for understanding has been properly conducted, he is to then knock. In essence, “Lord, if this is how you are leading, and if my search has been correct, open this door. If not, keep me from error by keeping me from pursuing this incorrect path.”

There is an implied approval of the searching, however, in Jesus’ words. In other words, the person prayed and then searched. Jesus says that when the knock is made, the door will be opened. Therefore, it must be that He is speaking of a proper search to begin with. Someone intentionally knocking on the wrong door would make no sense.

Therefore, Jesus’ words do assume that a proper search prior to the knock has been made for the door to actually be opened. This shows that the path to obtaining wisdom in how to deal with others and how to make right judgments is something that has to be conducted through a proper search. This is what Scripture is intended to do.

Life application: As noted above, one cannot use the contents of this verse as a standalone set of words to indicate that whatever we ask for will be given to us. Unfortunately, this is how many in the church treat them. This is especially so in charismatic churches where people claim prosperity, health, abundance, etc. as if they have a right to those things based on what Jesus says here.

Jesus is speaking to His disciples. He is doing so under the law. They are of the nation of Israel. The passage, though containing spiritual truths that may extend beyond Israel, must be evaluated in the proper context. Verse 12, cited above, clearly shows this. Only Israel was given the law and the prophets.

Gentiles who come to Christ come to Him after His having fulfilled the law. Therefore, it cannot be that Jesus is telling the church to claim things and they will be parceled out based on their claims. Further, the context isn’t just Israel under the law, but seeking out how to treat others, judging appropriately, etc.

Keep things in their intended context. In so doing, your doctrine will be sound, and your walk with the Lord will be agreeable.

Lord God, may we be careful to evaluate Your word in the manner that is intended based on the context. Help us to consider the context and then evaluate what we are reading based on that. Give us wisdom in Your word and then the diligent desire to search it out. Yes, Lord, may it be so to Your glory. Amen.

Saturday, 1 February 2025

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. Matthew 7:6

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“You give not the holy to the dogs, nor you shall cast your pearls before the pigs, lest they ever will tread them in their feet and, having turned, they shall dissever you” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that one should first remove the plank from his own eye. In so doing, he can see clearly to remove the speck from the eye of his brother. Jesus next instructs them that they are to, in fact, render judgments. He does that beginning with the words, “You give not the holy to the dogs.”

How can one know what is holy unless he has determined it is so? And how can one identify a dog, meaning an impure or contemptuous person, unless he has made a judgment about his character? As for the dog, it is the Greek word kuón.

To this day, many cultures in the Middle East despise dogs. They scavenge, eat unclean food, they are predators that feed off of others, and so forth. HELPS Word Studies says in biblical times they were “viewed as a ‘mooch pooch’ that ran about as a scavenger.”

In both the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 23:18) and the New (Revelation 22:15), male homosexuals are equated to dogs because of the position they take when engaging in their abhorrent, perverse, and deviant sexual practices.

Despite this, one of the most trustworthy and steadfast figures in the Old Testament, Caleb, is named after the Hebrew word kelev, dog. In typology, he anticipates the Gentiles as being steadfast, trustworthy, and accepted by God despite their impurity before the law. Next Jesus instructs His disciples concerning more discerning judgments to be rendered, saying, “nor you shall cast your pearls before the pigs.”

As before, how can one identify a pig, meaning an unclean and morally offensive person, unless he renders a judgment concerning such a person? One can see that in Matthew 7:1, Jesus is not making an absolute prohibition on judging. Rather, it is the attitude in which one judges. Only after instructing His disciples concerning removing the beam from their eyes does He now instruct them concerning making right judgments.

As for the word translated as pearl, it is margarités. One can see the etymological root of several women’s names, such as Margaret, Margarite, Margarita, etc. The pearl is given as representative of that which is precious and valuable. In this case, Jesus is metaphorically equating them to precious doctrines.

The word translated as swine is choiros. The swine is one of the animals that was considered unclean according to the dietary restrictions found in the Law of Moses. (Thank goodness the dietary restrictions of Israel are not binding upon the church today!)

The Hebrew word for pig, khazir, comes from a root signifying “to enclose,” as if penned up. Pigs divide the hoof, but they do not chew the cud. They represent those who know the word and divide it properly (the split hoof), but they do not meditate on it and dwell on it (chewing the cud).

The pig thus represents the scholarly types who pour over ancient manuscripts, the professors who teem with sound doctrine, the preachers in the pulpit who give the finest of sermons, etc., but at the same time, they are often unwilling to apply that knowledge to themselves. They are penned up in their minds concerning doctrine without having a love for the One who gave the doctrine in the first place.

As for why the disciples are instructed not to do these things, Jesus continues with, “lest they ever will tread them in their feet and, having turned, they shall dissever you.”

Imagine giving something holy to someone who is perverse. He will laugh at it, mock it, and treat it contemptuously. If one were to give something of great value to a perverse or arrogant person, he would take it and ruin it. In the process, he will also turn around and eviscerate the one who gave it in the first place.

In this clause is another new word, rhégnumi. It gives the sense of breaking, wrecking, cracking, etc. However, along with that is the sense of sundering it. Therefore, the word dissever fits it well. One can think of a dog’s teeth or the pig’s fang being used to slice and dice its foe. This is the sense of how someone who fails to discern the dog or the pig will be treated. He will have wasted his efforts and been eviscerated in the process.

Life application: In general, people are set and unchanging in their ways. If you give something of true value to someone who lives in the projects, a rosewood table for example, they will not treat it any differently than a cheap plastic table. Both will wind up in the dumpster in no time at all.

If you give the same person $100 in the morning, the chances are it will be spent by the afternoon on something completely worthless, maybe drugs or something else that has no lasting value.

On the other hand, if you give that same $100 to a Chinese immigrant who is fresh off the boat and looking to start again in your country, the chances are that he will take that $100 and turn it into a business. In a year, his business will be thriving and he will have a house, a car, and extra money in the bank.

Jesus’ point is that we must make judgments about the precious things we possess. To hand out money to indolent people who have spent their lives on the government dole is to waste the resources we have at our disposal.

It is not cruel, biased, racist, or bigoted to withhold helping those who are unwilling to help themselves. Rather, it is harmful and wasteful to give them something they are unprepared to properly handle. We must judge, but we are to do it without the beam in our eye. If we have a beam of woke ideology in our eye, we will never discern what is right concerning people who are actually bad actors.

This is exactly why crime is so high in liberal-run cities. The leadership, attorneys, judges, and government workers ignore the fact that they are serving dogs and pigs and continue to cater to those who should be incarcerated or otherwise punished. They should promote industry and self-help, not indolence and lethargy in those they are elected or appointed to assist. This is the lesson we are to learn from Jesus’ words.

“For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. ¹¹ For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. ¹² Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

Glorious God, when we render judgments, may we do so in accord with the moral principles set forth in Your word. Help us to be good to others, but to be discerning in how we ultimately help them so that our resources and time will not have been wasted. Amen.

Friday, 31 January 2025

Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:5

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Hypocrite! First, you eject the beam from your eye, and then you will thoroughly see to eject the splinter from your brother’s eye” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke about someone saying he wanted to remove the chip from another’s eye while he had a beam in his own eye. Now, He continues that thought, saying, “Hypocrite! First, you eject the beam from your eye.”

The person is identified as a hypocrite because he is attempting to eject a moral defect from someone else while having his own, much greater, moral defect left unresolved. This is one of the tactics of those on the political left.

They identify some supposed fault in those they oppose but they are filled with fifty times more moral corruption than the insignificant point they have called out in their opponents. They make a mountain out of a molehill while sitting on their own heights of hypocrisy. Understanding this, Jesus continues with, “and then you will thoroughly see to eject the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

Jesus introduces the word diablepó. It is derived from dia, through, and blepó, to see. The prefix dia intensifies the thought of seeing. Thus, it is when one can see thoroughly. The meaning is that when a person has a moral defect, even if he sees a defect in others, he cannot clearly identify and root out another’s moral defect.

However, once he has cleaned up what is defective in himself, he will be able to more thoroughly review what is wrong in another. With this clarity of vision, he can then help the person remove what is defective in his own life.

Life application: The city of Chicago has gone from worse to worse in its selection of mayors. In fact, with the selection of a mayor, it seems that whoever is elected turns out to be so bad that there is no possible way the next person can be anything but a step up. Amazingly, however, once elected, it is seen that the new mayor is, in fact, worse than the one before.

How can this be when the people are so fed up with their mayor that they eject him or her from office, but then choose someone worse? The answer is that they are so morally corrupt themselves that they cannot see clearly to choose anything other than another liar whose promises woo them into believing they will be showered with abundance if they only elect him.

The problem is with those who choose the candidate. The candidate is simply taking advantage of the selfish greed of the people. Until the people themselves are willing to clear out the defect in their mode of selection, they will continue to go from one bad choice to another.

This is true at any level of politics. It is true in the selection of pastors for churches. It is true in a variety of ways in life. Critical thinking is not taught in schools. People are also unwilling to stop and evaluate the root of their problems, and so bad decisions continue to flow in their lives.

The only way to truly stem the tide of moral degradation in one’s life is to have a standard that is beyond oneself as a guide for right living. This is true with societies as well. However, for the person or society to be truly godly, that standard must be God.

There are many teachings that claim God as their source, but God is not fickle. He will not present Himself in one way to one group and in another way to others. Rather, He has presented Himself in one historically long and yet readily discernible way, which is through the pages of Scripture.

His presenting the law to Israel and then grace at the coming of Jesus are not two different presentations of Himself. Rather, it is one continuous instructional tool, each dispensation building on the others so that we can fully understand and appreciate His full plan of redemption.

Therefore, if a person or society wants to clear out immoral baggage, following the Bible is the only true way to do so. The further a society moves from the teachings of Scripture, the more morally corrupt it will be. The types of corruption may be different, but they will all be a presentation of morality that is incapable of true and lasting reformation.

God has given us the standard by which we can thoroughly see where our defects lie. It is up to us to accept or reject that truth. May we make the right decision and look to Jesus, the ultimate Standard of God’s proper moral way, as our guide. In doing so, things will go well for us.

Lord God, man is capable of great achievements and productivity, both individually and in societies. But without following Your guiding hand as it is presented in Scripture, there will always be defects in how we do things. Perfection will never come through our efforts. But through Jesus, we know that perfection lies ahead for Your people. Thank You, O God, for Jesus who promises us Your perfection. Amen.

Thursday, 30 January 2025

Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Matthew 7:4

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Or how you will say to your brother, ‘You permit – I may eject the chip from your eye,’ and behold, the beam in your eye” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus asked why someone would see a chip in another’s eye but not examine the beam in his own eye. He now continues that line of thought, saying, “Or how you will say to your brother, ‘You permit – I may eject the chip from your eye.’”

The person Jesus is speaking of is annoyed at the teeny perceived imperfection in someone else’s eye. It is as if it is too much of an annoyance to allow it to continue without being highlighted and removed.

But more, he doesn’t say to the other fellow, “You should work on getting that chip out of your eye.” Instead, he deems it appropriate that he himself will be the one to eject it from his eye. He assumes that he is qualified to mess with such things.

In Jesus’ words, He uses a new word, ekballo. It is derived from ek (from, out of, etc.), and ballo (to throw, cast, etc.). It is the same word used later when referring to casting out demons. It is used in the sense of ejecting something.

In this case, he wants to get his hands on the other guy’s eyeball and squeeze it until the chip comes free. Despite this, Jesus repeats the same thought as the previous verse, noting that his own troubles are far greater, saying, “and behold, the beam in your eye.”

While standing there noting that he can take care of the little chip in another’s eye, he is unwilling to acknowledge the 2×4 sticking out of his own eye. It is the height of hypocrisy because Jesus is actually referring to a moral defect in this person, using the chip and the beam as metaphors for spiritual truths.

People find it very easy to highlight teeny weeny little faults in others, even while they have immense moral defects of their own.

Life application: The words here are given as support for the initial words of Chapter 7, “Not you judge.” Jesus is not telling His disciples to never make judgments. In fact, in the next verse, He will actually tell them it is ok to do exactly that. He will then do so again in the verse following that.

However, there is an appropriate way to do so and there are inappropriate ways of doing so. For someone to walk around judging, when they are committing their own moral transgressions, is not a sound way of conducting one’s life.

And the fact is that everyone commits some sort of transgression at one point or another. Therefore, to arbitrarily judge others without clearing up one’s own personal failings is a hypocritical way of conducting one’s affairs.

Jesus is speaking to His disciples and to Israel in general in these verses, but many of the truths He conveys to them extend beyond the law to people in any culture or time. They are moral precepts that should be considered so that we don’t find ourselves on the receiving end of judgment.

Such is the normal way things will turn out when we go pointing fingers at others while we ourselves are not living in a manner that is appropriate.

Lord God, give us wisdom to apply the moral precepts of Your word to our lives. The book of Proverbs is a great place to learn basic truths about such things. May we read it along with the rest of Scripture to continually refine our thinking and remind ourselves of those things You find acceptable or unacceptable. Amen.