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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 7:1-6

Our Saviour is here directing us how to conduct ourselves in reference to the faults of others; and his expressions seem intended as a reproof to the scribes and Pharisees, who were very rigid and severe, very magisterial and supercilious, in condemning all about them, as those commonly are, that are proud and conceited in justifying themselves. We have here, I. A caution against judging Matt. 7:1, 2. There are those whose office it is to judge-magistrates and ministers. Christ, though he made... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 7:7-11

Our Saviour, in the foregoing chapter, had spoken of prayer as a commanded duty, by which God is honoured, and which, if done aright, shall be rewarded; here he speaks of it as the appointed means of obtaining what we need, especially grace to obey the precepts he had given, some of which are so displeasing to flesh and blood. I. Here is a precept in three words to the same purport, Ask, Seek, Knock (Matt. 7:7); that is, in one word, ?Pray; pray often; pray with sincerity and seriousness;... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 7:12-14

Our Lord Jesus here presses upon us that righteousness towards men which is an essential branch of true religion, and that religion towards God which is an essential branch of universal righteousness. I. We must make righteousness our rule, and be ruled by it, Matt. 7:12. Therefore, lay this down for your principle, to do as you would be done by; therefore, that you may conform to the foregoing precepts, which are particular, that you may not judge and censure others, go by this rule in... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 7:1-5

7:1-5 Do not judge others, in order that you may not be judged; for with the standard of judgment with which you judge you will be judged; and with the measure you measure to others it will be measured to you. Why do you look for the speck of dust in your brother's eye, and never notice the plank that is in your own eye? or, how will you say to your brother: "Let me remove the speck of dust from your eye," and, see, there is a plank in your own eye? Hypocrite! first remove the plank from... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 7:1-5

There are three great reasons why no man should judge another. (i) We never know the whole facts or the whole person. Long ago Hillel the famous Rabbi said, "Do not judge a man until you yourself have come into his circumstances or situation." No man knows the strength of another man's temptations. The man with the placid and equable temperament knows nothing of the temptations of the man whose blood is afire and whose passions are on a hair-trigger. The man brought up in a good home and in... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 7:6

7:6 Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, and do not cast your pearls before pigs, lest they trample upon them with their feet, and turn and rend you. This is a very difficult saying of Jesus for, on the face of it, it seems to demand an exclusiveness which is the very reverse of the Christian message. It was, in fact, a saying which was used in two ways in the early Church. (i) It was used by the Jews who believed that God's gifts and God's grace were for Jews alone. It was used... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 7:6

It is just possible that this saying of Jesus has become altered accidentally in its transmission. It is a good example of the Hebrew habit of parallelism which we have already met ( Matthew 6:10 ). Let us set it down in its parallel clauses: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs; Neither cast ye your pearls before swine." With the exception of one word the parallelism is complete. Give is parallelled by cast; dogs by swine; but holy is not really balanced by pearls. There... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 7:7-11

7:7-11 Keep on asking, and it will be given you; Keep on seeking, and you will find; Keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone that asks receives; And he who seeks finds; And to him who knocks it will be opened. What man is there, who, if his son will ask him for bread, will give him a stone? Or, if he will ask for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If, then, you, who are grudging, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 7:12

7:12 So, then, all the things which you wish that men should do to you, so do you too do to them; for this is the Law and the prophets. This is probably the most universally famous thing that Jesus ever said. With this commandment the Sermon on the Mount reaches its summit. This saying of Jesus has been called "the capstone of the whole discourse." It is the topmost peak of social ethics, and the Everest of all ethical teaching. It is possible to quote rabbinic parallels for almost... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 7:12

Let us see just how the positive form of the golden rule differs from the negative form; and let us see just how much more Jesus was demanding than any teacher had ever demanded before. When this rule is put in its negative form, when we are told that we must refrain from doing to others that which we would not wish them to do to us, it is not an essentially religious rule at all. It is simply a common-sense statement without which no social intercourse at all would be possible. Sir Thomas... read more

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