Matthew 7Church Fathers' Commentary on Every Verse

Judge not, that you may not be judged.

For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.

And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye?

Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast the mote out of thy eye; and behold a beam is in thy own eye?

Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thy own eye, and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear you.

Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.

The Fathers read this verse as encouragement: the demanding commands of the Sermon on the Mount become achievable, since help from above will surely come. Asking, seeking and knocking, says Euthymios Zigabenos, mean prayer with determination and fervor. Theophylact of Bulgaria notes the Lord did not say "ask once", and Dorotheus of Gaza takes knocking as keeping the commandments.

For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone?

Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent?

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 good things to them that ask him?

All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat.

How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it!

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.

Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock,

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock.

And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand,

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.

And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his doctrine.

For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes and Pharisees.