Matthew 7:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He adds the cause of their wonderment, saying, He taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes and Pharisees. But if the Scribes drove Him from them, seeing His power shewn in works, how would they not have been offended when words only manifested His power? But this was not so with the multitude; for being of benevolent temper, it is easily persuaded by the word of truth. Such however was the power wherewith He taught them, that it drew many of them to Him, and caused them to wonder; and for their delight in those things which were spoken they did not leave Him even when He had done speaking; but followed Him as He came down from the mount.

The Lord revealed Himself in a manner that surpassed the prophets. While they proclaimed, ‘This is what the Lord says,’ Christ, in His divine essence, declared, ‘I say to you.’

From that which is here said, He seems to have left the crowd of disciples—those out of whom He chose twelve, whom He called Apostles—but Matthew omits to mention it. For to His disciples only, Jesus seems to have held this Sermon, which Matthew recounts, Luke omits. That after descending into a plain He held another like discourse, which Luke records, and Matthew omits. Still it may be supposed, that, as was said above, He delivered one and the same Sermon to the Apostles, and the rest of the multitude present, which has been recorded by Matthew and Luke, in different words, but with the same truth of substance; and this explains what is here said of the multitude wondering.

For as the God and Lord of Moses himself, He of His own free will either added such things as seemed omitted in the Law, or even changed some; as above we read, It was said by them of old.… But I say unto you. But the Scribes only taught the people what was written in Moses and the Prophets.

He preached with assurance rather than uncertainty, in contrast to the scribes. While the scribes based their teachings on the Law and the Prophets, implying, “The Law requires this; the Prophets declare that,” Christ, drawing from His own wisdom, taught with divine authority, proclaimed the Law, and persistently affirmed, “But I say unto you.” As the Judge of the coming age, He offered salvation to the righteous and warned of judgment for the unrighteous.

Or; They measure the efficacy of His power, by the might of His words.

Or, Christ spoke with especial power, because He did no evil from weakness, but we who are weak, in our weakness consider by what method in teaching we may best consult for our weak brethren.

This ending pertains both to the finishing the words, and the completeness of the doctrines. That it is said that the multitude wondered, either signifies the unbelieving in the crowd, who were astonished because they did not believe the Saviour’s words; or is said of them all, in that they reverenced in Him the excellence of so great wisdom.

He instructed them with a powerfully authoritative voice, unlike the scriptures and the Pharisees, who were rigid and arrogant formalists. They spent their time debating insignificant matters and human constructs, neglecting the most crucial aspect—the true nature of God's will and commandments. In contrast, the message of Christ was straightforward, significant, and Divine; it surpassed even the words of ancient prophets. While they proclaimed, ‘Thus says the Lord,’ He, embodying the divinity, declared, ‘I say to you.’ He not only clarifies the law, but also transcends its outdated interpretations and reveals the essence of Divine truth. He speaks with the authority of God—both as the Lawgiver and the Judge.

In summary, the Lord instructed that in every circumstance, we should consistently seek God through prayer. He emphasized that our love for our neighbors should mirror the love we hold for ourselves, encouraging us to continually strive to walk the narrow path. We are to remain vigilant against false prophets and to practice what we have learned. By establishing these life principles for His disciples, the Lord delineated the essential differences between their righteousness and that of the Pharisees, offering a solid foundation for the spiritual formation of His chosen community.

Matthew wraps up his account of the Sermon on the Mount by noting that Christ's teachings left a profound impact on His audience: "for, says Matthew, he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes and Pharisees." This indicates that the message of Christ carried an undeniable strength of truth and persuasion, leaving no space for doubt or challenge. The Lawgiver Himself spoke here, rather than His interpreters—the scribes—who, by endlessly circling around their interpretations of the law, only served to obscure its true meaning.

The crowd was astonished by His teachings, for He spoke with a unique authority that set Him apart from the scribes and Pharisees. It is no surprise they were in awe of what He taught; no one had ever expressed the truths Christ shared or communicated with His level of earnestness. While the philosophers and spiritual leaders of various beliefs tried to connect with their audiences through compromises catering to human frailty, Christ had no need for such adjustments.

The account of the Sermon on the Mount as recorded by St. Luke, includes four blessings (Luke 6:20-23) along with four corresponding admonitions: one directed at the wealthy (Luke 6:24), another towards those who are affluent, a warning to those who find amusement (Luke 6:25), and a caution to those for whom people speak well (Luke 6:26). The first three warnings highlight the flaws of the self-righteous individual who, anchored in earthly possessions, intellectual achievements, and superficial virtues, lacks the yearning for righteousness, remains indifferent to his spiritual state, and is unaware of his true condition, as expressed in the Revelation: he is wretched, poor, blind, and without clothing (Rev. 3:17).

Furthermore, He instructed them with a command that exceeded that of the scribes and Pharisees, who were the highly educated leaders of the people. Their doctrines were often filled with trivial matters and empty rhetoric. In contrast, the teachings of Jesus Christ were straightforward, significant, and elevated, as one would expect from divine instruction. He possessed the authority not just to interpret the law but also to revoke it, enabling Him to communicate in a way that no other could. While the prophets conveyed messages with a sense of authority, in Christ this authority stemmed not just from divine inspiration as it did with the prophets, but from His own Divine majesty as the True Lawgiver and Sovereign over the Law.

Upon the completion of the Sermon on the Mount, the crowds were astonished by the teachings of Christ the Saviour. They were captivated not merely by the eloquence of His words, as Blessed Theophylact pointed out, but also by the commanding authority that resonated through His messages. As the Divine Lawgiver of the New Covenant, He proclaimed, “I say to you, I am the Lawgiver of the New Testament,” providing a profound and heavenly teaching that stood in stark contrast to the empty rhetoric and trivial fables perpetuated by the scribes and Pharisees.